centre of this room was a glass ball, filled with water, used by Mr.
Mitchell in his experiments on polarization of light, flashing its
dancing rainbows about the room.

At the back of this house was a little garden, full of gay flowers: so
that if the garb of the young Mitchells was rather sombre, the setting
was bright and cheerful, and the life in the home was healthy and
wide-awake. When the hilarity became excessive the mother would put in
her little check, from time to time, and the father would try to look as
he ought to, but he evidently enjoyed the whole.

As Mr. Mitchell was kind and indulgent to his children, so he was the
sympathetic friend and counsellor of many in trouble who came to him for
help or advice. As he took his daily walk to the little farm about a
mile out of town, where, for an hour or two he enjoyed being a farmer,
the people would come to their doors to speak to him as he passed, and
the little children would run up to him to be patted on the head.

He treated animals in the same way. He generally kept a horse. His
children complained that although the horse was good when it was bought,
yet as Mr. Mitchell never allowed it to be struck with a whip, nor urged
to go at other than a very gentle trot, the horse became thoroughly
demoralized, and was no more fit to drive than an old cow!

There was everything in the home which could amuse and instruct
children. The eldest daughter was very handy at all sorts of
entertaining occupations; she had a delicate sense of the artistic, and
was quite skilful with her pencil.

The present kindergarten system in its practice is almost identical with