"Not to you or me, perhaps, mamma," remarked Evelyn, "but we are well and
strong, and poor papa is not."

"A holiday would do you good, Eric," the lady said, addressing her
husband; "come, change your mind and go with me to Riverside."

"My dear," he said, "I should like to go to gratify you, but really I
feel quite unequal to the exertion."

"You need make none," she said; "you need only to sit quietly under the
trees on the lawn; and I think you will find amusement in watching the
crowd, while the fresh air, change of scene, and rest from the work you
will not let alone when at home, will certainly be of great benefit to
you."

He shook his head in dissent. "I should have to talk and to listen; in
short, to make myself agreeable. I have no right to inflict my
companionship on Mrs. Ross's guests on any other condition; and all that
would be a greater exertion than I feel fit to undertake."

"There _was_ a time when you were willing to make a little exertion for
my sake," she returned in a piqued tone, "but wives are not to expect the
attention freely bestowed upon a sweetheart, and so I must go alone as
usual."

"Mamma, what a shame for you to talk so to poor papa!" exclaimed Evelyn
indignantly. "You know--"

"Hush, hush, Evelyn," said her father in a gently reproving tone, "be
respectful to your mother, always."