"It is a pity," said the colonel; "but one must pay one's tax to
society."

Just at this moment the conference was interrupted by a visitor, Miss
Keziah Cricket, who came in with her work-bag on her arm to ask a
subscription for a poor family of Ants who had just had their house
hoed up in clearing the garden-walks.

"How stupid of them," said Katy, "not to know better than to put
their house in the garden-walk; that's just like those Ants."

"Well, they are in great trouble; all their stores destroyed, and
their father killed--cut quite in two by a hoe."

"How very shocking! I don't like to hear of such disagreeable
things; it affects my nerves terribly. Well, I'm sure I haven't
anything to give. Mamma said yesterday she was sure she didn't know
how our bills were to be paid; and there's my green satin with point-
lace yet to come home." And Miss Katy-did shrugged her shoulders and
affected to be very busy with Colonel Katy-did, in just the way that
young ladies sometimes do when they wish to signify to visitors that
they had better leave.

Little Miss Cricket perceived how the case stood, and so hopped
briskly off, without giving herself even time to be offended. "Poor
extravagant little thing!" said she to herself, "it was hardly worth
while to ask her."

"Pray, shall you invite the Crickets?" said Colonel Katy-did.