little ladies she drew on her quires of paper.

Lady Barbara had started early, as she really wished to find her
friends at home; and accordingly, when the stairs were mounted, and
the aunt and niece were ushered into a pretty bright-looking drawing-
room, there they found all that were not at school enjoying their
after-dinner hour of liberty with their father and mother.

Lord de la Poer himself had the youngest in his arms, and looked very
much as if he had only just scrambled up from the floor; his wife was
really sitting on the ground, helping two little ones to put up a
puzzle of wild beasts; and there was a little herd of girls at the
farther corner, all very busy over something, towards which Kate's
longing eyes at once turned--even in the midst of Lord de la Poer's
very kind greeting, and his wife's no less friendly welcome.

It was true that, as Lady Barbara had said, they were all exceedingly
well-bred children. Even the little fellow in his father's arms,
though but eighteen months old, made no objection to hold out his fat
hand graciously, and showed no shyness when Lady Barbara kissed him!
and the others all waited quietly over their several occupations,
neither shrinking foolishly from notice, nor putting themselves
forward to claim it. Only the four sisters came up, and took their
own special visitor into the midst of them as their own property; the
elder of them, however, at a sign from her mamma, taking the baby in
her arms, and carrying him off, followed by the other two small ones-
-only pausing at the door for him to kiss his little hand, and wave
it in the prettiest fashion of baby stateliness.

The other sisters drew Kate back with them into the room, where they