38 THE HISTORY OF

all so smart! I am sure you would have liked
it: but here you are shut up, and are so dull.
Don't you thiak your mistress would let you
come among us?”

** Perhaps she would,” I answered; ‘ but I
shall never ask her leave: for to tell you the
truth, Charlotte, I do not think that modest
women have any business at such merry-mak-
ings.”

a Bless me! and why not?” cried Charlotte.
‘‘Why, all the gentlefolks have their dances,
and plays, and routs; and I do not see why we
should not have them too. Do tell me where
the harm of them lies.”

“1 can scarcely tell you, Charlotte,” I an-
swered; ‘for I never was at a dance, or a
wake, or a fair, or a show, in my life. But will
you own to me, whether you ever went to any
of these places, without hearing bad language,
without meeting with bold or drunken men,
who talk familiarly te you, who utter profane
and wicked jests, and take God’s name in vain?
now do answer me this question, Charlotte.”

“I don’t know, I can’t tell: why, why,
why—” said Charlotte.

‘Answer me either yes or no, my dear
Charlotte,” I said. “Surely, if you do not
meet with bad people in these places, you
may say 80; and, if you do meet with them,
you must agree with me, that they are rot
fit places for good young women.”

‘* How scrupulous! how over-nice you are!”
said Charlotte.

‘How can we be too scrupulous in these