THE END OF THE PARTY. 97
The children assemble in the hall for play. Moonlight.

followed, and thus they entered the hall. A great scene
of commotion immediately ensued. Some ran eagerly to
secure favourite seats in different parts of the room.
Some began to propose plays, and went eagerly about the
room to get others to join in them. Some were trying to
form a ring, some to make a line, some were running to
and fro in the exuberance of their joy and delight, and
some were calling upon everybody to sit down and be
stil. One girl in a corner was tying a handkerchief
about the head of another girl for a game of blind man’s
buff, and a third was helding up three fingers before the
one who was thus blinded, and asking her how many
there were, by way of ascertaining whether she could see,
In the midst of all this scene of confusion, one young
lady, about seven years old, had mounted up into a chair,
on one side of the room, and was waving her hand and
calling out in a very emphatic manner,

“ Hush !—Hush !—~ Hush !— Girls! you must not make
such a confusion.”

All this time Livingston stood at the door, looking on
and smiling at the scene.

At length, however, chiefly through the instrumentality
of Caroline’s efforts, something like order was restored,
and the games began. The games continued without
any special interest for about half an hour. During all
this time some of the children were continually going
and coming to and from the piazza and the yard, and
there was a small party seated upon the piazza, talking
together and telling stories. It is true it was now even-
ing, but the air was very balmy and refreshing, and the
moon was shining.

At length, after the party in the hall had been playing

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