THE NEW HOME. oT

Mary’s work is much better than yours, Lucy.
It is ve1.7 neat, indeed.”’

“But 1 did mine more than three times as fast.
I think hers ought to be best.”

There was a little roughness in Lucy’s manner,
as if she was vexed at her mother’s praise of her
cousin. Mrs. Lovett took no notice of it, except
by looking steadily at her for a moment, which
Lucy understood as a reproof, for she hung her
head, and looked ashamed. It was in a somewhat
diffident tone that she asked, a few minutes after,
‘Mamma, may we have our tea-party now ?””

She was reassured by her mother’s cheerful
reply, ‘Certainly; you and your cousin can set
out your table in this corner, where you will be
out of the way, and lay your cloth on it, while I
get your cups, and saucers, and plates down from
the shelf.”

In a moment the little folks were all in motion.
The table was soon arranged ; the tea-set, washed
by Mrs. Lovett herself, was put upon it; the
servant brought in the cakes which the cook had
made for them; and when Mr. Lovett returned
from a visit he had been making, he found Mary,