50 THE COUSINS.

Mary was: quite* grieved at the disagreeable
feclings her innocent question had excited. Side-
ling up to ‘Uncle Lovett, she put her hand on him,
and said softly, -‘ Do don’t-be vexed with Cousin
Lucy.”

“TJ will not,” said’ Uncle Lovett, “if Cousin
Lucy will show me that she is not vexed with
you.”

Mary drew near to Lucy, and, putting her arm
timidly round her neck, said, “You are not vexed
with me—are you, cousin?”

Lucy’s-““No” was not very frank, but Mr. Lovett:
said, ‘Then I am not vexed either, and you shall
come here,’” lifting Lucy to one knee as he spoke, *
“and Cousin Mary here,” placing ‘her on the
other, “and we will have-a lecture on language ;
you shall give us the’ meaning of muss, and she
shall give us the: meaning of: do don’é, ‘and then’ I
will tell you what I think of them both.”

Tn ‘a moment the ill humour and the sorrow had
all vanished. from ‘the faces of the little girls, who
entered:heartily into what seemed to them a very
amusing play. Lucy commenced the definitions,
and, as she wasa lively and witty child, she gave”