COUNTRY PLEASURES. 91:

the school and take Clara in, and’ they will -have,:
I dare say, quite'a nice time.”’

A shout of delight from Charles, and the be-
seeching looks of Lucy and Mary, seemed ‘to put
any objection from Mr. and: Mrs. Lovett out of
the question ; but they hed no desire to object ;
for Mr. Lovett: thought the ride;to: the field, and)
the sport in the open air, would be: healthy. as
well as pleasant. «The children» read ‘consent: in
hisismiling face‘before he spoke, and, long before
the cart came to the gate, they were on the steps ~
awaiting it. Mr. Lovett said it was quite a treat
to see such joyous faces as theirs were when,
waving their hands to Emma, they drove off.
Not-less joyous was that of Clara Nye, when her
father, having obtained an afternoon’s holiday for
ner from her teacher, lifted her into. the. cart
beside-them.. Lucy was generally more sociable.
with strangers:than Mary, but she was not yet
quite recorciled to Clara’s coarse dress, and she.
remained silent.and reserved. Had. Clara Nye
been coarse and vulgar in her manners, we would
not ‘have blamed Tiucy for this reserve, but she
was a gentle, pleasing, unaffected girl, with a great’