92 THE COUSINS.

deal more true politeness than Lucy’s fashionable
friend, Miss Ann Noel. Mary felt much more
at ease with her than she had done with any
of her cousin’s favourites in New York, who had
never seemed to her children like herself, but
little men and women. Accordingly, Mary began
the conversation with Clara, asking her, ‘‘ Did you
ever see them make hay ?”

“‘Oh, yes, a great many times.”

‘¢ Did you ever help make it?’ asked Charley.

“‘Yes,” said Clara; ‘father, didn’t I help last
year some ?”

“To be sure you did.”

“But didn’t you spoil your clothes? Your
father told my cousin Mary that making hay
would spoil girls’ clothes.”

“Ah! but my girl’s clothes are none of your
flimsy things, like your cousin’s and your sister’s
there; they’re stout, strong clothes, made to wear
in the country,” said Farmer Nye, looking at
Lucy’s and Mary’s muslin dresses as slightingly
as Lucy had done at Clara’s.

They were soon at the hay-field, and for two
hours they ran about in the sweet, balmy air and