“It does no good to read the Bible when anybody’s mad with you,” said Johnnie.  “What have we done, Aunt Maria?”

“I did not say you had done anything.”

“But you look so cross, and sit up so straight, and—­who ever heard of reading the Bible, in the middle of the afternoon, on a week day?” said Johnnie with an air of assurance.

“Well, Johnnie, to tell the truth, I did not like your bringing all the riff-raff of the town to eat my nice cherries.”

“But you said we might do it.”

“I should think, Johnnie, you would have liked better to have such friends as Percival Lester and Reginold Randolph, or Maggie and Clara Vale, to play with.  I fear you have low tastes, child.”

At this charge, little Johnnie colored up, but he stood his ground.

“The reason we asked them was because they couldn’t buy any fruit, if they wanted it ever so much; and we thought it would please them and make them happy.”

Edith had been thoughtfully turning over the leaves of her Bible, and now she said: 

“Auntie, here are some verses I once read to mamma: 

“’When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.

“’But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; and thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee, for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.’”

“There,” said Johnnie, “haven’t we made a Bible feast?”

“Yes, my dears,” Aunt Maria replied, “and I beg your pardon.  The truth is, I have not been very much displeased with you, but thought I would try you a little.  Now as you have had a good rest, you may all go out and play.”

“I think Aunt Maria ith a naughty woman,” said Mabel in a very low voice to Edith, as they left the room.

Rose, who had been present all the while, heard her, and so did Aunt Maria, but neither said a word, till the children were out of hearing.  Then Rose said,

“I’m afraid I agree with little Mabel.  Dear Mrs. MacLain, what made you pretend to be vexed, if you were not?”

“I am not obliged to explain my actions to every one, am I, Rose?” said the lady.  “Children are a sort of a puzzle to me, never having had any of my own; and I don’t believe I know how to bring them up.  But these of Helen’s are pretty good, especially Johnnie.”

Aunt Maria had some very stylish friends who occasionally visited her.  They sent word beforehand concerning their coming, and great preparations were made.  On the day of their arrival, the little folks were arrayed in their very best, and Edith and Mabel took their dolls, and were seated in the parlor, that they might not get into the least disorder.

“Mrs. Featherfew is very particular,” said Aunt Maria.  “She will be sure to take notice, if you don’t behave splendidly.”