To this Mary very gravely replied,“Far be it from me,my dear sister, to depreciate such pleasures!They would doubtless be congenial with the generality of female minds.But I confess they would have no charms for me―I should infinitely prefer a book.”

“Oh!Mary,”said she,“I wish you had gone with us,for we had such fun!As we went along,Kitty and I drew up the blinds,and pretended there was nobody in the coach;and I should have gone so all the way,if Kitty had not been sick;and when we got to the George,I do think we behaved very handsomely,for we treated the other three with the nicest cold luncheon in the world,and if you would have gone,we would have treated you too.And then when we came away it was such fun!I thought we never should have got into the coach.I was ready to die of laughter.And then we were so merry all the way home! we talked and laughed so loud,that anybody might have heard us ten miles off!”

“How nicely we are all crammed in,”cried Lydia.“I am glad I bought my bonnet, if it is only for t