Ellen Morris burst into the school-room one morning in a gale of excitement. It was early, and none of the teachers were present, the girls were gathered in knots about the stove and desks. "Oh girls!" she cried, "I hurried to get here before my angel Celestia. I have the best thing to tell you. You must know she and I were invited, with several others, to take tea at Uncle James' last evening. We had not been there long before aunt said that Mr. Dermott was expected. 'I have it,' thought I. I gave Celestia a nudge, 'Do you hear that?' "'What?' said she. "'The great traveller, Mr. Dermott, is to be here presently. Ain't you glad?' "'Who is he? I never heard of him.' "'Oh Celestia! and you a representative's daughter! and he invited expressly to meet you--it is well no one overheard you--and you have not composed your conversation either? What will you do? He is one of the famous authors you hear so much of. They will make a statue of him when he dies, like Washington in the capitol, you know.' "'You don't say so!' "'Yes, and he has seen the seven wonders of the world, and elephants, and rhinoceros, and polypi, and hippopotami, and Dawalageri, and anthropophagi.' "'_Good_ gracious!' said she, looking wild, 'You reckon he will speak to me? _do_ tell me something to say!' "'Could you repeat those names?' "'_That_ I couldn't, to save my life!' "'Well,--let me see,--you must be very sober and wise; only saying 'yes' and 'no,' till he gets to talking of books. Then is the time to show off. Literary people never inquire what you remember in a book, if you say you have read it.' "'Yes,' she struck in, with a grin. 'So when he asks me if I've read them he's talking about, I'm a-going to say 'yes'--(you know she is always 'going, going, gone.') 'He ain't a-going to catch me, I'll show him!' "'Right,' said I; 'and question him about two or three, which you name yourself; that will finish the business.' "'I don't know none.' "'Don't you? Then I will write off a short list. Keep the paper in your hand; and when he is fairly under way talking, you steal a sly peep at it.' Oh! it was enrapturing to see how she held on to that slip of paper! poring over it every five minutes before Mr. Dermott's arrival, and once in two minutes afterwards. She would study it for a second, then her lips would move, until the time for another peep; she was getting it by heart, staring at him all the while. By and by he happened to be near her; and said something about the Panorama. She had been on tiptoe for the last hour, lest her trouble should be thrown away; and resolved not to lose this opportunity, she spoke out as loudly as addressing a deaf person-- "'Mr. _Dermarck!_ have you ever read Plutarch-es Liv-es, Homer's Eyelids, Dance's Diving Comedy and Campbell's Gratitude of Wimming?' I wish you could have seen him!"