His mother would probably have passed a very melancholy day, it being the first time her son had been out of her sight, with the prospect of being absent longer than a few hours; but her husband taking occasion to intimate that his counting-room wanted a thorough cleaning, and his book-shelves putting in order—a task she always superintended herself, aided by her niece—he hinting, moreover, that he should be glad of their assistance in making out a catalogue of the books, which had long been needed, ample employment was afforded to all three, to keep George from their thoughts. It was now about the middle of June. The summer had so far been dry and dusty, and every thing appeared languishing for want of rain. At length Dame Nature, like a notable housewife, began to feel her temper rise at the dirt and disorder of every thing belonging to her. She rated her house-maids soundly—“Idle hussies! that did nothing but loiter and sleep night and day; they had not done a stroke of work to tell since the March cleaning; they did not even earn the breath they drew! There were her beautiful grassy carpets, not three months old, an inch thick with dust; their flowers were all faded and their turf dried up and withered. Her windows! not a star could shine through them; and as for the curtains, they were of such a color, it would puzzle a philosopher to tell what they were made of. Her crystal and once clear fountains were unfilled, and the bright surface of their mirrors covered with green slime. She was actually ashamed the sun should look upon such a scene of neglect! The slothful, lazy jades had better bestir themselves, for not one of them should get into their beds till every hole and corner was cleaned, and put into thorough order; or she would know the reason why!” The elements roused from their lethargy, and chafed by their imperious mistress, sighed and muttered—the clouds huddled together scowling, and sending forth a low murmur of discontent, dropped a few angry tears. The winds brandished their besoms, and with one sweep made dust, leaves and branches, and even small trees, scuttle-doors and hen-coops all fly before them. It was an unlucky day for ancient buildings! The roof of one respectable old barn, whose shingles had for some time been moving up and down like feathers on a fowl’s back, was at length seen sailing with great dignity across the street, to the manifold terror of two old women who kept a huckster’s shop there; but whose premises, however, escaped uninjured, it alighting very considerately on the field behind their house. The winds having performed these feats, rested awhile to take breath. The lightnings now flashed and the thunders roared; the clouds dashed from their brimming pails the torrents, which rolling over hills and valleys and through streets and lanes, formed rivers in the gutters, and carried all before them, which the winds had scattered in their way, into the sea.