“I have no doubt. I’ll go and ask them. But—” I hesitated. The precious old humbug, so devoid of humour, was condescending toward the simple life during a single ennuied afternoon. I wondered if I could make her become a disciple of it for a few short moments; hence my hesitation. I resolved to risk it, and with an elevation of my eyebrows directed at Ethel which meant “Keep out,” I said: “In the simple life anything like condescension jars. If Minerva and James consent to sing I must ask that they be allowed to sit in the carriage and that you make one of us on the ground. I will get chairs.” “Oh, no, we will stand.” And the daughter said languidly, “We sometimes drive over to the country fairs, and it is awfully jolly to stand alongside the carriage and watch the races. We have done it on the other side, too.” “Oh, I know they always do it there,” said I, with enthusiasm. “Many’s the picture I’ve seen of it.” I went in and found Minerva ironing, while James was blacking the stove. “Will you please tidy yourselves up a bit and come out and sing for two of our friends?” said I. “They are influential city people, and they may not be able to attend the concert. You’re to sit in their carriage and sing.” They were, of course, delighted, being two children, and I left them tidying up, and hurried back. Ethel had gone into the house for something, but she soon came out with a bowl of blue berries and two napkins. “Will you help yourselves?” said she. Mrs. Guernsea looked at her daughter, and her daughter looked at Mrs. Guernsea. They were too well bred to suggest that anything was missing, but they were evidently thinking of saucers and spoons. I came to the rescue, knowing that Ethel had entered into my madness. “More simple life, but you don’t _have_ to do it. Still, berries never taste so luscious as when eaten from the hand.” I held the bowl solemnly before them, they removed their gloves, ate dainty mouthfuls of berries, and their delight in the flavour was very real. “Oh, I wish that it were possible to do this at home.” I bowed. “It needs only for Mrs. Guernsea to do it to make it possible everywhere.” While they were eating Minerva and James came out, and if Minerva was not the best looking woman there, James was the best looking man—by all odds. I was proud of their appearance. I was a little afraid that the Guernseas would show a certain amount of _hauteur_, but they were evidently trying to enter into the simple life, and would obey all its rules for the nonce. It was a break in their sadly monotonous lives.