"I had forgotten all about that. I'm sorry, marmee, but I don't see but I must leave you in the lurch. Here comes somebody now." The first thing concerning which a country audience is anxious is that it "gets its money's worth;" and in amateur theatricals success depends much upon the duration of the entertainment. Two plays had therefore been chosen; one a melodramatic affair entitled, "The Faithful Jewess," and the other a jolly little comedy called "The Country Wooing." Patty, who was "the favorite local actress," as Will put it, had been cast in both plays. Clarence Toxteth was her Jewish lover, toward a union with whom she struggled hopefully but vainly through the most heart-rending situations. A pretended friend, "With falsest heart though fairest seeming," endeavored to separate the betrothed, with fatal success. Mr. Putnam had declined to take part; and the _rôle_ which had been offered him had been given to the postmaster, one Sol Shankland. The company assembled this morning in Mrs. Sanford's wide, low sitting-room, numbered about a score; and Babel itself could scarcely have been noisier. The girls talked of their parts, their dresses, their hopes and fears, of this, that, and the other, until the general effect was that of mill-wheels running ever faster and faster, quite beyond the control of any regulator. "Oh, dear!" exclaimed Will at last. "'I would I were dead and worms had eaten me, but not for love.' If there isn't silence here in three seconds, there will be blood shed!" By the most energetic measures in the way of pounding and shouting, something like quiet was obtained, and the meeting proceeded to business. The two plays were read, rehearsals appointed, and a great deal said about the necessity of being letter-perfect before the next meeting. "By Monday," Patty said, "we ought to be able to rehearse without a book." "Mr. Blackfan is off," Sol Shankland said, "so we shall have nothing to do Sunday but to study our parts." "How immoral!" exclaimed Miss Sturtevant. "I shall lie in a hammock all day and read." "I suppose," Will Sanford said, "that I am the most unfortunate man that ever happened. I sent to Uncle Christopher for his grandfather's knee-breeches, and now I can't get into them." "That is because they are small-clothes," suggested Ease Apthorpe. "I think we have some at home," Toxteth said: "if you will come over, I'll see." When rehearsal was over, Clarence and Will accordingly walked off together, accompanying Ease Apthorpe, who lived in the same direction. Frank Breck showed some inclination to join the group as they moved down the walk, but changed his mind, and accompanied Miss Sturtevant towards Mrs. Brown's.