_Susan._ I can’t think why, I am sure. _Laura._ It saves a deal of time, and the exercise does me more good than if I were to go sauntering along. _Susan._ Saves time? and in the vacation too? why, of what consequence is time now, when you have no school-hours to mind? _Laura._ Because if I don’t take care I shall not get through what I have planned. Only think how fast the vacation is going! Next Monday school begins. _Fanny._ So the studious Miss Laura Busy is sorry the vacation is almost over. I thought you told the master, when school broke up, that you wished there was no vacation. _Laura._ I did wish so then, for I thought vacation would be a dull time. _Susan._ I am sure it has been horrid dull to me, and I should think it must have been worse yet for you. _Laura._ Why? _Susan._ Because your mother keeps you at work all the time. _Laura._ Indeed she does not. She sent me out to walk this very afternoon, and she always makes me put my work away at just such hours, for fear I should sit too close at my needle. _Susan._ Mercy! do you love to sew? oh, I suppose you are learning fancy work: well, I don’t know but I might like that for a little while. _Laura._ No, mother says I must not learn fancy work till I can do plain sewing extremely well. I was thinking how I should manage to pass the vacation, and I took it into my head that I would try to make a shirt by a particular time, and that is Saturday, my birthday. I shall be twelve years old next Saturday, and then I shall present my father with a shirt of my own making. _Susan._ Did you do all the fine stitching yourself? _Laura._ To be sure. _Susan._ I am sure I would not make myself such a slave. _Laura._ There is no slavery about it; it was my own pleasure; and you cannot think how fast it has made the time go. I set myself a task every day, and then, you see, trying to get just so much done by twelve o’clock, made me feel so interested! _Fanny._ And the rest of the time you have been reading novels, I see. _Laura._ No, indeed; I never read one in my life. Did you think this library-book was a novel? _Fanny._ Let me see it; “Astoria;” is not that the name of some heroine? let me look at it a little. (_Turning over the leaves._) _Laura._ You can’t think how interesting it is. It gives an account of a place away on the western coast of North America; and of all that the people suffered to get there; and about the very wildest Indians, and the trappers, and the Rocky Mountains; and here is a map, you see, Susan. _Susan._ Oh, well! it is a sort of geography-book, I suppose. _Laura._ Such books will make your geography pleasanter than ever, I am sure; do read it. _Susan._ Not I; I have hardly touched a book or a needle this vacation, and I have no idea of it. These long summer days are tedious enough without that. _Laura._ But I do believe they would be pleasanter if you were only occupied about something or other.