"An ape, sir," thundered Dumas, with a fierceness that made his impertinent interrogator shrink into the smallest possible compass. "An ape, sir; my pedigree commences where yours terminates." * * * * * "Where have you been, Helen?" asked Caroline Swift of her sister, as Helen, with a package in one hand and some letters in the other, entered the parlour one severe winter's day. Caroline had been seated near the fire, sewing; but as her sister came in with the package, up the little girl sprang; and, allowing cotton, thimble, and work to find whatever resting-place they could, she hurried across the room; and, without so much as "By your leave, sister," she caught hold of the letters and commenced asking questions as fast as her nimble tongue could move. "Which question shall I answer first?" asked Helen, good-humouredly, trying, as she spoke, to slip a letter out of sight. "Tell me whose letter you are trying to hide there," cried Caroline, making an effort to thrust her hand into her sister's pocket. Helen held the pocket close, saying gravely, "Suppose I should tell you that this letter concerns no one but myself, and that I prefer not to name the writer?" "Oh dear! some mighty mystery, no doubt. I didn't suppose there was any harm in asking you a question." Caroline's look and tone plainly indicated displeasure. "There is harm, Caroline, in trying to pry into anything that you see that another person wishes to keep to herself; for it shows a meddling disposition, and is a breach of the command to do as you would be done by." "You're breaking that command yourself," retorted Caroline, "for you won't let me see what I want to see." "God's commands do not require us to forget our own rights. I am not bound to do to you what you have no right to require of me. We have all a perfect right to request of each other whatever is perfectly conducive to our welfare and happiness, provided it does not improperly infringe upon that of the person of whom the request is made. You trespass upon _my rights_ when you attempt to pry into my private affairs." "Mercy, Helen! don't preach any more. I guess I'm not the only meddlesome person in the world. One half the people I know need nothing more to make them take all possible pains to learn about a thing than to know the person whom it concerns wishes it kept secret. But where have you been, pray? and what have you in that bundle?" and Caroline tore off the paper cover from the package which Helen had laid upon the table. "Caroline," said the mother of the two young girls, "why do you not wait to see whether your sister is willing for you to open her package? From your tone, my dear, one would judge that you were appointed to cross-question Helen, and had a right to be angry if she declined explaining all her motives and intentions to you."