"Sir, you do us honour," says my _Father_, quite civilly; "your Company must be an Honour to us at any Time, whenever you please to bestow it on us. Pray go on." "Oh, we can wait a little While," says Mr. _Fenwick_. "Pray, is there any News stirring?" "There's a Whale in the _Thames_," says my Father. "Indeed!" cried we all. "And there's an Eye-lash in my Eye," continues he; "pray, Mrs. _Honeywood_, come and take it out." While my _Mother_ was thus engaged, we chatted among ourselves. "What will you have, _Father_?" said I. "Shall I make you some Tea?" "No, I'd rather you put on Supper half an Hour, and let me have Something broiled, and some mulled Wine and Toast." When I returned from giving Orders, I found my _Father_ established in his Arm-Chair, my _Mother_ returned to her Snipping, _Prue_ and _Gatty_ embroidering different Corners of the same Apron, and Mr. _Fenwick_ ready to resume his Reading. The Poem was soon finished, and when we had talked it over a little, he asked us what he should read next. I said I thought he had better not do too much at first, and Supper would soon be ready. He said, "Oh, he was just getting into the Humour of it, and there was Plenty of Time to read some short Piece before Supper." So then my _Mother_ said she thought a Paper of the _Tatler_ would be just long enough; and mentioned a favourite Number that she had not read for a good While--that charming Piece[1] beginning,--"There are several Persons who have many Pleasures and Entertainments in their Possession which they do not enjoy;" and proceeding to give such a touching Picture of domestic Felicity. Mr. _Fenwick_ read it with such Feeling that we were all delighted with it; and it seemed to me that even my _Father_, who sat quite silent, with his Back to us, was moved by it, for I noticed his breathing very hard,--his only Way of expressing strong Feeling. "Ah!" thought I to myself, "if Mr. _Fenwick_ were to read to us in this nice Way every Evening, and my _Father_ were to grow fond of it and of him, and get into the Way of coming Home early, instead of sipping Spirits and Water with _Don Saltero_, how happy we should be!" [1] No. 95. "And now," says my _Mother_, "there's a Sequel to that Paper, which I should very much like to hear, save for the Fear of tiring Mr. _Fenwick_." "Oh, I'm not at all tired," said he; "Pray give it me; for I am already quite in love with this good Man and his Wife."