"Rose, don't be too forward to talk," here interrupted Mrs. Yorke, in her usual kill-joy fashion; "nor Jessy either: it becomes all children, especially girls, to be silent in the presence of their elders."
"Why have we tongues, then?" asked Jessy, pertly; while Rose only looked at her mother with an expression that seemed to say, she should take that maxim in, and think it over at her leisure. After two minutes' grave deliberation, she asked,—
"And why especially girls, mother?"
"Firstly, because I say so; and secondly, because discretion and reserve is a girl's best wisdom."
"My dear madam," observed Moore, "what you say is excellent: it reminds me, indeed, of my dear sister's observations; but really it is not applicable to these little ones. Let Rose and Jessy talk to me freely, or my chief pleasure in coming here is gone. I like their prattle: it does me good."
"Does it not?" asked Jessy. "More good than if the rough lads came round you: you call them rough, mother, yourself."
"Yes, mignonne, a thousand times more good: I have rough lads enough about me all day long, poulet."
"There are plenty of people," continued she, "who take notice of the boys: all my uncles and
