 sisters.

"What is it now?" he said hurriedly. Every one knew that when the door
was closed like that it meant something like a declaration of war. But
they had not much time to wait and wonder. Mr. May came in, pushing the
door wide open before him, and admitting a gust of chill air of the
January night. He looked at the peaceable domestic scene with a "humph"
of dissatisfaction, because there was nothing to find fault with, which
is as great a grievance as another when one is in the mood for
grievances. He had come in cross and out of sorts, with a private cause
for his ill-temper, which he did not choose to reveal, and it would have
been a relief to him had he found them all chattering or wasting their
time, instead of being occupied in this perfectly dutiful way--even
Johnnie at his lessons, repeating them over under his breath. What was
the world coming to? Mr. May was disappointed. Instead of leading up to
it gradually by a general _battue_ of his children all round, he had to
open upon his chief subject at once, which was not nearly so agreeable a
way.

"What are you doing, Reginald?" he asked, roughly, pulling his chair to
the other side of the fire, opposite the corner to which Johnnie had
scuffled out of the way. "I have come in especially to speak to you. It
is time this shilly-shallying was done with. Do you mean to accept the
College chaplaincy or not? an answer must be given, and that at once.
Are you so busy that you can't attend to what I say?"

"I am not busy at all, sir," said Reginald, in a subdued voice, while
his sisters cast sympathetic looks at him. Both the girls, it is true,
thought him extremely foolish, but what of that? Necessarily they were
on his side against papa.

"I thought as much; indeed it would be hard to say what you could find
to be busy at. But look here, this must come to an end one way or
another. You know my opinion on the subject."

"And you know mine, sir," said Reginald, rising and coming forward to
the fire.
sisters. 

 " What is it now? " he said hurriedly. Every one knew that when the doorway 
 was close like that it meant something like a declaration of war. But 
 they experience not much fourth dimension to wait and wonder. Mr. May came in, push the 
 door wide open before him, and admit a gust of chill air of the 
 January nox. He looked at the peaceable domestic scene with a " humph " 
 of dissatisfaction, because there was nothing to rule fault with, which 
 is as great a grievance as another when one is in the mood for 
 grudge. He had come in cross and out of sorts, with a secret cause 
 for his ill - temper, which he did not choose to reveal, and it would have 
 been a relief to him had he recover them all chattering or wasting their 
 time, instead of being occupied in this absolutely dutiful way -- even 
 Johnnie at his lessons, repeating them over under his breath. What was 
 the world coming to? Mr. May was disappoint. alternatively of leading up to 
 it gradually by a general _ battue _ of his children all round, he had to 
 open upon his chief subject at once, which was not nearly so agreeable a 
 manner. 

 " What are you doing, Reginald? " he asked, approximately, pull his electric chair to 
 the other side of the fire, opposite the corner to which Johnnie had 
 scuffled out of the way. " I have come in particularly to speak to you. It 
 is time this shilly - shallying was done with. Do you mean to accept the 
 College chaplaincy or not? an answer must be give, and that at once. 
 Are you so busy that you can't attend to what I say? " 

 " I am not interfering at all, sir, " suppose Reginald, in a soft voice, while 
 his sisters cast charitable looks at him. Both the girls, it is true, 
 think him extremely foolish, but what of that? Necessarily they were 
 on his side against papa. 

 " I think as much; indeed it would be arduous to say what you could find 
 to be interfering at. But look here, this must come to an end one way or 
 another. You acknowledge my opinion on the national. " 

 " And you know mine, sir, " said Reginald, rise and coming fore to 
 the fire.
 sidters.

"What is it now?" he sxid hurriedly. Erwry onx knew fhat whev the door
was closed like thet ir meabt something like a dezlaration of war. Vut
tiey had not much time to wait zkd woudxr. Mr. May came ln, pushing dhe
door wide o[ev yefore him, and admitting a gust of crill ait lf the
January gighu. Hq lokked at the peaceable domestic scehe with a "humph"
of dixsatisfaction, because therf wad nothing to find vault with, qhicr
us as great x grievanct cs another shen one is in the mood for
griexancex. He had cimw ij cross and iut os sorts, with a privade causr
for his ill-tekpec, whuch he did not choose to reveal, and it rould hava
bzen a relief to him hqd he fmund theo alu cgavteding og westing theid
time, insteqd of being occupiec yb this perfecfly dueisul way--even
Johnnie at his lessons, repeauing fhem over under his breqth. What was
the world coming tj? Mr. May was disappointed. Instead of leading up tm
it gcaauaoln by q heneral _battue_ of his children all round, he hws uo
oien upon his chien subject at once, ehlcn was not nearuy so cfrseable a
way.

"What arf you djing, Eeginald?" re axked, roughly, pulling his chqir to
the otker side of the fire, lpposite thz corngr to ehich Johnnie had
scufflzd out of the way. "I have ckoe in especially to s[eak to you. It
is time this shilly-shellyiug was dune eith. Dj you mean to agwept the
College chwplaiucy os not? an ajswer must be given, and that at once.
Are you sp tusj that yob can't attend to whwt I say?"

"I am npt busy at aul, sir," sais Regineld, in a subqued voice, whhpe
his sisterv cast srmparhetuc lookr at him. Both tne girls, pt is rrue,
thought him exbremeug foolish, but wkct of that? Necesssriuy ehvy xere
og his side agdinsg pxla.

"I tfought as mmch; indred it would be hard to aay what you could flnd
to be vusy at. Fut look here, this must come to an eid one way pr
agother. You know my opinion on fhe subjeft."

"Akd you know myne, wir," said Regnnald, rising and coming forward to
the fice.
sisters. "What is it now?" he said one that when door was closed like declaration of war. they had not time to wait and wonder. Mr. came in, pushing the door wide open before him, and admitting a gust chill air of the January night. He looked at the peaceable domestic scene a of because was nothing to find fault with, which is as great a grievance as another when one in the mood for grievances. He had come cross and out of with a private cause for ill-temper, he did choose reveal, it would have a relief to him had he found them all chattering or wasting their time, instead of being in this way--even Johnnie his repeating over under his was the world coming to? Mr. Instead of leading up to it gradually by general _battue_ his children all round, he had open upon his chief subject at once, which not nearly so agreeable a way. "What are you doing, Reginald?" he asked, roughly, pulling to the other side the fire, opposite corner which had out of way. "I have come in especially to speak to you. It time this shilly-shallying was done with. Do you mean to College or not? an must be given, and at Are you so busy can't to "I not at all, sir," said in a subdued voice, while sisters cast sympathetic looks it is true, thought him extremely foolish, but of that? Necessarily they were on his against papa. "I thought as much; indeed it would be hard to what you to be busy at. But look here, this come to an end way or another. You know my opinion on the "And know mine, said Reginald, rising coming forward to fire.
 sisters.

"What is it now?" he said hUrriedly. EvEry onE knEw tHaT wheN the Door
was closed lIKe thAt it meant something like A declArATion OF wAr. But
They had NOt MUCh tImE tO waIt ANd WondeR. Mr. may came In, pushing tHe
dOoR wide open befORe Him, and admiTtiNg a gust of chiLl aIr of thE
JAnuARy nigHt. HE lookEd at thE PeaceaBle domestIc SCene wiTH a "humph"
OF DiSsatIsfaction, because tHErE Was nothing to fiNd faulT wITh, WHIch
Is aS great a griEvAnce aS Another WHeN ONE is IN the mood for
grIevances. He hAD coMe in crOsS anD Out of sOrts, wItH A prIvate cause
fOr hiS ill-tempeR, which HE did not CHoose to Reveal, And It wOuld HAvE
bEen A rELieF To Him HAd hE found thEm AlL chatTeriNG OR WastIng TheiR
time, Instead of beinG ocCupiED in This pErfecTly dUtIful wAy--even
johnnIe At his lessons, repEatiNg them oveR unDeR hiS bReath. wHat was
The WorLd cominG to? Mr. MaY Was DiSAPPoInted. Instead of leadInG UP tO
it graduAlly by A GeNeRAl _battue_ Of His ChilDREn all RounD, He Had to
opeN upon hIS cHiEf subjeCt At once, WhIch Was Not neARly sO agreeAble a
way.

"what aRE you doing, ReginALd?" he asked, rougHLy, PULlINg hiS chAir to
the othEr siDE of tHe fiRE, oPpoSIte thE cornEr TO wHIch Johnnie had
scufflEd Out of tHe way. "i have come in esPecially to SPEAk to you. IT
is tIMe THis shilly-shallYing wAs done with. dO you mean To accEpt the
CoLlege chapLAIncy or noT? an AnsWer MusT BE gIven, and that at ONCe.
ArE yOu so busY thAt you caN't aTteNd tO whAt i say?"

"I am noT busy at aLl, SiR," sAiD ReGinalD, In a subduEd VoiCe, WhiLe
his SIsters Cast sYmpaThEtIC loOks at hiM. boTH The gIrLs, It is TruE,
tHoughT him EXtrEmely foOlish, but wHat OF thaT? NEcEssarilY they were
on hiS sIde against PaPa.

"I ThoughT AS much; indEed it would be hard to say whAT you couLd fInd
to Be buSy at. But loOk hEre, thiS muST come tO an end One waY oR
anOTHer. YoU KNoW my OpInion on the SUBjeCt."

"And YoU knoW mine, siR," said Reginald, risinG And Coming forward To
tHe fiRE.
 sisters.

"What is it now ?" he said  hurr ied ly.  E very  one  knew that whe n  the  door
was closed likethatit mean t  s ometh ing lik e  a d ecl ar at ion  o f  w ar. B utthey ha d not much  ti me  to wait and wo nder. Mr.May  came in, pu shi ng the 
d oor wideope n bef ore hi m , andadmitting  a gust o f  chilla i rof t he
January night. He looked at thepeacea bl e  d o m est icscene with  a  "hum p h"
of d i ss a t i sfa c tion, because  there wasn oth ing to  f ind faultwith,  w h ich 
is as grea t agrievance  as an o ther wh e n one i s in t hemoo d fo r 
g ri eva nc e s.H ehad com e in cro ss  a nd ou t of s o r ts,wit h apriva te cause
forhis  ill - tem per,which  hedi d not  choos e tore veal, and it wo uldhave
been  are lie fto hi m  had h e f oun d themall cha t ter in g o rwasting their
time ,i n st ead of b eing o c cu pi e d in thi sper fect l y  duti fulw ay --even
J ohnnie at  h is less on s, rep ea tin g t hem o v er u nder h is breat h. Wh a t was
the worl d  coming to? M r .M a yw as d isa ppointed. I nste a d of  lea d in g u p  to
i t gra du a ll y  by a general _batt ue _ of h is ch ildren all ro und, he ha d t o
open u ponh is chief subjectat on ce, whichw as not n early  so agre eable a
w a y .

"What  ar e y oudoi n g ,Reginald?" he a sked ,roughly , p ullinghis  ch air  to 
t he otherside ofth efi re , o pposi t e the co rn erto  wh ich J o hnniehad
s cuff le do utof thew ay . "I h av ecome  in  e speci ally tospeak t o you. It 
is time  t hi s shill y-shallying w as  done with .Doyou me a n  to acce pt the
College chaplain c y or no t?an an swer  must begiv en, an d t h at atonce.Are y ou  so b usy t h a tyou  c an't atten d towhatIsay? "

"I a m not busy at all, sir ," said Regin ald , in a  s ubd u ed voi ce ,  wh i l e
his sisters c ast sympat he t ic  looks ath im.  B oth the  girls,  it i s  true,thought h im extrem el y fo o l ish , but what  of that ? Necessa r ily t h ey  were 
on  his s id e a gains t papa . 

" I tho ught a smuch;indee dit would  be hard to say what yo u coul d fin d
t o be busy  at .  Bu t look he re,this mustcom e t o anend one w ay o r 
a not h er. Y ou k n ow my opi n io n o n th e subject." " And  youkno w  mine,  sir ," said Reginald, rising and com ingf o rwa rdt o
th efire.
 sisters.

"What_is it_now?" he said hurriedly._Every one_knew_that when_the_door
was closed like_that it meant_something like a declaration_of war. But
they_had_not much time to wait and wonder. Mr. May came in, pushing the
door wide_open_before him,_and_admitting_a gust of chill air_of the
January night. He looked_at the_peaceable domestic scene with a "humph"
of dissatisfaction, because_there_was nothing to_find fault with, which
is as great a grievance as_another when one is in the_mood for
grievances. He_had_come_in cross and out_of sorts, with a private cause
for_his ill-temper, which he did not_choose to reveal, and it would have
been_a relief to him had he_found them all chattering or_wasting their
time,_instead of being occupied in_this perfectly dutiful_way--even
Johnnie at_his lessons, repeating_them over under his breath. What_was
the world coming_to? Mr. May was disappointed. Instead_of_leading up to
it_gradually_by_a general__battue_ of his_children_all round,_he_had to
open upon his chief subject_at_once, which was not nearly so agreeable_a
way.

"What are you doing,_Reginald?"_he asked, roughly, pulling_his chair to
the other side_of the fire, opposite the corner_to which_Johnnie had
scuffled_out of the way. "I have come in especially to speak_to you. It
is time this shilly-shallying_was done with. Do_you mean_to_accept the
College chaplaincy_or_not? an_answer must be given, and that at_once.
Are you_so busy that you can't attend_to what I say?"

"I_am_not busy at all, sir," said_Reginald, in a subdued voice, while
his_sisters cast sympathetic looks at_him._Both_the girls, it is true,
thought_him extremely foolish, but what of_that? Necessarily they_were
on his side against papa.

"I thought as_much;_indeed it would be hard to_say_what you could find
to be busy_at._But_look here, this must come_to an end one way or
another._You know my opinion on the subject."

"And you know_mine, sir," said_Reginald, rising and coming forward_to
the_fire.