reduced to was most dreadful, and their very enemies compassionated their sufferings.

"That will do, this evening, my dear niece," said Aunt Jane, "I fear we are now getting very near to the time when Jerusalem is destroyed, and I would willingly postpone reading the melancholy story till tomorrow morning. Besides, I forgot to mention that I expect visitors this evening, and I must go and prepare my syllabub under the

COW.

Anne was puzzled at the meaning of all this; but presently her curiosity was gratified, for a sociable, full of her cousins and playfellows, the young Wilmots, came up to the door. Out jumped Jos and B. and all the others, and it was not long before they had let out to the happy girls, that they had been invited to a game of romps that evening. And to romps they set to, as soon as ever tea was over. Acting proverbs was an old and a favourite sport among them; and Aunt Mary introduced that evening a game of her own invention, and which afterwards became a very fashionable one with numbers of young people.

The whole party divided themselves into two sets; the two good-natured Aunts each headed a party: and Aunt Mary proposed that one party should go out of the room and fix upon some fact out of history, and each person take his part, and then that they should come in and act it in the parlour, while the other party should try to guess what fact it was.

Aunt Mary proposed to her party that they should act the escape of Josephus from Tarichæa. She herself performed the part of Josephus, Fanny was the wicked John, and the rest were the angry multitude; some of whom, who waited upon Josephus in his own house, got a good beating. They performed this very well indeed, and excited peals of laughter from the other party, while Aunt Jane and Anne looked at each other know

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ingly, as much as to say, we have found you out, good people; we have not quite so soon forgotten poor Josephus's adventures, though they were at the beginning of the book!"

Aunt Jane and her party then went out, having beforehand settled to act the death of Cæsar.

Aunt Jane wished to bring the young peo ple forward, and therefore she insisted herself upon being only the statue of Pompey the Great, before which Cæsar was standing when he was stabbed, and upon which he fell. Anne was Cæsar's wife, and the boys divided the other characters, and acted it with great spirit, and shewed that they knew what kind of people the Romans were.

This party was very much applauded too ; but the fact they acted was so familiar that it was guessed immediately.

They continued playing at this game for some time, and when they had done, all agreed to thank Aunt Mary for teaching it to them; and they fixed upon it the name of "Historical Facts," which was ever after a very favourite game with them.

In the cool of the evening they adjourned to the meadow below the garden, and had a set-to of thorough romps, with "burn-ball," "hide-and-seek," and "fox;" till the whole field, usually so quiet, resounded with their shouts and peals of laughter.

John, one of the younger brothers, was a capital player at fox, but he was often re

proached for the unmerciful hard knots he made in his handkerchief; and it was no small delight to his sisters when they were able to catch him, and make him fox in return.

And now they were all to be collected at the seat under the tree, while the cows were being milked, and a syllabub prepared: and then, after a few pretty quiet rounds of dumb crambo, cross questions, and robbing the hen-roost, Cousin Wilmots took their leave, and the others went to bed.

CHAPTER X.

"WELL, Aunt Jane," said Anne, as she took her usual station next morning on the stool with her map before her, and her book open, I suppose we shall see the last of poor Jerusalem to-day? I shall mourn, indeed, as much as if I were a Jew myself!"

"You seem to me a little prate-apace, Anne," said Aunt Mary, “ talking on at such a fine rate. Suppose you let us hear the book it may be better worth attending to."

:

Anne looked up in Aunt Mary's face to see if she were quite serious; but finding a halfkind of smile on her countenance, she made no answer, but went on reading.

Six long days, the strongest and largest engines battered the wall without making the least impression; and Titus gave orders that the huge battering rams should be brought and placed against the western edifice of the temple. The building, however,