“right，Jo。Betterbehappyoldmaidsthanunhappywives，orunmaidenlygirls，runningabouttofindhusbands，“saidMrs。Marchdecidedly。“Don’tbetroubled，Meg，povertyseldomdauntsasincerelover。SomeofthebestandmosthonoredwomenIknowwerepoorgirls，butsolove-worthythattheywerenotallowedtobeoldmaids。
　　Leavethesethingstotime。Makethishomehappy，sothatyoumaybefitforhomesofyourown，iftheyareofferedyou，andcontentedhereiftheyarenot。Onethingremember，mygirls。Motherisalwaysreadytobeyourconfidante，Fathertobeyourfriend，andbothofhopeandtrustthatourdaughters，whethermarriedorsingle，willbetheprideandcomfortofoutlives。“
　　“Wewill，Marmee，wewill!“criedboth，withalltheirhearts，asshebadethemgoodnight。
　　Asspringcameon，anewsetofamusementsbecamethefashion，andthelengtheningdaysgavelongafternoonsforworkandplayofallsorts。Thegardenhadtobeputinorder，andeachsisterhadaquarterofthelittleplottodowhatshelikedwith。Hannahusedtosay，“I’dknowwhicheachofthemgardingsbelongedto，efIsee’eminChiny，“andsoshemight，forthegirls’tastesdifferedasmuchastheircharacters。Meg’shadrosesandheliotrope，myrtle，andalittleorangetreeinit。
　　Jo’sbedwasneveraliketwoseasons，forshewasalwaystryingexperiments。Thisyearitwastobeaplantationofsunflowers，theseedsofwhichcheerfullandaspiringplantweretofeedAuntCockle-topandherfamilyofchicks。Bethhadold-fashionedfragrantflowersinhergarden，sweetpeasandmignonette，larkspur，pinks，pansies，andsouthernwood，withchickweedforthebirdsandcatnipforthepussies。Amyhadabowerinhers，rathersmallandearwiggy，butveryprettytolookat，withhoneysuckleandmorning-glorieshangingtheircoloredhornsandbellsingracefulwreathsalloverit，tallwhitelilies，delicateferns，andasmanybrilliant，picturesqueplantsaswouldconsenttoblossomthere。
　　Gardening，walks，rowsontheriver，andflowerhuntsemployedthefinedays，andforrainyones，theyhadhousediversions，someold，somenew，allmoreorlessoriginal。Oneofthesewasthe`P。C’，forassecretsocietieswerethefashion，itwasthoughtpropertohaveone，andasallofthegirlsadmiredDickens，theycalledthemselvesthePickwickClub。Withafewinterruptions，theyhadkeptthisupforayear，andmeteverySaturdayeveninginthebiggarret，onwhichoccasionstheceremonieswereasfollows：Threechairswerearrangedinarowbeforeatableonwhichwasalamp，alsofourwhitebadges，withabig`P。C。’indifferentcolorsoneach，andtheweeklynewspapercalled，ThePickwickPortfolio，towhichallcontributedsomething，whileJo，whoreveledinpensandink，wastheeditor。
　　Atseveno’clock，thefourmembersascendedtotheclubroom，tiedtheirbadgesroundtheirheads，andtooktheirseatswithgreatsolemnity。Meg，astheeldest，wasSamuelPickwick，Jo，beingofaliteraryturn，AugustusSnodgrass，Beth，becauseshewasroundandrosy，TracyTupman，andAmy，whowasalwaystryingtodowhatshecouldn’t，wasNathanielWinkle。Pickwick，thepresident，readthepaper，whichwasfilledwithoriginaltales，poetry，localnews，funnyadvertisements，andhints，inwhichtheygood-naturedlyremindedeachotheroftheirfaultsandshortcomings。Ononeoccasion，Mr。Pickwickputonapairofspectacleswithoutanyglass，rappeduponthetable，hemmed，andhavingstaredhardatMr。Snodgrass，whowastiltingbackinhischair，tillhearrangedhimselfproperly，begantoread：
　　AgainwemeettocelebrateWithbadgeandsolemnrite，Ourfifty-secondanniversary，InPickwickHall，tonight。
　　Weallarehereinperfecthealth，Nonegonefromoursmallband：
　　Againweseeeachwell-knownface，Andpresseachfriendlyhand。
　　OurPickwick，alwaysathispost，Withreverencewegreet，As，spectaclesonnose，hereadsOurwell-filledweeklysheet。
　　Althoughhesuffersfromacold，Wejoytohearhimspeak，Forwordsofwisdomfromhimfall，Inspiteofcroakorsqueak。
　　Oldsix-footSnodgrassloomsonhigh，Withelephantinegrace，Andbeamsuponthecompany，Withbrownandjovialface。
　　Poeticfirelightsuphiseye，Hestruggles’gainsthislot。
　　Beholdambitiononhisbrow，Andonhisnose，ablot。
　　NextourpeacefulTupmancomes，Sorosy，plump，andsweet，Whochokeswithlaughteratthepuns，Andtumblesoffhisseat。
　　PrimlittleWinkletooishere，Witheveryhairinplace，Amodelofpropriety，Thoughhehatestowashhisface。
　　Theyearisgone，westilluniteTojokeandlaughandread，AndtreadthepathofliteratureThatdothtoglorylead。
　　Longmayourpaperprosperwell，Ourclubunbrokenbe，AndcomingyearstheirblessingspourOntheuseful，gay`P。C。’。
　　A。SNODGRASS
　　THEMASKEDMARRIAGE
　　ATaleOfVenice
　　Gondolaaftergondolasweptuptothemarblesteps，andleftitslovelyloadtoswellthebrilliantthrongthatfilledthestatelyhallsofCountAdelon。Knightsandladies，elvesandpages，monksandflowergirls，allmingledgailyinthedance。
　　Sweetvoicesandrichmelodyfilledtheair，andsowithmirthandmusicthemasqueradewenton。
　　“HasyourHighnessseentheLadyviolatonight？“
　　askedagallanttroubadourofthefairyqueenwhofloateddownthehalluponhisarm。
　　“Yes，isshenotlovely，thoughsosad!Herdressiswellchosen，too，forinaweekshewedsCountAntonio，whomshepassionatelyhates。“
　　“Bymyfaith，Ienvyhim。Yonderhecomes，arrayedlikeabridegroom，excepttheblackmask。
　　Whenthatisoffweshallseehowheregardsthefairmaidwhosehearthecannotwin，thoughhersternfatherbestowsherhand，“returnedthetroubadour。
　　“TiswhisperedthatshelovestheyoungEnglishartistwhohauntshersteps，andisspurnedbytheoldCount，“saidthelady，astheyjoinedthedance。
　　Therevelwasatitsheightwhenapriestappeared，andwithdrawingtheyoungpairtoanalcove，hungwithpurplevelvet，hemotionedthemtokneel。
　　Instantsilencefellonthegaythrong，andnotasound，buthedashoffountainsortherustleoforangegrovessleepinginthemoonlight，brokethehush，asCountdeAdelonspokethus：
　　“Mylordsandladies，pardontherusebywhichIhavegatheredyouheretowitnessthemarriageofmydaughter。Father，wewaityourservices。“
　　Alleyesturnedtowardthebridalparty，andamurmurofamazementwentthroughthethrong，forneitherbridenorgroomremovedtheirmasks。Curiosityandwonderpossessedallhearts，butrespectrestrainedalltonguestilltheholyritewasover。Thentheeagerspectatorsgatheredroundthecount，demandinganexplanation。
　　“GladlywouldIgiveitifIcould，butIonlyknowthatitwasthewhimofmytimidViola，andI
　　yieldedtoit。Now，mychildren，lettheplayend。
　　Unmaskandreceivemyblessing。“
　　Butneitherbenttheknee，fortheyoungbridegroomrepliedinatonethatstartledalllistenersasthemaskfell，disclosingthenoblefaceofFerdinandDevereux，theartistlover，andleaningonthebreastwherenowflashedthestarofanEnglishearlwasthelovelyViola，radiantwithjoyandbeauty。
　　“Mylord，youscornfullybademeclaimyourdaughterwhenIcouldboastashighanameandvastafortuneastheCountantonio。Icandomore，forevenyourambitioussoulcannotrefusetheEarlofDevereuxandDeVere，whenhegiveshisancientnameandboundlesswealthinreturnforthebelovedhandofthisfairlady，nowmywife。
　　Thecountstoodlikeonechangedtostone，andturningtothebewilderedcrowd，Ferdinandadded，withagaysmileoftriumph，“Toyou，mygallantfriends，I
　　canonlywishthatyourwooingmayprosperasminehasdone，andthatyoumayallwinasfairabrideasIhavebythismaskedmarriage。“
　　WhyistheP。C。liketheTowerofBabel？
　　Itisfullofunrulymembers。
　　THEHISTORYOFASQUASH
　　Onceuponatimeafarmerplantedalittleseed。
　　inhisgarden，andafterawhileitsproutedandbecameavineandboremanysquashes。OnedayinOctober，whentheywereripe，hepickedoneandtookittomarket。Agorcermanboughtandputitinhisshop。
　　Thatsamemorning，alittlegirlinabrownhatandbluedress，witharoundfaceandsnubnose，wentandboughtitforhermother。Sheluggedithome，cutitup，andboileditinthebigpot，mashedsomeofitsaltandbutter，fordinner。Andtotherestsheaddedapintofmilk，twoeggs，fourspoonsofsugar，nutmeg，andsomecrackers，putitinadeepdish，andbakedittillitwasbrownandnice，andnextdayitwaseatenbyafamilynamedMarch。
　　T。TUPMA
　　Mr。Pickwick，Sir：-
　　IaddressyouuponthesubjectofsinthesinnerImeanisamannamedWinklewhomakestroubleinhisclubbylaughingandsometimeswon’twritehispieceinthisfinepaperIhopeyouwillpardonhisbadnessandlethimsendaFrenchfablebecausehecan’twriteoutofhisheadashehassomanylessonstodoandnobrainsinfutureIwilltrytotaketimebythefetlockandpreparesomeworkwhichwillbeallcommylafothatmeansallrightIaminhasteasitisnearlyschooltimeYoursrespectably，N。WINKLE
　　[Theaboveisamanlyandhandsomeaknowledgmentofpastmisdemeanors。Ifouryoungfriendstudiedpunctuation，itwouldbewell。]
　　ASADACCIDENT
　　OnFridaylast，wewerestartledbyaviolentshockinourbasement，followedbycriesofdistress。
　　Onrushinginabodytothecellar，wediscoveredourbelovedPresidentprostrateuponthefloor，havingtrippedandfallenwhilegettingwoodfordomesticpurposes。Aperfectsceneofruinmetoureyes，forinhisfallMr。Pickwickhadplungedhisheadandshouldersintoatubofwater，upsetakegofsoftsoapuponhismanlyform，andtornhisgarmentsbadly。Onbeingremovedfromthisperiloussituation，itwasdiscoveredthathehadsufferednoinjurybutseveralbruises，andwearehappytoadd，isnowdoingwell。