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 treat her with a rudeness that was too marked to be overlooked; nor did he receive any check from his mother for his bearish behaviour, except when she now and then, in a feeble tone, exclaimed, "Hoot, Robby, that's no' right." The girls, too, who had just begun to appear sensible of the advantage of those habits of diligence and decorum, to which Mrs Mason had introduced them, were no sooner under their mother's direction, than they relaxed into indolence, and became as pert and obstreperous as ever. Mrs Mason saw that the reign of anarchy was fast approaching. She likewise saw, that her presence, which retarded it, was considered by all the family a restraint; she therefore determined to come to an explanation on the subject, and as soon as possible to change her quarters.

In pursuance of her design, Mrs Mason took the very first opportunity of speaking to Robert and his mother; and after reminding them, that the term agreed on