Bed-time soon follows sunset in summer, at least for children. Yet it came not too soon this evening for Harriet and Mary, who were tired by their thirty miles travelling. But Florence thought it very unkind in them to leave her so soon "this first evening." Her entreaties were so urgent that they would stay a little while longer, that her young companions would have found some difficulty in getting away without aid from me. Taking Florence's hand, as she was endeavoring to hold Harriet and Mary back from following the servant, who was going to show them their bed, I said, "Did you hear me tell those little girls that they must go to bed?"
"Yes," she replied; "but they have been here such a little time, and it is so early yet; I only want them to stay a little longer."
"I do not doubt they would try to oblige you, though they are tired and sleepy, but they are accustomed to do just as I wish them; and I wish them to go to bed at once. You will have a long summer's day for talk and play to-morrow, and only a short summer's night for sleep. So now bid them good-night; and I think you had better go too, for I shall call you up very early in the morning, as I expect you to show me the garden and the dairy before breakfast."
"And the fish-pond, too," said Florence, "the fish-pond, too."
"Is there a fish-pond, too? Well, all these will require us to rise early,—shall I bid you good-night, too?"
"Yes; I may as well go," said she, looking around and seeing that Harriet and Mary were already gone.
So closed the first evening of our visit.