IV. AS TO A SMALL DINNER
V. ON THE MAINTENANCE OF AN ATTIC
VI. THE IDIOT'S GARDEN
VII. HOUSEHOLD POETRY
VIII. SOME CONSIDERATION OF THE HIRED MAN
IX. ON SOCIAL ACCOUNTS
X. AS TO SANTA CLAUS
XI. AS TO NEW-YEAR'S DAY
XII. SOME DOMESTIC INTENTIONS
XIII. A SUBURBAN COMPLICATION
XIV. SOME CONSIDERATION OF THE MOTH
XV. SOME CONSIDERATION OF THE BURGLAR
XVI. CONCLUSIONBy way of introduction

"My dear," said the Idiot one morning, as he and his good wife and the two little ones, Mollie and Tommy, sat down at the breakfast-table, "now that we are finally settled in our new house I move we celebrate. Let's give a dinner to my old friends of Mrs. Smithers's; they were nice old people, and I should like to get them together again. I saw Dr. Pedagog in the city yesterday, and he inquired most affectionately, not to say anxiously, about the children."

"Why should he be anxious about the children?" asked Mrs. Idiot, placidly, as she sweetened her husband's coffee. "Does he suspect them of lacking completeness or variety?"

The Idiot tapped his forehead significantly.

"He didn't know whether they take after you or after me, but I relieved his mind on that score," he said. "I told him that they didn't take after anybody that either of us ever knew. They have started in on a line of Idiocy that is entirely their own. He seemed very much pleased when I said that, and observed that he was glad to hear it."

Mrs. Idiot laughed.

"It was very nice of the Doctor to ask about them, but I am a little afraid he wants to take a hand in their bringing up," she said.

"No doubt of it," said the Idiot. "Pedagog always was anxious to experiment. Many a time I have suspected him of having designs even on me."

"Mrs. Pedagog told me last year that he had devised an entirely new system of home training," observed Mrs. Idiot, "and they both regretted that they had no children of their own to try it on."

"And of course you offered to lend Tommy to them?" said the Idiot, with a sly glance at 

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