CHAPTER X.
Laddie Takes the Plunge "This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth The tender leaves of hopes; to-morrow blossoms, And bears his blushing honors thick upon him; The third day comes a frost, a killing frost, And, when he thinks, good, easy man, full surely His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root, And then he falls, as I do." "Watch me take the plunge!" said Laddie.
"'Mad frenzy fires him now,'" quoted Leon.
It was Sunday after dinner.

We had been to church and Sunday-school in the forenoon, and we had a houseful of company for dinner.

All of them remained to spend the afternoon, because in our home it was perfectly lovely.

We had a big dinner with everything good to start on, and then we talked and visited and told all the news.

The women exchanged new recipes for cooking, advised each other about how to get more work done with less worry, to doctor their sick folks, and to make their dresses.
At last, when every thing was talked over, and there began to be a quiet time, father would reach across the table, pick up a paper and read all the interesting things that had happened in the country during the past week; the jokes too, and they made people think of funny stories to tell, and we just laughed.