Evenings with the Poets. FOURTH EVENING. THE Fourth Evening of the royal play of poets at Derley Manor again found the Christmas party assembled in the old Library with its blazing fire shining brightly on the groups of happy young faces, and on the huge old-fashioned arm chair which acquired increasing interest with every new succession of a royal occupant. The choice of the previous evening had fallen on one of the younger members of the party. On the reassemblage of her subjects, Queen Ellen, with a well assumed air of demure gravity, thanked them for their loyal devotion to her during her brief reign, and then stepping down from her throne, she threaded her way through them, looking from right to left as if in doubt and uncertainty as to the choice of her successor. All eyes followed her movements, curious to see on whom her choice Evenings with the Poets. FOURTH EVENING. THE Fourth Evening of the royal play of poets at Derley Manor again found the Christmas party assembled in the old Library with its blazing fire shining brightly on the groups of happy young faces, and on the huge old-fashioned arm chair which acquired increasing interest with every new succession of a royal occupant. The choice of the previous evening had fallen on one of the younger members of the party. On the reassemblage of her subjects, Queen Ellen, with a well assumed air of demure gravity, thanked them for their loyal devotion to her during her brief reign, and then stepping down from throne, she threaded her way through them, lookrom right to left as if in doubt and uncertainty the choice of her successor. All eyes followed movements, curious to see on whom her choice would rest, but they were not kept long in suspense, for, stepping to the hearth, where old Mr. Howard sat in his arm chair, looking on with kindly sympathy at these proceedings, she suddenly clapped the holly crown upon his head, and, flinging her arms round his neck, exclaimed, Grandpapa shall be king of the evening! A joyous shout was raised by the young folks, at this unexpected choice of a successor to Queen Ellen; and though Mr. Howard protested against his elevation to the throne as out of the question, and altogether at variance with the rights and privileges of the juvenile commonwealth, he could obtain no hearing from his new subjects, who crowded round his chair, and with sportive violence fairly dragged him off to the vacant throne. It was some time before the new king could restore gravity or order to the assembly, so hearty were the greetings of his youthful subjects, and so lively was the glee excited among them all by the unlooked-for event of the selection of Grandpapa for their king. Silence being at length secured, Mr. Howard addressed the attentive young circle that gathered around him in the following words:-As you have departed from the ordinary course of your procedure in the election of a sovereign to rule over the |