disturbed. "There," said he, "I feared it would

ow cou

fronte

t ab

more about it, darling. It is a pity, a s

h a gentle expression of sadness on his manly features. Rosa hung about

ing made out in the office, in came the fair-haired boy, with a ten-pound note in his ver

ke all that money from him, poor

ent at her simplicity, and said,

"Well, then, really we ought to r

; the brother-in-law isn't on good terms; so he demanded a public sale. She will get back four pun t

a deposi

hyena gave you five pound

ing hyena,

we call him in the room. He

rds the young gentleman's arm-chair! Well, I should as soon have expected blood from a flint. You have got five pou

." Staines, on the contrary, was very angry. "What!" he cried, "pity a boy who made one bad bargain, that, after all, was not a very bad bargain; and he had no kindness, nor even common huma

sa, altering her mind in a mom

The ill-natured, crotchety, old-

said Rosa warmly.

man-h

lorence Cole. Women are mean, heartless thi

hristopher, a little sati

loftily over the proposed test. "That is, all the

res to have about o

tes: and in three days more the house was furnished, two female ser

have told you how many shelves there were in every cupboard, and knew the Bijou by heart in a way that Christopher never knew it. All this ended, as running about

d believe this? We began with three thousand pounds. It was to last us several years-t

osa. "Oh, dear! why did

but you made some good bargains too. Remember there

waste of

dispensary; painting, papering, and furnishing; china, and linen, and everything to buy. We must look at this seriously. Only fourteen hundred and

we settled here. Oh, I c

earnestly beg you to buy things yourself whilst you are a poor man's wife, and pay ready money for everything. My mother was a great manager, and she always said, 'There is but one way: be your own market-woman, and pa

it hardly seemed to enter her mind; but she raised no objection;

ne patient came of the class this couple must live by. Christopher set this down to what people call "the transition period:" his Kent patients had lost him; his London

creatu

s worn out, she began to be very dull, and used to come and entice him out to walk with her: he woul

more for our staying in-t

hard a fight there is before us. How should you? You are very young. No, for your sake, I mus

r that Flor

have not made such v

d come to London. Oh, and I'll write to that cold-blooded

ies of rank were to come here, I fear they

school quite a big girl, an immense girl, when I was only twelve. She used to smile at my capriccios; and

d Rosa twice: at the third visit, Rosa tried to change the conversation. Mrs. Turner instantly got up, and

he blind, and the sick frequented his dispensary, and got his skill out of him gratis, and sometimes a little physic

stead of having to stay at home and wait for others to come, whose will they cannot influence. His heart began to sicken with hope deferred, and dim forebodings

to them; and one after another found him out. They were polite, kind, even friendly; but here it ended: these gentlemen,

sa had a high standard, which her two servants could never quite attain. This annoyed her, and she began to scold a little. They answered civilly, but in other respects remained imperfect beings; they laid out every shilling they earned in finery; and, this, I am ashamed to say, irritated Mrs. Staines, who was wearin

er part, though without openly interfering; and t

ore forecasting mind of her husband, still doomed to pace that miserable ya

ty stood in her eyes. By and by she got angry with the world; and at last, strange to say, a little

le. I shall be your first patient if this goes on much longer." He looked at her, saw she was very excited, and had better be humored; so he kissed her and just said, with a melancholy smile, "How poor are they that ha

sed her arm, and said, "Courage, lov

etter," said she,

ch of them all is a

ore attractive. Who looks

ords seemed to imply a thirst for adm

entered Curzon Street. Here, however, occurred an incident, trifling in itself, but unpleasant. Dr. Staines saw one of his best Kentish patients get

expected him to complain that she had dragged him out, and lost him that first chanc

, S

taken, Jane. A gent

ave been since yo

" Then he knit his brow gloomily. "It is worse than I thought. It seems even one's c

against the world's injustice; but she said nothing; she was a little frightened at

the door, and a tallish, fattish, pasty-face

g-room, and told Jane he ha

ed noiselessly down, and with love's swift foot got into

her first, and then

equence. ONLY the first

gain, and then was for g

ways keep them waiting; or else they think nothing of you. Such a funny woman! 'Treat 'em like dogs

ave kept that to

your patient, sir. Christie, dear, if he is very-very ill-and I'm

really w

was "Mr. Pettigrew,

parson; but he would not stand that; bad profession; don't rise by merit; very hard to rise at all;-no, India was the place. "As for me, I made my fortune there in ten years. Obliged

ted to feel his pulse, and

will write you a prescription; but if you want t

this patient's tongue, and ran through the top

ely. He could afford i

hat speaking an "infinite deal of nothing" exhausts the body, though it does not affect the mind; fo

tient filled himself a glass; then another; and went off, revived, to chatter elsewhere. But at the door he said, "I had alway

money. However, he looked at the Blue Book, and found his visi

attered nineteen to the dozen, was exhausted

ired butler-kept a lodging-house, and waited at parties; he lived close by, but had a

ually, that soon her visits were paid to him. She was cured, and

did no

wrote

t dead

mployed a

that was all. He had never said he would pa

of a ship; would not be in

cried bitterly, and said she and her

he case, and pay him two pounds fif

get it out of Pettigrew; by-the-by,

wrote to him. No answer. Called. Pettigrew g

, won by the doctor's manner and his unhappiness, referred him to Pettigrew's solicitor; the

o St. Petersburg. In that stronghold of gluttony, he gormandized more than ever, and,

ecoverable as his sherry; and he said to Rosa, "I won

. "Oh, they use you cruell

ng doctor's patients bl

clined: and, being a man hard to beat, took to writing on medical subjects, in hopes of getting some money from the

hes. One Sunday she came to him in her bonnet, and interrupted his studies, to say

ut contained himself,

fe. You are never seen out with me, not even to church. Do

es shook

ater with me. The time Jane and I went, the clergyman read a paper that Mr. Brown had fallen down in a fit.

ently better adapted to diversion than mine is. Go

s back in my father's house. Husban

's face, she went off into hysterics; and as his heart would not let him bellow at her, or empty a bucket on her as he would o

t young person had the presence of mind to postpone entire convalescence, and lay herself out to be petted all day. But fate willed it otherwise: while she was sighing and moaning, came to the door a scurryi

p to hysterics, in an almost gleeful whisper, ordered Christopher to open the door

u please, will you ast the doctor to co

" said Jane, a

l fallen right off an i-chair, and cut h

And she waited s

which he's out; and Sarah, the housemaid, said I had better come here; you

"Why, our master-they pulls him in

good girl!" whispered Dr. S

r, 'cos her little girl as lives with her mother, and calls Sarah aunt

putting some lint and an instrument case into his pocket, she proceeded to relate a number of miraculous

ve her five shillings; and, after that, used to talk to her a great deal more

en up to the nursery, and found Mrs. Lucas seated, crying and lamenting, and a woman holding a little girl of about seven, who

d; and the mother discovered the artist at once. He compressed the wound, and explained to Mrs. Lucas that the principal thing really was to avoid an ugly scar. "There is no danger," said he. He then bound the wound neatly up, and had the girl put to bed. "You wi

y and seeming unconsciousness; but, once outside the house, went home on wings. He ran up to the drawing-room, and found his wife seated, and playing at reading. He threw himself on his knees

es glistening. "But I'm afraid one can't

s. Lucas also called him in for her own little ailments, and they were the be

f her husband. "They never ask me,"

t have a little patience. Society will com

e and pair drove up, and a gorgeous footm

school-fellow. However, she composed herself in the drawing-room, and presently the door was opened, and a ver

uor in person-her hair whitey-brown, her face a fine oval, but almost colorless; her eyes a pale gray, her neck and hands incomparably white and beautiful-a lymphatic young lady, a live antidote to emotion. However, Rosa's beauty, timidity, and undisg

aid Rosa, "how kin

l reply. "But how you are gwown, and-may I say impwoved?-You la pe

autiful and tall, and kind to a little monkey like me.

y; so Rosa, though no egotist, was drawn into talking about herself more than she would have done had she deliberately planned the conversation. But here was an old school-fellow

d others affectedly; and as for the letter r, she could say it if she made a hearty effort, but was generally too lazy to throw her leg over it.) "Society! I'm dwenched to death with it. If I could only catch fiah like other women, and love

not that. But even in the coun

ciety as you please; but it will boa you to death, as it does me, and

you for coming. There-I wrote to Cecilia, and Emily, and Mrs. Bosanquet that is now, and all my sworn friends, and

, and did not feel the effort. "As for kissing," said she, "

ting that was, you know-was always kissing me, and she has tu

and freshness that she kept up the acquaintance, and called on her twice a week during the season. At first she wo

that; but she continued to do the visiting, and to enjoy

pranks with her "r's." But we cannot be all imperfection: with her pronunciation her folly came to a full stop. I really believe she lisped less nonsense and bad taste

the yard, waiting for patients. Lady Cicely folded her arms, and contemplated him at first with

er mouth in a whispe

g for p

ing-for-p

t never come, and

w little I k

l day, dear, o

on Staines, made a motion with

t publish a wo

or

r me; is

Cicely quietly; and soon after re

iful, accomplished, moped. More than that, he went so far as to regret to her that Mrs. Staines, being in a neighbo

handsome and skilful doctor was welcome to

arriage standing at the door. The style of the whol

ly, "Now, Dr. Staines, really you can't be allowed to hide your wife in this way. (Staines stared.) Why not introduce her to me ne

to his wife, she was delighted, an

me thoughtful, uneasy, depressed.

Rosa. Your we

go as a bride. It's

have othe

not fit for such parties as S

own, and let

had nothing to wear, paraded

in all of them. Mrs. Staines f

a silver-gray silk, o

old as the hills

hop. Come, tell the truth;

before I wa

ut how

ree times,

so. It is g

ng by me. I had it two y

ing in your wardrobe? This is childish, Rosa. There, with this dress as good as new, an

sa naively. "Oh, how I wis

ul you did not,"

past ten she sought a reprieve; at a quarter to eleven, being assured that the street was full of carria

s. One servant took their names, and bawled them to another four yards off, he to another abo

nce of finding their hostess, when a slig

her. A woman's instinct gave her the key at once; the sexes had complimented her at sight; each in their way; the men with respectful admiration; the women, with their inflammable jealousy and ready hatred in another of the quality they value most in themselves. But the country girl was too many for them: she would neither s

ll graciousness, made acquaintance, and took a little turn with her, introducing her to one or two persons; among the rest, to the malignant woman, Mrs. Ba

f flowers, scents, and perspiring humanity, sickening. Some, unable

was redeemed by a certain bonhomie, and said, "Mrs. Staines, I believe? I

as," said

w to him, and said, "Will you t

But he did no

Dr. Staines, over her shoulder, now h

he dryly. "I'll

rge octagon, the walls lined from floor to ceiling with looking-glasses of moderate width, at intervals, and with creepers that covered the intervening spaces of the wall, and were trained so as to break the outline of the glasses without greatly clouding the reflection. Ferns, in great variety, were grouped in a deep crescent, and in the bight of this green bay were a small tab

with a sigh of relief; "and how

t there is no making acquaintance among all those people. M

ady in the pink dress was, and the lady in the violet velvet, and so on; for each lady was defined by her dress, and, more or less, quizzed by this show-woman, not exactly out of malice, but because it is smarter and more natural to decry than to praise, and a little medisance is the spice to gossip, belongs to it, as mint

the hot-house again. I like the green

n, and wriggled about, Miss Lucas presenting

. Staines and Mrs. Staines went home to the Bijou. Here the physician prescribed bed; but the lady would not hear of such a thing until she had talked it all over. So they compar

he great success of the night, and, for all I know, of the se

ock me, Christie. W

lection, they were one o

people are ey

e imputatio

, embroidered with flowers, and flounced with white vel

th eyes resembling her jewels in

l, did you see HER in the black velvet, trimmed so deep with Chantilly lace, wave on wave,

but her rubicund face and suffocat

e lady in the corn-colored s

made me feel hot, too; but I cooled m

r faces; that is

a point with us benighted m

s, and a white tunic looped with crimson, and headdress

ul atmosphere. It was the nearest approach to nu

flounces over her slip of white silk glacee, and a wreath of white flowers, with gold wheat

nose! reddish, and as

not what strikes you first in

y did, her nose WOULD be the thing that would strike you

laughing matter. Do you mean you we

ithout a single flounce, or any other tomfoolery to fritter away the sheen and color of an exquisite material; her sunny hair was another wave of color,

r even

th powder, the pores stopped up, the true texture of the skin abolished. They looked downright nasty, whenever you or that young girl passed by them. Then it was you s

unnoticed, unless o

the Apollo Belvidere and th

re dressed-

ines stared fir

ve silenced your husband, go you to bed directly. I can't afford you diamo

ucas invited her to every party, because her beauty was an instrument of attraction she knew how to use; and Miss Lucas took

other engagements permitted, word was sent round to Mrs. Staines, as a matter of course, and she wa

whatever she knew, she related point-blank. Being as inquisitive as voluble, she soon learned how Mrs. Staines and her husband were situated. She took upon her to advise her in many things, and especial

Staines with her importunity. He began to give rather short answers. Then she quoted Miss Lucas against him. He treated the authority

f. Lady Cicely drawled out a prompt but polite refusal to play that part. All that could be elicited from

cas is a good friend, and she knows the w

band about it, and to say that he

you go about with these Lucases, because you were so dull; but you should not consult them in our private affairs. Their interference is indelicate and improper. I will not set u

o splashing through

pher, with a quiet doggedness th

arly. Mrs. Staines, not to keep her waiting, came down rather hastily, and in the very passage whipped out of her pocket a little glass, and a little powder puff, and p

she, "give

ant is a basin and some nice rain-wa

eye, and saw he was not to be trifled with. She complied like a lamb,

ge me by handing over that powder-puff to me." She looked ve

ines, and so joined her friend,

you look to-day!" was M

-water and rub could be the

id she. "He objects to powder,

u stood

iged

ould like to see a husband presume to interfe

a little. "Well

in such sacred things as dress and cosmetics, that she came back irritated with h

e a child-taking

flower, that no bad gardener s

wither me? It is only violet

e Herods that p

t love them ten times m

Mothers!-the most wholesale homicides in the nation. W

had his scales out, and begged her to put a teaspoonful of flour into one scale and

er spoonfu

violet powder outwei

n two hours, by gilding him to adorn the pageant of his first procession as Pope. But what is death to the whole body must be injurious to a part. What madness, then, to clog the pores of so large and important a surface as the face, and check the invisible perspiration: how much more to insert lead into your system every day of your life; a cumulative poison, and one so deadly and so subtle, that the Sheffield file-cutters die in their prime, from merely hammering on a leaden anvil. And what do you gain by this suicidal habit? No plum has a sweeter bloom or more delicious texture than the skin of your young face; but this mine

a fuss abo

uty nothing? Well, then, it will cost you nothing t

mise. Now what wi

in of disappointing you now and then-looking forward to the time when I shall be able to say '

with the last speaker; but, for that very reason, the eternal companio

talk, and occasionally drawling out a little plain good sense, when in came Miss Luca

pent in tacking-confound them for it!-generally at right angles. What they are in navigation was Miss Lucas in co

es, she was all dignity, and even majesty, in the presence of this chatterbox; and the smoothness with wh

d dignity, looked wistfully and distressed at her. Lady Cicely smiled kindly in reply, rose, without seeming to hurry,-catch her condescen

"I am afraid you do not like my friend Miss Lucas. S

Clevaa people don't talk so m

sa. "I was in hopes

U like

all not, if she drives

undastand that is not a woman for me to mispwonownce my 'ah

at contrasted nobly and strangely with her yea-nay style, and

me time, and that vexed her. She knew her sex enough to be aware that they are very jealous

a few lines from Lady Cicely, to say her family and herself were in

arr, and on the same subject. The doctor, who had always been friendly to him, invited him to come down at once to Hallowtree Ha

aphed beforehand, he was met at the station by the earl's carriage and people, and driven to the Hall. He was received by an old, silver-haired butler, looking very sad, who conducted him to a

aines,

bow

fear he thinks-he thinks-O Dr. Staines-no sign of life

ly observed it, and, faint at heart, could s

ealth, and youth, stricken down in a moment by a common accident. The sufferer's face was bloodless,

neighboring physician, who had called in Dr.

ofound silence. Lady Cicely scanned his countenance searchingly, and was struck with the extraordinary power and int

he recumbent figure, he said quietly to

on him, Dr

sible i

broken and pressed upon the lungs.

ou pl

the patient, and said

silent and

motion of the thumbs corres

at so,

ithout a parallel. Ho

ly a

ossi

s so,

ly confir

"the visible injuries having been ably relieved, I shall look another wa

s; but Dr. Staines stood firm, and h

n he had made a circular tonsure on the top

pia mater. "Observe," said he, "there is no corresponding indentation on the other side. Underneath this trifling d

e's eyes

hospital s

. I have no fear

ver to you. The case at pr

operation was neatly performed, and then Lady Cicely was called in. She cam

taines; "it will soon leave

came quiet. The eyes became human next; and within half

r hands, and uttered a

taines, "I shall have you

ines! will h

very soon. So b

its climax soon after, by

knees bro

little scream, but i

"only rubbed a bit. You can go to slee

lordship; and compos

l night; and in course of the day advised her how to nurse th

me old soldier used to nursing. "And don't whisper in the room," said he; "nothing irritates them worse; and don't let anybody play a piano within hearing; but in a day or two you may try him with slow and continuous music on the flute or violin if you

eived all this

e man to undersell the profession, and was jealous of nobody, having a large practice, and

fast, with the carriage waiting to take him to t

d a few kind and feeling words of gratitude and esteem; the other, a

d it all to Rosa. She sparkled

ndred and thirty guineas for one fee! Now, if you love