e guests at them all persons in the habit of meeting each other very frequently. On Mr. and Mrs. Algernon Errington's arrival in Whitford, after their ma

erstand Whitford society. "The fact is, my dear," said her mother-in-law with suavity, "it may be all a very trumpery business in your eyes, and after the circles you have moved in, but I assure you it is considered a very desirable thing here to have the entrée to Dr. Bodkin's. And then they scarcely ever entertain on a showy scale; nothing but a few friends, tea and cake, you

gs," returned Mrs. A

mystery to me; for I assure you she is extremely handsome, and has, I think, the finest pair o

Minnie's beauty, but relapsed into languid indifference when she was told th

ly indifference only caused a fuller ebullition of it in other directions. She overwhelmed her new landlady by the magnitude and magnificence of her "Ancramisms"-I have already a

as Mrs. Errington's old blue china set forth on a side-table in the little oblong drawing-room; and her work-box with its amber satin and silver implements; and the faded miniatures hung over the mantelpiece.

hat rash offer, and had carried away with her such articles of f

p to my eyes in important business, yet I could not refuse to accept his little peace-offering. A lady does not quarrel with that sort of person, you know. And, poor old man, I believe he was dreadfully cut up at my going away when it came to the point, and would have given anything to keep me. But I said, 'No, Mr. Maxfield, that is imposs

tian of you, ma'am," sai

e intrinsically more important and worthy objects of anxiety than a white muslin frock and artificial roses, I do not presume to decide. Only I can unhesitatingly assert that the Misses Rose and Violet McDougall could not hav

at interest and satisfaction. And when her toilet for the evening was completed, she had more littl

onel Whistler, with his charming nieces. Miss Chubb had dined with the Bodkins in the middle of the day, and, after being of great assistance to the mistress of the house in the preparation of her supper-table, had returned to her own home to dress, and consequently arrived upon the festive scene rather later than would othe

indeed, Dr. Bodkin's drawing-rooms, well lighted with wax candles, and with abundance of hot-house flowers tastefully arranged, and relieved against the rich crimson and oak furniture, we

oulded features with a strange beauty that struck all observers. Even the McDougalls could not but admit that Minnie looked very striking, but added that she was a little too theatrically got up, didn't you think so? That was poor Minnie's failing. All for effect! "And," added Rose, "she has a good foil in that little pink and white creature who sits in the corner beside her chair, and never moves. I suppose she is

ing her cups of tea, and paying her various little attentions according to their opportunities. Even old Colonel Whistler, when he thought himself unobserved by his nieces, sidled up to pretty Rhoda Max

ry time the door opened. She could think only of Algernon and Algernon's wife. She made a silent and very earnest prayer that she might be strengthened to sit still

k her, with paternal tenderness, how she had enjoyed her stay at the seaside, and to say that, if one might judge by her looks, she had derived great benefit from the change of air

nd was in good spirits. He could wait, he could be patient, he could be silent now, with a good heart. Algernon's marriage had opened a bright vista of hope before him; and perhaps he had never felt so disposed to condone and excuse his old pupil's faults and failings as at

his complete indifference to everyone else, with a heartache which might have excused even

er little glove was split by the force of the pressure. But that horrible sensation passed away in a few seconds. And then, looking up with renewed powers of seeing and hearing, sh

ttired in a rich dove-coloured silk gown (Lord Seely's gift to her at her son's wedding), and wore rose-coloured ribbons in he

'My dear children, I shall go on without you, and put in an appearance for one member of the family at least!' So here I am. And my boy and girl will be here directly. And how is dear Minnie?

she caught sight of Rhoda, who shrank back a little, flushed and trembling. Mrs. Errington thought she very we

see you again, child," continued Mrs. Errington; "I began to fancy we were not to meet any more. You must co

er ease. The fact, too, that Mrs. Errington had no suspicion of her feelings was calming. Mrs. Erri

inded by the partiality of a mother, when I say the bride's family are quite as gratified at the alliance as I am. Do you know that one of Mrs. Algernon's relatives is the Duke of Mackelpie and Brose? A distant relative, it is true. But these Scotch clans, you know, c

when it came to a struggle between the two. To them sauntered up Alethea Dockett on the arm of Mr. Pawkins. The latter, finding it impossible to draw Rhoda

ccount of the bride's trousseau was almost oriental in the splendour and boldness of its imagery. And Matthew Diamond began to believe that, with very small encou

in her ear, and in his old jaunty way, "Well, is this the way you cu

fat little hands extended. "Algy!" she cried. "But I beg pardo

I hope you don't mean

ace behind Minnie's chair, and was invisible at first to one coming to the circle from the other end of the ro

tolerable coolness and aplomb. The old associations, which might have unnerved some soft-hearted persons, would have strengthened Algernon by vividly recalling his own habitual ascendancy and superiority over his former love. But instead of the

ess to her own surprise than to that of the two who were watching her so keenly, she rose from her chair, and held out her han

scarcely recognised her. Then someone else began to speak to him, and

cond interview could be looked forward to with the same anxious apprehension as the

hat they had witnessed a scene from the old, old story; that the clasp of those two young hands had meant at once, "Hail!" and "Farewell!"-farewell to the sweet, foolish dream, to the innoc

had just been introduced to "the Honourable Mrs. Errington;" and a very young gentleman (one of Dr. Bodkin's senior sch

iss Maxfield under your charge, Ingleby, and shall hold you r

ere were but two persons there. One was Mr. Dockett, who was as inveterate a tea-drinker as Doctor Johnson; and the other was the Reverend Peter Warlock, hovering hungrily near the cake-basket. Neither of these gentlemen took any special notice of her, and she was able to sit quiet and unobserved. Her cavalier conscientiously endeavoured to

iven especially in her honour, and to omit her from an

oking in better health than when we first had the honour of making her acquaintance. She had grown a trifle stouter-or less lean. Her sojourn in Westmoreland had been more favourable to her looks than the fatigues of a London season, which, under other circumstances, she would have been underg

s and appearance by our Whitford friends after that first evening. Possibly an impartial ju

on, nearly ten years his senior! I can forgive a generous mistake, but not a mean one. If he had run away with Ally Dockett fro

doc

dear. But-I'm afraid this has been a marriage wholly of interest and ambition on his side. Ah!

do wish somebody would tell her to keep her gown on her shoulders. I assure you, if I were to see my Ally half undressed in that fashion, I sh

sharp, Martha. I prefer a rounder contour, both of face and figure. Some of the ladies found fault with her because of her low dress. But that-as I happen to know-is quite the custom with our upper classes in town. Mrs. Figgins's-wife of the Bishop of Plumbunn, you know, Martha-Mrs. Figgins's

e his acquaintance with the bride, had been received with scant courtesy. But this was not so much because Castalia intended to be specially uncivil to him, a

vy Errington. His wife looks so uncommon ill-temper

turned Diamond. "And Errington will not be

bride to have some kind of softness in her manners, and-

man of three-and-twenty who can comfortably dispense with r

that, and perhaps I'm a fool. But I-I shouldn't like my wife

d I. And perha

he considered little Miss Maxfield to look fifty times more like a lady than Mrs. Algernon. And as for good looks, there was, of course, no comparison. And though Miss Maxfield was too shy and quiet, yet

their praises of Algernon's wife. They perform

e Honourable Mrs. Algernon! I

are positively related? The Mackelpies, you know, call cousins with us. Th

wn class. How lucky Algernon has been to get such a wife, instea

t she's quite yo

lgernon has shown his sense in not selecting a br

were the only girls in the room she seemed to take to at all!

have just spoiled her. Her airs are really ludicrous. But directly a person of superior birth comes to the place you see ho

, you know. And, in spite of her affliction, I t

an actress. I saw the look Mrs. Algernon gave her

that little flounce at the b

ether.) "Isn't sh

Then the gallant gentleman, as he took his bed-candle, was