ith a smile--"I'm better, Mr.
Archibald, now." And if the truth must be told, no greater coquette than
Miss Morgiana existed in all Mayfair--no, not among the most fashionable
mistresses of the fashionable valets who frequented the "Bootjack." She
believed herself to be the most fascinating creature that the world ever
produced; she never saw a stranger but she tried these fascinations upon
him; and her charms of manner and person were of that showy sort which
is most popular in this world, where people are wont to admire most that
which gives them the least trouble to see; and so you will find a tulip
of a woman to be in fashion when a little humble violet or daisy of
creation is passed over without remark. Morgiana was a tulip among
women, and the tulip fanciers all came flocking round her.

Well, the said "Oh" and "I'm better now, Mr. Archibald," thereby
succeeded in drawing everybody's attention to her lovely self. By the
latter words Mr. Eglantine was specially inflamed; he glanced at Mr.
Walker, and said, "Capting! didn't I tell you she was a CREECHER? See
her hair, sir: it's as black and as glossy as satting. It weighs fifteen
pound, that hair, sir; and I wouldn't let my apprentice--that blundering
Mossrose, for instance (hang him!)--I wouldn't let anyone but myself
dress that hair for five hundred guineas! Ah, Miss Morgiana, remember
that you MAY ALWAYS have Eglantine to dress your hair!--remember that,
that's all." And with this the worthy gentleman began rubbing delicately
a little of the Eglantinia into those ambrosial locks, which he loved
with all the love of a man and an artist.

And as for Morgiana showing her hair, I hope none of my readers will
entertain a bad opinion of the poor girl for doing so. Her locks were
her pride; she acted at the private theatre "hair parts," where she
could appear on purpose to show them in a dishevelled state; and that
her modesty was real, and not affected may be proved by the fact that
when Mr. Walker, stepping up in the midst of Eglantine's last speech,
took hold of a lock of her hair very gently with his hand, she cried
"Oh!" and started with all her might. And Mr. Eglantine observed
very gravely, "Capting! Miss Crump's hair is to be seen and not to be
touched, if you please."

"No more it is, Mr. Eglantine!" said her mamma. "And now, as it's come
to my turn, I beg the gentleman will be so obliging as to go."

"MUST I?" cried Mr. Walker; and as it was half-past six,