nd mild; her hair of rich auburn, hanging in bright,
natural ringlets; whilst even her stiff dress and formal cap could not
spoil the grace and ease of her air.

"Indeed, persons always accustomed to be highly dressed are not so put
out of their way by it as those who are only thus dressed on high
occasions; and dressed she was in a rich silk, with much lace, with a
chain of gold and stud of jewels, silken shoes, and artificial flowers.
We on the forms thought that we had never seen anything so grand in our
whole lives, nor any person so pretty, nor any creature so to be
envied.

"The ladies only stayed to see a few of our best dancers show forth in
minuets before tea, and then they withdrew: and as the dancing-master,
who had always taught Miss Vaughan, was invited to join the tea-party,
we went into the schoolroom to our suppers, and to talk over what we
had seen. After a little while, we all returned to the dancing-room to
be ready for the company, who soon appeared again.

"We were then called up, and arranged to dance cotillons, and whilst we
were standing waiting for the order to take our places, we saw our
master go bowing up to Evelyn, to ask her to join our party. I saw her
smile then for the first time, and I never had seen a sweeter smile; it
seemed to light up her whole face. She consented to dance, and being
asked if she would like any particular partner, she instantly answered:

"'That young lady in black, sir, if you please.'

"There was but one in black, and that was myself. The next moment I was
called, and told that Miss Vaughan had done me the honour to choose me
for a partner; and it was whispered in my ear by my governess, when
she led me up, that I must not forget my manners, and by no means take
any liberty with Miss Vaughan. This admonition served only to make me
more awkward than I might have been if it had not been given to me.

"Evelyn had chosen me because she had heard it said in the parlour that
the little girl in black was in mourning for the last of her parents.
And I had not begun the second cotillon with her before she told me
that she had chosen me for a partner because, like herself, I had no
father or mother.

"After this I was shy no longer; I talked to her about my mother, and
burst into tears when so doing, for my sorrows were fresh.

"Evelyn soon made herself acquainted with my name--Mary Reynolds--and
we found out that we had been born the same year; and she said that it