ations of
the wedding-dress had not been successful; the skirt was too short in
front and higher on one side than on the other, showing too plainly the
heavy-soled shoes, which had lost most of their polish in the walk
through the snow. The ribbon rosettes were fully revealed, and as she
glanced at their reflection she heard the words, "LOOK AT THAT TRAIN
AND THOSE ROSETTES!" whispered behind her, and saw in the mirror two
pretty young women turn away with their handkerchiefs over their mouths
and retreat hurriedly to an alcove. All the feet in the room except
Ariel's were in dainty kid or satin slippers of the color of the
dresses from which they glimmered out, and only Ariel wore a train.

She went away from the mirror and pretended to be busy with a hanging
thread in her sleeve.

She was singularly an alien in the chattering room, although she had
been born and lived all her life in the town. Perhaps her position
among the young ladies may be best defined by the remark, generally
current among them, that evening, to the effect that it was "very sweet
of Mamie to invite her." Ariel was not like the others; she was not of
them, and never had been. Indeed, she did not know them very well.
Some of them nodded to her and gave her a word of greeting pleasantly;
all of them whispered about her with wonder and suppressed amusement;
but none talked to her. They were not unkindly, but they were young
and eager and excited over their own interests,--which were then in the
"gentlemen's dressing-room."

Each of the other girls had been escorted by a youth of the place, and,
one by one, joining these escorts in the hall outside the door, they
descended the stairs, until only Ariel was left. She came down alone
after the first dance had begun, and greeted her young hostess's mother
timidly. Mrs. Pike--a small, frightened-looking woman with a prominent
ruby necklace--answered her absently, and hurried away to see that the
imported waiters did not steal anything.

Ariel sat in one of the chairs against the wall and watched the dancers
with a smile of eager and benevolent interest. In Canaan no parents,
no guardians nor aunts, were haled forth o' nights to duenna the
junketings of youth; Mrs. Pike did not reappear, and Ariel sat
conspicuously alone; there was nothing else for her to do. It was not
an easy matter.

When the first dance reached an end, Mamie Pike came to her for a
moment with a cheery welcome, and was im