others, be free ourselves. Were I in your place, I
would not move an inch to keep out of her way."

"I have not your firmness. I wish I had. It was only yesterday that
I crossed the street to keep from meeting her face to face."

"You were wrong."

"I can't help it; it is my weakness. Three times already have I put
myself about to avoid her; and if I could frame any good excuse for
staying away from this party, I certainly should do so. I would give
any thing for a good sick-headache on Tuesday next."

"I am really ashamed of you, Ellen. I thought you more of a woman,"
said Mr. Jones.

The night of the party at length came round. During the whole day
preceding it, Mrs. Jones could think of nothing but the unpleasant
feelings she would have upon meeting with Mrs. Todd, and her "heart
was in her mouth" all the time. She wished a dozen times that it
would rain. But her wishes availed nothing; not a cloud was to be
seen in the clear blue firmament from morning until evening.

"Oh, if I only had some good excuse for staying at home!" she said
over and over again; but no good excuse offered.

Mr. Jones saw that his wife was in a very unhappy state of mind, and
tried his best to cheer her, but with little good effect.

"It is no use to talk to me, I can't help it," she replied to his
remonstrance, in a husky voice. "I am neither a stock nor a stone."

"There's Mrs. Jones," said one friend to another, on seeing the lady
they named enter Mrs.--'s well-filled parlours.

"Where is Mrs. Todd?" asked the lady addressed.

"Sure enough! where is she?" replied the other. "Oh, there she is,
in the other room. I wonder why it is that she does not speak to
Mrs. Jones."

"No one knows."

"It's very strange."

"I'll tell you what I've heard."

"What?"

"That she's jealous of Mrs. Jones."

"Ridiculous!"

"Isn't it."

"I don't believe a word of it."

"Nor I. I only told you what I had heard."

"There must be some other reason."

"And doubtless is."

Meantime, Mrs. Jones found a seat in a corner, where she ensconced
herself, with the determination of keeping her place during the
evening, that she might avoid the unpleasantness of coming in
contact with Mrs. Todd. All this was, of course, very weak in Mrs.
Jones. But she had no independent strength of character, it must be
owned.

"Poor Mrs. Jones! How cut down she looks," remarked a lady who knew
all about the trouble that existed. "I really feel sorry for he