cles, and was quite a favourite with
the ladies generally. His name was Bonville. He had seen Alida long
before, but her additional graces since that time appeared far to exceed
his expectations.

[_A&M_:

He led the ton in fashionable circles; gave taste its zest, and was
quite a favorite with the ladies generally. His name was Beauman.]

Alida at sixteen displayed many pleasing attractions. Her height rose to
the majestic. She was tall and graceful, and her expressive features
were adorned with hair of light auburn, which hung about her neck in
natural ringlets; while her dark blue eyes, mingled at once the rays of
sprightly intelligence, and a pleasing affability.

[_A&M_:

Melissa, the sister of Edgar, was about sixteen years of age.]

[[The phrase "her height rose to the majestic" is widely quoted
from Robertson's _History of Scotland_, describing Mary Queen
of Scots.]]

[Mrs. Sherwood: _Lady of the Manor_:

her brown hair hanging in natural ringlets about her neck....
...
her eyes were dark blue, and sparkling with intelligence, and
her head, before she was half a year old, was adorned with the most
abundant ringlets of the richest auburn hair.]

She was arrayed on this occasion, in a dress of white muslin, richly
inwrought with needle-work. A silk embroidered sash surrounded her
waist, and she wore on her head a wreath of artificial flowers. Her
elder sisters manifested their pleasure in beholding the artless,
unadorned school-girl, metamorphosed to the interesting young lady of
fascinating manners and amiable deportment.

[_A&M_:

She was dressed in white embroidered and spangled with rich silver
lace; a silk girdle, enwrought and tasseled with gold, surrounded
her waist; her hair was unadorned except by a wreath of artificial
flowers, studded by a single diamond.]

[_A&M_ (different scene):

She was dressed in a flowing robe of white muslin, embroidered with
a deep fringe of lace.]

Social converse and rural amusements took up the greater part of the
evening, when the general conversation of the gentlemen turned upon a
topic in which they were all more or less interested, on what might be
the unhappy result of the present contest, in which the American nation
was engaged, which continued to engross their thoughts, and it was a
late hour when the company separated.

Those who remained behind accompanied Alida on the next Sabbath to