do not see that she is less worthy now
than she was a year ago."

"You talk strangely, Edward," said Mrs. Freeman, in a tone of dissent.

"In what way, sister?"

"There has been a very great change in a year. Jessie's family no
longer moves in our circle."

"True; but is Jessie any the less worthy to sit in your parlour than
she was then?"

"_I_ think so, and that must decide the matter," returned Mrs. Freeman,
evincing some temper.

The old gentleman said no more; but Fanny remarked--"I was not in
favour of taking Jessie, for I knew how it would be; but Mrs. Carlton
recommended her so highly, and said so much in her favour, that no room
was left for a refusal. As for Jessie herself, I have no particular
objection to her; but the fact of her having once moved in the circle
we are in is against her; for it leaves room for her to step beyond her
place, as she has already done, and puts upon us the unpleasant
necessity of reminding her of her error."

"It don't seem to me," remarked Mr. Freeman, who had till now said
nothing, "that Miss Hampton was doing any thing worthy of reproof. She
has been well raised, we know; is an educated, refined, and intelligent
girl, and, therefore, has nothing about her to create repugnance or to
make her presence disagreeable. It would be better, perhaps, if we
looked more to what persons are, than to things merely external."

"It is all very well to talk in that way," said Mrs. Freeman. "But Miss
Hampton is governess in our family, and it is only right that she
should hold to us that relation and keep her place. What she has been,
or that she is, beyond the fact of her present position here, is
nothing to us."

Mr. Freeman knew from experience, that no particular good would grow
out of a prolonged argument on this subject, and so said nothing
further, although he could not force from his mind the image of the
young girl as she rose up hastily and left the room, nor help thinking
how sad a change it would be for one of his own children, if reduced
suddenly to her condition.

A good deal more was said by Mrs. Freeman, who did not feel very
comfortable, although she fully justified herself for what she had done.

The young girl, who had been reminded so harshly of the error into
which she had fallen, went quickly up into her cold chamber, and there,
with a burning cheek, sat down to think as calmly as her disturbed
feelings would permit. The weakness of tears she did not indulge;