. Rexford.

It proved to be an unnecessary exertion of memory on Mrs. Rexford's part
to recollect what she had heard of the relatives of her visitors, for
not long after Mrs. Bennett had introduced herself and her daughter she
brought her uncle, the admiral, into the conversation with considerable
skill.

She was a delicate, narrow-minded woman, with no open vulgarity about
her, but simply ignorant of the fact that bragging of one's
distinguished relatives had fallen into disuse. Her daughter, was like
her in manner, with the likeness imposed by having such a mother, but
much more largely made in mind and body, pleasant-looking, healthy,
high-browed. Sophia liked her appearance.

Mrs. Rexford, her mind ever upon some practical exigency, now remembered
that she had also heard that the Bennetts managed their dairy
excellently, and, having a large craving for help on all such subjects,
she began to bewail her own ignorance, asking many and various
questions; but, although she did not perceive it, it soon became
apparent to her more observant daughter that the visitors, having come
out to make a call of ceremony, preferred to talk on subjects more
remote from their daily drudgery, on subjects which they apparently
considered more elegant and becoming. Unable to check the flow of her
mother's talk, Sophia could only draw her chair cosily near to Miss
Bennett and strike into a separate conversation, hoping for, and
expecting, mental refreshment.

"I suppose there are no good lending libraries in any of the towns near
here," she began. "How do you get new books or magazines?"

Miss Bennett had a bright, cordial manner. She explained that she
thought there was a circulating library in every town. When she was
visiting in Quebec her friends had got a novel for her at two cents a
day. And then she said Principal Trenholme bought a good many books, and
he had once told her mother that he would lend them any they chose, but
they had never had time to go and look over them. "It has," she added,
"been such an advantage to Chellaston to have a gentleman so clever as
he at the college."

"Has it?" said Sophia, willing to hear more. "Is he very clever?"

"Oh," cried the other, "from Oxford, you know;" and she said it in much
the tone she might have said "from heaven."

"Is it long," asked Sophia, "since you have been in England?"

Miss Bennett said she had never been "home," but she longed, above all
things, to go.

She had