s that she heard.

"Quiz the West Indian," said the younger Euston; "she never saw it hail
before."

With a very grave face, the elder immediately came up to her, and told her
it was raining comfits--"If you please," said he, "you may see them through
the windows, for it is not dark, though the moon is clouded."

Matilda went eagerly to the window, for she was curious to observe a
phenomenon entirely new to her. She soon perceived thousands of little
balls, that fell as hard as stones, lying on the ground and the window
frames, and she was desirous of examining them further; but just as she was
turning to make inquiries of her friend Edmund, young Euston interrupted
her, by saying--"Well, Miss Hanson, you now see the comfits; would you like
to taste them? if you please, I will get you a spoonful."

"I should like to have a few certainly," replied she, "and will feel
obliged to you to procure me some of them."

"Hush, hush!" said the young ones to each other, all desirous to see how
Matilda would look, many merely from that love of play which is inherent at
their age, others from a malicious spirit which is too frequently blended
with a passion for fun. Mr. Harewood apparently took no notice, but he
hovered about them, and had the satisfaction of hearing several girls
condemn the Eustons, and profess an intention of saving Matilda from
swallowing the cold hailstones.

"You may be easy," said Edmund, as they stood consulting together on the
subject, when in ran the youth with eagerness, crying--"Here is a spoonful
of beautiful comfits; now open your mouth and shut your eyes--that is the
way to taste them in perfection."

"Thank you, sir; I do not want to eat them; I know they must be snow, some
kind of condensed snow, or ice, and I wished to examine them."

"Snow! how you talk!--it never snows in July."

"It never snows at all in my country--of course I know little about it; but
unless Edmund assures me to the contrary, I shall certainly conclude that
these little balls are frozen rain-drops, of the same nature with snow."

"You are perfectly right, Matilda," said Edmund, "and you have quizzed your
quizzers very completely."

"Miss Hanson has studied natural philosophy," said a young lady,
sneeringly, being one of those who sought Miss Holdup's acquaintance. "I
always thought that young ladies in the West India islands studied physical
subjects more than any other."

"Physical subjects!" exclaimed several of