une afternoon. It had place in one of the minor parks or private
gardens that are to be found in the suburbs of London, and was the effort
of a local association to raise money for some charity. There are worlds
within worlds in the great city, and though nobody outside the immediate
district had ever heard of the charity, or the band, or the garden, the
enclosure was filled with an interested audience sufficiently informed on
all these.

As the strains proceeded many of the listeners observed the chaired lady,
whose back hair, by reason of her prominent position, so challenged
inspection. Her face was not easily discernible, but the aforesaid
cunning tress-weavings, the white ear and poll, and the curve of a cheek
which was neither flaccid nor sallow, were signals that led to the
expectation of good beauty in front. Such expectations are not
infrequently disappointed as soon as the disclosure comes; and in the
present case, when the lady, by a turn of the head, at length revealed
herself, she was not so handsome as the people behind her had supposed,
and even hoped--they did not know why.

For one thing (alas! the commonness of this complaint), she was less
young than they had fancied her to be. Yet attractive her face
unquestionably was, and not at all sickly. The revelation of its details
came each time she turned to talk to a boy of twelve or thirteen who
stood beside her, and the shape of whose hat and jacket implied that he
belonged to a well-known public school. The immediate bystanders could
hear that he called her 'Mother.'

When the end of the recital was reached, and the audience withdrew, many
chose to find their way out by passing at her elbow. Almost all turned
their heads to take a full and near look at the interesting woman, who
remained stationary in the chair till the way should be clear enough for
her to be wheeled out without obstruction. As if she expected their
glances, and did not mind gratifying their curiosity, she met the eyes of
several of her observers by lifting her own, showing these to be soft,
brown, and affectionate orbs, a little plaintive in their regard.

She was conducted out of the gardens, and passed along the pavement till
she disappeared from view, the schoolboy walking beside her. To
inquiries made by some persons who watched her away, the answer came that
she was the second wife of the incumbent of a neighbouring parish, and
that she was lame. She was generally be