monotonously lovely; but I have always thrust it away. It must make life
so tedious. It is too late for me to change,--at least, anything about
me but my countenance, and that changes the wrong way. Yet I feel so
young and fresh; I look in my glass every morning to see if I have not
a new face, but it never comes. I am not what is called well-favored. In
fact, I am not favored at all. Tell me about the party."

"What shall I tell?" said Kate.

"Tell me what people were there," said Aunt Jane, "and how they were
dressed; who were the happiest and who the most miserable. I think I
would rather hear about the most miserable,--at least, till I have my
breakfast."

"The most miserable person I saw," said Kate, "was Mrs. Meredith. It was
very amusing to hear her and Hope talk at cross-purposes. You know her
daughter Helen is in Paris, and the mother seemed very sad about her. A
lady was asking if something or other were true; 'Too true,' said Mrs.
Meredith; 'with every opportunity she has had no real success. It was
not the poor child's fault. She was properly presented; but as yet she
has had no success at all.'

"Hope looked up, full of sympathy. She thought Helen must be some
disappointed school-teacher, and felt an interest in her immediately.
'Will there not be another examination?' she asked. 'What an odd
phrase,' said Mrs. Meredith, looking rather disdainfully at Hope. 'No, I
suppose we must give it up, if that is what you mean. The only remaining
chance is in the skating. I had particular attention paid to Helen's
skating on that very account. How happy shall I be, if my foresight is
rewarded!'

"Hope thought this meant physical education, to be sure, and fancied
that handsome Helen Meredith opening a school for calisthenics in Paris!
Luckily she did not say anything. Then the other lady said, solemnly,
'My dear Mrs. Meredith, it is too true. No one can tell how things will
turn out in society. How often do we see girls who were not looked at in
America, and yet have a great success in Paris; then other girls go out
who were here very much admired, and they have no success at all.'

"Hope understood it all then, but she took it very calmly. I was so
indignant, I could hardly help speaking. I wanted to say that it was
outrageous. The idea of American mothers training their children for
exhibition before what everybody calls the most corrupt court in Europe!
Then if they can catch the eye of the Emperor or the Emp