, before
commencing her own toilette, entered the apartment of her guest. Miss
Incledon, who considered herself past the time of life for other than
matronly decorations of the person, was laying out a handsome
pelerine, and a tasteful cap, to wear with a rich, dark silk dress.

"My dear Cousin Sabina," said Mrs. Smith, "do help me out of a
difficulty; I have no one to remain on duty in the supper-room, and
there certainly ought to be some one to sit there and see that nothing
is disturbed--for there is a great quantity of silver there, mostly
borrowed, and with so many strange servants about, I feel uneasy to
leave it a moment."

"Are you not able to get some one for that service?" asked Miss
Incledon.

"No, indeed; I thought of Aunt Tomkins, but the truth is, I could not
request her to do it without sending invitations to the whole family,
which I concluded would not be advisable: there are so many of them,
and as they would not be acquainted with the rest of the company, it
seemed best not to have any of them. I thought, too, of old Mrs.
Joyce, who sometimes does quilting and knitting for me, but she has a
large family of grandchildren, some of whom she always drags with her
when she goes to where there is any thing good to eat; and it would
never do to have them poking their fingers into the refreshments. So
it struck me that perhaps you might oblige me. You don't appear to
care for parties, and as you would be a stranger in the room, it is
not likely you would have much enjoyment. Of course, if I believed you
would prefer the trouble of dressing, and taking your chance among the
company, I would not ask it of you."

Nothing daunted by the glow of indignation which followed a look of
astonishment on the face of Cousin Sabina, she paused for a reply.
After a moment's reflection, Miss Incledon answered calmly, "I am your
guest, Sarah--dispose of me as you please;" and returning her cap and
white gloves to their boxes, she refastened her wrapper to enter upon
the office assigned to her.

The party passed off with the crowding, crushing, talking and eating
common to parties. The supper was a handsome one--for Mr. Smith wisely
decided that if the thing must be done at all, it should be done
well--and therefore he had hinted no restrictions to his wife as to
the expense. Many "regrets" had been sent in, but still Mrs. Smith was
at the post she had coveted for years--that of receiving a fashionable
assemblage in her