lle, Miss Dawson was in high spirits (that
trying test to an unrefined woman.) She considered Mrs. Castleton's
visit and invitation as a marked compliment, (as she had every right
to do,) and her attentions now, and the admiration she received,
excited her to even more than her ordinary animation, which was
always, to say the least of it, sufficient. She laughed, and she
talked, and shook her long curls about, and flirted in a style that
made the ladies look, and the gentlemen smile. Moreover, Mr.
Hardwicks, who knew no one else, (for Mrs. Castleton had no idea of
forcing _him_ on any of her friends,) never left her side; and the
easy manner in which he spoke to her, and took her fan from her hand
while she was talking, and even touched her sleeve to call her
attention when her head was turned away, all of which she seemed to
think quite natural, made Harry color, and bite his lip more than once
with mortification and vexation.

"You are not going to waltz?" he said, justly distrusting the waltzing
of a lady who danced so.

"Yes," she said, "with Mr. Hardwicks;" and in a moment they were
whirling round in a style quite peculiar, and altogether new to the
accomplished waltzers then and there assembled.

People looked, and some smiled--and then couple after couple paused in
the dance to gaze on the strangers who had just taken the floor--and
soon they had it all to themselves, and on they whirled like mad ones.
Harry could not stand it--he left the room.

Presently some of his young friends followed him, who seemed
excessively amused, and one of them exclaimed,

"Harry, where on earth did you pick up those extraordinary waltzers.
Mrs. Castleton tells me they are friends of yours?"

Harry muttered something, and said,

"Hardwicks should not ask any woman to waltz. He did not know how; no
man should, if he could not waltz himself."

"Are you dancing, Francis?" asked another, of a fashionable looking
young man standing near.

"No," he replied, languidly, "I am exhausted. I danced with Harry's
fair friend the last dance, and it requires no small degree of
physical power to keep pace with her efforts."

Harry was excessively annoyed. He heartily wished he had never seen
her; and was quite angry with Mrs. Castleton for having invited her.
And just then, irritated and cross as he was, Mrs. Castleton met him
with,

"Harry, Miss Dawson says you have carried off her bouquet."

"I have not got her bouquet," he answer