didn't invite her to your party," said mischievous Bessie
Lee, who loved dearly to tease Lucy Dayton. "You didn't invite her to
your party, and so he left early, and I dare say went straight to Mrs.
Harcourt's and proposed, if he hadn't done so before. Now, don't you
wish you'd been more polite to Ada? They say he's got a cousin South,
as rich and handsome as he is, and if you'd only behaved as you
should, who knows what might have happened!"

Lucy deigned Bessie no reply, and turning to another young lady,
asked, "When is the wedding to be?"

"Next Thursday morning, in the church," was the answer; and Bessie Lee
again interposed, saying, "Come, Lucy, I don't believe you have ever
returned Ada's call, and as I am going to see her, and inquire all
about that Cousin Frank, suppose you accompany me, and learn the
particulars of the wedding."

"Thank you," said Lucy; "I don't care enough about it to take that
trouble;" and soon rising she left the shop.

If Lucy manifested so much indifference, we wot of some bright eyes
and eager ears which are willing to know the particulars, so we will
give them as follows: When St. Leon left Mr. Dayton's it was ten
o'clock, but notwithstanding the lateness of the hour he started for
the small brown house on "Dirt Alley," where dwelt the sewing woman
and her daughter, who were both busy on some work which they wished to
finish that night. Ada had stopped for a moment to replenish the fire
when a knock at the door startled her. Opening it she saw St. Leon,
and in much surprise said, "Why, I supposed you were at the party."

"So I have been," said he; "but I grew weary, and left for a more
congenial atmosphere;" then advancing toward Mrs. Harcourt, he took
her hand, saying, "Mrs. Linwood, allow me to address you by your right
name this evening."

We draw a veil over the explanation which followed--over the
fifty-nine questions asked by Ada concerning Jenny--and over the _one_
question asked by St. Leon, the answer to which resulted in the
purchase of all those dresses at Miss Carson's and the well-founded
rumor that on Thursday morning a wedding would take place at St.
Luke's church.

Poor Lucy! how disconsolate she felt! St. Leon was passing from her
grasp, and there was no help. On her way home she three times heard of
the wedding, and of Ada's real name and former position in life, and
each time her wrath waxed warmer and warmer. Fortunate was it for
Berintha and grandma that n