Henry. But the real race was between Cass,
Van Buren, Charles Francis Adams and himself; and Old Rough and Ready
won. She wore a rough-and-ready straw bonnet this fall; all the girls
did.

Margaret agitated the school question again. Hanny ought to be making
some useful friends, and though the "First Avenue and First Street girls
might be very nice--"

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Mrs. Underhill. "She's too little to be sent so
far off. And I don't want any lovers put in her head this many a year."

Margaret was getting to be rather aristocratic. She kept her whole house
now, and had a maid-servant beside the coloured "boy." Some stylish
people were building up-town. Dr. Hoffman had a good many friends, and
he was very proud of his handsome wife. But Mrs. Underhill sometimes
said, in the bosom of her family, that Margaret "put on airs."

Hanny was well satisfied, and found a great many things to learn at Mrs.
Craven's.

Then Mr. Theodore Whitney came home, and published a book of travel
letters. And another young man, one Bayard Taylor, had been abroad and
seen all of Europe with knapsack and staff, and had published his "Views
Afoot." Ben was so interested. He often stopped at the Whitneys for
supper and a talk.

Nora grew like a weed, and developed a good deal of musical ability.
They had a steady servant now; and Mrs. Whitney was more "intellectual"
than ever, and beginning to be proud of Delia's stories. She was
generally paid for them; although young writers of that day were
satisfied with the chance of being heard of, and read. She was getting
quite a library together, and had her corner of the back parlour, which
Mr. Theodore took possession of at once. He had brought home some fine
engravings and studies, and half-a-dozen different "Virgins." The aspect
of the rooms changed altogether. Delia began to cultivate quite a
"circle."

She and Ben were splendid comrades. She had plans for going abroad also;
and he entered into them with great zeal. She "didn't suppose she could
pay her way like The.; but she was saving up her money for that object."
Aunt Clem was real good to her; and when her quarterly allowance was
paid she often dropped five dollars into Dele's bank.

"I don't know how much there is, and I am not going to open it under two
years. Of course a woman couldn't take matters as Bayard Taylor did; but
if she was economical and found cheap places! I do wonder if she could
go alone?"

Tourists' parties