y, mingled with her other feelings, came to her, as to how the
boarders would like her aunt's puffy biscuit, and if the cold custard
and raspberry jam wouldn't be to their taste. If coffee and fricasseed
chicken would not be just the thing after an all-day ride, and
remarked to herself: "If they don't like such fare, let them go where
they'll get better."

The tea passed off with great good feeling; the new people making a
most favorable impression upon her aunt, and impressing Lucindy with
the discovery that polite manners were a recommend to strangers, for
her aunt made gratified remarks from time to time as she came into the
kitchen. Lucindy would not wait upon the table the first evening, a
convenient head-ache being the excuse.

Mrs. Gimson was a most kindly disposed person, and endeavored, in
every way, to make the time pass pleasantly to her guests; but all she
could say in their favor did nothing toward disposing the mind of her
niece to regard them with any toleration. She performed the household
duties that fell to her with a stolid indifference, or with an openly
expressed reluctance, and her aunt bore all kindly, explaining and
smoothing away what she could, promising Lucindy that she should have
a nice present of money when the guests departed.

Hattie Randolph had not taken any notice of her, never really having
seen her, for Lucindy had positively refused to wait upon the table;
and had kept herself in the back-ground, thus making her life at home
more of a discipline than was necessary. She envied Hattie's graceful
ways and refined conversation; and her apparel was a revelation, not
of beauty, but of another source of jealous envy to the country girl,
for in putting the guests' rooms in order, she examined, critically,
the pretty things in the wardrobe.

The city people found so much to interest them in the beauties of the
surrounding neighborhood, that they were out nearly all the time, and
when the evening came, Mrs. Randolph, with her son and daughter, made
a pleasant addition to Mrs. Gimson's parlors, with their graceful
talk, and numberless resources of entertainment.

Lucindy, observant and sullen, kept herself informed of all their
movements, and was continually having the blush brought to her cheek
and the bitterness of comparison to her heart, as she noted the wide
difference there was between herself and them. It never once occurred
to this foolish girl, that this difference was growing mo