shout from those left behind, and a
few moments later, Ralph and the twins departed on foot to meet the
carriages that were all to assemble at a certain place.

Quite a little flutter of admiration went round as this trio came up,
for Ralph was a very handsome centre piece, and the twins in their very
becoming costumes and wide-awake hats, cocked up at one side after the
prevailing fashion, made pictures of great attractiveness on each side.
Everybody was there, and everybody was laughing and talking merrily, and
everybody had a word of greeting for the new arrivals. Of all the old
school-girls from Miss Howard's, Kittie and Kat were the only two who
did not make pretensions towards young ladyhood; and just now, there was
something so girlish and sweet about them, in their fresh calico suits,
and bright young faces under the big hats, that one or two strangers
asked who they were, all the elder people smiled approval, while the
young ones, with an eye on the handsome cousin, nodded sweetly, and were
quite attentive.

"Look at Susie Darrow," whispered Kat, under cover of her lowered hat.
"All tricked out in silk, and a little gipsy bonnet, with a white plume;
and she's been smiling at me every minute, and Ralph thinks she's the
biggest goose out. I'll tell her so."

"No, goodness no; let her smile if she wants to, she'll soon find out
that it's no use," answered Kittie. "There's Sadie Brooks too, she's
been in New York, and has got an eye-glass, dear sakes alive, just watch
her use it, will you?"

"Good morning girls, you look a couple of daisies;" said Mrs. Raymond,
going by with a nod and a smile. "You and your cousin, are to go in our
carriage, the girls want you," and away she went, like a busy happy soul
that she was.

"The Raymond girls look sensible," said Kittie, with an air of approval;
"see they have on short dresses, and big hats; I think Lou is prettier
than Clara, don't you?"

"Rather," answered Kat, too much taken up in watching her former
play-mates, to notice others. Susie Darrow had been to boarding-school,
Sadie Brooks to New York, and May Moore was going to the sea-side next
month; so they were all much uplifted in mind and manner, and took unto
themselves the airs of thoroughly initiated society-ladies.

"Girls?" said Miss Brooks, with her little affected drawl, and raising
her eye-glass in her lavender kid-fingers. "Which ones do you mean, I do
not quite understand?"

"Those two under the