Be that as it may, there, at any rate, she was, safe and sound;
surrounded by people whom she had never met before, and receiving
introductions to the right and left with the utmost graciousness. The
arrangements for the evening had been made at the tea-table of the Van
Astrachans with an innocent and trustful simplicity.

"You know, dear," said Mrs. Van Astrachan to Rose, "that I never like
to stay long away from papa" (so the worthy lady called her husband);
"and so, if it's just the same to you, you shall let me have the
carriage come for me early, and then you and Harry shall be left free
to see it out. I know young folks must be young," she said, with a
comfortable laugh. "There was a time, dear, when my waist was not
bigger than yours, that I used to dance all night with the best of
them; but I've got bravely over that now."

[Illustration: The Van Astrachans]

"Yes, Rose," said Mr. Van Astrachan, "you mayn't believe it, but ma
there was the spryest dancer of any of the girls. You are pretty nice
to look at, but you don't quite come up to what she was in those
days. I tell you, I wish you could have seen her," said the good man,
warming to his subject. "Why, I've seen the time when every fellow on
the floor was after her."

"Papa," says Mrs. Van Astrachan, reprovingly, "I wouldn't say such
things if I were you."

"Yes, I would," said Rose. "Do tell us, Mr. Van Astrachan."

"Well, I'll tell you," said Mr. Van Astrachan: "you ought to have seen
her in a red dress she used to wear."

"Oh, come, papa! what nonsense! Rose, I never wore a red dress in my
life; it was a pink silk; but you know men never do know the names for
colors."

"Well, at any rate," said Mr. Van Astrachan, hardily, "pink or red, no
matter; but I'll tell you, she took all before her that evening. There
were Stuyvesants and Van Rennselaers and Livingstons, and all sorts of
grand fellows, in her train; but, somehow, I cut 'em out. There is no
such dancing nowadays as there was when wife and I were young. I've
been caught once or twice in one of their parties; and I don't call
it dancing. I call it draggle-tailing. They don't take any steps, and
there is no spirit in it."

"Well," said Rose, "I know we moderns are very much to be pitied. Papa
always tells me the same story about mamma, and the days when he was
young. But, dear Mrs. Van Astrachan, I hope you won't stay a moment,
on my account, after you get tired. I suppose if you are jus