Ryde was
chosen as their home for a year because it was cheerful for "poor papa."

Here was a family of indigent gentility, servile waiters upon the
accidents of Fortune, unable to work, but not ashamed to beg, as their
friends and kindred to the fourth degree could have plaintively
testified. It was a mystery to common folks how they lived and got
along. They were most agreeable and accomplished people, who knew
everybody and went everywhere. The daughters had taste and beauty. They
visited by turns at great houses, never both leaving their parents at
the same time; they wore pretty, even elegant clothing, and were always
ready to assist at amateur concerts, private theatricals, church
festivals, and other cheerful celebrations. Miss Julia Gardiner's voice
was an acquisition at an evening party; her elder sister's brilliant
touch on the piano was worth an invitation to the most select
entertainment. And besides this, there are rich, kind people about in
the world who are always glad to give poor girls, who are also nice, a
little amusement. And the Miss Gardiners were popular; they were very
sweet-tempered, lady-like, useful, and charming.

Bessie Fairfax was an admirer of beauty in her own sex, and she could
scarcely take her eyes from the winsome fair face of Julia. It was a
very fair face, very lovely. After luncheon, at Mr. Cecil Burleigh's
request, she sang a new song that was lying on the piano; and they
talked of old songs which he professed to like better, which she said
she had forgotten. Mr. Gardiner had not come up stairs, and Mrs.
Gardiner, who had, soon disappeared. It was a narrow little room made
graceful with a few plants and ornaments and the working tools of
ladies; novels from the library were on the table and on the couch. A
word spoken there could not be spoken in secret. By and by, Helen, the
elder sister, proposed to take Bessie to the arcade. Mr. Cecil Burleigh
demurred, but acceded when it was added that "mamma" would go with them.
Mamma went, a weary, willing sacrifice; and in the arcade and in
somebody's pretty verandah they spent the hot afternoon until six
o'clock. When they returned to the house, Mr. Cecil Burleigh and Julia
were still together, and the new song on the desk of the piano had not
been moved to make room for any other. The gentleman appeared annoyed,
the lady weary and dejected. Bessie had no doubt that they were lovers
who had roughnesses in the course of their true love,