garments; tried on and took off again;
endeavored to make colors harmonize, or hit upon happy contrasts. He
was bent on appearing a "swell;" and, unquestionably, when he did issue
forth, with a canary-colored vest, and a green coat with gilt buttons,
his breast a galaxy of studs and festooned chains, it would have been
unfair to say he had not succeeded.

Beecher had but time to compliment him on his "get up," when Miss
Davis entered. Though her dress was simply the quiet costume of a young
unmarried girl, there was in her carriage and bearing, as she came in,
all the graceful ease of the best society; and lighted up by the lamps
of the apartment, Beecher saw, to his astonishment, the most beautiful
girl he had ever beheld. It was not alone the faultless delicacy of
her face, but there was that mingled gentleness and pride, that
strange blending of softness and seriousness, which sit so well on the
high-born, giving a significance to every gesture or word of those whose
every movement is so measured, and every syllable so carefully uttered.
"Why was n't she a countess in her own right?" thought he; "that girl
might have all London at her feet."

The dinner went on very pleasantly. Davis, too much occupied in
listening to his daughter or watching the astonishment of Beecher,
scarcely ever spoke; but the others chatted away about whatever' came
uppermost in a light and careless tone that delighted him.

Beecher was not sorry at the opportunity of a little dis-play. He was
glad to show Davis that in the great world of society he could play
no insignificant part; and so he put forth all his little talents as
a talker, with choice anecdotes of "smart people," and the sayings and
doings of a set which, to Grog, were as much myths as the inscriptions
on an Assyrian monument. Lizzy Davis evidently took interest in his
account of London and its life. She liked, too, to hear about the
families of her schoolfellows, some of whom bore "cognate" names, and
she listened with actual eagerness to descriptions of the gorgeous
splendor and display of a town "season."

"And I am to see all these fine things, and know all these fine people,
papa?" asked she.

"Yes, I suppose so,--one of these days, at least," muttered Grog, not
caring to meet Beecher's eye.

"I don't think you care for this kind of life so much as Mr. Beecher,
pa. Is their frivolity too great for your philosophy?"

"It ain't that!" muttered Grog, growing confused.