towing a brilliant bride,
Mrs. Vivian, young, rich, pretty, and gay, with a waist you could span,
and athirst for pleasure.

This lady was the first that ever made Rosa downright jealous. She
seemed to have everything the female heart could desire; and she was No.
1 with Miss Lucas this year. Now, Rosa was No. 1 last season, and had
weakly imagined that was to last forever. But Miss Lucas had always a
sort of female flame, and it never lasted two seasons.

Rosa did not care so very much for Miss Lucas before, except as a
convenient friend; but now she was mortified to tears at finding Miss
Lucas made more fuss with another than with her.

This foolish feeling spurred her to attempt a rivalry with Mrs. Vivian,
in the very things where rivalry was hopeless.

Miss Lucas gave both ladies tickets for a flower-show, where all the
great folk were to be, princes and princesses, etc.

"But I have nothing to wear," sighed Rosa.

"Then you must get something, and mind it is not pink, please; for we
must not clash in colors. You know I'm dark, and pink becomes me. (The
selfish young brute was not half so dark as Rosa.) Mine is coming
from Worth's, in Paris, on purpose. And this new Madame Cie, of Regent
Street, has such a duck of a bonnet, just come from Paris. She wanted
to make me one from it; but I told her I would have none but the pattern
bonnet--and she knows very well she can't pass a copy off on me. Let
me drive you up there, and you can see mine, and order one, if you like
it."

"Oh, thank you! let me just run and speak to my husband first."

Staines was writing for the bare life, and a number of German books
about him, slaving to make a few pounds--when in comes the buoyant
figure and beaming face his soul delighted in.

He laid down his work, to enjoy the sunbeam of love.

"Oh, darling, I've only come in for a minute. We are going to
a flower-show on the 13th; everybody will be so beautifully
dressed--especially that Mrs. Vivian. I have got ten yards of beautiful
blue silk in my wardrobe, but that is not enough to make a whole
dress--everything takes so much stuff now. Madame Cie does not care
to make up dresses unless she finds the silk, but Miss Lucas says she
thinks, to oblige a friend of hers, she would do it for once in a way.
You know, dear, it would only take a few yards more, and it would last
as a dinner-dress for ever so long."

Then she clasped him round the neck, and leaned her head upon his
sho