f Mrs. Bell's, was considerably acquainted with Mary
Erskine, though as the two young ladies had very different tastes and
habits of mind, they never became very intimate friends. Anne Sophia
was fond of dress and of company. Her thoughts were always running
upon village subjects and village people, and her highest ambition
was to live there. She had been, while Mary Erskine had lived at Mrs.
Bell's, very much interested in a young man named Gordon. He was a
clerk in a store in the village. He was a very agreeable young man,
and much more genteel and polished in his personal appearance than
Albert. He had great influence among the young men of the village,
being the leader in all the excursions and parties of pleasure which
were formed among them. Anne Sophia knew very well that Mr. Gordon
liked to see young ladies handsomely dressed when they appeared in
public, and partly to please him, and partly to gratify that very
proper feeling of pleasure which all young ladies have in appearing
well, she spent a large part of earnings in dress. She was not
particularly extravagant, nor did she get into debt; but she did
not, like Mary Erskine, attempt to lay up any of her wages. She often
endeavored to persuade Mary Erskine to follow her example. "It is of
no use," said she, "for girls like you and me to try to lay up money.
If we are ever married we shall make our husbands take care of us; and
if we are not married we shall not want our savings, for we can always
earn what we need as we go along."

Mary Erskine had no reply at hand to make to this reasoning, but she
was not convinced by it, so she went on pursuing her own course,
while Anne Sophia pursued hers. Anne Sophia was a very capable and
intelligent girl, and as Mr. Gordon thought, would do credit to any
society in which she might be called to move. He became more and more
interested in her, and it happened that they formed an engagement to
be married, just about the time that Albert made his proposal to Mary
Erskine.

Mr. Gordon was a very promising business man, and had an offer from
the merchant with whom he was employed as a clerk, to enter into
partnership with him, just before the time of his engagement.
He declined this offer, determining rather to go into business
independently. He had laid up about as much money as Albert had, and
by means of this, and the excellent letters of recommendation which he
obtained from the village people, he obtained a large stoc