which was very
silly.

Jemima good-naturedly admired her cousin's finery without wishing for
any addition to her own.

'I am sure,' replied she, 'my mother has provided what is proper for me,
and is so kind as to afford me everything necessary; and my frocks are
always clean, and will do extremely well for the present occasion, or
else my aunt would have bought me another.'

'But should not you like such a cap?' said Miss Ellen, putting it on
Jemima's head. 'You look very pretty in it indeed.'

[Illustration: _Ellen went a dozen times in the day to look at hey new
cap.--Page 36._]

'No; I think it is too large for me,' returned Miss Placid; 'and there
is a piece of wire in it which scratches when you press it down. You
should alter that, or it will be very uncomfortable.'

In short, the ball was the only subject of conversation during the whole
day; and although Miss Piner felt an uncommon headache and sickness, yet
she would not complain, for fear her mother should think proper to leave
her at home. The pain, however, increased greatly, and she frequently
left the parlour to give vent to her complaints and avoid her mother's
notice. The heaviness of her eyes and alternate change of countenance
from pale to red, at last took Mrs. Piner's attention, and she tenderly
inquired after her health; but Ellen affected to treat her indisposition
as a trifle, though, as she was by no means patient in general, she
would at any other time have made incessant complaints. She attempted to
laugh and play, but to no purpose, for her illness became too violent to
be suppressed. However, upon her father's hinting at dinner that she
seemed to have no appetite, and had better, if not well, go to bed, she
forced herself, against her inclination, to eat some meat and pudding,
and went up afterwards to conceal her uneasiness, and put on her
clothes, thinking that if she was in readiness it would be an additional
reason for her going. But, alas! so foolish is vanity, and so
insignificant are outward ornaments, that when Miss Ellen was decked out
in the gauze frock which had so long engaged her thoughts, she felt such
a degree of uneasiness from her sickness as to make her disregard what
she had before wished for with such ill-placed ardour.

Having eaten more than was proper for her stomach in such a disordered
state, it increased her illness very much; but being determined to go,
though her mother advised her to the contrary, and pret