e music of a locomotive band, conveyed thither for the
purpose: the steamer being specially engaged by a dancing-master of
extensive connection for the accommodation of his numerous pupils,
and the pupils displaying their appreciation of the dancing-master's
services, by purchasing themselves, and inducing their friends to do the
like, divers light-blue tickets, entitling them to join the expedition.
Of these light-blue tickets, one had been presented by an ambitious
neighbour to Miss Morleena Kenwigs, with an invitation to join her
daughters; and Mrs Kenwigs, rightly deeming that the honour of the
family was involved in Miss Morleena's making the most splendid
appearance possible on so short a notice, and testifying to the
dancing-master that there were other dancing-masters besides him, and to
all fathers and mothers present that other people's children could learn
to be genteel besides theirs, had fainted away twice under the magnitude
of her preparations, but, upheld by a determination to sustain the
family name or perish in the attempt, was still hard at work when Newman
Noggs came home.

Now, between the italian-ironing of frills, the flouncing of trousers,
the trimming of frocks, the faintings and the comings-to again,
incidental to the occasion, Mrs Kenwigs had been so entirely occupied,
that she had not observed, until within half an hour before, that the
flaxen tails of Miss Morleena's hair were, in a manner, run to seed; and
that, unless she were put under the hands of a skilful hairdresser, she
never could achieve that signal triumph over the daughters of all other
people, anything less than which would be tantamount to defeat. This
discovery drove Mrs Kenwigs to despair; for the hairdresser lived three
streets and eight dangerous crossings off; Morleena could not be trusted
to go there alone, even if such a proceeding were strictly proper:
of which Mrs Kenwigs had her doubts; Mr Kenwigs had not returned from
business; and there was nobody to take her. So, Mrs Kenwigs first
slapped Miss Kenwigs for being the cause of her vexation, and then shed
tears.

'You ungrateful child!' said Mrs Kenwigs, 'after I have gone through
what I have, this night, for your good.'

'I can't help it, ma,' replied Morleena, also in tears; 'my hair WILL
grow.'

'Don't talk to me, you naughty thing!' said Mrs Kenwigs, 'don't! Even if
I was to trust you by yourself and you were to escape being run over,
I know you'd run in to La