be taken
of home, and its neighborhood; there were partings to be given to many
objects in nature, dear from association, as ancient friends. Now, the long
line of blue hills stands in bold relief against the hazy sky--now, the
hills fade away and are hid by thick masses of oak and evergreen. Here, the
Potomac spreads her breast, a mirror to the heavens, toward its low banks,
the broken clouds bending tranquilly to its surface. There, the river
turns, and its high and broken shores are covered with rich and twining
shrubbery, its branches bending from the high rocks into the water, while
the misty hue of Indian summer deepens every tint.

Fair Alice raises her languid head, already invigorated by the delightful
air and prospect. The slightest glow perceptible is making its way to her
pale cheek, while the gay and talkative Ellen gazes awhile at the scenery
around her, then leans back in the carriage, closes her brilliant eyes, and
yields, oh! rare occurrence, to meditation.

Two days are passed in the journey, and our party, arrived safely at
Willard's, found their comfortable apartments prepared for them, and their
servants as glad of their arrival as if they had been separated a year,
instead of a day.

And now, dear reader, I do not intend discussing Washington society. It
must be a more skilful pen than mine that can throw a sun of light upon
this chaos of fashionable life, and bring forth order and arrangement. We
are only here for relaxation and change of air, and when our invalids feel
their good effects, we must return with them to their quiet, but not
unuseful life.

There were many preparations to be made, for our young ladies proposed to
enter into the gayeties of the season. Ellen was to throw off her mourning,
and her old nurse begged her and Alice "to buy a plenty of nice new
clothes, for they might as well be out of the world as out of the fashion."
They both agreed with her, for they were determined to be neither unnoticed
nor unknown among the fair ones of the Union who were congregated at the
capital.

Do not be astonished; there is already a tinge of red beneath the brown
lashes on Alice's cheek. And as for her heart, oh! that was a great deal
better, too; for it has been found by actual experiment, that diseases of
the heart, if treated with care, are not fatal any more than any other
complaints. Mrs. Weston grew happier every day; and as to Alice's uncle, he
hardly ever took his eyes off her, d