unseemly was ever permitted. The rule,
perhaps, might be a little too grave, and the manner of the young ladies
too sedate; but they were innocent and good; and they had their
recreations, for Mrs. Fisher look them out, turn and turn about, upon a
Sunday, in her carriage, and the others walked with the two
superintendents--persons carefully selected for their good principles
and good conduct.

Mrs. Fisher, too, was a little bit of a match-maker; and if she had a
weakness, it was her fondness for settling her young ladies. Nothing
pleased her better than when they were sought--and they were such nice,
well-behaved girls, this often happened--by worthy young men in their
own rank of life. Mrs. Fisher always gave the wedding-gown and bonnet,
and the wedding dinner, and a white satin reticule or bag, drawn with
rose-colored ribbons, with a pretty pink and white purse in it, with
silver tassels and rings, and containing a nice little sum for the
bride's pocket-money. You will easily understand how Mrs. Danvers had
struck up quite a friendship with Mrs. Fisher. Once, indeed, in her days
of youth and gayety, she had been one of her most valuable customers.
She had long done with fine things, but the interest she took in the
affairs of Mrs. Fisher's establishment had endeared her very much to
that good lady, and hence she had, at her earnest request, consented to
take Myra, though her own instinct, the moment she cast her eyes upon
this beautiful, dawdling-looking being, had assured her that she was, to
use her own phrase, not one of _her_ sort.

Myra was grievously disappointed, upon her side. She was quite one to be
blind to the solid advantages of her position, and to look with
querulous regret upon all the flashy and brilliant part of such a
business, in which she was not allowed to take the least share.

Precisely because she was so beautiful did Mrs. Fisher exclude her from
the show-room--that theatre which was to have been the scene of her
triumphs.

The beautiful things she was employed in manufacturing left her hands to
be seen no more--and, alas! never by her to be tried on. It was
tantalizing work to part with them, and forever, as soon as they left
her hand.

Then she was obliged to be punctual to a moment in her hours; a grievous
yoke to her who had never been educated to submit to any. To dress with
the most careful attention to neatness, though there was "nothing but a
pack of women to look at her"--to lis