nt out, and notwithstanding Mr.
Gusher, who was her standing ornament and idol, assisted her in drumming
up recruits, the affair turned out to be very unsatisfactory. The nice
people she invited sent regrets; and those who did come were second and
third-rate people, who never miss a reception on any account, seeing
that it affords them the cheapest means of showing themselves. There
were cheap people then, just as there are cheap people now, ready
enough to put in an appearance at a lady's reception, especially if she
gave nice suppers and had daughters to be admired. Nor was it an
uncommon thing, even at that day, for a pretentious woman who had just
set up in society, and taken to the business of reception-giving, to
find herself made the target of a little innocent satire by the nice
young gentlemen she had invited to pay her homage.

Chapman differed from his wife, inasmuch as he regarded society as a
great bore. Mrs. Chapman, however, was not a little disappointed at the
way things had turned. They were flashy and rather fast people who came
to her reception; people whom nobody of established respectability knew
or cared to know--thoughtless young men, overdressed young women with
matrimonial expectations, and a few needy foreigners with small titles.
To make the matter worse, some of the lady's guests wore eye-glasses,
through which they persisted in gazing at her, and conducted themselves
very unbecomingly. Indeed, they eat up all her supper, spoiled her
carpet, insulted her servants, and paid her certain left-handed
compliments because she had neither coffee nor wine on her side-board.
The foreigners, too, were inclined to be merry at the lady's
circumference, and at the awkwardness of her movements, as well as to be
severe on the style of her dress and the way she wore her hair.

"Who are these people?" enquired a young man, adjusting his eye-glass.

"Very new people," whispered another in reply.

"Vulgar, evidently--just set up to be somebody--don't understand it,"
rejoined a third, shrugging his shoulders.

Mr. Gusher, who had assisted the lady in beating up her recruits, had
assured them that the Chapmans were very distinguished people.

Mrs. Chapman was not more successful in setting up a carriage of her
own. She had done a great deal of pushing without affecting a lodgment
in the society she had set her heart on. With a carriage of her own she
felt that she would be just as good as any of those high o