on der hill?" pointing to a residence of a man of the very
humblest class in the town.

"Hardly! Kitty's by no means proud, but I shouldn't like her to be too
thick there."

"Oh! you're an arisdograt, den, after all; else might your daughter
visit dat man's daughter."

"I tell you, Grunzebach, or whatever your name may be," returned Miller,
a little angrily, though a particularly good-natured man in the main,
"that _my_ gal shall _not_ visit old Steven's da'ghters."

"Vell, I'm sure she might do as she bleases; but I dinks der
Mademoiselles Littlepage might do ast dey pleases, too."

"There is but one Littlepage gal; if you saw them out this morning in
the carriage, you saw two York gals and parson Warren's da'ghter with
her."

"Und dis parson Warren might be rich, too?"

"Not he; he hasn't a sixpence on 'arth but what he gets from the parish.
Why he is so poor his friends had to edicate his da'ghter, I have heern
say, over and over!"

"Und das Littlepage gal und de Warren gal might be goot friends?"

"They are the thickest together of any two young women in this part of
the world. I've never seen two gals more intimate. Now, there's a young
lady in the town, one Opportunity Newcome, who, one might think, would
stand before Mary Warren at the big house, any day in the week, but she
doesn't! Mary takes all the shine out on her."

"Which ist der richest, Obbordunity or Mary?"

"By all accounts Mary Warren has nothing, while Opportunity is thought
to come next to Matty herself, as to property, of all the young gals
about here. But Opportunity is no favourite at the Nest."

"Den it would seem, after all, dat dis Miss Littlebage does not choose
her friends on account of riches. She likes Mary Warren, who ist boor,
und she does not like Obbordunity, who ist vell to do in de vorlt.
Berhaps der Littlepages be not as big arisdograts as you supposes."

Miller was bothered, while I felt a disposition to laugh. One of the
commonest errors of those who, from position and habits, are unable to
appreciate the links which connect cultivated society together, is to
refer everything to riches. Riches, in a certain sense, as a means and
through their consequences, may be a principal agent in dividing society
into classes; but, long after riches have taken wings, their fruits
remain, when good use has been made of their presence. So untrue is the
vulgar opinion--or it might be better to say the opinion of the
vulgar--that m