ose articles, made in such a
manner as to be agreeable to the taste without endangering the health;
and they were every day allowed some sort of fruit, of the best quality
the market could furnish.

At last, a young lady named Henrietta Harwood became a member of Mrs.
Middleton's seminary. Miss Harwood had been for several years a pupil of
one of those too numerous establishments, where the comfort of the
children is sacrificed to the vanity of a governess, who rests her
claims to encouragement principally on the merits of elegantly furnished
parlours, an expensive style of dress, frequent evening parties, and
occasional balls. In schools where outward show is the leading
principle, the internal economy is generally conducted on the most
parsimonious plan, and while the masters (who attend only at certain
hours) are such as are considered the most fashionable, the female
teachers that live in the house, are too often vulgar girls obtained at
a low salary, and who frequently are in league with the elder pupils in
ridiculing and plotting against the governess.

Most of the faults and follies that were likely to be acquired at a
show-boarding-school, Henrietta Harwood brought with her to the
excellent and well-conducted establishment of Mrs. Middleton: but she
had some redeeming qualities that made her rather a favourite with her
new companions, and disposed her governess to hope that all would come
right at last.

One evening, the elder young ladies were sitting very comfortably at
their different occupations, round the table in the front school-room.
The window-shutters were closed, a good fire was burning in the stove,
and Mrs. Middleton had just sent them a basket of apples, according to
her custom in the winter evenings. After finishing a very fine one,
Henrietta Harwood exclaimed--"Well--I wonder at myself for eating these
apples!"

_Miss Brownlow._ Why, I am sure they are the very best Newtown pippins.

_Henrietta._ That is true, Brownie: but at Madame Disette's we had
something better of evenings than mere apples.

_Miss Brownlow._ What had you?

_Henrietta._ We had sometimes cheesecakes, and sometimes tarts; with
very frequently pound-cake and jumbles; and sometimes we had even little
mince-pies, and oyster-patties.

_Miss Wilcox._ O, delicious! What an excellent governess! How could you
ever consent to leave her? I thought Mrs. Middleton allowed us a great
many good things; but she does not send us chee