ions to join in a
plot which I knew you would disapprove."

"Go now to your beds," said Mrs. Middleton, "and I will send a servant
to clear away the disorder of this room. Rosalie, I see, has already
slipped off to hers."

Next morning, before school commenced, Mrs. Middleton addressed the
young ladies mildly but impressively, on the proceedings of the day
before. She dwelt on the general impropriety of all secret contrivances;
on the injury done to the integrity of the ignorant servant-girl, by
bribing her to deceive her employer; on the danger of making themselves
sick by eating such a variety of sweet things; and on the folly of
expending in those dainties, money which might be much better employed.

"That," said Henrietta, "was one of Isabella Caldwell's objections to
joining our feasting party. I am now convinced that she had in view some
more sensible manner of disposing of her money. I regret that she was
prevailed on to contribute her dollar, as she must have had an excellent
reason for her unwillingness; and she seemed really unhappy, and went to
bed without touching any of our good things."

"I can guess how it was," said Miss Loxley. "One very cold morning last
week, I met Diana, Miss Caldwell's washerwoman, going up stairs with the
clean clothes, and having nothing on her shoulders but an old cotton
shawl. I asked her if she had no cloak, and she replied that she had
not; but added, that Miss Isabella had been so kind as to promise her
one, which was to be ready for her when she came again. I suspect that
Miss Caldwell has been saving her money for the laudable purpose of
furnishing this poor woman with a cloak."

"Oh! no doubt she has," exclaimed Henrietta. "Why, dear Isabella, did
you not say so? and bad as I am, I would not have persisted in
persuading you out of your dollar."

"The woman, however, did not get her cloak," resumed Miss Loxley, "for I
again saw her without one, yesterday, though the weather had increased
in severity."

"It is true," said Isabella. "The cloak was to have cost four dollars,
and after subscribing one dollar to the feast, I could not buy it; as I
had not then sufficient money."

_Mrs. Middleton._ Miss Harwood, had you often these feasts at Madame
Disette's.

_Henrietta._ Oh! very often, and as the teacher, Miss Benson, was always
one of the party, we managed so well, that Madame Disette never
discovered us. Or if she had any suspicion, she said nothing about it;
for