ore the commencement of the opera. No one likes to be in at
the tuning, but there are those who never are able to avoid this
annoyance. As it was, Rachel, under Mrs. Cornbury's care, had been
brought upon the scene just at the right moment. As soon as the great
clatter had ceased, she found herself taken by the hand by Cherry,
and led a little on one side. "You must have a card, you know," said
Cherry handing her a ticket on which was printed the dances as they
were to succeed each other. "That first one is over. Such a dull
thing. I danced with Adolphus Griggs, just because I couldn't escape
him for one quadrille." Rachel took the card, but never having seen
such a thing before did not in the least understand its object. "As
you get engaged for the dances you must put down their names in this
way, you see,"--and Cherry showed her card, which already bore the
designations of several cavaliers, scrawled in hieroglyphics which
were intelligible to herself. "Haven't you got a pencil? Well, you
can come to me. I have one hanging here, you know." Rachel was
beginning to understand, and to think that she should not have
very much need for the pencil, when Mrs. Cornbury returned to her,
bringing a young man in her wake. "I want to introduce my cousin to
you, Walter Cornbury," said she. Mrs. Cornbury was a woman who knew
her duty as a chaperon, and who would not neglect it. "He waltzes
delightfully," said Mrs. Cornbury, whispering, "and you needn't be
afraid of being a little astray with him at first. He always does
what I tell him." Then the introduction was made; but Rachel had
no opportunity of repeating her fears, or of saying again that she
thought she had better not waltz. What to say to Mr. Walter Cornbury
she hardly knew; but before she had really said anything he had
pricked her down for two dances,--for the first waltz, which was just
going to begin, and some not long future quadrille. "She is very
pretty," Mrs. Butler Cornbury had said to her cousin, "and I want to
be kind to her." "I'll take her in hand and pull her through," said
Walter. "What a tribe of people they've got here, haven't they?"
"Yes, and you must dance with them all. Every time you stand up may
be as good as a vote." "Oh," said Walter, "I'm not particular;--I'll
dance as long as they keep the house open." Then he went back to
Rachel, who had already been at work with Cherry's pencil.

"If there isn't Rachel Ray going to waltz with Walter Cornbury,"