er, is a decided fault of character. That she has only to be
self-conscious of integrity, and then she will be truly estimated.
Well, this friend would sometimes imagine that _I_ treated her coolly,
or indifferently, or thrust at her feelings, when I felt towards her
all the while a very warm affection. The consequence would be, that she
would assume a cold or offended exterior. But I never said to myself,
'Let her pout it out.' I knew that she was mistaken, and that she was
really suffering under her mistake; and I would always go to her, and
kindly inquire the cause of her changed manner. The result was, of
course, an immediate restoration of good feeling, often accompanied by
a confession of regret at having injured me by imagining that I
entertained unkind sentiments when I did not. On one occasion I noticed
a kind of reserve in her manner; but thinking there might be some
circumstances known only to herself, that gave her trouble, I did not
seem to observe it. On the next morning I was exceedingly pained and
surprised to receive a note from her, in something like the following
language--

"The fact is, Mrs. Appleton, I cannot and will not bear any longer your
manner towards me. You seem to think that I have no feelings. And
besides, you assume an air of superiority and patronage that is
exceedingly annoying. Last night your manner was insufferable. As I
have just said, I cannot and will not bear such an assumption on your
part. And now let me say, that I wish, hereafter, to be considered by
you as a stranger. As such I shall treat you. Do not attempt to answer
this, do not attempt to see me, for I wish for no humiliating
explanations.'

"Now what would you have done in such a case, Louisa?"

"I would have taken her at her word, of course," was the prompt reply;
"did not you?"

"Oh, no; that would not have been right."

"I must confess, Mrs. Appleton, that your ideas of right, and mine, are
very different. This lady told you expressly that she did not wish to
hold any further intercourse with you."

"Exactly. But, then, she would not have said so, had she not been
deceived by an erroneous idea. Knowing this, it became my duty to
endeavour to remove the false impression."

"I must confess, Mrs. Appleton, that I cannot see it in the same light.
I don't believe that we are called upon to humour the whims of every
one. It does such people, as you speak of, good to be let alone, and
have their pout out. If you n