ia, with something of abstraction in her manner.
A silence, embarrassing in some degree to both parties, followed, which
was broken by an allusion of Mrs. Appleton's to Louisa Graham.

To this, Maria made no answer.

"Louisa is a girl of kind feelings," remarked Mrs. Appleton.

"She is so esteemed," Maria replied, somewhat coldly.

"Do you not think so, Maria?"

"Why should I think otherwise?"

"I am sure I cannot tell; but I thought there was something in your
manner that seemed to indicate a different sentiment."

To this the young lady made no reply, and Mrs. Appleton did not feel at
liberty to press the subject, more particularly as she wished to induce
Louisa, if she could possibly do so, to sacrifice her feelings and go
to Maria with an inquiry as to the cause of her changed manner. She now
observed closely the manner of Maria, and saw that she studiously
avoided coming into contact with Louisa. Thus the evening passed away,
and the two young ladies retired without having once spoken to each
other.

Unlike too many of us under similar circumstances, Mrs. Appleton did
not say within herself, "This is none of my business. If they have
fallen out, let them make it up again." Or, "If she chooses to get the
'pouts' for nothing, let her pout it out." But she thought seriously
about devising some plan to bring about explanations and a good
understanding again between two who had no just cause for not regarding
each other as friends. It would have been an easy matter to have gone
to Maria and to have asked the cause of her changed manner towards
Louisa, and thus have brought about a reconciliation; but she was
desirous to correct a fault in both, and therefore resolved, if
possible, to induce the latter to go to the former. With this object in
view, she called upon Louisa early on the next morning.

"I was sorry to see," she said, after a brief conversation on general
topics, "that there was no movement on the part of either yourself or
Maria to bring about a mutual good understanding."

"I am sure, Mrs. Appleton, that I haven't any thing to do in the
matter," was Louisa's answer. "I have done nothing wilfully to wound or
offend Maria, and therefore have no apologies to make. If she sees in
my character any thing so exceedingly offensive as to cause her thus to
recede from me, I am sure that I do not wish her to have any kind of
intercourse with me."

"That is altogether out of the question, Louisa. Maria has