de up," was almost the first word uttered as Mrs.
Appleton came in.

"I am truly glad to hear it," replied that lady.

"And I am glad to be able to say so; but there is one thing that I do
not like: I could not prevail upon her to tell me the cause of her
coldness towards me."

"I am sorry for that, because, not knowing what has given offence, you
are all the time liable again to trespass on feelings that you desire
not to wound."

"So I feel about it; but the subject seemed so painful to her that I
did not press it."

"When did you first notice a change in her manner?"

"About a week ago, when we were spending an evening at Mrs. Trueman's."

"Cannot you remember something which you then said that might have
wounded her?"

"No, I believe not. I have tried several times to recall what I then
said, but I can think of nothing but a light jest which I passed upon
her about her certainly coming of a crazy family."

"Surely you did not say that, Louisa!"

"Yes, I did. And I am sure that I thought no harm of it. We were
conversing gayly, and she was uttering some of her peculiar, and often
strange sentiments, when I made the thoughtless and innocent remark I
have alluded to. No one replied, and there was a momentary silence that
seemed to me strange. From that time her manner changed. But I have
never believed that my playful remark was the cause. I think her a girl
of too much good sense for that."

"Have you never heard that her father was for many years in the
hospital, and at last died there a raving maniac?" asked Mrs. Appleton
with a serious countenance.

"Never," was the positive answer.

"It is true that such was his miserable end, Louisa."

"Then it is all explained. Oh, how deeply I must have wounded her!"

"Deeply, no doubt. But it cannot be helped. The wound, I trust, is now
nearly healed." Then, after a pause, Mrs. Appleton resumed:

"Let this lesson never be forgotten, my young friend. Suppose you had
followed your own impulses, and let Maria 'pout it out,' as you said;
how much would both she and yourself have suffered--she, under the
feeling that you had wantonly insulted and wounded her; and you, in
estranged friendship, and under the imputation, unknown to yourself, of
having most grossly violated the very first principles of humanity. Let
the lesson, then, sink deeply into your heart. Never again permit any
one to grow cold towards you suddenly, without inquiring the cause. It
is due to