ed--or rather would have been glad (which people mean when they
say, "they would not be sorry,") to see them humbled in any way.

So much for Mrs. Fairchild's first step in prosperity.

Mrs. Fairchild pined and languished for something to do, and somebody
to see. The memory of early habits came strongly over her at times,
and she longed to go in the kitchen and make a good batch of pumpkin
pies, by way of amusement; but she did not dare. Her stylish pampered
menials already suspected she was "nobody," and constantly quoted the
privileges of Mrs. Ashfield's servants, and the authority of other
fashionable names, with the impertinence and contempt invariably felt
by inferiors for those who they instinctively know to be ignorant and
vulgar, and "not to the manor born."

She accidently, to her great delight, came across a young mantuamaker,
who occasionally sewed at Mrs. Ashfield's; and she engaged her at once
to come and make her some morning-dresses; not that she wanted them,
only the opportunity for the gossip to be thence derived. And to those
who know nothing of the familiarity with which ladies can sometimes
condescend to question such persons, it would be astonishing to know
the quantity of information she extracted from Miss Hawkins. Not only
of Mrs. Ashfield's mode of living, number of dresses, &c., but of many
other families of the neighborhood, particularly the Misses Hamilton,
who were described to be such "nice young ladies," and for whom she
chiefly sewed, as "Mrs. Ashfield chiefly imported most of her
dresses," but she lent all her patterns to the Miss Hamiltons; and
Miss Hawkins made up all their dresses after hers, only not of such
expensive materials. And thus she found out all the Hamiltons'
economies, which filled her with contempt and indignation--contempt
for their poverty, and indignation at their position in society, and
the company they saw notwithstanding.

She could not understand it. Her husband sympathized with her most
fully on this score, for, like all ignorant, purse-proud men, he could
comprehend no claims not based in money.

A sudden light broke in, however, upon the Fairchild's dull life. A
great exertion was being made for a new Opera company, and Mr.
Fairchild's money being as good as any body else's, the subscription
books were taken to him. He put down his name for as large a sum as
the best of them, and felt himself at once a patron of music, fashion,
and the fine arts.

Mrs.