A SCENE IN THE LADIES' DRAW ING-ROOM. No! I will not men It was a beautiful day in tion the month, for fear of the consequences. Two ladies were sitting in the "LADIES' DRAWING-ROOM," in the TREMONT HOUSE. The elder of the two (if it be fair to guess at a lady's age,) was about thirty; yet so lightly had the hand of time dealt with her, that most people would not have taken her for more than three or four-and-twenty. Her companion was certainly under sixteen. "Dear aunt," cried the younger lady, holding up the Transcript newspaper, "here is such a delightful article on OLD MAIDS'- I wish you would read it." Her aunt smiled, but colored slightly. "My dear Julia, I have read it; and as I have made up my mind to live and die an old maid, it afforded me much pleasure to see that a champion had arisen in defence of" Oh, no! you, surely, cannot have made up your mind to do so foolish a thing, aunt Mary? Why not accept Mr Barry? Or that handsome Mr Hall? I am sure Mr Hall would make a good husband. He is a very great favorite of mine ; that he has followed us all the pose to propose himself to you." and a little bird told me, way to Boston, on pur "He has proposed himself." "And you -?" "Respectfully declined the honor." "Oh, aunt Mary!" Aunt Mary laughed, and moved towards the window. "This is the third eligible offer you have rejected, to my knowledge," cried Julia. "Inever knew such a woman! - why وو "Hush!" said her aunt, 66 some one comes." The door opened, and three ladies, accompanied by a gentleman, entered the room. "Here we are again, Miss Julia," said the gentleman, wiping "his shining morning face" with his pocket handkerchief, "considerably fatigued, I assure you. So, you did not walk out with your aunt?— Oh, Miss Powell!-I beg your pardon, I did not see you. Well, this Boston is the dullest place I ever was in nothing like New York-nothing! Mrs Dawe, and the young ladies, are sadly disappointed with the place." "Yes, indeed," said Mrs Dawe, "and yet I don't know. I told you, my dear Dawe, and I told you, girls,if you recollect that I expected to find it a very humdrum sort of a city. Jane, my love, take off your bonnet you look heated.” 66 "Enough to make one so," said the young lady, walking about, such a day as this, in such a stupid place. But I cannot understand what Mrs Mudfort meant by denying herself to us. I am sure she was at home." "Oh, yes!" cried her sister, Miss Arabella Dawe, "there is no doubt about that, the proud thing!" My dear Arabella," said her mother, "whatever you may think, it would be quite as well, if you kept your thoughts to yourself upon such matters. It is very probable that Mrs Mudfort was not within, when we called." - "To be sure," said Mr Dawe," she could have no earthly reason for denying us. Her husband why, Mudfort can't be worth more than hem! forty, or fifty thousand dollars, at the outside.” 66 - My dear Dawe," cried Mrs Dawe, disdainfully, “I wish you would remember what that woman who wrote the book Mrs what's her name? "Trollope," said Miss Arabella. "Ay, what Mrs Trollope says about American gentlemen always talking of dollars and cents. But-" "Curse Mrs Trollope, and her book," cried Mr Dawe, in a pet. “I” "Well, my dear, the woman has told some truths that, I'll allow, much as I dislike her book. But the respectability of people is not always to be estimated by the amount of dollars they may possess. Everybody is not so rich as yourself, Mr Dawe. And in Boston — in Boston, particularly- - as I have always understood, wealth alone is not a sufficient passport to the best society." "Neither is it in New York, Mrs Dawe, if you mean that." Now, Mrs Mudfort is gener "Well, I'll allow that. ally acknowledged to be a very a very accomplished woman in the best society of Boston. see where you have put your legs! nearly fallen back." 66 elegant woman and and a woman that moves But, my dear Dawe! there! you had Papa is taking a lesson out of Mrs Trollope's book," said Miss Jane Dawe, laughing. "D. Mrs Trollope!" returned her father, angrily. "I beg, miss, you will not be perpetually throwing her book in my teeth. I shall put my legs where I please, in spite of all the Trollopes in the world." One of the waiters now entered, and delivered to Mrs Dawe three or four cards. That lady read the names aloud. |