tions with milliners and tailors; the tables were covered with pictures of the costumes of all countries and of all ages. No one but Mrs. Lindsay was guided in the selection by the spirit of economy, for Mr. Lindsay had requested that no expense might be spared. He had insisted on placing an ample sum in the hands of his sister-in-law and his nieces. Ellen and Augusta were bent on spending theirs judiciously, and Mrs. Lindsay on saving all she could out, of hers.

The fête was to be in all respects the most brilliant of the season. Gunter had carte blanche, and Strauss was to surpass himself. The fashionable papers were full of the ball; and even Ellen, who at first had forced herself to appear interested in it, became so in reality. Never had the Lindsays been so popular. There were such affectionate and coaxing little notes, from such cold, proud dowagers, for permission to bring a very dear friend—since, in order to avoid a crush, every invited person was distinctly specified; and it was understood "that for that night the free list was

suspended." This maddened a whole tribe of elderly chickens, who generally slip into parties under some old dowager's wing; if you appear to wish to exclude any, all are eager to be admitted.

After many discussions and many opinions, many considerings and reconsiderings, makings-up and changings of minds, the Lindsay party decided on representing the leading characters in "Ivanhoe."

This decision was chiefly owing to Augusta's having discovered that she looked particularly well in a Jewish turban. Ellen readily agreed to personate Rowena; Julian was to be Ivanhoe; De Villeneuve, Brian de Bois Guilbert; and Mr. Lindsay, Cedric the Saxon.

"It is not customary for the host and hostess to assume a character, dear father, on these occasions: it is not the fashion," said Julian, when he heard his father decide on representing his favourite Cedric.

"Then we'll make it the fashion, my dear boy I'm resolved to be old Cedric, and I

insist on every one contributing to Ellen's amusement by appearing in character. I excuse no one but Miss Tibby, who, as she's my senior, shall do as she thinks fit, particularly as any dress of hers will be quaint enough to pass for a fancy-dress."

The other characters in Ivanhoe were to be filled up by friends, or rather acquaintances, who were very anxious to figure as Cœur de Lion, King John, De Bracy, Front de Boeuf, Athelstane, Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, &c. In addition to the characters, Rowena and Rebecca were to have a train, the one of Saxon, the other of Jewish damsels, to the number of seven each, the fair leaders making the eighth; these were to form into two new sets of quadrilles, the figures invented by M and the airs by M

The Saxon or Jewish character was chosen, according as Nature had bestowed dark or fair hair on the nymphs of the train. Mrs. Lindsay was very mysterious as to her costume, and was much secluded with irons and a workwoman for some days before the ball. Mr.

Grunter kept his intentions a profound secret. Annie was one of the Saxon maids in Rowena's train, and Miss Tibby observed

"In my younger days, I have been to fancyballs, but na' managed like this. I used jist to devise some tasty costume after a fancy o' my ain. I think I ha' still by me, in ain o' my trunks, a sma' straw-hat, wi' a garland o' wild-roses, which I wore at a fancy-ball the Duke o' H gave at H. I remember me, my hair was curled, and poodered a wee bit, and a blue ribbon tied carelessly round it, and the straw-hot stuck on ain side. I devised a sma' scarlet riding-jacket, and a long white skirt, and I had a wand in my hond, wi' wild-flowers twined aboot it. It was weel devised, something between an amazon and a shepherdess. I have it by me still, but I dinna think I'll run the risk o' cotching cold for a' that.

"I remember me, that amang mony who had the face to appear wi' unco short skirts, I was much commended by Donald for the great propriety o' my choice. I canna bear

to see ladies sinking into bauld-faced, shortcoated Swiss or Itolion peasants, bollod-singers, flower-girls, or the like, still less flaunting about as Turkish hizzies, na better than they should be for we ken weel what a Turkish

woman maun be

in troosers and the like. Pope says, 'Maist women ha' na characters at a''. I dinna think they mend the matter, by assuming those they do."

"Then will you not appear in character, Miss Tibby?" asked Augusta.

"Na, my dear, I'm na unco weel-ye ken I'm under the direction o' Mr. Job; and though there'll be mony perhaps as auld or aulder than mysel, flaunting aboot like mountebanks, I dinna commend these follies in women o' a certain age- instead o' being in character, I ca' it being out o' character, my dear; but, out o' compliment to Ellen, maybe I may dress a little mair fanciful than usual. I have somewhere by me a sma' white satin cap and feather, and a white satin jacket, trimmed wi' swandown, if they're na turned yellow-they are baith becoming and bonnie