became sad.

"That is a strange story, Sophy, you were reading just now from the
newspaper," said the youngest,--"I mean about Lord Eden; I cannot
understand how a man of his rank and position should condescend to marry
a girl of low degree, however virtuous or excellent she might be. These
_mesalliances_ can never answer. Too soon the one of more refined
habits and ideas discovers a degree of coarseness and vulgarity in the
other, which must ultimately cause separation. No; my only notion of a
happy union is, that where people are of the same rank and education,
and all their sympathies are in unison--"

"You know so little of life, dear Nora, that I do not think you are
capable of judging," answered her cousin Sophy. "I do not say, however,
that in the main you are not right, but there may be exceptions, in
which true happiness may be found. I do not say Lord Eden is right in
marrying this girl. At the same time, she may have more natural
refinement than could be expected. I have heard of such instances."

"I, on the contrary, Sophy, remember hearing my father speak of a very
different case, in which a country girl was taken out of her sphere, and
educated, and, I think, became the wife of one of our ministers. As
long as she was at rest, she appeared very elegant, but if she got at
all excited, or, as was sometimes the case, lost her temper, she then
exhibited her real condition; and if, as I consider, it is very bad for
a man to marry a person of inferior rank, surely it is much worse for a
lady to marry one who is her inferior."

Sophy smiled sadly.

"No; I shall hold to my own opinion," said Nora, "and I do not think
that anybody would induce me to marry a person, however elegant and
refined he might appear, unless I knew he was of gentle blood."

The conversation of the young ladies was interrupted by Sophy
exclaiming--

"Bring the glass, Nora; I see a vessel standing in for the bay. Her
canvas looks very white and shining. I believe she is a man-of-war."

The telescope, which stood on a stand, had been, for some purpose,
removed from the window, and it was now brought to its usual place by
Nora. They both looked through it, one after the other.

"Yes, there can be no doubt of the matter," said Nora; "her square
yards, her tall masts and white canvas show at once what she is. She
does not appear to me to be a frigate. I think she is a smaller
vessel--a corvette,--and very beautiful vessels