gnon's father (have I told you that was her name?).
He was a rich old fellow, with a house furnished with gilt chairs, and
everything sumptuous--so, of course, the fellow in boots stuck to her
more than ever.

I don't know what became of the woman in yellow, but as for this other
girl, she came out first best in every respect; especially at the end,
when ever so many flowers and baskets and things were just poured down
upon her. For my part, I thought the yellow girl ought to have had full
half of these things, for I liked her quite as well, if not better than
the vagabondess.

Well, the green curtain went down for good, and the whole congregation
got up to go out.

"How do you like Nilsson?" says Cousin E. E., as she was fastening her
fur mantle.

"Nilsson!" says I, "I haven't seen her yet."

"Why, yes you have--she just came out."

"What!--that girl-boy?"

"Yes, Mignon."

"You don't say so," says I. "Who then was the girl in yellow?"

"Oh! she is Duval."

"Well, I like her at any rate, poor thing; it was a shame to treat her
so."

That moment I felt that the great Grand Duke was gone. Not one more
glance. It was hard!

XXV.

THE BLACK CROOK.

Sisters:--Since my intimacy with Imperial Royalty, Cousin Emily
Elizabeth Dempster has been as proud as a peacock of our relationship,
and speaks about the Court of all the Russias as if she expected to have
an ice-palace built on the Neva for her, every winter, for the rest of
her life. This may be natural--I dare say it is; but I'm afraid that
Russia--being an awful despotism--wouldn't stand too many of one's
relations crowding into the Imperial corn-crib, that being a free-born
institution peculiar to high moral ideas which my great Grand Duke did
not stay in Boston long enough to imbibe.

Still, being a relation and born under the star-spangled banner, why
shouldn't she have her own little hopes? I ask myself this and resolve
to do my best for her. Being a first cousin she has her rights.

This morning E. E. sent down a little straw-colored letter with a
picture on the envelop just where it seals, and asked me to go with her
and Dempster to see "The Black Crook," which she wrote was a spectacle
worth looking at. They had got seats at Niblo's to see it after ever so
much trouble, and were sure that I would be delighted.

Delighted! What about! I never hankered much for eye-glass or
spectacles. I wish cousin E. E. would be a little more particula