ll the world like a pound of cotton batting. She was dressed in the
most gorgeous array, perfectly elegant to behold! white satin, and
flowers, and furbelows; and was so very dignified and stiff in her
manners that Lillie thought she must have fallen into a kettle of
starch.

Another tremendous ring at the bell! and the servant who answered it
came into the parlor and said the little old gentleman and lady were
wanted out in the hall immediately.

They made each a low bow and marched out of the room, while the
children's bright eyes grew larger and larger, and they asked each
other, with a little hop and skip apiece, what in the world was coming
next.

As to Lillie, the lovely pink roses deepened on her cheeks; her eyes
shone like diamonds, and two dimples kept playing hide and seek with the
smiles that were chasing them every instant.

It was a breathless moment! All were waiting--their eyes fastened on the
door. The knob turned--it slowly opened--and in marched the little old
lady and gentleman, holding between them by the hands, the most
perfectly beautiful young lady that was ever seen in the whole world!!

She had on a white tarleton dress, with two skirts trimmed with
cherry-colored blond lace. The waist was gathered in at the belt, and
finished round the neck with a beautiful lace berthe. She wore a sash of
cherry-colored satin ribbon, and in her belt was an elegant chatelaine,
from which hung a tiny gold watch exactly the size of a five cent piece.
A necklace was round her neck, and a wreath of flowers upon her head.
She had fine open-worked stockings and morocco shoes. In her right hand
was the cunningest little fan that ever was seen! and altogether she was
quite the belle of the evening.

All the children drew a long breath! and gazed with admiration as the
three strangers marched all round the room. Then they stopped in the
very middle, and Lillie's mother, stepping up beside them, gracefully
waved her hand and said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me present to you Mr. and Mrs. Grey, and Miss
Florence Grey."

The little old gentleman put his hand on his heart, and made such a low
bow to the company that they saw the back of his bushy white head, and
his long coat tails stuck out behind like a pennon in a high breeze; and
the little old lady put her hand on _her_ heart, and dropped such a low
courtesy that the children thought she meant to sit down on the carpet;
but Miss Florence looked straight befor