es I was bridesmaid. When Sir Samuel was married--and really,
after all the fine things he had said, and the way he used to ogle me
through his glass, I _did_ think!--but, however, that's neither here nor
there. The creature he married had plenty of money, but absolutely no
complexion, and she painted--oh, how she did paint! and a turn-up
nose,--the ugliest thing you ever saw. And with all that, the airs she
used to give herself! It really was disgusting."

"O, my dear! I can't bear people that give themselves airs," observed
Mrs Clarissa, with a toss of her head, and "grounding" her fan.

"No, nor I," echoed Mrs Marcella, quite as unconscious as her friend of
the covert satire in her words. "I wonder what Mrs Rhoda will be
married in. I always used to say I would be married in white and
silver. And really, if my wretched health had not stood in the way, I
might have been, my dear, ever so many times. I am sure it would have
come to something, that evening when Lord James and I were sitting in
the balcony, after I had been singing,--and there, that stupid Jane must
needs come in the way! I always liked a pretty wedding. I should think
it would be white and silver. And what do you suppose Madam will give
her?"

"Oh, a set of pearls, I should say, if not diamonds," answered Mrs
Clarissa.

"She will do something handsome, of course."

"Suppose you do something handsome, and swallow your medicine without a
lozenge," suggested Mrs Jane, walking in and presenting a glass to her
sister. "'Tis time."

"I am sure it can't be, Jane! You are always making me swallow some
nasty stuff. And as to taking it without a lozenge, I couldn't do such
a thing!"

"Stuff! You could, if you did," said Mrs Jane. "Come, then,--here it
is. I shouldn't want one."

"Oh, you!--you have not my fine feelings!" responded Mrs Marcella,
sitting with the glass in her hand, and looking askance at its
reddish-brown contents.

"Come, sup it up, and get it over," said her sister. "O Jane!--you
unfeeling creature!"

"'Twill be no better five minutes hence, I'm sure."

"You see what I suffer, Clarissa!" wailed Mrs Marcella, gulping down
the medicine, and pulling a terrible face. "Jane has no feeling for me.
She never had. I am a poor despised creature whom nobody cares for.
Well, I suppose I must bear it. 'Tis my fate. But what I ever did to
be afflicted in this way! Oh, the world's a hard place, and life's a
very, very dre