f laughing
tone, Ella replied, "Why, I thought you knew that I was an orphan whom
Mrs. Campbell adopted years ago."

"You an orphan!" returned Miss Porter. "Well, if I ever! Who adopted
your sister?"

"A poor woman in the country," was Ella's answer.

Miss Porter, who was a notorious flatterer, replied, "I must see her,
for if she is any thing like you, I shall love her instantly."

"Oh, she isn't like _me_" said Ella, with a curl of her lip. "She's
smart enough, I suppose, but she hasn't a bit of polish or refinement.
She doesn't come here often, and when she does, I am always in a
fidget, for fear some of the city girls will call, and she'll do
something _outre_."

"I guess, then, I won't go down, at least not till I'm dressed,"
answered Miss Porter; and Ella, throwing on a dressing-gown, descended
to the parlor, where she met her sister with the ends of her fingers,
and a simple, "Ah, Mary, how d'ye do? Are you well?"

After several commonplace remarks, Ella at last asked, "How did you
know I was at home?"

"Mr. Knight told me," said Mary.

"Mr. Knight," repeated Ella; "and pray, who is he? I don't believe
he's on my list of acquaintances."

"Do you remember the man who carried me to the poor-house?" asked
Mary.

"Hush--sh!" said Ella, glancing nervously towards the door. "There is
a young lady up stairs, and it isn't necessary for her to know you've
been a pauper."

By this time Miss Porter was dressed. She was very fond of display,
and wishing to astonish the "country girl" with her silks and satins,
came rustling into the parlor.

"My sister," said Ella carelessly.

Miss Porter nodded, and then throwing herself languidly upon the sofa,
looked down the street, as if expecting some one. At last, supporting
herself on her elbow, she lisped out, "I don't believe that he'th
coming, for here 'tis after four!"

"Tisn't likely he'll stay in the graveyard all night," returned Ella.
"I wish we'd asked him whose graves he was going to visit, don't you?"
Then, by way of saying something more to Mary, she continued, "Oh, you
ought to know what an adventure I had yesterday. It was a most
miraculous escape, for I should certainly have been killed, if the
most magnificent-looking gentleman you ever saw, hadn't caught me
just in time to keep Beauty from throwing me. You ought to see his
eyes, they were perfectly splendid!"

Mary replied, that she herself thought he had rather handsome eyes.

"_You!_ where di