ened into acrimony; for immediately after the remark which
we have noticed, she proposed that they should call on Miss Isabella Tod
to see Rachel's letter; indeed, this was rendered necessary by the state
of the fire, for after boiling the kettle she had allowed it to fall low.
It was her nightly practice after tea to take her evening seam, in a
friendly way, to some of her neighbours' houses, by which she saved both
coal and candle, while she acquired the news of the day, and was
occasionally invited to stay supper.

On their arrival at Mrs. Tod's, Miss Isabella understood the purport of
their visit, and immediately produced her letter, receiving, at the same
time, a perusal of Mr. Andrew Pringle's. Mrs. Pringle's to Miss Mally
she had previously seen.

LETTER XXIV

_Miss Rachel Pringle to Miss Isabella Tod_

MY DEAR BELL--Since my last, we have undergone great changes and
vicissitudes. Last week we removed to our present house, which is
exceedingly handsome and elegantly furnished; and on Saturday there was
an insurrection of the servants, on account of my mother not allowing
them to have their dinners served up at the usual hour for servants at
other genteel houses. We have also had the legacy in the funds
transferred to my father, and only now wait the settling of the final
accounts, which will yet take some time. On the day that the transfer
took place, my mother made me a present of a twenty pound note, to lay
out in any way I thought fit, and in so doing, I could not but think of
you; I have, therefore, in a box which she is sending to Miss Mally
Glencairn, sent you an evening dress from Mrs. Bean's, one of the most
fashionable and tasteful dressmakers in town, which I hope you will wear
with pleasure for my sake. I have got one exactly like it, so that when
you see yourself in the glass, you will behold in what state I appeared
at Lady ---'s route.

Ah! my dear Bell, how much are our expectations disappointed! How often
have we, with admiration and longing wonder, read the descriptions in the
newspapers of the fashionable parties in this great metropolis, and
thought of the Grecian lamps, the ottomans, the promenades, the
ornamented floors, the cut glass, the _coup d'oeil_, and the _tout
ensemble_. "Alas!" as Young the poet says, "the things unseen do not
deceive us." I have seen more beauty at an Irvine ball, than all the
fashionable world could bring to market