er mind was young, healthy, somewhat original,
full of fire and faith, and empty of experience.

Lord Ipsden loved her! it was easy to love her.

First, there was not, in the whole range of her mind and body, one grain
of affectation of any sort.

She was always, in point of fact, under the influence of some male mind
or other, generally some writer. What young woman is not, more or less,
a mirror? But she never imitated or affected; she was always herself, by
whomsoever colored.

Then she was beautiful and eloquent; much too high-bred to put a
restraint upon her natural manner, she was often more _naive,_ and even
brusk, than your would-be aristocrats dare to be; but what a charming
abruptness hers was!

I do not excel in descriptions, and yet I want to give you some carnal
idea of a certain peculiarity and charm this lady possessed; permit me
to call a sister art to my aid.

There has lately stepped upon the French stage a charming personage,
whose manner is quite free from the affectation that soils nearly all
French actresses--Mademoiselle Madeleine Brohan! When you see this
young lady play Mademoiselle La Segli'ere, you see high-bred sensibility
personified, and you see something like Lady Barbara Sinclair.

She was a connection of Lord Ipsden's, but they had not met for two
years, when they encountered each other in Paris just before the
commencement of this "Dramatic Story," "Novel" by courtesy.

The month he spent in Paris, near her, was a bright month to Lord
Ipsden. A bystander would not have gathered, from his manner, that he
was warmly in love with this lady; but, for all that, his lordship was
gradually uncoiling himself, and gracefully, quietly basking in the rays
of Barbara Sinclair.

He was also just beginning to take an interest in subjects of the
day--ministries, flat paintings, controversial novels, Cromwell's
spotless integrity, etc.--why not? They interested her.

Suddenly the lady and her family returned to England. Lord Ipsden, who
was going to Rome, came to England instead.

She had not been five days in London, before she made her preparations
to spend six months in Perthshire.

This brought matters to a climax.

Lord Ipsden proposed in form.

Lady Barbara was surprised; she had not viewed his graceful attentions
in that light at all. However, she answered by letter his proposal which
had been made by letter.

After a few of those courteous words a lady always bestows on a
ge