her, attended only by one footman; and it is certain,
that the position of a new-comer in one of these houses of education
will not fail to be materially influenced by such considerations as the
situation of her father's town residence, or the name of her mother's
milliner. At so early a period does the exclusiveness which more or
less pervades the whole current of English society make its appearance
amongst our female youth.

Even in the comparatively rational and old-fashioned seminary in which
I was brought up, we were not quite free from these vanities. We too
had our high castes and our low castes, and (alas! for her and for
ourselves!) we counted among our number one who in her loneliness and
desolation might almost be called a Pariah--or if that be too strong an
illustration, who was at least, in more senses than one, the Cinderella
of the school.

Honor O'Callaghan was, as her name imports, an Irish girl. She had been
placed under the care of Mrs. Sherwood before she was five years old,
her father being designated, in an introductory letter which he
brought in his hand, as a barrister from Dublin, of ancient family, of
considerable ability, and the very highest honour. The friend, however,
who had given him this excellent character, had, unfortunately, died
a very short time after poor Honor's arrival; and of Mr. O'Callaghan
nothing had ever been heard after the first half-year, when he sent
the amount of the bill in a draft, which, when due, proved to
be dishonoured. The worst part of this communication, however
unsatisfactory in its nature, was, that it was final. All inquiries,
whether in Dublin or elsewhere, proved unavailing; Mr. O'Callaghan had
disappeared; and our unlucky gouvernante found herself saddled with the
board, clothing, and education, the present care, and future destiny, of
a little girl, for whom she felt about as much affection as was felt
by the overseers of Aberleigh towards their involuntary protege, Jesse
Cliffe. Nay, in saying this, I am probably giving our worthy governess
credit for somewhat milder feelings upon this subject than she
actually entertained; the overseers in question, accustomed to such
circumstances, harbouring no stronger sentiment than a cold, passive
indifference towards the parish boy, whilst she, good sort of woman as
in general she was, did certainly upon this occasion cherish something
very like an active aversion to the little intruder.

The fact is, that Mrs