making them think what she does is right, and neither my
husband nor John Jr. can see any impropriety in her keeping Vesta.
Carrie wouldn't have done such a thing."

"Indeed she wouldn't. She is too well-bred for that," said Mrs. Graham,
who had been completely won by Carrie's soft speeches and fawning manner.

This compliment to her daughter pleased Mrs. Livingstone, who
straightway proceeded to build Carrie up still higher, by pulling 'Lena
down. Accordingly, every little thing which she could remember, and
many which she could not, were told in an aggravated manner, until quite
a case was made out, and 'Lena would never have recognized herself in
the artful, designing creature which her aunt kindly pictured her to be.

"Of course," said she, "if you ever repeat this, you will not use my
name, for as she is my husband's niece it will not look well in me to be
proclaiming her vices, except in cases where I think it my duty."

Mrs. Graham was too much absorbed in her own reflections to make a
reply, and as Mrs. Livingstone saw that her company was hardly desired,
she soon arose to go, asking Mrs. Graham "why she did not oftener visit
Maple Grove."

When Mrs. Graham felt uncomfortable, she liked to make others so, too,
and to her friend's question she answered, "I may as well be plain as
not, and to tell you the truth, I should enjoy visiting you very much,
were it not for one thing. That mother of yours----"

"Of my husband's," interrupted Mrs. Livingstone and Mrs. Graham
continued just where she left off.

"Annoys me exceedingly, by eternally tracing in me a resemblance to some
down-east creature or other--what is her name--Sco--Sco--Scovandyke;
yes, that's it--Scovandyke. Of course it's not pleasant for me to be
told every time I meet your mother----"

"Mr. Livingstone's mother," again interrupted the lady.

"That I look like some of her acquaintances, for I contend that families
of high birth bear with them marks which cannot be mistaken."

"Certainly, certainly," said Mrs. Livingstone, adding, that "she was
herself continually annoyed by Mrs. Nichols's vulgarity, but her husband
insisted that she should come to the table, so what could she do?"

And mutually troubled, the one about her husband, and the other about
her husband's mother, the two amiable ladies parted.

Scarcely was Mrs. Livingstone gone when Mr. Graham entered the room,
finding his wife, who had heard his footsteps, in violent hysteric