here was to be dancing
but the music was limited to a single piano played by the German exile
usual on such occasions, and the refreshments did not rise to the
splendor of a costly supper. This kind of compromise with fashionable
gayety was wisely deemed by Lu the best method of introducing Daniel to
the _beau monde_,--a push given the timid eaglet by the maternal bird,
with a soft tree-top between him and the vast expanse of society. How
simple was the entertainment may be inferred from the fact that Lu felt
somewhat discomposed when she got a note from one of her guests asking
leave to bring along her niece, who was making her a few weeks' visit.
As a matter of course, however, she returned answer to bring the young
lady and welcome.

Daniel's dressing-room having been given up to the gentlemen I invited
him to make his toilet in mine, and, indeed, wanting him to create a
favorable impression, became his valet _pro tem._, tying his cravat, and
teasing the divinity-student look out of his side-hair. My little dandy
Billy came in for another share of attention, and when I managed to
button his jacket for him so that it showed his shirt-studs "like a
man's," Count d'Orsay could not have felt a more pleasing sense of his
sufficiency for all the demands of the gay world.

When we reached the parlor we found Pa and Ma Lovegrove already
receiving. About a score of guests had arrived. Most of them were old
married couples, which, after paying their devoirs, fell in two like
unriveted scissors,--the gentlemen finding a new pivot in pa and the
ladies in ma, where they mildly opened and shut upon such questions as
severally concerned them, such as "the way gold closed," and "how the
children were."

Besides the old married people there were several old young men of
distinctly hopeless and unmarried aspect, who, having nothing in common
with the other class, nor sufficient energy of character to band
themselves for mutual protection, hovered dejectedly about the arch
pillars, or appeared to be considering whether, on the whole, it would
not be feasible and best to sit down on the centre-table. These
subsisted upon such crumbs of comfort as Lu could get an occasional
chance to throw them by rapid sorties of conversation,--became
galvanically active the moment they were punched up, and fell flat the
moment the punching was remitted. I did all I could for them, but,
having Daniel in tow, dared not sail too near the edge of the Do