e is intensely in earnest,
and discountenances all mere vanities of life. And yet, withal, it is
his aim to pursue the happy mean. He believes in rational amusements,
and is very sympathetic in congenial society. If you have no pleasanter
engagement for next Wednesday evening, Miss Virginia, I shall be charmed
to have you take tea with me at my rooms in the Studio Building. I
expect Mr. Spence and one or two other friends to be present."

"With great pleasure," I answered; and I felt quite elated by the
invitation. My ambition to form new associations was about to be
realized apparently.

"I have hopes that Mr. Spence will consent to illustrate his theory of
the Economy of Speech on that evening," continued Miss Kingsley. "As yet
the science is in embryo, and naturally but a very small number of
people are sufficiently familiar with the practical details of the
theory to make it advisable to adopt it in general conversation. But
with sympathetic friends he may feel disposed to make the experiment."

"You are extremely fortunate, Virginia," said Aunt Agnes, with emphasis.

"I should try in vain to be worthy of such an opportunity; but I am very
much obliged to you, Miss Kingsley," I answered humbly.

"You will soon learn," she said, rising to go. "I am so glad to have had
the pleasure of meeting you at last. I have alluded to you in my column
on one or two occasions, but this is the first time I have had the
gratification of seeing you in person. Perhaps you can tell me," she
continued, still holding my hand, "whether there is any truth in the
reported engagement of our Miss Leonard to Mr. Clarence Butterfield. And
if you happen to know who are to be the bridesmaids at the wedding of
Miss Newton, of Philadelphia, to our Mr. Lester, I shall consider it
very friendly of you to tell me."

This made me feel very uncomfortable, for I could not decide on the spur
of the moment whether it would be more charitable to my friends to tell
the truth, or to remain silent and let their affairs be garbled.

"I want to put in something," she urged, noticing my hesitation. "I
shall either contradict or confirm the report of the engagement in our
next issue. Of course, artistically it makes little difference to me
which; but it is much more satisfactory to the immediate friends to have
an item correct,--just as the friends of a person who sits for a
portrait prefer to have the likeness speaking, whereas to the painter it
is much mo