reat elegance. And so it was, in contrast
with their style of living. Mrs. Minturn felt quite proud of having
such acquaintances, and of being able to visit familiarly in such good
society as was to be found at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Allender. You
could not be in her company for ten minutes, at any time, without
hearing some allusion to the Allenders. What they said, was repeated as
oracular; and to those who had never been in their house, Mrs. Minturn
described the elegance of every thing pertaining thereto, in the most
graphic manner.

Well, as time went on, Mr. Minturn, by strict devotion to business,
gradually advanced himself in his profession. At the end of four or
five years, he was able to move into a larger house and to get better
furniture. Still, every thing was yet on an inferior scale to that
enjoyed by Mr. Allender, to whose family his own was indebted for an
introduction into society, and for an acquaintance with many who were
esteemed as valued friends.

Ten years elapsed, and the Minturns were on a level with the Allenders,
as far as external things were concerned. The lawyer's business had
steadily increased, but the merchant had not been very successful in
trade, and was not esteemed, in the community, a rising man. No change
in his style of living had taken place since he first became a
housekeeper; and his furniture began, in consequence, to look a little
dingy and old-fashioned. This was particularly observed by Mrs.
Minturn, who had, at every upward movement,--and three of these
movements had already taken place,--furnished her house from top to
bottom.

Five years more reversed the relations between to families. The
Minturns still went up, and the Allenders commenced going down. One
day, about this time, Mr. Minturn came home from his office, and said
to his wife:

"I've got bad news to tell you about our friends the Allenders."

"What is that?" inquired Mrs. Minturn, evincing a good deal of
interest, though not exactly of the right kind.

"He's stopped payment."

"What?"

"He failed to meet his notes in bank yesterday, and to-day, I
understand, he has called his creditors together."

"I'm sorry to hear that, really," said Mrs. Minturn. "What is the
cause?"

"I believe his affairs have been getting involved for the last four or
five years. He does not seem to possess much business energy."

"I never thought there was a great deal of life about him."

"He's rather a slow man. I