pose, are your father's."

"Not a bit of it!" cried I; "they are my own!"

"But young ladies of your age should not have strong opinions," said
she. She is about five years older than I am.

"Will you tell me how to help it?" said I. "I must go through the world
with my eyes shut, if I am not to form opinions."

"Oh yes, moderately," she replied.

"Shut my eyes moderately?" I asked; "or, form opinions moderately?"

"Both," answered Miss Newton, laughing.

"Your advice is worse than wasted, my dear Miss Newton," said a voice
behind us. "That young person will never do anything in moderation."

"You know better, Hatty!" said I.

"And, as your elder sister, my darling, let me give you a scrap of
advice. Men never like contentious, arguing women. Don't be a little
goose."

I don't know whether I am a goose or a duck, but I am afraid I could
have done something to Hatty just then which I should have found
agreeable, and she would not. That elder-sister air of hers is so
absurd, for she is not eighteen months older than I am; I can stand it
well enough from Sophy, but from Hatty it really is too ridiculous. But
that was nothing, compared with the insult she had offered, not so much
to me, as through me to all womanhood. "Men don't like!" Does it
signify three halfpence what they like? Are women to make slaves of
themselves, considering what men fancy or don't fancy? Men, mark you!
Not, your father, or brother, or husband: that would be right and
reasonable enough: but, men!

"Hatty," I said, after doing battle with myself for a moment, "I think I
had better give you no answer. If I did, and if my words and tones
suited my feelings, I should scream the house down."

She burst out laughing behind her fan. I walked away at once, lest I
should be tempted to reply further. I am afraid I almost ran, for I
came bolt against a gentleman in the corner, and had to stop and make my
apologies.

"Don't run quite over me, Cary, if it suit you," said somebody who, I
thought, was in Cumberland.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1. The assemblies on a lady's visiting day required no
invitations. The rooms were open to any person acquainted with members
of the family.

Note 2. Southerners are respectfully informed that the use of only for
but is a Northern peculiarity.

Note 3. Sensitive, delicate.

CHAPTER NINE.

DIFFICULTIES.

"And 't was na for