nly Miss Atherton played extremely well.

"Good-bye for the present, dear Hatty; I will add more
to-morrow. This is a sort of journal, you know, not a letter,
and I shall write a little bit each day.

"'Do be nice and lengthy,' you said, and I am sure I am carrying
out your wish."

"Thursday morning.

"Well, here I am again sitting at my writing-table, pen in hand,
and 'the top of the morning to ye, darlint,' as Biddy used to
say; but my Hatty will be still asleep, I know, as she is not
one of the strong ones, poor little Hatty! Such a wonderful
thing happened to me yesterday--I actually had a riding-lesson.
Do tell father that, for he knows how I used to envy Tom when
Colonel Miles gave him a mount. It happened in this way. Edna
was talking at breakfast time about her ride in the Row, and Mr.
Sefton said suddenly, 'How would you like to learn to ride, Miss
Lambert?' and not thinking he meant anything by the question, I
said, 'I should like it of all things. I do long for a good
gallop.'

"'Oh, you must not gallop before you trot,' he returned, quite
seriously; 'Edna, if you still have your old habit by you, I
don't see why I should not give Miss Lambert a lesson. Old
Whitefoot is doing nothing for her living.'

"Well--would you believe it?--he was quite in earnest, and Edna,
who is very good-natured, seemed to think it a good bit of fun,
for she jumped up from the table and told her brother to bring
Whitefoot round in half an hour; and then she made me go
upstairs with her and put on a beautiful blue habit, which
seemed to me quite new; but she said she had a much better one
made for her last season. It fitted me tolerably, and only
required a little alteration to be perfect--and I assure you I
hardly knew myself in it, I looked so nice; but a dark habit is
always so becoming. Edna looks like a picture in hers.

"Well, when we went downstairs, there was Whitefoot--such a
pretty brown mare--with Mr. Sefton standing beside her, and
Brown Bess was being brought round from the stable. I was just a
little nervous at first, but Mr. Sefton was very kind and
patient; he taught me how to gather up my reins, and how to hold
myself; and he would not mount for some time, but walked beside
me for a little distance, telling me things, and when he saw I
felt less