ied Caroline,
the eldest daughter. "But pray, ma'am, who is to teach music?"

"I shall make the attempt," said Elizabeth; "how far I shall succeed
will depend upon my abilities to instruct, and your patience and
perseverance in gaining instruction."

"O, ma'am, I have learned seven years of the first masters."

"There has been a wonderful waste of time, and money!" cried the
Colonel. "You rattle the keys, as blundering soldiers when commanded to
fire: no taste, feeling, or judgment in the execution."

"But at Madame La Blond's, Papa, I was allowed to play in the very first
style, and was always called upon to exhibit to strangers."

A servant at this moment announced "Mrs. Towers;" and a stately female,
dressed in the extreme of fashion, with a measured step entered the
room, followed by a delicate, interesting looking young lady, but with a
very dark complexion. Mrs. Towers moved very profoundly to Elizabeth.
"Permit me to introduce Miss Arden as a pupil," she said. "She is from
the East, and under our guardianship. For certain causes we removed her
from her last seminary; we did not consider it (as she is a young lady
of large fortune) sufficiently fashionable. As we understand Colonel
Vincent, a man whom every one must applaud, has declared that he and his
noble lady will patronize Mrs. Adair, from this circumstance alone I
have brought Miss Arden hither."

Colonel Vincent smiled, and stepped to the window to converse with his
youngest daughter. "It is particularly unfortunate, ma'am," added Mrs.
Towers, "that the young lady has so very dark a look; but I assure you
she is not a creole." Tears started into Miss Arden's eyes, and her
cheeks were tinged with a deep blush. Mrs. Towers now made another very
low curtsey, with "a good morning, ma'am; I have several visits to pay
in this neighbourhood." As she passed the young lady, she whispered
something respecting mixture and composition.

Colonel Vincent now led his daughters to Miss Arden. "Let me introduce
the young people to each other," said he; "who I hope will be friends
and pleasant companions."

Isabella, his youngest daughter, looked up in her face; and taking her
hand, said, "I am sure I shall love this lady, if she will love me."

Her sister turned her head, and with a scornful smile exclaimed, "You
are always taken with strangers! I wish Miss Russel would come! I
thought she would have been here early."

"This is an insolent young lady," said the