off I protest, I don't know," said Frank; “but he says his wife is an excellent manager. I wish, Jane, you would find out how they contrive the matter, and perhaps we can take a leaf out of their book."

*།

Mrs Reed had all the little vanity of being able to make a show on small means; and when Jane humbly asked advice and direction, willingly granted it. "In the first place," said she, "I set it down as a rule, from the first, that the only way we could get forward in the world was to live in genteel style, and put the best foot foremost. You would be astonished, between ourselves, to know how little we have to spend; but then I have a great deal of contrivance. What wages do you give your servants?" To Jane's information she replied, "You give too much. By the by, I can recommend an excellent seamstress to you, who will sew for twelve cents a-day. But, my dear Mrs Fulton, you must not wear that shabby bonnet; and, excuse me, you do want a new pelisse tremendously. It really is not doing justice to your husband, when he has such a run of business, and such a handsome income, to dress in this manner."

"I do not know how it is," said Jane; "but we spend a great deal more than we used to do; we send our children to expensive schools."

I

"That is entirely a mistake. I don't send mine to any; it is my system. They get such vulgar habits, associating with the lower classes! I educate them myself."

"But do they learn as well as at school?".

"How can a woman of your sense ask that question? As if a mother could not teach her children better than strangers! Take my advice, and save all the money you are paying for them; it is just throwing it away. Educate them yourself. Rousseau approves of it."

Though Jane did not entirely adopt Mrs Reed's ideas, she thought, with her, that they were paying an enormous sum for schools; and both she and Frank agreed, as demands for money increased, that they might just as well go to cheaper schools. The penalties of living beyond the means most generally fall upon the children of the family; not that parents love them less than other appurtenances, but because deficiencies here are more easily kept out of sight. We speak not of dress or food, but of education. Many declaim on the expense of schools, who forget that teachers are qualified by devoting the best part of their lives to the subject; that the education of children cannot be taken up all at once merely for a living; but that, to be successful, it must be founded upon higher and nobler motives, and deserves a compensation equivalent to the preparation and importance of the object. Mrs Reed thought otherwise when she found how little trouble it was to educate her children, with a girl hired for an assistant. Those who saw not the interior, spoke of her as a most wonderful woman.

SuPerhaps there is no class of men less liable to extravagance than physicians. Their gains are slow and laborious, and they toil for daily bread from hour to hour. No large sum comes in, like a lawyer's fee, for a few words of advice; and no lucky speculations on coffee, indigo, or cotton, raise him, like a merchant, from moderate means to sudden affluence. But the seeds of luxury and extravagance may be scattered everywhere; and even the very security that Frank felt in his profession, and in his own moderate desires, had perhaps made him less vigilant. 119 Though Jane did not entirely trust to Mrs Reed's opinions as to teachers and schools, on many other subjects she yielded implicit deference. The consequence was, that, from a simpledressed woman, she soon became a fashionable lady, bonneted and blonded in the extreme of fashion, and, even to her own surprise, a fine stylish-looking woman. Frank, who had hitherto only appreciated his wife's virtues and amiable qualities, began now to pride himself on her elegance. The moment this sort of pride takes possession of a husband, he delights to hang his idol with finery and trinkets. How much of honest, faithful affection and esteem mingles with this tribute, depends on the character; in the present instance there was an uncommon degree of affection. For many years they had been all the world to each other

had struggled through a degree of penury-had enjoyed comparative affluence meekly and thankfully-and even now, Jane sometimes doubted whether their enlarged income had increased their happiness. She still, however, continued her charities; and one day, when she applied to her husband for a sum to give away, was surprised when he replied, "Really, Jane, I cannot afford such a donation."

"Not afford it!" exclaimed she; "why, it is no more than we have given for several years."

"But our expenses have greatly increased."

"And so has our income," said Jane triumphantly. Frank looked thoughtful, and shook his head. "Well," said Jane cheerfully, we have been talking about getting a centretable; now suppose we give that up, and devote the money to charity?"

As you please," said Frank coldly.

Jane was silent for a moment, and then said, "No, dear; it is not as I please, but as you please."

"A centre-table was your own proposal," said Frank. dok "I know it; but I should not have thought of it if Mrs Reed had not said it was necessary."

“Mrs Reed seems to have become your oracle, with all her folly. Then it was only because she said so that we were to have a centre-table?"

No, Frank; not entirely. I thought it would be very con venient; and then it gives a room such a sociable look; besides, as we had a centre-lamp-"

lobetreet How that helps your argument; the table doesn't hang to the lamp, does it? 29229r elm szofT vimet sit

should

No; and I begin to think it is of no consequence. Indeed I I never have thought of it, if it had not been for Mrs Reeded be2001 902 29m9G acy 20owbin 191 1 908 7000 Mrs. gain!" exclaimed Frank peevishly. I really

think th's acquaintance is a curse."

SELOT

Jane made no

reply, eyes filled with tears. Since you are so unwil ling to give up Five up either the centre-table or your donation, you shall have both said Frank; "so pray go and select one with your friend." Box vivo 10 o How Can you think me so unreasonable replied Jane. There Was a pathos in her voice that restored her husband to his good.201289162 915 jist

nature.

ง

Thank had set Jane a task beyond her strength. The centre

table was

was Mrs

and then an elegant

Jane.

was not theased,onable lady worth a here and who sh, whose husband was said tog uld be fused s bise wong some of its golden glare among the onlookers;

a right to spend what she pleased. Nothing more flattering than her attentions. It would seem

SO

deference paid to it? In vain we say, philosophically, it is dross; or, experimentally, it benefits not us. it is rich have their humble imitators, and

worshippers.

Frank became the companion of the ammoni

it was necessary that he should not disgrace his intimates by a penurious style of living. He and Jane were invited to dinners and soirées. Such constant invitations must be returned, and they began to give entertainments. Hitherto, the little Misses Fulton had kept their seats at the dinner-table; but their dinner was at a most inconvenient hour to accommodate them. It interfered with morning calls; and it was determined the children

should dine wholly in the nursery. Toumens 158 vd botereen bus

Jane thought it a singular piece of good fortune that should be taken up by three such friends as Mrs Reed, Mrs Bradish, and Mrs Hart. The first knew everything and everybody; the second was rich enough to make ducks and drakes of her money; and the last was the mirror of fashion and dress. It might be rationally asked, what benefit she derived from this triple alliance. But it was a question she never asked herself. With all this, however, she was obliged unwillingly to feel that happiness nor her comfort was increased. A

e appearance of property had become neof

of

must be practised somewhere, to bring out the course fell upon the interior. Jane had been in the superintending her own affairs, and seeing that nothing was wasted, and nothing used superfluously. This system, while it extended to each and to all, was cheerfully received; but when the domestics found that the luxuries of the kitchen were not

proportionate the family. ever experienced the harassing labour of keeping up a showy appearance in the pardour, with strict economy in the kitchen, will, sympathise with poor Jane in her arduous task. Sometimes she looked back with a sigh to her first experiment in housekeeping when, with her tin woman of all work, and Martha's little girl, everything went smoothly on in harmony and confidence. But this was a trifle compared to the apparent change in her husband's temper. From frank-hearted, open confidence in all around him, he began to be tenacious of civility; thought such an one looked coldly; it must be because they had not returned their ca e other reason

Those mistresses who have discontented, and left

Then he sometimes rated salts, which Jane

as importantes repeate

one morning, “since Uncle Joshua has been here - 999 s godt bas, beesdoung asw eldst 9I suppose," said Frank, “he feels an awkwardness on account of our different rank in life.eur 90 das 1M 26 Oh no, that is wholly unlike him. Suppose we send and ask him to dine to-day?" 190 and niste som od bluos. ars Not to-day. have invited Professor R ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ and Dr B You know they are both intellectual his dinner."

men. He would not enjoy nad ti vetusmies to aaorb ai ti vlls all the Besides," said Jane, when he comes, we must let children dine at the table. We will ask him ask him to-morrow, and appoint dinner at two. ton luoda od tert

market

veds

With all my heart," said Frank, as he went out to pay a visit to the market, followed by his servant with basket. til 9ft otradi 19Jane began her preparations for dinner. Her constant change of servants, and increasing trouble with them, often made this an arduous task. She was was soon in the midst of glass and china; and, assisted by her chamber-maid, began to lay the table. They had got it nearly completed, with its plates, wine-glasses, and tumblers all in a row, when she was alarmed by a loud ringing at the door. The chamber-maid was despatched, with strict injunctions to let nobody in, but say she was not at home. There was evidently a parley, and the step of a person was heard approaching. With a sudden feeling of mortification at being caught, Jane rushed into the closet, and closed the door. The sound of Uncle Joshua's voice struck her ear as he entered. Are you sure she is not at home?" said he to the Oh yes, sir quite sure. I saw her How long has she been gone rota these kind of people Try and tiro onind of gedwamba baaitosi od tam Dit on her thin disg e?"

JI

Produe been onition will wait for

Then, probably, she will be back soon, and I

30 19 nedotid odt to sortuzul edt tedt barot esitesmas 913

"Oh no, sir; she said she would not be back till near dinnertime."

',

"Why, you look as if you were going to have a company of aldermen to dine."

The girl answered, in a simpering tone, "No, sir, only two or three friends."

Jane, during this conversation, felt a consternation that disabled her from acting judiciously-which would have been to have come out from her hiding-place, and tell the simple truth. But she knew her uncle's straightforward mind, and she was sure he would not make the distinction which custom and fashion warrant of not at home, as meaning engaged. The girl, too, had so positively implicated her in a falsehood, had shown so completely that she understood no qualification, that Jane felt the utmost horror at being detected. She actually looked out of the window, to see if there was no possibility of escape. In the meantime Uncle Joshua laid down his hat and cane, seated himself by the open window, and asked for a glass of

water.

Jane at length came to the conclusion that she had better remain perfectly quiet; that his calls were never very long; and she would send for him the next day, and should escape all unpleasant feeling. To her dismay, however, she presently heard him call for the morning's paper. She knew he was one of those inveterate newspaper readers that go through the whole, and she tried to be resigned to at least an hour's imprisonment. Alas, what a situation! The dinner at a stand, the marketing would be back, and ducks and geese in waiting! At length, however, Uncle Joshua got to the end of the everlasting newspaper; and, as he folded it up, told the girl, who had entered the room every five minutes, to say to his niece that "he was sorry not to see her, but could not wait any longer." Then turning suddenly upon the closet door, he grasped the handle.

Sir, sir!" exclaimed the girl, "that is the wrong door." It was too late. He had turned the lock, and the door came open! There stood Jane in one corner, not pale as a lily, but the colour of a full-blown peony. His surprise for a moment was extreme. But he was not slow of comprehension; and the truth rushed upon him, greatly exaggerated; for he believed it was a contrivance to avoid seeing him. He stood silent, with his eye fixed upon her.

"Dear uncle," said she, "I thought it was a stranger. I did not know it was you when I ran into the closet." "Silence!" said he; 66 no more falsehoods. Begone!" turning to the chamber-maid. "And you have taught that poor, ignorant girl, to peril her soul by falsehoods! Jane, Jane, I have loved you like my own child, but I shall trouble you no more. You shall not be obliged to send word to your old uncle that you are not at home." And he turned to go.