PURCFTASING HOUSES. Ill 



those heels and running off. It is the eyes of other 

 people that cause his terror. 



A young countryman is in the same predicament if 

 asked to stand up in a quadrille, if (which with lads 

 brought up at home in the country is sometimes the 

 case) he has never been under the tuition of Mr. or 

 Monsieur Firstposition. He may be gentlemanly in 

 manners and well-informed ; but the consciousness of 

 his gaucherie makes him look and stand like a sim- 

 pleton, the more so from the eyes of the charming 

 girl on whom he hopes he has made some impression, 

 being upon him, he is aware all his prior attention 

 goes for nothing. She turns from him with feelings 

 bordering on disgust, for she is aware the eyes of 

 others have seen his embarrassment. She is ashamed 

 of him. 



A man unused to refined society, if peradventure 

 f*rom some chance he is taken into it, is still more to 

 be pitied. He can but feel that somehow he does 

 nothing like other people, who cannot help certain 

 looks of wonder at what he does do; and, if he de- 

 tects an involuntary smile from some one, he inwardly 



