204 THE OPEN AIR. 



was a delicacy on the table it was invariably offered 

 to her. The eagerness of the elderly gentlemen, who 

 presumed on their gray locks and conventional harm- 

 lessness to press their attentions upon her, showed 

 who was the most attractive person in the room. 

 Younger men feel a certain reserve, and do not reveal 

 their inclinations before a crowd, but the harmless 

 old gentleman makes no secret of his admiration. 

 She managed them all, old and young, with un- 

 conscious tact, and never left the ranks of the other 

 ladies as a crude flirt would have done. This tact 

 and way of modestly holding back when so many 

 would have pushed her too much to the front retained 

 for her the good word of her own sex. If a dance 

 was proposed it was left to her to say yes or no, 

 and if it was not too late the answer was usually 

 in the affirmative. So in the morning, should we 

 make an excursion to some view or pleasant wood, 

 all eyes rested upon her, and if she thought it fine 

 enough away we went. 



Her features were rather fine, but not especially so ; 

 her complexion a little dusky, eyes gray, and dark 

 hair ; her figure moderately tall, slender but shapely. 

 She was always dressed well; a certain taste marked 

 her in everything. Upon introduction no one would 

 have thought anything of her ; they would have said, 

 *' insignificant — plain;" in half an hour, *' different 

 to most girls;" in an hour, ''extremely pleasant;" 

 in a day, "a singularly attractive girl;" and so on, 

 till her empire was established. It was not the 

 features— it was the mouth, the curling lips, the 

 vivacity and life that sparkled in them. There is 



