Year: 1866

lnaJlOn 70 picture the uellcdJe sJdLuesuue
loveliness OF the younger of the two girls,
than make vain attempt to describe the
almost infantine charm that dwelt in her
delicately- featured face. Perhaps she was
wanting in mobility Of expressiOn; at any
rate, its absence added to her general air of
refnment, gave her look of almost Area
dian innocence, and an appearance of puri-
ty that accord with her extreme youth
she could scarcely be seventeen years old.
| did not notice the particular shade of her
hair, or whether her eyes were blue or haZ-
ell; it is enough that she was lovely with the
beauty of youth and perfect freshness.
Her dress suited her beauty; her close black
bonnet defined the lovely outline of her
face, and, being dressed in the deepest
crape-mourning, she stood out in startling
relief from the mass of gay cOlors by which
she was surrounded. She looked wearied
and heated, most strangely strange to the
scene about her and to the atmosphere,
moral and physical, in which she found
herself. 1t was evident to me that she was
provincial, and that she had been hard at
work Sightseeing probably at the Exhibit
tion, all day, and by way of healthy restOr-
ative from that fatigue had come straight
to the theater, and, with that pertinacity
common to wouankind, especially that
portion of it unaccustOmed to theatrical
representations, was fighting with her IA
tigue for the sake of staying out the per-
formance to the very end. Her companion
was considerably older and with a face
strikngly pretty, despite the absence of
regularity OF feature, the possession of
bright eyes-a little too bright, brilliant
color that hints at some assistance having
been rendered to Nature-fine teeth, Il pro-
fusion of well-arranged hair, made her de-
cidedly very effective person. No suspi-
ciOn of innocent country lite in her dress
and manner. The constant and ready
smile, the quick turn OF the head to
catch every passing look of admiration, the
sharp glance OF the very bright eye,
and the utter absence of fatigue, made her
look as fresh as paint Qiterally) could make
her. Without giving a decided impression
of yulgarity, the style of her dress was yet
somewhat 1lashy. the gaudy hues predom-
mating, from the smart pattern on her
dress to the floating pink ribbons on her
bonnet, made more conspicuous by the
Grape trimming of her neighbor.


felt immensely interested by the beauty
| and disparity in the manners of these two
| girls, and had an uneasy feeling that their
cOmpaniOnship could scarcely have been
brought about by Legitimate circumstances.
| My reflections were Interrupted by the rise
OF the curtain; but the mystery in the
| llNln1 uTduld DclOIG Ilc TlNtJcu my dbJCu-
| ton, whilst that OH the stage passed alto
gether uuheeded. The young girl tried
with evident effort to shake off the lass-
tude and utter faituge by watch she was as
sailed-a weakness which elected little
| sympathy from her companion. She was
| endeaVOring TO concentrate her attention
upon the play, when all at once she who
had been pale before became OF death
like hue, and fell insensible across the lap of
her gay friend. CommotiOn at once en-
sues. Offers of help abound, as do kindly
meant suggestions impossible to follow, and
cries for air equally impossible to get at.
These do not avail the poor girl, who lies
helpless and CHASTITY white in the midst of
the excitement. AT last, along the narrow
seats that make access and ingress 50 diff
fcult, she is lifted and dragged, by hands
more willing than skillful, over the knees
OF the mere lOOkerS-On, or past the more
| eager outstanding assistants, till she is borne
TO the end of the row by the pillar against
which | stand. ''ohe is only fdintng,"
said her friend, now anXtOusly following
her, as my arms were stretched out to re-
ceve her.


Without being a Guy Livingstone in
strength, or being possessed OF any eX-
| tensive experience in the best methods OF
assisting beauty in iaintiLg tit, | was





light a burden, aud to render in my COM
paratvely uncrowded position, more pow
erful and efficient aiqThan she had received
from the lads and women who composed
the larger part of the audience near her.
Taking firm grip OF the poor child, l
pushed my way through the crowd and
reached the door. The situation, it may be
admitted, was not novel, nor am | the first
young fellow who has helped a swooning
| girl out of a crowd. Once at the check
takers door, my task was easy; | soon
gained the passage leading to the street,
wnere the air seemed mostreireshinglyc cool
after the impure, sitting atmosphere we
had LETT. She of the pink ribbons, and two
or three of the more sympathizing lockers
on, followed US; but seeing the girl was
fast recovering, they returned to witness
the conclusion of the drama, leaving me
and the two girls alone with the policeman,
who lent what aid was required to restore
the little one to perfect consciousness. The
deserted condition of the passage proved
at once that, contrary to my anticipations,
the storm was over; and on reaching the
Strand | saw that, though the streets were
wet and sloppy, overhead all was clear \
gentle breeze was deliciOusly reviving af-
ter the painting heat of the day and the last
hour of tropical intensity we had endured.
| All ,JnlS L saw dJ u SlduCc, dS leu GllC poOl
child into the fresh night air. The police
man, seeing 1 was equal to the emergency,
retired to his watch and ward by the inner
door, whilst the little one added her hurried,
trembling thanks to the more voluble but


less interesting utterances of her c0mpan-
ion. Whilst she tried on her bonnet and
smoothed back her hair, l observed her
closely and became more than ever con-
vinced that she was totally out of her ele-
ment, and altogether unfit to be left unpro-
tected, or in such protection as she got from
her companion, in the streets of London, at
such an hour.


| As Ihave said, lam naturally of chirpy,
CHEEKY nature, always ready to be friendly,
and to make ght OF small troubles; so,
waving further thanks, suggested that,
as the performance must be nearly ut an
! end, we should none of us re-enter the
theater, but go into the street at once;
| proposed calling cab, al the same time
| limiting that as it was fine, walk home,
provided the distance were not too great,
would be the better thing. With that in
uuisitorial tendency that all loquacious
bersons possess, endeavored TO ascer ain
in what direction "home" lay. After
good deal of hesitation on the part of my
| little friend, and of coquetry from she OF the
cav colors, Igathered that they were bound
for the neigll6orhood of st. Martins lane.
further made the discovery that it was a
matter of perfect indifference to the one
girl wheCher accompanied them on their
homeward walk--whilst the other, by a
| thousond stunid little d1dcerieS. endeaVOred