children, before father grew so rich."

Madam's face clouded ominously. She heartily wished she had never
admitted her children to intimacy with the Harmers next door. It
had done no harm in the case of Frederick. He was his mother's son,
every inch of him, and was as ready to turn up a supercilious nose
at his old comrades as ever Madam could wish.

But Gertrude was different--she was excessively provoking at times.
She did not seem able to understand that if one intended to rise in
the world, one must cut through a number of old ties, and start
upon a fresh track. It was not easy in those times to rise; but
still the wealthier citizens did occasionally make a position for
themselves, and get amongst the hangers-on of the Court party,
especially if they were open handed with their money.

Madam often declared that if they only moved into another part of
the town, everything she wanted could be attained; but on that
point her husband was inexorable. He loved the old bridge house.
There he had been born, and there he meant to die, and he had not
the smnallest intention of removing elsewhere to please even the
wife to whom he granted so many indulgences.

"You are a fool!" cried Madam, angrily; "you say those things only
to provoke me. I wish you had some right feeling and some
conversation. You are as dull as ditch water. You care for nothing.
I don't believe it would rouse you to hear that the plague was in
the next street!"

"Well, we shall see," answered Gertrude, with a calmness that was