amusing, you were laughing and talking so much."

"No, indeed; it was I, who was trying to amuse the gentlemen."

But Jane was not destined to try the effect of the Charleston
climate upon the energies of a belle. Her parents arrived in New
York, where she met them. She found letters there from her
sister, Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst, to her mother and herself,
strongly urging the propriety of Jane joining their party, for
the last year of their European visit. Mrs. Hazlehurst thought
travelling would be of great service to her sister, in every
respect; it would, probably, restore her health entirety; in
Paris she would take lessons from the best masters, if she wished
it--besides enjoying the advantages of seeing the Old World; at
the same time that, in her sister's family, she would be as well
taken care of, as if at her father's house, or at Wyllys-Roof. It
was an opportunity which might not occur again, and Mrs.
Hazlehurst wrote so urgently, that her parents consented to the
arrangement, provided Jane, herself, liked the idea. An old
friend of the family, Mrs. Howard, was to sail next month for
France, and would willingly take charge of Mrs. Graham's daughter
during the voyage: everything was settled, it only remained for
Jane, herself, to decide. She was far less anxious, however, to
see the wonders of Europe, than many other young persons would
have been. Elinor congratulated her warmly upon her good fortune,
and dwelt upon the pleasure she would, no doubt, enjoy; still,
Jane appeared rather indifferent to the plan, and it would
probably have been abandoned, had it not been for two
circumstances. Her father thought the voyage and change of air
might have a happy effect on her health, and improve it