spirits, and with a little preliminary cough to attract
attention, she began--

"I may as well inform you, young ladies, that I have been
requested this year, as on previous occasions, to allow some of
my young people to attend in the antechamber of the assembly-room
with sandal ribbon, pins, and such little matters, and to be
ready to repair any accidental injury to the ladies' dresses. I
shall send four--of the most diligent." She laid a marked
emphasis on the last words, but without much effect; they were
too sleepy to care for any of the pomps and vanities, or, indeed,
for any of the comforts of this world, excepting one sole
thing--their beds.

Mrs. Mason was a very worthy woman, but, like many other worthy
women, she had her foibles; and one (very natural to her calling)
was to pay an extreme regard to appearances. Accordingly, she had
already selected in her own mind the four girls who were most
likely to do credit to the "establishment;" and these were
secretly determined upon, although it was very well to promise
the reward to the most diligent. She was really not aware of the
falseness of this conduct; being an adept in that species of
sophistry with which people persuade themselves that what they
wish to do is right.

At last there was no resisting the evidence of weariness. They
were told to go to bed; but even that welcome command was
languidly obeyed. Slowly they folded up their work, heavily they
moved about, until at length all was put away, and they trooped
up the wide, dark staircase.