girl, and gladly welcomed her back when, after much persuasion, she
agreed to go and help them with the difficult figures of the
tzardas. Once among them she felt in her element, and trained the
awkward squad so well that Professor Ludwig complimented them on
their improvement at the public rehearsals, and raved no more, to
the great delight of the timid damsels, who lost their wits when the
fiery little man shouted and wrung his hands over their mistakes.

The young gentlemen needed help also, as several of them looked very
much like galvanized grasshoppers in their efforts to manage long
legs or awkward elbows. Jessie willingly danced with them, and
showed them how to move with grace and spirit, and handle their
partners less like dolls and more like peasant maidens with whom the
martial Hungarians were supposed to be disporting themselves at the
fair. Merry meetings were these; and all enjoyed them, as young
people do whatever is lively, dramatic, and social. Every one was
full of the brilliant Kirmess, which was the talk of the city, and
to which every one intended to go as actor or spectator. Jessie was
sadly tempted to spend three of her cherished dollars for a ticket,
and perhaps would have done so if there had been any one to take
care of her. Laura could not go, and Mr. Vane was away; no other
friend appeared, and no one remembered to invite her, so she bravely
hid her girlish longing, and got all the pleasure out of the
rehearsals that she could.

At the last of these, which was a full-dress affair at Fanny's
house, something happened which not only tried Jessie's temper
sorely, but brought her a reward for many small sacrifices. So much
dancing was very hard upon her slippers, the new pair were worn out
long ago, and a second pair were in a dangerous condition; but