endure to hear of an invitation in which she was not included. "Invited
where, pray, Miss Jenny?"

"La! have not you heard? Why, we all took it for granted that you and
Miss Phoebe would have been the first and foremost to have been asked to
Mr. O'Neill's ball."

"Ball!" cried Mrs. Hill; and luckily saved Phoebe, who was in some
agitation, the trouble of speaking. "Why, this is a mighty sudden thing:
I never heard a tittle of it before."

"Well, this is really extraordinary! And, Phoebe, have you not received a
pair of Limerick gloves?"

"Yes, I have," said Phoebe, "but what then? What have my Limerick gloves
to do with the ball?"

"A great deal," replied Jenny. "Don't you know, that a pair of Limerick
gloves is, as one may say, a ticket to this ball? for every lady that
has been asked has had a pair sent to her along with the card; and
I believe as many as twenty, besides myself, have been asked this
morning."

Jenny then produced her new pair of Limerick gloves; and as she tried
them on, and showed how well they fitted, she counted up the names of
the ladies who, to her knowledge, were to be at this ball. When she had
finished the catalogue, she expatiated upon the grand preparations which
it was said the widow O'Neill, Mr. O'Neill's mother, was making for the
supper; and concluded by condoling with Mrs. Hill for her misfortune
in not having been invited. Jenny took her leave, to get her dress in