aristocracy, be they never so rich. Well what say you, my dear?" for Mildred's face had grown very thoughtful.
"I'm afraid I am naturally inclined to think just so, but—"
"Well, are not my views correct and proper?" he asked good humoredly, as she paused with a look of some confusion.
"Is not character what we should look at, rather than anything else?" she modestly inquired, "is not true nobility that of the heart and life? It is what father and mother have taught me, and I think, too, is most consistent with the teachings of God's word."
At that moment there was a sudden and large influx of passengers, some of them talking noisily, and her query remained unanswered.
Chapter Fifth.
"Walk
Boldly and wisely in that light thou hast.
There is a hand above will help thee on."
—Birley's Festus.
"Well, my dear, what do you think of her?" asked Mr. Dinsmore, addressing his wife.
Mildred had just left the room to don bonnet and shawl preparatory to a shopping expedition. She and her uncle had arrived in Philadelphia late the previous night, and Mrs. Dinsmore and the children having already retired, Mildred's first sight of them had been at the breakfast table this morning;—the meal being partaken of in the private parlor belonging to the suite of apartments the Dinsmores were occupying in one of the best hotels of the city.
"I am agreeably disappointed, I must confess," Mrs. Dinsmore replied to her husband's query. "She is decidedly pretty and extremely ladylike in manner and appearance. Even her dress,—though not quite in the fashion—bespeaks her a person of taste and refinement. In fact I think I shall enjoy playing chaperone to her and introducing her to our friends at the South."
"Ah, I thought you could not fail to be pleased with her," Mr. Dinsmore said, looking much gratified, "and I knew you were when you bade her call you aunt. I imagine she had been a little troubled to decide just how she was to address you."
"Well, since I find she is not the sort one need feel ashamed of, I've no objection to her claiming relationship, though there is none at all in point of fact; but if she had proved the awkward, ungainly, uncouth girl I expected, I should have requested her to call me Mrs. Dinsmore," remarked that lady languidly. "I wonder if she has much shopping to do? I hope not, for I really do not feel equal to the exertion of assisting her."
"Driving about in a carriage and sitting in the stores; I should not think it need be so very fatiguing," remarked her husband.
"Of course not, Mr. Dinsmore; men never do see why anything should fatigue their wives," she retorted with some petulance.
"Then Miss Worth and I will have to manage it between us. You expect her to-day, do you not?"
"She was to come to-day; but of course she won't. People never do as they promise. The fact is she oughtn't to have gone at all, leaving me here alone with servants and children; so selfish and inconsiderate!"
"But, my dear, it would have been very hard for her to go back without having spent a short time with her family."
"And her pleasure is to be considered before my comfort, of course."
"Really, I had hoped your comfort had not been neglected," Mr. Dinsmore said, in a tone of some irritation, as he glanced from the richly attired figure in the easy chair, opposite his own, to the luxurious appointments of the room; "what more can you wish?"
The entrance of Mrs. Dinsmore's maid, bringing her bonnet and shawl, saved the lady the necessity of replying to the somewhat inconvenient query, and her husband turned to the morning paper.
Then Mildred came in.
Mrs. Dinsmore, standing before the pier glass, saw the girl's figure reflected there, and the latter could not help enjoying her start of surprise.
"What an elegant shawl!" she exclaimed, turning hastily about to take a better view, "real India! You needn't be ashamed to show yourself anywhere in that! Though your bonnet is quite out of date, as you warned me," she added by way of preventing too great elation from her praise of the shawl.
"No matter," interposed Mr. Dinsmore, throwing down his paper, "we'll soon set that right. The carriage is waiting. Are any of the children going?"
"Yes, Adelaide, Louise and Lora. Mammy and Fanny have taken the younger ones out."
The three little girls came in at the moment. They were gayly and expensively dressed, in the height of the fashion. They looked curiously at Mildred, then Louise, the second in age, a child of ten, whispered to her mother,
"What a fright of a bonnet, it's not in the style at all, and I don't want her along if she's going to wear that."
"Hush! it's no matter," returned the mother in the same low key, "she won't be seen in the carriage, and we'll drive directly to Mrs. Brown's and get her a handsome one."
"Oh! what a pretty shawl, cousin," exclaimed Adelaide, "real India, isn't it? Come on, mamma, and all of you," she added, hurrying into the hall, "it's time we were off."
"Adelaide always wants to direct the rest of us," complained Louise, "I wish, mamma, you'd make her know her place."
"Tut, tut! remember she's three years older than you. But if you children are going to quarrel, you must stay behind," said Mr. Dinsmore, standing back to let his wife and Mildred pass out first.
"No, no, papa, that won't do, because we're to be fitted with hats and shoes," laughed the youngest of the three, putting her hand into his, "besides, I didn't quarrel."
"That's true enough, Lora," he answered, leading her down the stairs, "and in fact, I believe no one did but Louise, who is apt to be the complainer."
The drive to the milliner's was so short that Mildred thought they might as well have walked. She would have preferred it as giving her a better opportunity to see the city; but no; in that case she would have had to mortify her friends by an exhibition of her unfashionable head-gear.
The next half hour was spent in turning over ribbons, flowers and feathers, discussing styles, and trying on bonnets.
At length one was found which pleased both Mrs. Dinsmore and Mildred, but the price asked seemed to the latter extravagant.
"Do you think I ought to go so high, Aunt?" she asked in an undertone. "Is it worth it?"
"I think the price reasonable, and the hat no finer than you ought to wear," returned Mrs. Dinsmore coldly.
Mildred, blushing, turned to the saleswoman, saying, "I will take it," and began counting out the money.
"Stay," said her aunt, "you will want a hat for travelling in."
A plainer and less expensive one was selected for that purpose, the handsome bonnet put on, the bill paid, and they returned to their carriage, Mildred feeling pleasantly
