VANITY A BAD GUIDE. 109

seasons brought to the employments and enjoy-
ments of the country ; Mary would grow eloquent
in her description of her Southern home; and
Lucy would picture the beauties and wonders of
Niagara, the gay scenes she had witnessed at
Saratoga, and those of which she had heard in
New York, but only heard, since her father and
mother did not permit her to be present at
them.

“ Would not you like to go to such a party?”
she said to Clara one day, after one of her most
brilliant descriptions.

Clara shook her head, and Mary, taking courage
from that silent negative, said, ‘‘I would not;
I should be so afraid all the time of doing some-
thing to make the people laugh at me, that I
should not have any comfort at all.”

““T should not be afraid,” said Clara; “ but,
from what you tell me, these fine pecple don’t
play, and Jaugh, and talk asI like to do, and I
should soon get tired of them, I think.”

“And you would not be afraid of them?”
questioned Mary, with surprise.

“No!” said Clara, smiling; “I used to feel