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"Thanks!"

He pressed my hand as warmly and kindly as ever; and with a heart happier and lighter than I had had for a long time, I hastened up into my room; there, in peaceful retirement and fullness of heart, to chant my Te Deum.

My next thought was to form a treaty of peace with my stepmother; but in order to effect this object, I was obliged to go rather diplomatically about it.

People of good disposition always soon repent the violence and injustice into which their tempers have misled them; and I was now sufficiently acquainted with my stepmother to be assured that in her heart she was grieved at her own hasty conduct towards me, and would gladly make the "amende honorable," if it could be done consistently with her position and her dignity. To have surprised her now with the new carpet would have humbled her; and this, together with the consciousness of her own unreasonableness, would have been more than she could have borne. It was necessary therefore to bring about the matter in another way.

Accordingly I went down stairs, entered the room where my stepmother was sitting on the sofa, with an air of no little chagrin and embarrassment, while Selma was reading near the window, as if nothing had happened, and undauntedly feigned to be in great want of some black silk for my dress.

With the expression,-"I am almost sure I have some that will match it," my stepmother rose up in an instant from the sofa, and went to her boxes, in which she soon found several pieces of black silk, which she begged me to accept and use, in the most pressing manner. In addition to these, I afforded her gratifica

tion by receiving at her hands a quantity of beautiful lace which I did not want, but which my stepmother in the warmth of her heart felt anxious to present me with. This now led to a little treatise on prohibition enactments, luxury, and national economy; and of this also I received more than I wished. But my heart was tuned in grateful concert, and therefore I took all as circumstances would have it.

After my stepmother had thus considerably lightened herself of articles of luxury and learning, 1 could, without scruple, burden her with the carpet: I resolved, however, to wait till the next day. I was now, on my part, satisfied with the position of things, resigned myself to the opinion that such also was the case with my stepmother, and retired in peace to my room. It was therefore no little surprise to me when I saw my stepmother enter, and with the most amiable kindness, and tears in her eyes, heard her say,

"I must beg Sophia to forgive my passionate temper this morning; I know not what induced me to be so disagreeable. But you are well aware that your old mother has no such bad intention, though she is sometimes irritable when her mind is too much oppressed. At the same time I can scarcely forgive myself—”

This was indeed saying much, and I was well-nigh falling at the feet of my stepmother, from a feeling of profound veneration. However, we merely fell into each other's arms; but our bosoms have never reposed on each other more cordially-or rather it was the first time that they ever so warmly met. I was deeply moved, as is my usual wont on such occasions. My stepmother was less affected, but she expressed herself well and charmingly about her character and failings,

and about the duty of persons at every stage of life to strive for improvement, herein coinciding with Madame de Genlis's sentiment.

I cannot bear to hear people advanced in years say "I am too old to improve; " I would rather forgive young people for saying, "I am too young." When we have attained to full maturity, then is the very period when we are most especially bound to labour to perfect ourselves, and to compensate by good qualities for what we lose in the agreeable.

With perfect conviction, I admitted that my stepmother and Madame de Genlis were correct in their observation on this point, and requested the favour of writing down these words for my own use; and at peace with each other, and somewhat satisfied with ourselves, we separated.

April 4th.

The carpet was this morning laid down with great joy by the domestics, and received my stepmother when she came down to breakfast. She was as much surprised and delighted at it as I could possibly wish; and Selma regained her former alacrity of spirits, and danced before her mother upon the flowers and stars of the carpet.

This little incident seems to have diffused no little joy throughout the family.

"By a mutual exchange of gifts, friendship is cemented," says one of our wise old bards.

My stepmother is now occupied with cheerful thoughts about our proposed soirée on Wednesday

* But I must beg my stepmother's pardon; it is not Madam de Genlis, but Madam de Sevigné, who so expresses herself in one of ner epistles.

and has requested us to take particular pains with our toilet, so as to make a beautiful and elegant appear ance as the daughters of the house.

April 5th.

The Viking has been appointed to the command of the frigate Déssirée, which is to sail in the spring, on an expedition to the Mediterranean. He will be away one, or probably two years. This news suprised me. Why, will he But, perhaps, it is better as it is. Notwithstanding, it is hard for me.

April 8th.

Yesterday was our soirée; which passed off with éclat and perfect success. Flora, who seems to breathe more freely since the absence of St. Orme, enjoyed again a period of blooming beauty. She-as on the first evening I saw her was dressed in scarlet gauze, Selma in skyblue crape, and I in white French cambric, trimmed with lace. My stepmother regarded me with pleasure when we assembled in a room below, previous to the arrival of the guests, and was proud of her daughters, called us "les trois graces, and pronounced my

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appearance to be "vestal like."

A quantity of splendid flowers adorned the roomall was in perfectly festive and beautiful order. The new carpet glowed brightly beneath our feet, and warmed the heart of my stepmother.

Such an evening has its fate, like all other things in the world; and though it is not worth while to attach any great importance to it, it is, nevertheless, an agree

able thing to see that the fairy of joy, and not of chagrin, wields the sceptre.

A great deal depends upon the inclination or ability of any of the company present to take in hand the general life-giving magic wand; and the Sylphide performed this part this evening, and entwined her invisible wreath uniformly around the company.

As my stepmother herself gave reception to her guests in the inner anteroom, it formed consequently the place of general rendezvous, and became crowded and warm, till Selma, taking the arm of Hellfrid Rittersvärd, proposed to her, and some other young ladies, to "establish a colony" in another apartment. They emigrated; soon several of the party followed them, and in a very short time the colony, as Selma playfully observed to her young friends, was in a very flourishing condition. Ladies and gentlemen did not-as, I am sorry to say, is the prevailing custom in our northern assembliesdivide themselves into separate parties, but joined in little circles, endeavoured to render themselves mutually agreeable to each other, and thus arose a lively conversation. The circumstances of our having also some literary, scientific, and musical notables-some "Lions" (N.B. of the noblest breed) among us, considerably enhanced the splendour of the evering. My stepmother was brilliant. Hellfrid Rittersvärd, and her bridegroom, looked heartily happy; and their agreeable, easy, and tranquil deportment diffused, as usual, pleasure around them. A toast of congratulation was proposed for them by my stepmother at supper, and drunk with solemnity.

Flora's sister, the "Belle," looked this evening un

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