 to-day, she kept her room all the morning, and taking my work, I went to sit with her, Fanny having gone to call upon Lady Farnford, whose repeated civilities

demanded or rather extort some return on our part.
Mrs. Hindon was very pressing with me to accompany her; but you may believe her entreaties had no sort of effect: as the sight of Captain Farnford was absolutely disagreeable to me, it would be strange indeed, I said, if I threw myself in his way when it was in my power so easily to avoid it.
This visit naturally led the subject to that family, upon which Mrs. Hindon began to lavish a thousand encomiums. Lady Farnford is her relation; and there has ever subsisted between them from infancy a very intimate friendship. They are extremely opposite in point of appearance; Lady Farnford being a little lean figure, with a very cold and dry address; but they are both equally prying and inquisitive, which is I suppose their chief bond of union, though Lady Farnford does not talk so much in a week as her friend does in one day.

Captain Farnford, Mrs. Hindon said, had always been reckoned a young man of very shining parts, and his figure and address were singularly elegant. He was a little wild to be sure; but what of that? few young ladies regarded that error as a material fault at his time of life, and in him it seemed more the effects of life and gaiety than of any inclination to vice. Some people, it was true, thought him a little extravagant; but this was the foible of a generous mind. For her part, to see a young man too near, was of all things what most disgusted her; besides, continued she, as he is not yet burthened with a wife and family, no doubt he has not turned his mind towards oeconomy; but when he is once fairly settled, I'll answer for it it will be the study of his life in all respects to render the woman of his choice compleatly happy.
I began now to suspect to what all this tended. I tried, however, to ward off

an explanation, by coldly acquiescing in her sentiments as a person uninterested in the cause; but my plan would not succeed.
I am glad you think so, Miss Seymour, cried she, for indeed, to tell you the real truth of the matter, the poor Captain is quite in despair at your distant and frigid manner towards him; and my Lady, whose heart is wrapt up in her son's happiness
