The clever woman of the family 

Treacherous child !cried Rachel, putting up her hands and tossing her head, but her sister held her still. You know brides always take liberties. Please, dear, let it stay till the mother has been in, and pray dont talk before her of being so very old. No, Ill not be a shock to her. We will silently assume our immunities, and she will acquiesce if they come upon her Grace looked somewhat alarmed, being perhaps in some dread of immunities, and aware that Rachel ssilence would in any one else have been talkativeness. A h, mother dear, good morning, as a pleasant placid-looking lady entered, dressed in black, with an air of feeble health, but of comely middle age. Birthday greetings, congratulations, and thanks followed, and the mother looked critically at the position of the wreath, and Rachel for the first time turned to the glass and meta set of features of an irregular, characteristic cast, brow low and broad, nose retrousse, with large, singularly sensitive nostrils quivering like those of a high-bred horse at any emotion, full pouting lips, round cheeks glowing with the freshest red, eyes widely opened, dark deep gray and decidedly prominent, though curtained with thick black lashes. The glossy chestnut hair partook of the redundance and vigour of the whole being, and the roses hung on it gracefully though not in congruity with the thick winter dress of blue and black tartan, still looped up over the dark petticoat and hose, and stout high-heeled boots, that, like the gray cloak and felt hat, bore witness to the early walk. Grace scountenance and figure were in the same style, though without so much of mark or animation ;and her dress was of like description, but less severely plain. Yes, my dear, it looks very well; and now you will oblige me by not wearing that black lace thing, that looks fit for your grandmother. Poor Lovedy Kelland saunt made it, mot(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.) - from Amzon