^ " THE STORY OF OUR LIVES FROM YEAR TO YEAR."—SnAKESPiiAKE. ALL THE YEAE ROUND. A WEEKLY JOURNAL. CONDUCTED BY CHARLES DICKENS. WITH WHICH IS IXCORPORATED HOUSEHOLD WORDS. N»- 497.] SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 18 [I'EICE 2d. ' No, Miss Madge," said Hester, " I will HESTER'S HISTORY. lock them all up iu my trunk, and I have half a A NEW SEKIAL TALE. mind to lose the key. I am sick of pretty gowns. I believe I shall never wear anything all my days but a very old plaiu frock. When CHAPIEa XVIIL ME5. HAZELDEAN GETS A NET this gets threadbare"—looking at her sleeve— GOWN. " it will be very nice. 1 think when I get time "WELL, I must say you need a handsome I will have a piece of sack-cloth aud make dress, Margaret!" said Lady Helen. " I am myself a new dress. I am tired of your pinks glad to find you eettinj; so miicli more like and your greens, your satins, and your gauzes." other people as to think ot it. I shall be very The Honourable Madge stood transfixed for pleased to lend you our young dressmaker for a a few moments in silence. week or so. You may trust her with anything. "My dear," she said, presently, "with such She is a most efficient person." ideas in your mind, 1 cannot thiuk where your " What are you going to have," asked Miss genius came from." Madge, in an ecstasy ot" interest. " Have cerise And then she went away sorrowful, disap­ satin—so useful tor dinner. Not very service­ pointed in her favourite. able to be sure, but then a little French chalk So it had been arranged that Hester was to is such an eseellent thing for gravy stains." be lent ont to Mrs. Hazeldean. Tlie evening " Thank you, Madge," said Mrs. Hazeldean, before her departure for the village. Lady Helen langhing; "but I believe cerise satin would and Miss Golden drove away to diue some­ take away my appetite." where at a distance; but they had uot been "Would it now?" said the Honourable gone above two hours when Miss Janet walked into Hester's tower-room with all her magnifi­ Madge, quite shocked. " WeU, do you know cent dining paraplieriialia removed, and a I tUnk I always eat better when I have a dressing-gown thrown over her muslin petti­ lively bit of colour about me." coats. "I hope you will smarten her up a little," she said to Hester. " It is a great opportunity "On sueh a night to be sent home again, for her, and I hope you and she will both take after enduring to dress in the cold 1" she ex­ advantage of it. She wears very good materials, elaimed, with her chin raised to the extreme angle of pique and indignant vexation. And you know, my dear," said poor Madge, sighing, no wonder she was vexed. She had gone to and feeUng her own flimsy gown between her the trouble of doing away with her pretty dark finger and thumb. " She is ladylike, I must curls, in place of which a snow-white edifice, say; but she selects such dowdy colours, and ornamented with roses, had been erected on she has no regard at all for Paris style. She her head. And I must say that her face looked has all her gowns made high up to her throat, very charming underneath it, surmounting her and she never puts a bit of powder in her hair. long wrapper of rose-coloured ilannel. She means well, I am sure, for she is good, you know, my dear, as good as gold; but it's a " A pretty country to live in, if it is not safe to drive a few miles along the road at night 1" 'pity to see her waste herself as she does. For continued Miss Janet. " 1 don't believe in il, for she is handsome, is Margaret, though Helen my part. I think Ihe whole fuss has come of don't see it. , T i Sir Archie Munro's talent for ordering about, " I shall miss you sadly, my dear. I have no and protecting, forsooth ! Not safe, indeed! relish now for the solitude of my own cliamber, Why, I never knew the people anything but which used to please me vastly—for ten minutes civil aud good-natured. And if it be not safe or so at a time. There is no one else in this place to drive a few miles along the road, what a who enters into the ideas that prey upon my nice prospect for my getting home to Eng­ mmd. Yet I do not grudge you to her it you land!" improve dear Margaret. You are a lady, my Miss Janet seated herself m Hesters low dear, and no one pretends to deny that. You arm-chair by the fender, and made herself as must show her a good example. Take some ot comfortable as she could. your pretty gowns, and wear them under her nose." " Give up fidgettiug about, do, and eome N^ 482 [Oclolcr 31, ISCS.] ALL THE YEAK ROUND. [Conducted by ami siL down and have a talk," she said tn conclusion. If Lady Helen could get her way Hester. " What makes you so sliy of talkin<^ it might be finished off to-morrow. But she to 1110, I wonder, when I am always tcllino; you can't get her way !" said Miss Janet, with a my concerns? It is a perfectrelii;f lo me some­ lii tie g'riinace of defiant satisfaction. " No, we times to pour tliem out upou you. There is are nice quiet easy-ijoing people here, and we sometliing so demure about you. as if you don't like to be hurried. We like to take our would not repeat a word for the world; and time. We are very comfortable as we are." yet you contrive lo let so much sympathy out And Janet embraced her knee, and smiled at of your eyes as to keep oue going on! I'll pro­ the fire, and appeared as cosy as any one could mise not "to say oue word about dress, aud you wish to be. Hester looked at the luxurious couldu't have'a better offer lliau ihat in this self-coniplacent youug lady, and thouglit of place! Neither Miss Marige unrmy Lady Helen Pierce. His ring was still round Hester's neck. would Ireat, you half so liberally." That last command of tlie Mother Augustine So Hester sat down wilh idle fingers and de­ had prevented the possibility of its ever being livered horseif up for the lioui- iuto Miss Gol­ delivered by Hester to its rightful owner, den's whimsical hands. now present. She could not explain, her ac­ "It will be insufferably dull here, you know, quaintanceship with Mr. Pierce without dis­ for me during the next week," said Jauet. covering her connexion with Lady Humphrey. " I do think I should have run away long ago The intention liad long been in her mmd to ifyou bad not arrived. And it is getting more return the ring, in a letter to the young geutle­ stupid every day with us down below. I really man ; but what with letters to tbe Mother used to be a most entertaining person myself, Augustine, and letters to Lady Humphrey, but I get no eneouragemont now, and the eon- every opportuuity for her pen had hitherto been sequence is I have completely subsided. Lady fully taken advantage of. She thought about Helen pretends to know nothing abont the Pierce, and his pains, and his hopes, and bis shocking things tiiat are goiii^ ou in the country, fears, and she pitied him. And she looked and I believe she does live with her cars full of upon Janet, aud strongly desired to know the cotton woo], but a few little drops of horror secret of her heart. She did not doubt that mnst distil through, 1 tlunk, for sometliing is Pierce was forgotten, yet she could not make telling on her temper. Tlien there is Madge- up hor mind that Sir Archie was beloved. why my war of wits with the Honourable Janet's mauner in speaking of him made her Madge used to keep the household alive; but indignant. If lie did not deserve something now she is so full of mystery, she actually better than this, if the plighting of his troth grows silent—does not observe the little sluifls had not called forth some deeper sentiment 1 fling at her. As for Sir Archie, I half believe than Miss Janet seemed to feel, then the world he is concerned with the rebels, so wrapt up was turning out a place altogether not worth iu his owu thoughts has be become; except, living iu. indeed, when bis mother is present, and " Yes, be actually advised rae to go home," then it is amusing and highly edifying, I am said Jauet; " planning my journey as coolly as sure, to see the efforts he puts forth to entertain if he were my father sending me to school. her!" He said I ought to lose no time, but I said, Miss Janet tossed her bead, as if she thought 'By your leave, Sir Archie; why?' He said, there were other people whom he ought to think because there were going to be sadder doings it worth his while to entertain. yet in the country, that by-aud-by I might "TV'hy, Miss Golden," .^aid Hester—"why want to escape, when travelling mi^ht uot do you thiiik Sir Archie ]\Iunro is concerned be so easy.