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Susan," said Ada, taking up her frock to examine it, "there is not so much lace on my frock as on Margaret's."

"I don't think there's any difference, Miss Ada," said Susan.

"Yes, there is," replied Ada, "there are two rows round Margaret's sleeves, and only one round mine; I know there's some more lace, in one of mamma's drawers, just like it; I shall go and fetch it for you to tack round for me."

Mrs. Craven happened to be out, so Margaret interposed, "Ada, I don't think mamma will like you to go to her drawers when she is out."

"Oh yes, she will," replied Ada, and off she ran, Susan fastening Margaret's frock the meanwhile.

When she returned she had the lace in one hand, and a bottle of what appeared to be scent in the other.

"Here's the lace, Susan," said she, "make haste and do it; and I've brought this scent," she added; "will you have some, Margaret?"

"We may not take mamma's scent, may we?" said Margaret.

"Oh yes," replied Ada; "I asked her before she went, and she said I might take the bottle off her dressing table."

Margaret held out her handkerchief, then, putting it to her face, exclaimed, "It's not scent, Ada, I don't know what it is," and she threw down the handkerchief in disgust.

"Not scent!" exclaimed Ada, snatching up the bottle, but by some mischance it slipped from her hand, emptying its contents upon the beautiful frock which lay in Susan's lap.

"Oh, dear!" cried Ada, "what have I done; will it stain, Susan?"

"I'm sure I don't know what it was in

the bottle," said Susan; "but yes; oh, look if it has not taken every bit of colour completely out—and such great patches too, all over the front."

"Oh! what shall I do?" said Ada, bursting into tears of vexation.

"You must wear one of

your India muslin

ones, Miss Ada, with a pink sash," said Susan.

"No, I will not," cried Ada passionately; "I will not wear anything; I will not go at all."

"But you must, Ada," said Margaret; 66 now we have been invited.”

"I will not, then," returned Ada; "and I am not going to be ordered about by you, Margaret; for though you are the eldest, nobody thinks half so much of you as they do of me."

The colour rose to Margaret's face at this unprovoked impertinence on Ada's part, and she walked away into the school-room.

"Come, Miss Ada," said Susan, coaxingly, "let me put on this white frock; I am sure it looks very nice."

"No; I will not," said Ada, "I will not go in white, and Margaret in the pretty rosecolour that I wanted so much; I do not choose her to be better dressed than I am; I would not care if she were going to wear white too."

Susan slipped into the school-room after