When all the sweeties, and halfpence, and
toys were gone, the children went too,
gradually dispersing down to Ferny Bank and the
shore; then our other company assembled in
the house, and the early tea (remarkable
innovation on Burnbank customs) took place
for those who chose to remain. A few, who
dine at half-past six and seven o'clock,
departed, after expressing regret that they
had had so little of my company. I
believe a great many people,—-all, perhaps,
except Mrs. Lake and the Lawsons—-took
away an impression that Miss Eleanor Clare
has a taste for low company. Mary Jane
Curling said they were surprised I had not
chosen to give a dance! As if I cared for a
dance in this hot weather! And where were
the partners to come from, if I had? I like
the children's parties the best yet, whatever
I may do by-and-by. I will give a dance,
maybe, when I leave school, or when I am
of age.

Dr. Rayson was very much gratified; he
likes the poor things to be pleased, and says
it does them good, and I would rather he
thought me right than all the Curlings,
Charltons, and Prices put together. I do not
value their opinion at all.

I am not quite sure whether Grannie likes
me to act as I do—-I have doubts. She said
to me, when I remarked about my
indifference to what people think: " There is no
need to be so violently independent, Eleanor;
you will become harsh and brusque in
manner if you live in such a defiant frame of
mind as you have adopted lately."

Can it be true that I am (notwithstanding
my indifference to its possession) actually
deteriorating since this fortune befel me?
I believe I am. I have thoughts I never had
before. It is true, six months ago, I was shy
of these fine folks whom I care nothing about
now; and I know that it is because they think
more of me on account of my money that the
change has come. It will be a very good
thing for me to be sent off to school, where I
shall have something to do to keep my head
steady. I believe I could have borne a good
strong shock of adversity a great deal better
than I am bearing my prosperity. Now I
should hate myself if I became what I so
particularly detest, a strong-minded,
disagreeable woman—-and there seems a danger
of it.

July the twenty-ninth.—-I am not a crying
body generally, but last night, after I got
to bed, I had a thorough good cry, and feel
all the better for it now it is over. Cousin
Jane said to me: "Eleanor, you are quite
spoilt; I never saw such a conceited,
dogmatical puss as you are turning into in all my
life! And you used to be a simple-minded
girl enough once."

I cannot express how intense my mortification
was, but I contrived to keep it still
until I got to bed, and then I did cry. I was
all the more vexed, because Cousin Jane was
so right in what she said. I am becoming
positively odious, I know I am. All the
while that I have been trying to persuade
myself that I cared nothing about my money
I have been puffing myself up into a very
balloon of arrogance. How I should have
ridiculed anybody else if they had done so;
and I daresay people are laughing at me!
And if they are, I deserve it! There will
be some good in going away from Burnbank,
after all. At Miss Thoroton's, no one knows
I am an heiress, no one will be constantly
calling the fact to my mind, therefore, by
remarks and insinuations. I shall have to
wait on myself, and work hard, too. I am
going on the first of August; Grannie is to
take me. I wonder what it will all be
like?

A HINT FROM SIAM.

WE are indebted to Doctor Bowring for
the following information regarding the
Hereditary Aristocracy of Siam, one at least
of whose attributes, it seems to us, might be
most advantageously adopted by our own.
It appears, in that favoured country, wherein,
as in this our beloved land, the principal
nobility are never approached by the middle
and lower classes, except upon their stomachs
and all fours, that persons of gentle birth are
always recognisable by means of a certain
artificial twist in their left arms. This
peculiarity is not as many of the more abject
Siamese are prepared to swear, exactly born
with them, but it is cultivated very
assiduously by the upper Ten Thousand
from their earliest infancy; so that at
last, and when the young aristocrat is old
enough to fill the high office of state which
of course awaits him, the palm of his hand
can be turned upwards after two revolutions,
in which position it possesses all the ability
for receiving and retaining the public money
which pertains to it, in England, after one.
There is a very interesting engraving in
Doctor Bowring's book, which I regret that
the unpictorial character of this journal
forbids me to copy, representing a noble lord
with this dislocated left elbow sitting
superciliously before an empty desk (which typifies,
after the eastern manner, the colonies
perhaps, or the war department), and awaiting,
as it seems, the Morning Post of his country,
while a number of individuals are crawling
towards him upon hands and knees, offering,
I suppose, votes of confidence and
testimonials, and boasting without doubt of their
Siamese Sion and the freedom of election.

I do not for one instant intend to magnify
the Siamese nobility at the expense of my own
dear country; but I think that the eastern
aristocracy have an advantage over them in
this matter of arm turning. It is the single
attribute, if I may be allowed to say so,
which it seems to me the governing classes
in this country need to make them perfect.