had been accidentally and suddenly thrown. Still Eudosia had a heart.
She could scarcely be a woman, and escape the influence of this portion
of the female frame. By means of the mesmeritic power of a pocket-
handkerchief, I soon discovered that there was a certain Morgan
Morely in New York, to whom she longed to exhibit my perfection, as
second to the wish to exhibit her own.

{retenue = discretion}

I scarcely know whether to felicitate myself or not, on the circumstance
that I was brought out the very first evening I passed in the possession
of Eudosia Halfacre. The beautiful girl was dressed and ready for Mrs.
Trotter's ball by eight; and her admiring mother thought it impossible for
the heart of Morgan Morely, a reputed six figure fortune, to hold out
any longer. By some accident or other, Mr. Halfacre did not appear--
he had not dined at home; and the two females had all the joys of
anticipation to themselves.

"I wonder what has become of your father," said Mrs. Halfacre, after
inquiring for her husband for the tenth time. "It is SO like him to forget
an engagement to a ball. I believe he thinks of nothing but his lots. It is
really a great trial, Dosie, to be so rich. I sometimes wish we weren't
worth more than a million, for, after all, I suspect true happiness is to be
found in these little fortunes. Heigho! It's ten o'clock, and we must go, if
we mean to be there at all; for Mrs. Caverly once said, in my presence,
that she thought it as vulgar to be too late, as too early."

The carriage was ordered, and we all three got in, leaving a message for
Mr. Halfacre to follow us. As the rumor that a "three-figure" pocket-
handkerchief was to be at the ball, had preceded my appearance, a