"Oh, indeed; and your subject, my dear
young lady?"
"The past history, the present condition, and the future prospects of
our sex."
"Oh, well, St. Louis--that's scarcely the South," said one of the
ladies.
"I'm sure the young lady would have had equal success at Charleston or
New Orleans," Basil Ransom interposed.
"Well, I wanted to go farther," the girl continued, "but I had no
friends. I have friends in St. Louis."
"You oughtn't to want for them anywhere," said Mrs. Farrinder, in a
manner which, by this time, had quite explained her reputation. "I am
acquainted with the loyalty of St. Louis."
"Well, after that, you must let me introduce Miss Tarrant; she's
perfectly dying to know you, Mrs. Farrinder." These words emanated from
one of the gentlemen, the young man with white hair, who had been
mentioned to Ransom by Doctor Prance as a celebrated magazinist. He,
too, up to this moment, had hovered in the background, but he now gently
clove the assembly (several of the ladies made way for him), leading in
the daughter of the mesmerist.
She laughed and continued to blush--her blush was the faintest pink; she
looked very young and slim and fair as Mrs. Farrinder made way for her
on the sofa which Olive Chancellor had quitted.
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