the fashionable women in Philadelphia lost her baggage, and the advertisement that contained a description of the articles of apparel and jewelry, showed that her wardrobe and incidentals must have cost from five to ten thousand dollars.

It is time that girls were instructed as to the folly and sin of such fondness for dress and ornaments. How much more becoming to female character is less regard for ornament, and more for mental improvement and moral worth! Besides, this love of costly apparel proves a snare to the soul, so that a heart thus wedded to display seldom aspires after noble things. A degree of vanity and selfishness, which are foes to womanly dignity and true excellence, is usually the consequence.

In contrast with such examples of vain show, we love to contemplate the reply of a young lady, in one of the leading circles at Washington, to the compliment of a gentleman on the simplicity and good taste of her dress: "I am glad you like my dress; it cost just seven dollars, and I made every stitch of it myself." Or the still better example of Frances McLellan, a young lady of rare accomplishments and piety. She moved in wealthy society, and received many valuable presents of jewelry, which she carefully laid away in a drawer. When asked why she did not wear them, she re

plied, "I can look at them in my bureau as well as on my person, and I do not think they are becoming to me." Such a female has traits of character that will win for her an enviable position in society.

The Scriptures have somewhat to say upon this subject, and their counsels should be heeded. "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." Rev. Albert Barnes has some valuable comments upon this passage, which set forth very clearly what is duty in regard to dress; and we shall bring this chapter to a close with a quotation therefrom: "It is not to be supposed that all use of gold or pearls as articles of dress is here forbidden; but the idea is, that the Christian female is not to seek these as the adorning which she desires, or is not to imitate the world in these personal decorations. It may be a difficult question to settle how much ornament is allowable, and when the true line is passed. But though this cannot be settled by any exact rules, since much must depend on age, and on the relative rank in life, and the means which one may possess; yet

there is one general rule, which is applicable to all, and which might regulate all. It is, that the true line is passed when more is thought of this external adorning than of the ornament of the heart. Any external decoration which occupies the mind more than the virtues of the heart, and which engrosses the time and attention more, we may be certain is wrong. The apparel should be such as not to attract attention; such as becomes our situation; such as will not be particularly singular; such as shall leave the impression that the heart is not fixed on it. It is a poor ambition to decorate a dying body with gold and pearls. It should not be forgotten that the body thus adorned will soon need other habiliments, and will occupy a position where gold and pearls would be a mockery. When the heart is right, when there is true and supreme love for religion, it is usually not difficult to regulate the subject of dress."

"God looks not at the clothing which we wear;

All must put off their garments at the tomb;
The same sun shines on all; the same sweet air
Lifteth the beggar's locks, the lady's plume!

"A monument of costly marble shows

The place where sleeps the lady fair at last;
But in a nameless grave, in calm repose,

Unknown, unloved, the beggar's form is cast.

"Lone spot!-yet all the lady's gems and gold

Were vain to buy an epitaph more fair

Than that, by God's own hand each spring unrolled, In flowery language 'bove the sleeper there!"

CHAPTER XVI.

A LADY.

LADY, AN ABUSED TERM THE GAY AND FOOLISH CLAIM ITSOME APPLY IT TO FEMALES INDISCRIMINATELY-WHO IS A LADY? - GIRLS THINK SOME NEEDFUL LABOR IS NOT LADYLIKE GENTEEL TO BE IGNORANT OF HOUSEWORK-THE WOMAN WHOSE PASTOR CALLED TO SEE HER SOME YOUNG LADIES NEVER SEEN IN KITCHEN-GARB-MAN WHO MARRIED A BEAUTY, AS RELATED BY ARTHUR-WAS SHE MORE LADYLIKE FOR NOT KNOWING HOW TO COOK A DINNER? - ALEXANDER'S SISTERS -CÆSAR'S WIFE- THE WIFE OF COLLATINUSOF TARQUIN-MADAME ROLAND - MRS. WASHINGTON AND VISIT OF LAFAYETTE THE WIFE OF GENERAL WASHINGTONVISIT AND CONFESSION OF MRS. TROUPE WIFE OF GOVERNOR CRITTENDEN -ALL THESE WERE LADIES, YET PERFORMED HOUSEWORK-MARY LYON A MODEL-HER WORDS AND PRACTICE-LIKE SOLOMON'S TRUE LADY—A GIRL'S EDUCATION DEFECTIVE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF HOUSEWORK-KING JAMES AND THE LITERARY GIRL-LINES OF MONTGOMERY.

MUCH of the feminine folly exposed in the foregoing pages is perpetrated for the sake of being a LADY. Many women have very erroneous ideas of what constitutes a lady. In consequence, this term is one of the most abused words in the English language. It is applied by many only to those females who are enabled, by rank and