Next morning, Mrs. Potts sent for Albina immediately after breakfast, and told her that as she knew her to be very clever at all sorts of things, she wanted her to stay that day and assist in the preparations for the next. Mrs. Potts, like many other people who live in showy houses and dress extravagantly, was very economical in servants. She gave such low wages, that none would come to her who could get places anywhere else, and she kept them on such limited allowance that none would stay with her who were worth having. Fools are seldom consistent in their expenditure. They generally (to use a homely expression) strain at gnats and swallow camels. About noon, Albina having occasion to consult Mrs. Potts concerning something that was to be done, found her in the front parlour with Mrs. and Miss Montague. After Albina had left the room, Mrs. Montague said to Mrs. Potts--"Is not that the girl who lives with her mother at the place on the river, I forget what you call it--I mean the niece of the aunt?" "That is Albina Marsden," replied Mrs. Potts. "Yes," pursued Mrs. Montague, "the people that made so great an exertion to give you a sort of party, and honoured Mr. and Miss Montague and myself with invitations." "She's not to be here to-morrow night, I hope!" exclaimed Miss Montague. "Really," replied Mrs. Potts, "I could do no less than ask her. The poor thing did her very best to be civil to us all last summer." "Oh!" said Mrs. Montague, "in the country one is willing sometimes to take up with such company as we should be very sorry to acknowledge in town. You assured me that your party to-morrow night would be extremely _recherché_. And as it is so early in the season you know that it is necessary to be more particular now than at the close of the campaign, when every one is tired of parties, and unwilling to get new evening dresses lest they should be out of fashion before they are wanted again. Excuse me, I speak only from what I have heard of American customs." "I am always particular about my parties," said Mrs. Potts. "A word in your ear," continued Mrs. Montague. "Is it not impolitic, or rather are you not afraid to bring forward so beautiful a girl as this Miss Martin on the very night of your own daughter's _debut_?" Mrs. Potts looked alarmed for a moment, and then recovering herself said--"I have no fear of Miss Harriet Angelina Potts being thrown in the shade by a little country girl like this. Albina Marsden is pretty enough, to be sure--at least, rather pretty--but then there is a certain style--a certain air which she of course--in short, a certain style--"