with his commercial success and his own natural good sense and good understanding. But still Miss Sampson was a good-humored, kind-hearted creature: this Signora Rivolta soon discerned; but she did also as soon discern that the young lady was a simpleton. Had the Signora required farther corroboration of her suspicions, that corroboration was abundantly given when the Hon. Philip, after lounging about from one drawing-room to another, and vainly looking for some one to whom he might vouchsafe the patronage and condescension of his honorable notice, presented himself to Miss Sampson. With a most pompous obsequiousness, if our readers know what that means, did the young lady receive the notice of and enter into conversation with the honorable gentleman. She repeated his name in every sentence she uttered, and talked very long and very loudly of Lord and Lady Martindale. Signora Rivolta, to whom a crowded party was a novelty and a matter of curiosity, employed herself in observing the individuals that composed it; and it puzzled her much to divine the purpose for which they were assembled. And as Miss Sampson was talking very earnestly and attentively to Mr. Philip Martindale, the Signora left her, and went in search of old Mr. Martindale, whom she found very much out of humor at being out of breath in walking about in a few crowded rooms among a set of people of whom he knew nothing. Poor little Clara was quite as tired, and was very much disgusted at the rude manner in which some great boys had stared at her. The carriage, however, had been ordered at a certain hour, and it was absolutely necessary that the party should remain till that hour, and support their troubles as well as they could.