"I'm right well, mum, thankee," replied Kitty, with a courtesy. "Where do you live now, Kitty?" inquired Mrs. Claudine. "I'm living with Mrs. Ballman," said the girl. "A very good place, I have no doubt." "Oh, yes, mum. It is a good place. I hain't much to do, barrin' going out with the children on good days, and seein' after them in the house; and I get good wages." "I'm very glad to hear it, Kitty; and hope you will not give up so good a home." "No, indeed, mum; and I won't do that. But Mrs. Claudine--" Kitty's face flushed, and she stammered in her speech. "What do you wish to say?" inquired the lady, seeing that Kitty hesitated to speak of what was on her mind. "Indade, mum," said Kitty, evincing much perplexity, "I hardly know what I ought to do. But yez were good to me, mum, when I was sick and didn't send me off to the poor house like some girls are sent; and I never can forget yez while there's breath in me body. And now I've come to ask yez, just as a favor to me, not to wear that new bonnet from New York, to-morrow." It was some moments before, the surprise occasioned by so novel and unexpected a request left Mrs. Claudine free to make any reply. "Why, Kitty!" she at length exclaimed, "what on earth can you mean?" "Indade, mum, and yez mustn't ask me what I mane, only don't wear the bonnet to church on the morrow, because--because--och, indade, mum, dear! I can't say any more. It wouldn't be right." Mrs. Claudine told Kitty to sit down, an invitation which the girl, who was much agitated, accepted. The lady then remained silent and thoughtful for some time. "Kitty," she remarked, at length, in a serious manner, "what you have said to me sounds very strangely. How you should know that I intended appearing in a new bonnet to-morrow, or why you should be so much interested in the matter is more than I can understand. As to acting as you desire, I see no reason for that whatever." This reply only had the effect of causing Kitty to urge her request more strenuously. But she would give no reason for her singular conduct. After the girl had gone away, Mrs. Claudine laid aside her work--for she was not in a state of mind to do any thing but think---and sat for at least an hour, musing upon the strange incident which had occurred. All at once, it flashed upon her mind that there must be some plot in progress to discredit or rival her new bonnet, which Kitty had learned at Mrs. Ballman's. The more she thought of this, the more fully did she become satisfied that it must be so. She was aware that Mrs. Ballman had been chagrined at her leading off in new fashions once or twice before; and the fact, evident now, that she knew of her reception of the bonnet, and Kitty's anxiety that she should not wear it on Sunday, led her to the conviction that there was some plot against her. At first, she determined to appear in her new bonnet, disregardful of Kitty's warning. But subsequent reflection brought her to a different conclusion.