An American girl in London . per-ceptible differences there. The likeness lay in an indefinableshade of manner and behaviour, in the subdued and unobtrusiveway in which they all got up and looked at me and at theirmamma, waiting until it should be entirely proper for them tocome forward. They were dressed a good deal alike, in low tonesof silk, high necked, rather wrinkling at the shoulders, andfinished with lace frills at the throat and wrists, and they allwore their hair parted in the middle, brushed smoothly backover their ears, and braided neatly across and across behind. Ihave never been
An American girl in London . per-ceptible differences there. The likeness lay in an indefinableshade of manner and behaviour, in the subdued and unobtrusiveway in which they all got up and looked at me and at theirmamma, waiting until it should be entirely proper for them tocome forward. They were dressed a good deal alike, in low tonesof silk, high necked, rather wrinkling at the shoulders, andfinished with lace frills at the throat and wrists, and they allwore their hair parted in the middle, brushed smoothly backover their ears, and braided neatly across and across behind. Ihave never been sure about their ages—they might have beenanything from twenty-five to forty ; but Isabella, whom theyspoke of as the youngest, seemed to me to be the most seriousand elderly of all. Mrs. Mafferton was a very stout old lady, with what is calleda fine face. She wore a good many old-fashioned rings, and awide lace collar over her expansive black silk, and as she cameheavily forward to meet me she held out both her hands, and. 312 AN AMERICAN GIRL IN LONDON beamed upon me—not an impulsive beam, however, rather abeam with an element of caution in it. You are very welcome, Miss Wick. Indeed, we have beenlooking forward to this. I think you ought to let me give youa kiss! Of course I did let Mrs. Mafferton give me a kiss—it wasimpossible to refuse. But I thought myself singularly favoured ;it did not seem at all in accordance with the character of thefamily to fall upon the neck of a stranger and embrace her byway of welcoming her to dinner. I was still further of thatopinion when each of the Misses Mafferton followed the exampleof their mamma, and saluted me tenderly on the same I immediately put it down to be an idiosyncrasy. Weare so glad to see you at last, said the eldest. Yes, indeed !said the second. We began to think we never should, saidthe third. We really did ! said the fourth. Papa, said Mrs. Mafferton, this is Miss Wick, of whomwe have all heard so much.
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