During the present gaiety of the house, however, the poor girl has worn a face full of trouble; and, to use the housekeeper’s words, “has fallen into a sad hystericky way lately.”  It seems that she was born and brought up in the village, where her father was parish-clerk, and she was an early playmate and sweetheart of young Jack Tibbets.  Since she has come to live at the Hall, however, her head has been a little turned.  Being very pretty, and naturally genteel, she has been much noticed and indulged:  and being the housekeeper’s niece, she has held an equivocal station between a servant and a companion.  She has learnt something of fashions and notions among the young ladies, which have effected quite a metamorphosis; insomuch that her finery at church on Sundays has given mortal offence to her former intimates in the village.  This has occasioned the misrepresentations which have awakened the implacable family pride of Dame Tibbets.  But what is worse, Phoebe, having a spice of coquetry in her disposition, showed it on one or two occasions to her lover, which produced a downright quarrel; and Jack, being very proud and fiery, has absolutely turned his back upon her for several successive Sundays.

[Illustration:  Jack Jilts Phoebe]

The poor girl is full of sorrow and repentance, and would fain make up with her lover; but he feels his security, and stands aloof.  In this he is doubtless encouraged by his mother, who is continually reminding him of what he owes to his family; for this same family pride seems doomed to be the eternal bane of lovers.

As I hate to see a pretty face in trouble, I have felt quite concerned for the luckless Phoebe, ever since I heard her story.  It is a sad thing to be thwarted in love at any time, but particularly so at this tender season of the year, when every living thing, even to the very butterfly, is sporting with its mate; and the green fields and the budding groves, and the singing of the birds, and the sweet smell of the flowers, are enough to turn the head of a love-sick girl.  I am told that the coolness of Young Ready-Money lies heavy at poor Phoebe’s heart.  Instead of singing about the house as formerly, she goes about, pale and sighing, and is apt to break into tears when her companions are full of merriment.

Mrs. Hannah, the vestal gentlewoman of my Lady Lillycraft, has had long talks and walks with Phoebe, up and down the avenue, of an evening; and has endeavoured to squeeze some of her own verjuice into the other’s milky nature.  She speaks with contempt and abhorrence of the whole sex, and advises Phoebe to despise all the men as heartily as she does.  But Phoebe’s loving temper is not to be curdled; she has no such thing as hatred or contempt for mankind in her whole composition.  She has all the simple fondness of heart of poor, weak, loving woman; and her only thoughts at present are, how to conciliate and reclaim her wayward swain.