She thinks old Harvey don’t know a thoroughbred when he sees one, sir.  But Mrs. Grafton’s no thoroughbred; I tell ’ee that, though I’m saying nothing as to her points, mark ye.  I’ve seen her sort in the old country, and I’ve seen ’em here, and it’s the same the world over, in Injy and Chiny, too.  Fine trappings don’t make the horse, and they don’t take thoroughbreds from a grocer’s cart.  A Philadelphy grocer,” sniffs this old aristocrat.  “I’d knowed her father was a grocer had I seen her in Pall Mall with a Royal Highness, by her gait, I may say.  Thy mother was a thoroughbred, Master Richard, and I’ll tell ’ee another,” he goes on with a chuckle, “Mistress Dorothy Manners is such another; you don’t mistake ’em with their high heads and patreeshan ways, though her father be one of them accidents as will occur in every stock.  She’s one to tame, sir, and I don’t envy no young gentleman the task.  But this I knows,” says Harvey, not heeding my red cheeks, “that Master Philip, with all his satin small-clothes, will never do it.”

Indeed, it was no secret that my Aunt Caroline had been a Miss Flaven, of Philadelphia, though she would have had the fashion of our province to believe that she belonged to the Governor’s set there; and she spoke in terms of easy familiarity of the first families of her native city, deceiving no one save herself, poor lady.  How fondly do we believe, with the ostrich, that our body is hidden when our head is tucked under our wing!  Not a visitor in Philadelphia but knew Terence Flaven, Mrs. Grafton Carvel’s father, who not many years since sold tea and spices and soap and glazed teapots over his own counter, and still advertised his cargoes in the public prints.  He was a broad and charitable-minded man enough, and unassuming, but gave way at last to the pressure brought upon him by his wife and daughter, and bought a mansion in Front Street.  Terence Flaven never could be got to stay there save to sleep, and preferred to spend his time in his shop, which was grown greatly, chatting with his customers, and bowing the ladies to their chariots.  I need hardly say that this worthy man was on far better terms than his family with those personages whose society they strove so hard to attain.

At the time of Miss Flaven’s marriage to my uncle ’twas a piece of gossip in every month that he had taken her for her dower, which was not inconsiderable; though to hear Mr. and Mrs. Grafton talk they knew not whence the next month’s provender was to come.  They went to live in Kent County, as I have said, spending some winters in Philadelphia, where Mr. Grafton was thought to have interests, though it never could be discovered what his investments were.  On hearing of his marriage, which took place shortly before my father’s, Mr. Carvel expressed neither displeasure nor surprise.  But he would not hear of my mother’s request to settle a portion upon his younger son.