nice examination showed that the colours did not harmonize, and that some of the furniture was scarcely in keeping with the rest. Her ladyship carried her love of buying bargains to its utmost extent; and, moreover, she always looked forward. She preferred that Lord Rotheles's liberality should take a purely personal direction. Whatever decorations might be lavished upon her dressing-room, the dowager would have to leave them behind her; not so those which filled the prodigality of red morocco cases on her toilette. Often did she think, with a sigh, that the family diamonds were only hers for a brief and brilliant period; still, it was some comfort to remember the chains, bracelets, rings, &c., that would remain "mine and mine only."
There were neither flowers, engravings, nor music, scattered about, and but few books. These volumes were all of a useful character. There was "Cobbett's Cottage Economy," divers cookery books, with the leaf turned down at receipts for making cheap soup for the poor; and on the table was a large bale of coarse flannel, and some common dark prints.
There was always, in Lady Rotheles's mind, a contest going on between parsimony and power. However, they soon came to an arrangement. With what was peculiarly her own, the countess was even mean; with what belonged to her husband she was just, almost generous; she was respected by the neighbourhood, if not beloved. The poor are very unreasonable; a kind
