MABEL'S PROGRESS.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "AUNT MARGARET'S TROUBLE."

BOOK III.

CHAPTER I. MABEL "JOINS"  WITH A
DIFFERENCE.

MABEL, after the first few minutes, found
herself as much at home with all the family, as
though she had never quitted her uncle's roof.
In Uncle John and Aunt Mary she found no
change at all, except that they were dearer and
kinder than ever. And though her cousins had
grown out of recognition at first, yet as they
recalled together sundry childish adventures, the
well-remembered expression returned to each
face, and Mabel could see them again as they used
to be: Jack, a wild harum-scarum hobbledehoy,
for ever falling into scrapes and marvellously
scrambling out of them, but under all
circumstances the hero and idol of the two
little girls; and Janet, a grave silent sober
little body, devoted to her father even from her
baby days, and invariably peace-maker in any
of the rare dissensions that arose among
them.

Janet was now a young woman of nineteen,
and—her mother's opinion to the contrary
notwithstanding—was certainly not pretty,
though hers was a face that few people would
forget, and fewer, having once seen it, would
not like to see again. She was very pale, with
a complexion of a thick creamy white, and
hair of too light a flaxen hue to be flattered by
the appellation of golden. Her eyebrows
and eyelashes were fortunately of a darker
shade of brown, and her grey eyes were set
very deep beneath a broad overhanging
forehead. Her mouth, though wide, was singularly
sweet in expression, and her jaw somewhat too
massive, but well curved, and with a charming
dimple in the chin. Her figure, rather above
the middle height, was spare and ungraceful,
and she had a slight stoop in the shoulders,
occasioned by years of weak health.

"I'm sorry Polly couldn't be here to meet
you, dear," said Aunt Mary; "she is looking
forward to seeing you with such pleasure. Her
husband is very busy to-day, and the little one
is ailing slightly, so she could not well leave
home, but she will come to-morrow."

"What is Polly's new name, Aunt Mary?
You told me that her husband was a teacher
of music, but did not tell me his name."

"Oh, his name is Bensa, Carlo Bensa; and
Polly is called Madame Bensa. Think of Polly
being Madame anybody!"

"An Italian?"

"An Italian, and a very clever singing-master.
But what is more important, he is the best
creature in the world, and he perfectly
worships Polly."

Mrs. Walton—by that name she was always
addressed, and by that name I shall call her in
these pages—would not suffer the evening
sitting to be prolonged as far into the night
as the younger people would have had it.

"Mabel is tired," she said. "The parliament is
dissolved. I am only in the farce to-night, so I
need not be at the theatre before half-past nine.
But I must positively know that Mabel is
comfortably in bed before Jack and I set off. We
have put you a little bed in Janet's room, my
dear. You won't mind sharing her chamber?
It is an airy room, and the largest in the house,
though, to be sure, that isn't saying much for
its dimensions." With that, Mrs. Walton led
the way up-stairs, and saw Mabel peacefully
composed for her night's rest before she betook
herself to the theatre.

The next day, Saturday, was a busy one for
Mrs. Walton. She was occupied at rehearsal
all the morning, and had to play in two pieces
at night: so Mabel had no opportunity for
the quiet talk with her which she was very
anxious to have. When she said something
respecting her wish to talk over her own
prospects, Aunt Mary (who was trimming a muslin
apron with blue ribbon to be worn that evening
as part of the costume of a smart soubrette)
kissed her, and bade her wait patiently until
the morrow, when she and Uncle John and
Mabel would hold a Cabinet Council.

"Now, Mabel, my child," said Aunt Mary,
after church on Sunday, when she and her
husband and niece were quietly seated in the little
sitting-room in her own home: "now, Mabel,
let us hear what you wish, and what you
propose, and what you expect? And then Uncle
John and I will give you the best help and
advice we can."

"Dear Aunt Mary, what I wish is to be a
good actress; what I propose is to set about