The reading of Froude was given up.

John could not go to the study club; and, after an evening or two of trying to read up at home, he used to stay an hour later at his office.

Lillie would go with him on Tuesday evening, after the readings were over; and then it was understood that all parties were to devote themselves to making the evening pass agreeable to her.
She was to be put forward, kept in the foreground, and every thing arranged to make her appear the queen of the _fete_.

They had tableaux, where Rose made Lillie into marvellous pictures, which all admired and praised.

They had little dances, which Lillie thought rather stupid and humdrum, because they were not _en grande toilette_; yet Lillie always made a great merit of putting up with her life at Springdale.