Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/241

Rh smiling at us; some of them spoke who never noticed me before; I suppose it was on account of my husband, who has a great deal of influence. "I intend giving a party next week on my daughters' account, and am going to ask several whose acquaintance we made at the dancing school, and some of them I know you know very well, and through your influence I expect they will come; do not tell me you can not persuade them, as I know many places where you took children to visit and by that means the parents finally became on visiting terms; you can do the same for me."

I told her she flattered me, as I did not know before I had that influence with either children or parents; and then I observed to her, "Madam, I will tell you a better plan than that: As you wish your daughters to be fashionable; rent out your house, go to the Burnet House, take rooms there, and your daughters, being beautiful and accomplished, will soon be fashionable; with the gentlemen there is nothing can keep them out of the fashionable circle of ladies.

"I have known hundreds who were raised in this city in moderate circumstances, who, when they accumulated a little money, went to the Burnet House and soon became fashionable people. One lady from whom, several years ago, I used to buy apples at her little stand, when I was nurse for my children, afterward became a fashionable lady at the Burnet House. But, indeed, madam, I am a poor hand to give advice of this kind, as I myself am too high spirited to crouch to anybody for position or anything else." I had now finished, and the lady said, "you will now comb my