Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/90

92 days, till at last, as everything began to get cold, and as it were, dead, they were freshened up by the presence of three living lords—Lord Grosvenor, Lord Cavendish and the Hon. Mr. Ashley. They staid for several days, playing off on the weak minds of some of the parents who had young daughters in market, and amusing themselves generally, as they were in this country to see all that was to be seen, and for their amusement, as our young gentlemen do when they make the European tour.

I have often been amused in passing through the saloon—which, I have before mentioned, was at the head of the stairs, and was mostly used by courting characters, as a lady, gentleman or servant would not think of stopping one instant there if they saw a lady and gentleman in conversation—to see one of these young lords and a lady; his seat was a little higher than hers, and she looked up to him, receiving every word as if it nourished soul and body, as the dew of a summer's evening nourishes a delicate plant. Then on going down to the parlor in search of a lady whose hour bad come to dress her for dinner, I found her with another of these lords, occupying a coquette seat; and on a sofa at a little distance, sat the other one; beside him was a married belle from New York; her mother sat on the other side, in perfect admiration of her daughter. They were all listening with as much earnestness as if they expected to be transfigured from Miss Whatever-it-might-be, to Lady So-and-So.

There were two or three of us hair-dressers who were amused at mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, and all who had young ladies to chaperon. 'Twas like