DOST thou feel The solemn whispering influence of the scene Oppressing thy young heart, that thou dost draw More closely to my side ?--F.

HEMANS: _Wood Walk and Hymn_.
CAROLINE and Evelyn, as was natural, became great friends.

They were not kindred to each other in disposition; but they were thrown together, and friendship thus forced upon both.

Unsuspecting and sanguine, it was natural to Evelyn to admire; and Caroline was, to her inexperience, a brilliant and imposing novelty.

Sometimes Miss Merton's worldliness of thought shocked Evelyn; but then Caroline had a way with her as if she were not in earnest,--as if she were merely indulging an inclination towards irony; nor was she without a certain vein of sentiment that persons a little hackneyed in the world and young ladies a little disappointed that they are not wives instead of maids, easily acquire.
Trite as this vein of sentiment was, poor Evelyn thought it beautiful and most feeling.