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 a comical smile on the lips of Ernest, that when she glanced at him her face and neck were mantled in crimson. Nothing more was said then upon the subject, and Walter, who agreed most heartily with Rosalind, acted according to his own convictions, and carried the letter over to Mary the next morning.

As he was ushered into the parlor lie met her father in the hall just going out, who, hearing his daughter's name called, gave him a cordial grasp, saying,

"Good morning to ye sir, very glad to see ye sir. You'll always be welcome to my house and to mywell, we'll talk about that by and by sir. Ye are pretty young yet, but there's some folks a good deal older'n others at the same age. Hain't got through with your college larnin' yet I 'spose. Well, that's a fine thing to git a good eddication, may be you'll be President yet and beat old Adams all holler. Well, they say, every dog must have his day, and he'll have hisen, I 'spose, but we shall oust him out at the next 'lection, that's sure. Mary 's a fine gal, a fine gal, and will make one of the genteelest ladies in the land."

Walter was somewhat embarrassed by this ambiguous speech, but he walked into the parlor without making any reply. Mary did not make her appearance until her father was gone. Though very pale when she entered, she grew more so on receiving the letter, the handwriting of which she immediately recognized. Thinking his presence might be an intrusion at this time, Walter took his leave, saying he would call again the next day, and asking her if she