shame the not ungraceful verses proceding them, sigued T. He drove her almost every afternoon in his love of a wagon, he attended. her to church, where she played the organ in lieu of a professional, and where he and Elkhart sang bass on either side of the fair musician. He considered with himself the probability of being disinherited in a certain event, and was so much in love that he gave it little heed. He had chanced to step in twice or thrice during those familiar chats by the open window, between Elkhart and our heroine, already recorded, and had been stung to jealousy in no usual degree.
Elkhart himself had not been without his trials of this sort; and It was about this time, one evening, that Miss Mary's handkerchief—a very pretty little embroidered handkerchief—having fallen to the floor, Mr. Van Trump hastened to possess himself of it, but instead of restoring the estray first pressed it, half-jestingly, to his moustached lips, and finally deposited it under his vest on the left side. He caught his rival's eye while doing so, and there was a fierce wrath in its blare which caused Mr. Clarence to quake a little, it must be admitted; perhaps he discerned, by some curious instinct, what was passing just then in the other's mind. As for Miss Jones, she smiled, I am sure, when she turned her head aside. It is certain she affected to see nothing of the impertinence; yet, when Van Trump took his leave, a little later, and our hero, following suite, overtook the latter in the street, close to the door, and there intimated, in a tone more imperious than was his wont, or in truth, than members of that distinguished family are accustomed to be addressed, a purpose to speak with Clarence as they walked, Miss Mary Jones suddenly appeared on the doorstep they had just quitted, and called out "Mr. Elkhart!" in her most persuasive manner. Then, as he only looked back and nodded, with a somewhat sardonic smile, she called him a second time, by his Christian name, and what lover could resist that! Tom, as has been noticed, is not an harmonious syllable in itself, but in Miss Mary Jones's pretty mouth it became quite irresistible; and the owner came, as would any well-trained dog—Mr. Clarence sauntering slowly on.
"Don't ask him for it; please don't ask him?" the young lady supplicated; meaning, of course, the handkerchief, which she could
