is a Counsellor and a Politician. Has a
good war record. Is about forty-five years old, I conjecture. Is
engaged in a great law case just now. Said to be very eloquent. Has an
intellectual head, and the bearing of one who has commanded a regiment or
perhaps a brigade. Altogether an attractive person, scholarly, refined
has some accomplishments not so common as they might be in the class we
call gentlemen, with an accent on the word.

There is also a young Doctor, waiting for his bald spot to come, so that
he may get into practice.

We have two young ladies at the table,--the English girl referred to in a
former number, and an American girl of about her own age. Both of them
are students in one of those institutions--I am not sure whether they
call it an "annex" or not; but at any rate one of those schools where
they teach the incomprehensible sort of mathematics and other bewildering
branches of knowledge above the common level of high-school education.
They seem to be good friends, and form a very pleasing pair when they
walk in arm in arm; nearly enough alike to seem to belong together,
different enough to form an agreeable contrast.

Of course we were bound to have a Musician at our table, and we have one
who sings admirably, and accompanies himself, or one or more of our
ladies, very frequently.

Such is our company when the table is full. But sometimes only half a
dozen, or it may be only three or four, are present. At other times we
have a visitor or two, either in the place of one of our habitual number,
or in addition to it. We have the elements, we think, of a pleasant
social gathering,--different sexes, ages, pursuits, and tastes,--all that
is required for a "symphony concert" of conversation. One of the curious
questions which might well be asked by those who had been with us on
different occasions would be, "How many poets are there among you?"
Nobody can answer this question. It is a point of etiquette with us not
to press our inquiries about these anonymous poems too sharply,
especially if any of them betray sentiments which would not bear rough
handling.

I don't doubt that the different personalities at our table will get
mixed up in the reader's mind if he is not particularly clear-headed.
That happens very often, much oftener than all would be willing to
confess, in reading novels and plays. I am afraid we should get a good
deal confused even in reading our Shakespeare if we did not look back now