learnt yourself
long syne. God bless you both, and farewell."

They had a very quiet and happy winter. They had to make the
acquaintance of their new sister, and a very pleasant duty it proved,
Harry had at one time indulged some insane hopes of having his little
Amy safe in his own keeping before the snow came, but it was soon made
plain to him by Mrs Roxbury, that this was not for a single moment to
be thought of. Her daughter was very young, and she must be permitted
at least one season to see something of society before her marriage.
She was satisfied with the prospect of having the young merchant for a
son-in-law; he had established a reputation of the most desirable kind
among the reliable men of the city, and he was, besides, a _gentleman_,
and she had other daughters growing up. Still it was right that Amy
should have time and opportunity to be quite sure of herself, before the
irrevocable step was taken. If Mrs Roxbury could have had her way
about it, she should have had this opportunity before her engagement had
been made, or, at least, before it had been openly acknowledged, but, as
that could not be, there must be no haste about the wedding.

And so the pretty Amy was hurried from one gay scene to another, and was
an acknowledged beauty and belle, in both civic and military circles,
and seemed to enjoy it all very well. As for Harry, he sometimes went
with her, and sometimes stayed at home, and fretted and chafed at the
state of affairs in a way that even his sisters considered unreasonable,
though they by no means approved of the trial to which Amy's constancy
was exposed. But they were not afraid for her. Every visit she made
them--and many quiet mornings she passed with them--they became more
assured of her sweetness and goodness, and of her affection for their
brother, and so they thought Harry unreasonable in his impatience, and
told him so, sometimes.

"A little vexation and suspense will do Harry no harm," said Arthur.
"Events were following one another quite too smoothly in his experience.
In he walks among us one day, and announces his engagement to Miss
Roxbury, as triumphantly as you please, without a word of warning, and
now he frets and fumes because he cannot have his own way in every
particular. A little suspense will do him good."

Which was very hard-hearted on Arthur's part, as his wife told him.

"And, besides, it is not suspense that is troubling Harry," said Rose.
"He know