, and his
rustic talk is not of bullocks, but of bees. After breakfast, we will
get him to show us something of the economic arrangements of his
farm."

During this meal, the two girls seemed anxious to make the most of
their guests, who were so soon to leave them. They had this morning
put on their best clothes, and all their trinkets. Their animated and
inquisitive conversation, addressed chiefly to L'Isle as spokesman and
interpreter, scarcely allowed him time to eat. Their restless,
sparkling black eyes, excited the admiration of the ladies. "Do you
think black eyes the most expressive?" said Lady Mabel to L'Isle; and,
with a natural coquetry, she turned her own blue orbs full upon
him. How else could he judge, but by a comparison?

"There is a liquid lustre in the full black eye," L'Isle answered,
looking into those of the girl who was sitting, very sociably, close
beside him, "which powerfully expresses languishing tenderness. It is
capable, too, of an angry and fierce expression. But from its dark
hues you cannot distinguish the pupil from the surrounding part, and
lose all the varying beauty of its dilation and contraction. There are
eyes of lighter and more heavenly hues," here he looked full in Lady
Mabel's, while describing them, "which have an unlimited range of
expression, embracing every shade of feeling, every variety of
sentiment. They are tell-tale eyes, that would betray the owner in any
attempt to play the hypocrite."

Lady Mabel, laughing and blushing, expressed great doubts whether any
eyes exercised that controlling guardianship over the integrity of
their owner.

As soon as the meal was over, the farmer, at their request, gladly
undertook to show them some thing of his peculiar husbandry. A hive or
two may be found any where--but a thousand hives! This was a great
proprietor. Going out of the enclosure, he led them to a neighboring
hill, on the south-eastern side of which, well sheltered from the
northern blasts, many lanes, five or six feet wide, had been cut
through the thickets, all leading to a central point, where, well
sheltered by the natural hedge, he had formed one of his numerous
colonies. Last night's shower had refreshed the thirsty vegetation,
washing the dust from the leaves and deepening their green; some
diamond drops still hung sparkling on the foliage; and numberless
blossoms were opening to the early beams of the sun. The citizens of
this thriving commonwealth were literal