ically expressed
disapproval, he feels that you are an honor to him. Your sister Nellie
cried in her pride and love of you when she heard--'"

The rest of the letter had been lost, but this was enough.

Adnah had gradually hitched closer to him, and now her hand, unreproved,
stole affectionately to his shoulder. Aunt Matilda was wiping her eyes.
Aunt Ann openly sniffled. Aunt Sarah cleared her throat most violently.

"Your references are all that we could wish, young man," she presently
admitted in a businesslike tone. "We shall waive, in your favor, our
objections to men in general. If we must have one in the family we are
to be congratulated upon having one whose mother is proud of him."

Coming from Aunt Sarah this was a marvelous concession. The young man
bowed his head in pleased acknowledgment and, by and by, crossed his
legs in comfort as a home-like feeling began to settle down upon him.
Suddenly observing their bloomered exposure, however, he tried to poke
his legs under the couch, and twiddled his thumbs instead.

"And when do our young people expect to be married?" meek Sister Ann
presently ventured to inquire.

"As quickly as possible," promptly answered the young man, smiling
triumphantly down at the girl by his side. He was astonished, and rather
pleased, too, to find her suddenly embarrassed and blushing prettily.

"I believe, then," announced Aunt Sarah, after due deliberation, "that
you may now kiss our niece; may he not, Sisters Ann and Matilda?"

"He may!" eagerly assented the others.

"Very well, then, proceed," commanded Aunt Sarah, folding her arms.

The young man hastily braced himself to meet this new shock, then gazed
down at the girl again. She was still blushing in her newly-found
self-conscious femininity, but she trustingly held up her pretty lips to
him, looking full into his eyes with the steady flame of her love
burning unveiled--and he kissed her.

"Ah-h-h-h!" sighed the three man-hating spinsters in ecstatic unison.

A LETTER FROM A SELF-MADE MERCHANT TO HIS SON

BY GEORGE HORACE LORIMER

[From John Graham, at the London House of Graham & Co., to his son,
Pierrepont, at the Union Stock Yards in Chicago. Mr. Pierrepont is
worried over rumors that the old man is a bear on lard, and that the
longs are about to make him climb a tree.]

LONDON, October 27, 189-

_Dear Pierrepont:_ Yours of the twenty-first inst. to hand and I note
the inclosed clippings. You needn't