wanted and be quick about it? Neither boy nor girl would ever marry.
Fate is kinder to us. She understands, and assists us. In the hall of a
Paris hotel I once overheard one lady asking another to recommend her a
milliner's shop.

"Go to the Maison Nouvelle," advised the questioned lady, with
enthusiasm. "They have the largest selection there of any place in
Paris."

"I know they have," replied the first lady, "that is just why I don't
mean to go there. It confuses me. If I see six bonnets I can tell the
one I want in five minutes. If I see six hundred I come away without any
bonnet at all. Don't you know a little shop?"

Fate takes the young man or the young woman aside.

"Come into this village, my dear," says Fate; "into this by-street of
this salubrious suburb, into this social circle, into this church, into
this chapel. Now, my dear boy, out of these seventeen young ladies,
which will you have?--out of these thirteen young men, which would you
like for your very own, my dear?"

"No, miss, I am sorry, but I am not able to show you our up-stairs
department to-day, the lift is not working. But I am sure we shall be
able to find something in this room to suit you. Just look round, my
dear, perhaps you will see something."

"No, sir, I cannot show you the stock in the next room, we never
take that out except for our very special customers. We keep our most
expensive goods in that room. (Draw that curtain, Miss Circumstance,
please. I have told you of that before.) Now, sir, wouldn't you like
this one? This colour is quite the rage this season; we are getting rid
of quite a lot of these."

"NO, sir! Well, of course, it would not do for every one's taste to be
the same. Perhaps something dark would suit you better. Bring out those
two brunettes, Miss Circumstance. Charming girls both of them, don't
you think so, sir? I should say the taller one for you, sir. Just one
moment, sir, allow me. Now, what do you think of that, sir? might have
been made to fit you, I'm sure. You prefer the shorter one. Certainly,
sir, no difference to us at all. Both are the same price. There's
nothing like having one's own fancy, I always say. NO, sir, I cannot
put her aside for you, we never do that. Indeed, there's rather a run
on brunettes just at present. I had a gentleman in only this morning,
looking at this particular one, and he is going to call again to-night.
Indeed, I am not at all sure--Oh, of course, sir, if you like to se