sel, of whom I had heard as 'a morning star among the living,'
appeared now, as 'a Hesper among the dead;' and was imposingly
introduced to me, by a _quasi_ near 'relative,' as being only too happy
to learn that she was one half of the eternal unit of which I was the
complement. I began to be as lordly and self-satisfied as the bewildered
sot in the 'Taming of the Shrew.' After exhausting my small stock of
writing paper, I concluded to allow my new friends to spend their
loquacity on some old college note books, the handiwork of a
relative--every other page being blank. The venerable professors of
Columbia College would have had their dignity and propriety quite
frightened out of them, had they seen what weird statements were
presently sandwiched in with their dry disquisitions on science and
philosophy. Whenever an especially startling announcement was made, a
furious gust of the 'od' would run down my arm; and each word would be
made to cover half a page. We went into the new business regardless of
expense.

My invisible charmer, who had--it must be said, not very
prudishly--proposed for my hand, no sooner got possession of it, than
'she' began to protest that when she learned what a splendid fate was in
store for her, as _tender_ to my royal highness, she could only weep for
joy for several days. Presently she sent out through my captive digits
the following:

'We have, indeed, a long journey to travel together, most loving
partner; and how my innermost soul exults, in view of that unending
oneness, of soul and spirit, which is to be our portion! .... Ah me, why
was I chosen to join my eternal being with yours? when innumerable
seraphs would salute you 'husband' with enthusiastic joy and
gratitude!....'

Here is one plain fact, whatever else may be doubted. After conversing
for two days with this extraordinary visitor, I became most desperately
in love with her, or him, or it--as you please. Though past my majority,
my placid nature had never before been thoroughly aroused in this
direction. Now, by reason of the tact and knowledge of my nature,
possessed by the invisible party, and still more because of my state of
mesmeric subjection, I was sighing like a furnace or a Romeo. Not
Ulysses, Circe tempted--not Sintram seeking his Undine--not the hapless
sailor wight pursuing the maiden of the _mer_, was more utterly enamored
than was I. As a proof that I was no bad specimen of the 'gushing'
persuasion, at this peri