ular intervals, now from this quarter and
now from that, the heavy, rushing blast of the cotton compress, telling
that the flood tide of commerce was setting in.

Narcisse surprised the Richlings one evening with a call. They tried
very hard to be reserved, but they were too young for that task to be
easy. The Creole had evidently come with his mind made up to take
unresentfully and override all the unfriendliness they might choose to
show. His conversation never ceased, but flitted from subject to subject
with the swift waywardness of a humming-bird. It was remarked by Mary,
leaning back in one end of Mrs. Riley's little sofa, that "summer
dresses were disappearing, but that the girls looked just as sweet in
their darker colors as they had appeared in midsummer white. Had
Narcisse noticed? Probably he didn't care for"--

"Ho! I notiz them an' they notiz me! An' thass one thing I 'ave notiz
about young ladies: they ah juz like those bird'; in summeh lookin'
cool, in winteh waum. I 'ave notiz that. An' I've notiz anotheh thing
which make them juz like those bird'. They halways know if a man is
lookin', an' they halways make like they don't see 'im! I would like to
'ite an i'ony about that--a lill i'ony--in the he'oic measuh. You like
that he'oic measuh, Mizzez Witchlin'?"

As he rose to go he rolled a cigarette, and folded the end in with the
long nail of his little finger.

"Mizzez Witchlin', if you will allow me to light my ciga'ette fum yo'
lamp--I can't use my sun-glass at night, because the sun is nod theh.
But, the sun shining, I use it. I 'ave adop' that method since lately."

"You borrow the sun's rays," said Mary, with wicked sweetness.

"Yes; 'tis cheapeh than matches in the longue 'un."

"You have discovered that, I suppose," remarked John.

"Me? The sun-glass? No. I believe Ahchimides invend that, in fact. An'
yet, out of ten thousan' who use the sun-glass only a few can account
'ow tis done. 'Ow did you think that that's my invention, Mistoo
Itchlin? Did you know that I am something of a chimist? I can tu'n
litmus papeh 'ed by juz dipping it in SO_3HO. Yesseh."

"Yes," said Richling, "that's one thing that I have noticed, that you're
very fertile in devices."

"Yes," echoed Mary, "I noticed that, the first time you ever came to see
us. I only wish Mr. Richling was half as much so."

She beamed upon her husband. Narcisse laughed with pure pleasure.

"Well, I am compel' to say you ah co'ect. I am