ron
sharpeneth iron," saith Solomon; "so doth a man the countenance of his
friend." It may be so in some cases, but I doubt whether any man can
make love so glibly, so off hand, before half a dozen spectators,
especially females, as he can "all alone by himself;" on the other hand,
there is something absolutely awful in being alone with a pretty and
modest woman, and being compelled to "look one another in the face,"
like the two bullying kings of Judah and Jerusalem. It is much like
"watching with a corpse," a ceremony derived, I believe, from the
orientals, and still prevalent in good old New England.

The parties were soon relieved from their embarrassment; the two
cousins, after asking a thousand questions, and only waiting to hear two
hundred and fifty of the answers, bounced off into the house, leaving
the two lovers, for such they were now most decidedly, to the luxury of
their own thoughts and conversation. We have no time, inclination, nor
ability, to describe the steps by which they advanced from mere
acquaintance to the can't-live-without-each-other and hopeless state of
deep and incurable love.

Perhaps Morton was not grieved or angry when it was declared, after a
thorough survey by Captain Hazard, Coffin, and himself, to be
absolutely necessary to procure a new foremast and bowsprit for the
ship before she sailed--the first being rotten, and the other badly
sprung. As Captain Hazard placed the most implicit confidence in
Morton's capacity to purchase and superintend the making of the
requisite spars, the latter, to his great joy, was requested to take
charge of the shore department. By this arrangement his opportunities of
seeing his beloved Isabella occurred several times each day.

Though there had been no formal declaration of love between them, they
were each conscious that they loved and were beloved in return; the most
unreserved confidence existed between them, and Morton, who felt most
keenly for Isabella's unpleasant situation, had repeatedly hinted at the
happiness she was sure to enjoy in a more favored country, if she would
leave her uncle's house, and take passage in the Orion for New England.
She affected, at first, not to understand him; but when it became
impossible to avoid perceiving his meaning, she only answered, "No,
no--I cannot--I dare not;" but the answer was always accompanied with a
sigh and a tear; and as from day to day he informed her of the progress
the ship made in her repa