the hospitality of the manse to a man of gentle breeding.

September 15th.--I have to record a singularly pleasant day; due partly
to a return of the fine weather, partly to the good social gifts of our
guest.

Attired again in his own clothing, he was, albeit wanting in height, a
finely proportioned man, with remarkably small hands and feet; having
also a bright mobile face, and large dark eyes of an extraordinary
diversity of expression. Also, he was of a sweet and cheerful humor;
easily pleased with little things, and amiably ready to make his gifts
agreeable to all of us. At the same time, a person of my experience and
penetration could not fail to perceive that he was most content when
in company with Felicia. I have already mentioned my daughter's comely
looks and good womanly qualities. It was in the order of nature that
a young man (to use his own phrase) getting near to his thirty-first
birthday should feel drawn by sympathy toward a well-favored young woman
in her four-and-twentieth year. In matters of this sort I have always
cultivated a liberal turn of mind, not forgetting my own youth.

As the evening closed in, I was sorry to notice a certain change in
our guest for the worse. He showed signs of fatigue--falling asleep at
intervals in his chair, and waking up and shivering. The spare room was
now well aired, having had a roaring fire in it all day.

I begged him not to stand on ceremony, and to betake himself at once to
his bed. Felicia (having learned the accomplishment from her excellent
mother) made him a warm sleeping-draught of eggs, sugar, nutmeg, and
spirits, delicious alike to the senses of smell and taste. Sister Judith
waited until he had closed the door behind him, and then favored me with
one of her dismal predictions. "You'll rue the day, brother, when you
let him into the house. He is going to fall ill on our hands."

II.

November 28th.--God be praised for all His mercies! This day, our guest,
Marmaduke Falmer, joined us downstairs in the sitting-room for the first
time since his illness.

He is sadly deteriorated, in a bodily sense, by the wasting rheumatic
fever that brought him nigh to death; but he is still young, and the
doctor (humanly speaking) has no doubt of his speedy and complete
recovery. My sister takes the opposite view. She remarked, in his
hearing, that nobody ever thoroughly got over a rheumatic fever. Oh,
Judith! Judith! it's well for humanity that you're a sin