e, then
turned toward Mr. Roundjacket for an explanation. That gentleman
seemed to understand this mute interrogation, but only shook his head.

Therefore Verty returned to his work, sadly laying aside the two
sketches of Redbud, and selecting another sheet to copy the record
upon. By the time he had finished one page, Mr. Roundjacket rose from
his desk, stretched himself, and announced that office hours were
over, and he would seek his surburban cottage, where this gentleman
lived in bachelor misery. Verty said he was tired, too; and before
long had told Mr. Roundjacket good-bye, and mounted Cloud.

With Longears at his side, soberly walking in imitation of the horse,
Verty went along toward his home in the hills, gazing upon the golden
west, and thinking still of Redbud.

CHAPTER XXV.

A YOUNG GENTLEMAN, JUST FROM WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE.

Instead of following Verty, who, like most lovers, is very far from
being an amusing personage, let us go back and accompany Mr. Ralph
Ashley, on his way to the Bower of Nature, where our young friend
Fanny awaits him; and if these scenes and characters also fail to
entertain us, we may at least be sure that they are from the book of
human nature--a volume whose lightest chapters and most frivolous
illustrations are not beneath the attention of the wisest. If this
were not true, the present chronicler would never be guilty of the
folly of expending his time and ink upon such details as go to make up
this true history; it would be lost labor, were not the flower and the
blade of grass, the very thistle down upon the breeze, each and all,
as wonderful as the grand forests of the splendid tropics. What
character or human deed is too small or trivial for study? Never did a
great writer utter truer philosophy than when he said:

"Say not 'a small event!' Why 'small?'
Costs it more pains than this, ye call
A 'great event,' shall come to pass,
Than that? Untwine me from the mass
Of deeds which make up life, one deed
Power shall fall short in, or exceed!"

And now after this philosophical dissertation upon human life and
actions, we may proceed to narrate the visit of Mr. Ralph Ashley,
graduate of Williamsburg, and cousin of Miss Fanny, to the Bower of
Nature, and its inmates.

Fanny was at the door when he dismounted, and awaited the young
gentleman with some blushes, and a large amount of laughter.

This laughter was probably directed toward the somewhat