am treated Miss Patty with politeness and attention, and Mrs.
Graham spared no pains to bring out the old lady's conversational
powers. She found that Miss Patty was acquainted with everybody, and
made most amusing comments upon almost every person who became the topic
of conversation. Mr. Graham at last led her to speak of herself and her
lonely mode of life; and Fanny Bruce, who sat next, asked her bluntly,
why she never got married.

"Ah, my young miss," said she, "we all wait our time, and I may take a
companion yet."

"You should," said Mr. Graham. "Now you have property, Miss Pace, and
ought to share it with some nice thrifty man."

"I have but an insignificant trifle of worldly wealth," said Miss Pace,
"and am not as youthful as I have been; but I may suit myself with a
companion, notwithstanding. I approve of matrimony, and have my eye upon
a young man."

"_A young man!_" exclaimed Fanny Bruce, laughing.

"O yes, Miss Frances," said Miss Patty; "I am an admirer of youth, and
of everything that is modern. Yes, I cling to life--I cling to life."

"Certainly," remarked Mrs. Graham. "Miss Pace must marry somebody
younger than herself; someone to whom she can leave all her property, if
he should happen to outlive her."

"Yes," said Mr. Graham; "at present you would not know how to make a
will, unless you left all your money to Gertrude, here; I rather think
she would make good use of it."

"That would certainly be a consideration to me," said Miss Pace; "I
should dread the thought of having my little savings squandered. Now, I
know there's more than a sufficiency of pauper population; and plenty
that would be glad of legacies; but I have no intention of bestowing on
such. Why, sir, nine-tenths of them will _always_ be poor. No, no! I
shouldn't give to such! No, no! I have other intentions."

"Miss Pace," asked Mr. Graham, "what has become of General Pace's
family?"

"_All dead!_" replied Miss Patty, promptly, "_all dead!_ I made a
pilgrimage to the grave of that branch of the family. It was a touching
scene," said she in a pathetic tone. "There was a piece of grassy
ground, belted about with an iron railing, and in the centre a beautiful
white marble monument, in which they were all buried; it was pure as
alabaster, and on it was inscribed these lines:

'Pace.'"

"What were the lines?" inquired Mrs. Graham.

"Pace, ma'am, Pace; nothing else."

Solemn as was the subject, a universal titter perva