ister Fanny pointed her finger at him; and Paul heard
her whisper to one of the girls, "Did you ever see such a monkey?"

It nettled him, and so, losing his temper, he said to Philip, "Mind your
business."

"Just hear Grandaddy Parker, the old gentleman in the bob-tailed coat,"
said Philip.

"You are a puppy," said Paul. But he was vexed with himself for having
said it. If he had held his tongue, and kept his temper, and braved the
sneers of Philip in silence, he might have won a victory; for he
remembered a Sunday-school lesson upon the text, "He that ruleth his
spirit is greater than he that taketh a city." As it was, he had
suffered a defeat, and went home that night disgusted with himself.

Pleasant were those singing-school evenings. Under Mr. Rhythm's
instructions the young people made rapid progress. Then what fine times
they had at recess, eating nuts, apples, and confectionery, picking out
the love-rhymes from the sugar-cockles!

"I cannot tell the love
I feel for you, my dove."

was Philip's gift to Azalia. Paul had no money to purchase sweet things
at the store; his presents were nuts which he had gathered in the
autumn. In the kindness of his heart he gave a double-handful to
Philip's sister, Fanny; but she turned up her nose, and let them drop
upon the floor.

Society in New Hope was mixed. Judge Adams, Colonel Dare, and Mr. Funk
were rich men. Colonel Dare was said to be worth a hundred thousand
dollars. No one knew what Mr. Funk was worth; but he had a store, and a
distillery, which kept smoking day and night and Sunday, without
cessation, grinding up corn, and distilling it into whiskey. There was
always a great black smoke rising from the distillery-chimney. The fires
were always roaring, and the great vats steaming. Colonel Dare made his
money by buying and selling land, wool, corn, and cattle. Judge Adams
was an able lawyer, known far and near as honest, upright, and learned.
He had a large practice; but though the Judge and Colonel were so
wealthy, and lived in fine houses, they did not feel that they were
better than their neighbors, so that there was no aristocracy in the
place, but the rich and the poor were alike respected and esteemed.

The New Year was at hand, and Daphne Dare was to give a party. She was
Colonel Dare's only child,--a laughing, blue-eyed, sensible girl, who
attended the village school, and was in the same class with Paul.

"Whom sha