sent
as if the offer made and accepted had been for a promenade through life.

No such thought, however, was in the young English minister's mind; for
after making the circuit of the room two or three times, he brought his
companion back, and, with a smile and a bow, left her in the care of her
father.

But if the people were inclined to feed their envy, they found plenty of
food for that appetite. A few minutes after Miss Merlin had resumed her
seat a general buzz of voices announced some new event of interest. It
turned out to be the entrance of the President and his family into the
East Room.

For some good reason or other, known only to his own friendly heart, the
President, sauntering leisurely, dispensing bows, smiles, and kind words
as he passed, went straight up to the sofa whereon his old friend, Judge
Merlin, sat, took a seat beside him, and entered into conversation.

Ah! their talk was not about state affairs, foreign or domestic policy,
duties, imports, war, peace--no! their talk was of their boyhood's days,
spent together; of the holidays they had had; of the orchards they had
robbed; of the well-merited thrashings they had got; and of the good old
schoolmaster, long since dust and ashes, who had lectured and flogged
them!

Claudia listened, and loved the old man more, that he could turn from
the memory of his bloody victories, the presence of his political cares,
and the prospects of a divided cabinet, to refresh himself with the
green reminiscences of his boyhood's days. It was impossible for the
young girl to feel so much sympathy without betraying it and attracting
the attention of the old man. He looked at her. He had shaken hands with
her, and said that he was glad to see her, when she was presented to him
in his presence chamber; but he had not really seen her; she had been
only one of the passing crowd of courtesiers for whom he felt a
wholesale kindness and expressed a wholesale good-will; now, however, he
looked at her--now he saw her.

Sixty-five years had whitened the hair of General ----, but he was not
insensible to the charms of beauty; nor unconscious of his own power of
conferring honor upon beauty.

Rising, therefore, with all the stately courtesy of the old school
gentleman, he offered his arm to Miss Merlin for a promenade through the
rooms.

With a sweet smile, Claudia arose, and once more became the cynosure of
all eyes and the envy of all hearts. A few turns through the roo