for the purpose of marrying
its members to heiresses in different countries. Ashburner had once
heard rumors of such a club in Germany, but was never able to obtain any
authentic details concerning it, or to determine whether it was any
thing more than a traveller's traditionary legend. Even Benson was at
fault here, and, indeed, he seemed rather to tell the club part of the
story as a good joke, than to believe it seriously himself.

As they approached the termination of their journey, their talk
naturally turned more and more on the Springs. The Vicomte was in
possession of the latest advices thence; the arrivals and expected
arrivals, and the price-current of stock: that is, of marriageable young
gentlemen, and all other matters of gossip; how the whole family of the
Robinsons was there in full force, with an unlimited amount of Parisian
millinery; how Gerard Ludlow was driving four-in-hand, and Lowenberg had
given his wife no end of jewelry; how Mrs. Harrison, who ought not to
have been (not being of our set), nevertheless _was_ the great lioness
of the season; how Miss Thompson, the belle expectant, had renounced the
Springs altogether, and shut herself up at home somewhere among the
mountains--all for unrequited love of Hamilton White, as was charitably
reported; last, but not least, how Tom Edwards had invented six new
figures for the German cotillon. Ashburner did not at first altogether
understand the introduction of this personage into such good company,
supposing from his familiar abbreviation and Terpsichorean attributes
that he must be the fashionable dancing-master of Oldport, or perhaps of
New-York; but he was speedily given to understand that, on the contrary,
Mr. Edwards was a gay bachelor of good family and large fortune, who, in
addition to gambling, intriguing, and other pleasant little
propensities, had an insatiable passion for the dance, and was
accustomed to rotate morning, noon, and night, whenever he was not
gambling, &c. as aforesaid. "And," continued Benson, "I'll lay you any
bet you please, that the first thing we see on arriving at our hotel,
will be Tom Edwards dancing the polka; unless, indeed, he happen to be
dancing the Redowa."

"Very likely," said Mrs. Benson, "seeing we shall arrive there at ten
o'clock, and this is a ball-night."

Both Harry and his wife were right; they arrived at half-past ten, just
as the ball was getting into full swing. On the large portico in front
of the