st
off. Yes, I was, upon my honor--got to meet a man at the club. Goodbye,
Miss Foster. Jove! I'm late!"

And as I went I heard Miss Dolly say, "I thought you were never coming,
Archie, dear!" Well, she didn't think he was coming just then. No more
did I.

CORDIAL RELATIONS

The other day I paid a call on Miss Dolly Foster for the purpose of
presenting to her my small offering on the occasion of her marriage to
Lord Mickleham. It was a pretty little bit of jewelry--a pearl heart,
broken (rubies played the part of blood) and held together by a gold
pin, set with diamonds, the whole surmounted by an earl's coronet. I had
taken some trouble about it, and was grateful when Miss Dolly asked me
to explain the symbolism.

"It is my heart," I observed. "The fracture is your making; the pin--"

Here Miss Dolly interrupted; to tell the truth I was not sorry, for I
was fairly graveled for the meaning of the pin.

"What nonsense, Mr. Carter!" she said; "but it's awfully pretty. Thanks
so very very much. Aren't relations funny people?"

"If you wish to change the subject, pray do," said I. "I'll change
anything except my affections."

"Look here," she pursued, holding out a bundle of letters. "Here are the
congratulatory epistles from relations. Shall I read you a few?"

"It will be a most agreeable mode of passing the time," said I.

"This is from Aunt Georgiana--she's a widow--lives at Cheltenham. 'My
dearest Dorothea--'"

"Who?"

"Dorothea's my name, Mr. Carter. It means the gift of heaven, you know."

"'My dearest Dorothea, I have heard the news of your engagement to Lord
Mickleham with deep thankfulness. To obtain the love of an honest man is
a great prize. I hope you will prove worthy of it. Marriage is a trial
and an opportunity--'"

"Hear, hear!" said I. "A trial for the husband and--"

"Be quiet, Mr. Carter. 'A trial and an opportunity. It searches the
heart and affords a sphere of usefulness which--' So she goes on, you
know. I don't see why I need be lectured just because I'm going to be
married, do you, Mr. Carter?"

"Let's try another," said I. "Who's that on pink paper?"

"Oh, that's Georgy Vane. She's awful fun. 'Dear old Dolly,--So you've
brought it off. Hearty congrats. I thought you were going to be silly
and throw away--' There's nothing else there, Mr. Carter. Look here.
Listen to this. It's from Uncle William. He's a clergyman, you know. 'My
dear Niece,--I have heard with great gratif