lmont rising yonder upon the slopes of St.
Foye without remembering my promise, not two hours old, to talk with you
to-day about the dear old mansion."

"That is to be the nest of as happy a pair of lovers as ever went
to housekeeping; and I promised to keep soberly by your side as I am
doing," said he, mischievously twitching a stray lock of her dark hair,
"and talk with you on the pretty banks of the Lairet about the old
mansion."

"Yes, Pierre, that was your promise, if I would walk this way with you.
Where shall we begin?"

"Here, Amelie," replied he, kissing her fondly; "now the congress is
opened! I am your slave of the wonderful lamp, ready to set up and pull
down the world at your bidding. The old mansion is your own. It shall
have no rest until it becomes, within and without, a mirror of the
perfect taste and fancy of its lawful mistress."

"Not yet, Pierre. I will not let you divert me from my purpose by your
flatteries. The dear old home is perfect, but I must have the best suite
of rooms in it for your noble father, and the next best for good Dame
Rochelle. I will fit them up on a plan of my own, and none shall say me
nay; that is all the change I shall make."

"Is that all? and you tried to frighten the slave of the lamp with the
weight of your commands. A suite of rooms for my father, and one for
good Dame Rochelle! Really, and what do you devote to me, Amelie?"

"Oh, all the rest, with its mistress included, for the reason that what
is good enough for me is good enough for you, Pierre," said she gaily.

"You little economist! Why, one would say you had studied housekeeping
under Madame Painchaud."

"And so I have. You do not know what a treasure I am, Pierre," said she,
laughing merrily. "I graduated under mes tantes in the kitchen of the
Ursulines, and received an accessit as bonne menagere which in secret I
prize more than the crown of honor they gave me."

"My fortune is made, and I am a rich man for life," exclaimed Pierre,
clapping his hands; "why, I shall have to marry you like the girls of
Acadia, with a silver thimble on your finger and a pair of scissors
at your girdle, emblems of industrious habits and proofs of a good
housewife!"

"Yes, Pierre, and I will comb your hair to my own liking. Your valet
is a rough groom," said she, taking off his hat and passing her finger
through his thick, fair locks.

Pierre, although always dressed and trimmed like a gentleman, really
cared little