his forehead. "Go," he asked, faintly, "play me an air,
love,--something quick and lively to dispel this. I wish you had not told
me."

"But you begged me to," said she, pouting, as she took her seat at the
instrument.

"How ominous," muttered he,--"became covered with black spots; that is a
foreshadowing. How can I tell her," he thought. "It seems like wilfully
destroying my own happiness." And he sat struggling with himself to obtain
the necessary courage to fulfil the purpose of his visit, and became so
deeply engrossed with his own reflections as to scarcely even hear the
sound of the instrument.

"It is too bad," she cried, as she ceased playing: "here I have performed
some of your favourite airs, and that too without eliciting a word of
commendation. You are inexpressibly dull to-night; nothing seems to enliven
you. What is the matter?"

"Oh," rejoined he, abstractedly, "am I? I was not aware of it."

"Yes, you are," said Little Birdie, pettishly; "nothing seems to engage
your attention." And, skipping off to the table, she took up the newspaper,
and exclaimed,--"Let me read you something very curious."

"No, no, Anne dear," interrupted he; "sit here by me. I want to say
something serious to you--something of moment to us both."

"Then it's something very grave and dull, I know," she remarked; "for that
is the way people always begin. Now I don't want to hear anything serious
to-night; I want to be merry. You _look_ serious enough; and if you begin
to talk seriously you'll be perfectly unbearable. So you must hear what I
am going to read to you first." And the little tyrant put her finger on his
lip, and looked so bewitching, that he could not refuse her. And the
important secret hung on his lips, but was not spoken.

"Listen," said she, spreading out the paper before her and running her tiny
finger down the column. "Ah, I have it," she exclaimed at last, and
began:--

"'We learn from unimpeachable authority that the Hon. ---- ----, who
represents a district of our city in the State legislature, was yesterday
united to the Quateroon daughter of the late Gustave Almont. She is said to
be possessed of a large fortune, inherited from her father; and they
purpose going to France to reside,--a sensible determination; as, after
such a _mesalliance_, the honourable gentleman can no longer expect to
retain his former social position in our midst.--_New Orleans Watchman_.'"

"Isn't it singular," she remarked, "