it--attentions which retained our hero
in the good graces of the latter lady, and gained him the credit of
being "a young man that knew how to behave himself." As Susan was a
leading member in the village choir, our hero was directly attacked with
a violent passion for sacred music, which brought him punctually to the
singing school, where the young people came together to sing anthems and
fuguing tunes, and to eat apples and chestnuts.

It cannot be supposed that all these things passed unnoticed by those
wakeful eyes that are ever upon the motions of such "bright, particular
stars;" and as is usual in such cases, many things were known to a
certainty which were not yet known to the parties themselves. The young
belles and beaux whispered and tittered, and passed the original jokes
and witticisms common in such cases, while the old ladies soberly took
the matter in hand when they went out with their knitting to make
afternoon visits, considering how much money Uncle Jaw had, how much his
son would have, and what all together would come to, and whether Joseph
would be a "smart man," and Susan a good housekeeper, with all the "ifs,
ands, and buts" of married life.

But the most fearful wonders and prognostics crowded around the point
"what Uncle Jaw would have to say to the matter." His lawsuit with the
sisters being well understood, as there was every reason it should be,
it was surmised what two such vigorous belligerents as himself and Miss
Silence would say to the prospect of a matrimonial conjunction. It was
also reported that Deacon Enos Dudley had a claim to the land which
constituted the finest part of Susan's portion, the loss of which would
render the consent of Uncle Jaw still more doubtful. But all this while
Miss Silence knew nothing of the matter, for her habit of considering
and treating Susan as a child seemed to gain strength with time. Susan
was always to be seen to, and watched, and instructed, and taught; and
Miss Silence could not conceive that one who could not even make
pickles, without her to oversee, could think of such a matter as setting
up housekeeping on her own account. To be sure, she began to observe an
extraordinary change in her sister; remarked that "lately Susan seemed
to be getting sort o' crazy-headed;" that she seemed not to have any
"faculty" for any thing; that she had made gingerbread twice, and forgot
the ginger one time, and put in mustard the other; that she shook the
saltcel