he story for
yourself. We are principled against unveiling the "sacred mysteries,"
the "thoughts that breathe and words that burn," in such little
moonlight interviews as these. You may fancy all that followed; and we
can only assure all who are doubtful, that, under judicious management,
cases of this kind may be disposed of without wormwood or boneset. Our
hero and heroine were called to sublunary realities by the voice of Miss
Silence, who came into the passage to see what upon earth they were
doing. That lady was satisfied by the representations of so friendly and
learned a young man as Joseph that nothing immediately alarming was to
be apprehended in the case of Susan; and she retired. From that evening
Susan stepped about with a heart many pounds lighter than before.

"I'll tell you what, Joseph," said Uncle Jaw, "I'll tell you what, now:
I hear 'em tell that you've took and courted that 'ere Susan Jones. Now,
I jest want to know if it's true."

There was an explicitness about this mode of inquiry that took our hero
quite by surprise, so that he could only reply,--

"Why, sir, supposing I had, would there be any objection to it in your
mind?"

"Don't talk to me," said Uncle Jaw. "I jest want to know if it's true."

Our hero put his hands in his pockets, walked to the window, and
whistled.

"'Cause if you have," said Uncle Jaw, "you may jest un-court as fast as
you can; for 'Squire Jones's daughter won't get a single cent of my
money, I can tell you that."

"Why, father, Susan Jones is not to blame for any thing that her father
did; and I'm sure she is a pretty girl enough."

"I don't care if she is pretty. What's that to me? I've got you through
college, Joseph; and a hard time I've had of it, a-delvin' and slavin';
and here you come, and the very first thing you do you must take and
court that 'ere 'Squire Jones's daughter, who was always putting himself
up above me. Besides, I mean to have the law on that estate yet; and
Deacon Dudley, he will have the law, too; and it will cut off the best
piece of land the girl has; and when you get married, I mean you shall
_have_ something. It's jest a trick of them gals at me; but I guess I'll
come up with 'em yet. I'm just a-goin' down to have a 'regular hash'
with old Silence, to let her know she can't come round me that way."

"Silence," said Susan, drawing her head into the window, and looking
apprehensive, "there is Mr. Adams coming here."

"What, Joe Adams