.
She was very anxious to see her daughter, who was her only child, and
was now passing out of her youthful days, well married, as the world
esteems it; so she was very glad of an opportunity of drawing out Amos
Huntingdon, whom she looked upon as a worthy, weak, shy, dull young man,
rather depressed by his discouraging home surroundings, and not a likely
person to attract or seek the affections of any young lady who might be
fortunate enough to combine the allurements of wealth and beauty. He
might, however, with a little judicious management, be led to look with
interest on her daughter, and would prove, no doubt, an excellent
husband, as he had means of his own, the prospect of inheriting the
Manor, and was exceedingly amiable, and free from habits of
extravagance. Gladly, therefore, did she avail herself of the present
opportunity to engage Amos in conversation before dinner was announced,
expressing, at the same time, her regret that she had so seldom the
pleasure of meeting him, and how much it would gratify herself and her
daughter if he would come over now and then and spend a quiet afternoon
or evening with them. "You know," she continued, "we are quiet people,
and, if report says true, Mr Amos, your own tastes and habits are of
the quiet sort. We should be so glad to see you in our simple way; and
I think we could show you, in the beauties of our charming
neighbourhood, what would really be a pleasure to you and a refreshment
to your mind."

Amos thanked her, and listened with due decorum to a good deal of small
talk on the old lady's part till dinner was announced, when she so
contrived that he should take her daughter down and sit between them.

Walter was seated just opposite his brother, full of life and fun, as he
threw off his gay remarks now on this side and now on that. Suddenly he
looked across at Amos, and something in the situation of his brother
between the old lady and her daughter struck him as so irresistibly
funny, that it was with the utmost difficulty that he restrained himself
from a violent outburst of laughter. And, certainly, to one easily
moved to merriment there was something singularly quaint and almost
comic in the contrast between the subdued but courteous manner of Amos,
who was patiently endeavouring to make himself agreeable to his two
immediate neighbours, and the excited frivolity of Miss Morse's running
fire of worldly commonplaces, occasionally interrupted by her mother