t to him, I know not; but she held
her tongue with that easy grace, that charming tacit intimation of "We
could, an we would," of which she is so perfect a mistress. This very
interesting woman has a number of pretty traits in common with her
town-bred sisters; only, whereas in these they are laboriously acquired,
in her they are severely natural. I am sure, that, if I were to plant
her in Madison Square to-morrow, she would, after one quick,
all-compassing glance, assume the _nil admirari_ in a manner to drive
the greatest lady of them all to despair. Johnson is a man of excellent
intentions, but no taste. Two or three times I looked at Miss Blunt to
see what impression his sallies were making upon her. They seemed to
produce none whatever. But I know better, _moi_. Not one of them escaped
her. But I suppose she said to herself that her impressions on this
point were no business of mine. Perhaps she was right. It is a
disagreeable word to use of a woman you admire; but I can't help
fancying that she has been a little _soured_. By what? Who shall say? By
some old love affair, perhaps.

* * * * *

_July 24th._--This evening the Captain and I took a half-hour's turn
about the harbor. I asked him frankly, as a friend, whether Johnson
wants to marry his daughter.

"I guess he does," said the old man; "and yet I hope he don't. You know
what he is: he's smart, promising, and already sufficiently well off.
But somehow he isn't for a man what my Esther is for a woman."

"That he isn't!" said I; "and honestly, Captain Blunt, I don't know who
is"----

"Unless it's yourself," said the Captain.

"Thank you. I know a great many ways in which Mr. Johnson is more worthy
of her than I."

"And I know, one in which you are more worthy of her than he,--that is,
in being what we used to call a gentleman."

"Miss Esther made him sufficiently welcome in her quiet way, on Sunday,"
I rejoined.

"Oh, she respects him," said Blunt. "As she's situated, she might marry
him on that. You see, she's weary of hearing little girls drum on the
piano. With her ear for music," added the Captain, "I wonder she has
borne it so long."

"She is certainly meant for better things," said I.

"Well," answered the Captain, who has an honest habit of deprecating
your agreement, when it occurs to him that he has obtained it for
sentiments which fall somewhat short of the stoical,--"well," said he,
with a very dry express