she
was mistress.

"My boy would make your daughter a good husband," she said, "and indeed, I
think any woman might feel highly honored by the offer of his hand. I do
not understand how it is, Mrs. Travilla, that a lady of your sense fails
to see that."

"I appreciate your feelings, my dear Mrs. Faude," said Elsie gently. "I am
a mother too, you know, and have sons of my own."

"Yes, and what possible objection can you have to mine? Excuse my saying
it, but the one your husband advanced, seems to me simply absurd."

"Nevertheless it is the only one; except that our child's heart is not
enlisted; but either alone would be insuperable."

"She hardly knows him yet, and could not fail to learn to love him if she
did. Be persuaded my dear Mrs. Travilla, to give him a chance to try. It
is never well to be hasty, especially in declining a good offer, and this,
let me tell you, is such an one as you will not meet with every day,
lovely and attractive in every way, as your daughters are.

"Ours is an old, aristocratic family; none better to be found in our
state, or in the Union; we have wealth too, and I flatter myself that
Clarence Augustus is as handsome a man as you would find anywhere;
amiable in disposition also, and would, as I said before, make an
excellent husband. Will you not undertake his cause?"

"Believe me, it is painful to me to refuse, but I could not, in
conscience."

"But why not?"

"Simply for the reason my husband gave. We both consider moral purity more
essential than anything else in those we admit to even friendly
intercourse with our children; especially our daughters."

"My son is not a bad man, Mrs. Travilla, very far from it!" Mrs. Faude
exclaimed, in the tone of one who considers herself grossly insulted.

"Not, I am sure, as the world looks upon these things," said Elsie, "but
the Bible is our standard; and guided by its teachings we desire above all
things else, purity of heart and life in those who seek the friendship of
our children; and very especially in those who are to become their
partners for life, and the future fathers or mothers of their offspring,
should it please God to give them any."

"That is certainly looking far ahead," returned Mrs. Faude, with a polite
sneer.

"Not farther than is our duty, since after marriage it is too late to
consider, to any profit, what kind of parent our already irrevocably
chosen partner for life will probably make."

"Well, well, every