, there were two young fellows paying attention
to her, and after she'd accepted one of them the other also proposed
to her and as she felt certain that the first one wasn't in earnest,
she accepted the second one too. So a few days later both of 'em
called at the same time, both claimed her hand, and both insisted on
marrying her at once. Then, of course, she found herself face to face
with a mighty unpleasant--unpleasant--Er--er--er--Less see; what's the
word I want? Unpleasant--Er--er--Blamed if I haven't forgotten that
word."

"Predicament," suggested Mr. Potts.

"No, that's not it. What's the name of that thing with two horns?
Unpleasant--Er--er--Hang it! it's gone clear out of my mind."

"A cow," hinted Miss Mooney.

"No, not a cow."

"Maybe it's a buffalo," remarked Dr. Dox.

"No, no kind of an animal. Something else with two horns. Mighty queer
I can't recall it."

"Perhaps it's a brass band," observed Butterwick.

"Or a man who's had a couple of drinks," suggested Dr. Brown.

"Of course not."

"You don't mean a fire company?" asked Mrs. Banger.

"N--no. That's the confounded queerest thing I ever heard of, that I
can't remember that word," said Mr. Lamb, getting warm and beginning
to feel miserable.

"Well, give us the rest of the story without it," said Potts.

"That's the mischief of it," said Mr. Lamb. "The whole joke turns on
that infernal word."

"_Two_ horns did you say?" asked Dr. Dox. "Maybe it is a catfish."

"Or a snail," remarked Judge Twiddler.

"N--no; none of those."

"Is it an elephant or a walrus?" asked Mrs. Dox.

"I guess I'll have to give it up," said Mr. Lamb, wiping the
perspiration from his brow.

"Well, that's the sickest old story I ever encountered," remarked
Butterwick to Potts. Then everybody smiled, and Mr. Lamb, looking
furtively at Julia, appeared to feel as if he would welcome death on
the spot.

The mystery is yet unsolved; but it is believed that Peter was
trying to build up the woman's name, Emma, into a pun upon the word
"dilemma." The secret, however, is buried in his bosom.

Peter professes to be an expert in legerdemain, and he came to Brown's
prepared to perform some of his best feats. When the company assembled
in the drawing-room after tea, he determined to redeem the fearful
blunder that he had made in the dining-room.

Several of the magicians who perform in public do what they call
"the gold-fish trick." The juggler stands upon the stage,