rnoon
specified she saw old "sorrel" coming up to the gate, she said, "Father,
there is Joe coming here to offer me the honor of becoming Mrs. Dunn. He
troubles me exceedingly with his attentions, and I wish you would manage
to make him keep away."

Thus enlightened, Mr. Middleton was ready for any emergency, and he
answered Joe's confident knock in person. The young man greeted him with a
very polite, "Good afternoon," to which Mr. Middleton returned with a
significant "umph!"

"Is your daughter Fanny at home?" asked Mr. Dunn.

"Yes, she's at home," said Mr. Middleton. "What d'ye want of her?"

"I should like to have a few moments' private conference with her, if
you've no objection, sir," replied Mr. Dunn.

"A few moments private fiddlestick," answered Mr. Middleton. "What the
devil--whose little boy are you? Ain't you Miss Dunn's little boy? You'd
better scratch gravel for home, and if I catch you here again dickerin'
after Fanny, I'll pull every corn-colored hair out of your head!"

This rebuff somewhat cooled the ardor of Joseph's attachment, and as he
felt sure that Fanny had told her father of his coming, he from that time
disliked her as much as he had before admired her. Not long after the sad
finale of his affaire de coeur, he left his home in the country, and going
to Frankfort became a clerk in the post office. Julia well knew the old
grudge which he had toward Fanny, and as he did not possess the best
principles in the world, she had strong hopes of procuring his services
for the accomplishment of her purpose. Accordingly, at about half past
five she bent her steps in the direction of the post office, hoping to see
him in the street, for she knew that he usually went to his supper at that
hour. She had not gone far beyond the post office when he overtook her.
She greeted him with her blandest smile, and as she seemed inclined to be
very sociable, he slackened his pace for the sake of walking with her.
They had not proceeded far when she said, "Mr. Dunn, if you are not in a
particular hurry, I should like to have you walk on with me, as I have
something to communicate to you."

Joseph was delighted, and yet he knew not what to think. The haughty Julia
had formerly treated him with disdain; but within a week or two her
conduct toward him had changed, and she seemed to seek his society, and
now she had even asked him to walk with her. What could it mean? He was
not long kept in ignorance, for in a few w