hink I'd better not swar any
time."

"Yes," answered William; "I should be glad if you would not. It is a bad
habit, and I wish you would discontinue it."

"Well now, Bill," said Mr. Middleton, "Lord knows--no, I mean I know I've
tried a heap of times to break off, and now I'll try again. I'll not cuss
a word till I forget. Dick used to want me to stop, and when he died I
promised myself I would; but the pigs and horses got into the corn, and
fust I knew I was swarin' wus than ever. I wish you had seen Dick; it
can't be; he's gone forever."

"Have you no daguerreotype of him?" asked William.

"No, I hain't, but his folks have; and Mr. Miller and Kate are going home
this summer, and they'll fetch me one. That makes me think Sunshine is so
puny and sick like, that I'm goin' to let her go North with them. It'll do
her good; and I'm going to buy her four silk gowns to go with, but for
Lord's--no, for land's sake don't tell Tempest."

"I hope you are not very anxious to have Fanny go North," said William;
"for it will seriously affect a plan which I have formed."

"Well, what is it?" asked Mr. Middleton.

William then told of the house he had purchased, and of his intention to
take both his nieces back with him. "I know," said he, "that it seems
strange to take them there in hot weather; but down by the lake it will be
pleasant and cool, and I must have them with me."

"Have you said anything to them about it?" asked Mr. Middleton.

"Yes," answered his brother. "I have mentioned it to them."

"What did they say?"

"Fanny said nothing, but Julia seemed much pleased with the idea," said
William.

"I'll warrant that," returned Mr. Middleton. "She's tickled enough, and in
her own mind she's run up a bill agin me for at least five hundred.
Sunshine is so modest, I s'pose, because Dr. Lacey will be there, that she
does not want to seem very glad; but she'll go. I'll have them come home
tomorrow, and will talk the matter over. I'd as soon have her go to New
Orleans as to New York."

Here the conversation was interrupted by Mrs. Middleton, who came to tell
her husband that it was past nine. Mr. Middleton had a great horror of
being up after that hour, so he hastily bade his brother and Ashton good
night, saying to the former, "Now I've got kind of used to your being
alive, Bill, I hope I shan't have such pesky work goin' to sleep."

Next morning Ashton returned to Frankfort in the carriage which Mr.
Middleton had se