Penn went into some laughing threats concerning the bouquet, and his cousin, as if old recollections had taken off present restraint, looked over the heads about him with very little care whether he were watched or not. It was a wearisome thing, he thought, to see her sitting there and not to be allowed to go and talk to her,—to have been so long in the same room and yet to have had only the greeting of a common acquaintance;-nor quite that, for it had been graver and more quickly ended; yet he would not have changed it for one of a class. In a very abstracted state of mind he obeyed Mrs. Clinton's call to the piano, and sang: "I have seen what the world calls rich and rare, But the brightest of all that met me there, A flower! a flower!-how fair it bloom'd! "I dream'd a dream as I pass'd along- The flower, the flower-I saw it droop !— But it twined itself with a weaker group, "The dream is broken-the hope is flown,- And the joy of that home is fainter grown But the beauty on which my love was set, "That wish of my life, it doth not fade- Yet well could I rest amid the shade, I would give up life and take death instead, MR. RAYNOR'S SONG. 151 The song was not much in itself, certainly; but there was a power in the fine voice and the deep feeling and expression with which every word was given, that held the listeners motionless; and from end to end of the still room was the song heard. It was not till the voice ceased, and the singer had played a few soft notes that might almost have been involuntary-so exactly did they carry out the spirit of the song; that the ladies recollected their pocket-handkerchiefs, and Penn Raynor exclaimedCC Who upon earth's that, Harry?" "Who upon earth is what ?" said his cousin, striking another chord. "Yes, did you ever know her, Mr. Raynor ?" said the lady of the house. "Did I ever know whom, ma'am ?" he said, half turning about. 66 Why, this lady of the song. There's no description given of her, either-I don't know how it is-but it is all so life-like that I feel as if I must have seen her. there really such a flower in the world ?" Is It was with a singular smile that he heard her—a smile that to any keen eye would have said enough. But lightly touching the keys again, his answer was given with perfect gravity. "If there be, Mrs. Clinton, you will find it in the genus woman, and in that species where Nature and Christianity have both done their best." "Oh, I have no doubt Mr. Raynor knows the original," said Miss Arnet. "He always had a preoccupied air,as if he were saying to himself, 'I have seen better faces in my time than stand on any shoulders that I see before me at this instant.' "True-at this instant," said Mr. Raynor, looking down at the keys. "But what a character to give of me!" "Deserved-" said Miss Arnet. "By your favour, no," said he, rousing himself. "In the first place, I am not always thinking of ladies' faces, heterodox as that may seem. And in the second-" "No second to that, I beg." "But it's very provoking to be made to cry over a rival beauty," said Miss Clinton. "Did you ever "Rival beauties ?" said Mr. Raynor. hear of a belle that was rivalled by a wild flower ?" "No-did you ?" "A belle thought to try the matter once, so she made a great effort and went to take a walk in the country.' "What slander!" said two or three indignant voices. "But do let him go on," said Miss Arnet. "Well-as story-tellers say-the lady went into the woods, with her hoop, and her lace ruffles, and her diamonds, and her white gloves" "Don't you think diamonds and white gloves pretty ?" interrupted Miss Clinton. "Certainly so did this lady. She went on, expecting to make a great impression upon her rivals; but the difficulty was to find them. First she perceived the columbines. But she didn't feel as if they were rivals, though they were all red and yellow like herself." "You are atrocious!" "As to her dress, of course-but they hung down their heads and she thought the world was wide enough for her and the columbines too. Their hoops were so small, and they were such good little things that nodded to everybody.' "I am not a good little thing, that's one comfort," said Miss Arnet. "The lady was puzzled to find a rival. The dandelions were pretty, but common and low bred; and the anemones had no complexion,'-any man would be out of his senses to look at such a piece of wax-work." The ladies exchanged glances. "But at length she came to the violet, and there she stood a long time. Was the violet a rival? She tried her by all the tests. She walked before her and threw her into the shade-the violet looked fairer than ever, and just as good-natured. That was not like a rival. But then some people who came by looked first at the violet-and that was. At last she inquired anxiously if the violet was invited to Mrs. Peony's ball of next week. But the violet said she had never been to a ball, and did not even know Mrs. Peony by sight. That settled the matter, she could never be a belle. So our friend called her a sweet little creature, and reached home with but one source of dissatisfaction." "What was that ?" eagerly exclaimed the circle, closing about Mr. Raynor as he sat on the music stool. "She had forgotten to ask where the violet bought her perfume." “Oh, you horrid man !" said Miss Clinton; and "You are too bad!". "You are perfectly scandalous!" echoed about. "The ladies have been so much interested in the story," said Thornton Clyde, "that they have forgotten to find out why Mr. Raynor took them into the woods." "You are in no doubt on the subject, Mr. Clyde ?" said the person spoken of, as he rose and passed through their circle. "I am in no doubt on several subjects," said Thornton dryly. "Yet now I think of it, Mr. Raynor, why was not the rose your chosen subject of comparison ?" "Should a princess by the popular vote dare compare herself with a queen in her own right ?" said Mr. Raynor. "And does the queen never have the popular vote ?" said Thornton. "Sometimes-" Mr. Raynor said, with a glance at the court just then holden by Rosalie. But he himself turned and went into the next room, merely pausing to shake hands with Dr. Buffem, who now made his appearance. "A pretty pass things have come to!" said the Doctor, walking straight up to the court. "Mrs. Clinton-good evening! Miss Clinton-your humble servant! A pretty pass things have come to! A hedge-row of boys round a lady, and never a gateway for a man to get through. I'll make a clearance !-Miss Rosalie-enchanting princessQueen of my soul! Light of my eyes!'-shall I rescue you from your enchanted ring?-shall I send them about their business?-though indeed my mind misgives me they have none. 'To men addicted to delights, business is an interruption.' เ "The doctor is personifying business to-night, then," said one of the gentlemen who had been set aside. "What then?" said the doctor. "I tell you I sha'n't quit the ring these twenty years." "You'll have a chance to carry everybody off in that time, Doctor," said Penn. 66 Everybody?" said the Doctor. "Fair Bessie Bell I lo'ed yestreen, And thought I ne'er could alter; Now, my dear, take my arm, and let us have a comfortable little walk. Now how do you get on at home-and what rambles has the Sister of Charity been taking lately? Did you hear of the cat that fell out of a two story window yesterday ?" "No indeed," said Rosalie smiling. "Ah, that was a great case!" said the Doctor gravely— a great case! Fell on her feet you know, of course, and all that, but must have deranged the circulation. I said it must have interfered with the ordinary course of things very much, but some people thought not. But the cat has not spoken since." "Nor mewed ?" said Rosalie. "You hush!" said the Doctor," and don't put yourself into a consultation. But what have you been about? and how are the pets at home? One of 'em I see looks flourishing." 66 Yes, they are both very well." "And their sister aint.-Don't tell me-I know-I read you like a book. Let me feel your pulse. That's it -strong enough, but a little fluttering. I read you just like a dictionary, my dear-words and definitions. Now, Miss Rosalie, I'm going to prescribe for you; and do you mind and follow orders. A large dose of care for yourself, taken night and morning in a little less care for other people." "That last is a hard medicine to get, sir." "Not a bit of it-ask anybody, and they'll give you as much as you want. And see here-look up at me-don't you wash it down with anything. Shake it down, if you like, to the tune of a hop or two-and season with "Quips, and pranks, and wreathed smiles.' "Not such a one as that!-I declare you are flying in |