THE BELLE AND THE WILD FLOWER.

181

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.'

you are

6 O you horrid man!' said Miss Clinton; and ' 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 princess "Queen 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.""

The doctor is personifying business to-night then,' said one of the gentlemen who had been set aside.

f

'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.,

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 gravelya 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!

--

I know-I read

Yes, they are both very well.'} And their sister aint.-Don't tell me you like a book. Let me feel your pulse. That's it strong enough, but a little fluttering. I read you just like a dic tionary, 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

much as you want.

ask anybody, and they'll give you as 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."

T

'Not such a one as that!-I declare you are flying in the face of my prescription and me together. I'll fix you! wait till I find one of my assistants !—',

'Do you condescend to keep any, sir?' said Rosalie, as the doctor began to walk her about the room in a somewhat rummaging style.de

'The secret society of medicine, my dear, has its officers. You wait-not long neither. Now,' said Dr. Buffem, pushing quietly through a narrow opening, and indicating with his thumb one particular velvet collar; now there is one that I always employ for Miss Clinton, but that won't do

for you. I must find an engraving or a book—or a bookworm!' he said, bringing Rosalie with a short turn into 'Friend Henry, what art thou about?'

the library.

Mr. Raynor started and turned round from the table where he stood.

'Not studying that print?' said the doctor.

'Not at all.'

'No, I thought not. Well here is one of my patients whom I want to leave in your hands-otherwise on your arm,-"for I must quit the busy haunts of men."-Fact, and no fib, Miss Rosalie-I declare your eye is as good as a policeman! Well Mr. Henry-are you going to do as I bid you? or must I find somebody else?'

"And how came Miss Clyde to be under your care, sir?' said Mr. Raynor, when the proposed transfer had been made.

'How came she to be under my care?-why because I took charge of her. Anything to say against it? What do you mean by asking such a question, sir?'

'Patients usually seek the doctor,' said Mr. Raynor with a slight smile.

'She never does,' said Dr. Buffem.

'Great peculiarity

in her case! I've been prescribing for her to-night.'

And the prescription ?'

'A trifle, a trifle-' said the doctor. 'A little good sense and insensibility.

"Sound sleep by night; study and ease

Together mixed; sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most doth please
With meditation."

And with a profound flourish the doctor moved off.

Mr. Raynor began quietly to turn over the engravings and to comment upon them, until his companion looked up and answered; and then he said,

SUCH CARE AS I WOULD TAKE.

185

'That is a most admirable prescription—if it be madè up, like Bunyan's, 'with a promise or two."

'They are all that I need to take.'

'No-not quite,' he said, establishing her hand upon his arm, and taking her away from the eyes and tongues of several people who seemed inclined to fall in' and make a circle.

'What then?' said Rosalie, trying to rouse herself and shake off the influence of two or three of the evening's events. 'Sound sleep I do take enough of it, and study too; though sometimes to be sure of a rather juvenile sort-teaching Hulda and not myself. But I often make longer and deeper excursions and incursions alone. What more do I need?'

'I could easier shew you than tell you,' he said with a smile. My ideas on the subject can never be put in words -and you could never follow them. Such care as fresh air and sunshine take of the flowers, as you of Hulda,-such care as I would take of the most precious thing in the world, if I had it. And after all that tells you nothing.' She thought it told her a good deal too much; and though words fluttered to her lips they came not forth.

'Are you tired of walking about?' Mr. Raynor said in the same quiet way. 'I will find you a seat in the neighbourhood of what Dr. Buffem might call 'sweet recreation,' -here in the midst of geraniums and myrtles and your namesakes, the roses. What do you think of these pretty painted faces, and how would you characterise them ?'

'The geraniums? As beautiful and showy, but I think not very loveable. Yet all the power they have is in exercise-there are no wasted advantages,—they have made the most of themselves.'

'Yes, and have advanced steadily to perfection. Then here is the myrtle,-of most rare beauty and purity and