Mrs. Lindsay knit her brows in an unheeded frown, and shook her crimson bows in eager disapproval.

"You have come so suddenly to such delicate points, my dear Sir Peter," she said, "you have startled my poor girl. I own I like your straightforward wooer, who loves one well enough to look beyond the grave; but young girls are romantic, and expect to hear a great deal about love, before the word settlement is even broached. Augusta will reflect, will you not, my love?"

"How haughty and aristocratic she looks!" thought Sir Peter. "What a proud eye! what a fine nose! what a scornful lip! oh she's thorough-bred, and my sons will look like dukes!"

"Thank you, dear Mrs. Lindsay," he said, "I am a straightforward man. Perhaps I have treated this too much as a matter of business, but, if I spoke of settlements, it was because I think they are stronger proofs of love, than fine words, or tragic gestures. I have no great confidence in that affection which does

not its best to secure its object against the frowns of fortune; but yet I love you, Miss Lindsay, with a devotion, the reality of which my solicitude for your future welfare certainly proves. Let me, then, hope that you will consider of my proposal, do, loveliest Augusta!"

Here Sir Peter dropped in orthodox style on one knee, and Mrs. Lindsay looked industriously out of the window.

"Rise, Sir Peter, I beg," said Augusta, "your conduct is too noble and straightforward for me to give you a hope I cannot realize, and......," while she spoke a loud knock was heard, and in a minute Mr. York Sparkleton was announced. While he slowly and languidly followed the servant, Sir Peter started to his feet, and, hastily begging Mrs. Lindsay's permission to do so, retired into a conservatory, which opened into the drawingroom. He thought there had been another egress from it, but, finding none, he was compelled to be an unwilling eaves-dropper.

The Honourable York Sparkleton was an hour and a half after his time, but that was

almost punctuality in the antiquated dandy's estimation. He sauntered in with a very minute watch in his hand.

"How do? how are ye, Mrs. Lindsay? how are ye, Miss Lindsay? I fear I'm a leetle late; by Jove I am a leetle late, yet I dressed in a confounded hurry-did, pon honour."

The extreme frigidity of Augusta, who was much offended by his tardy appearance, struck him at length, for, without heeding Mrs. Lindsay's courteous advances, he said, "I must compliment you on your looks to-day, I must, pon honour, a thing I'm seldom guilty of, but I must say you look charmingly. Do, pon honour, I seldom notice people's looks."

"If you did," said Augusta, "you would be able to judge better when flattery would be acceptable."

Come, that's very severe; you women are such timeists! I dare say you portion out your time now, make it a rule never to lose a minute."

"Never to lose a minute more than I can help, Mr. Sparkleton," with an air that

seemed to say she would not lose many with him.

"Well, perhaps you're right; very fine day, eh. Isn't it a very fine day, no chance of rain, a little windy, eh." Augusta smiled, for she remarked that both her suitors had been obliged to begin with the weather.

"And so you don't like to lose time. Well, I'll follow your example; you're aware, Miss Lindsay, that I've long admired you excess-ively. Now, pon honour, I believe my attentions have not been unfavourably received by you. I flatter myself you have encouraged them. My father, Lord Gripeall,

approves

"It is my approval which it imports you to obtain in this case, sir," said Augusta, reddening with offended pride. "I am not at all aware that you ever admired, (forgive me) any one but yourself. With regard to encouraging your attentions, I have not perceived that you have ever paid me any, at least not any, beyond those a gentleman ought to pay to a lady at whose house he is received, and

not always, even so much. You say truly that you flatter yourself, but you see I cannot condescend to flatter you."

So saying, Augusta walked to the window, and sate down with smiling satisfaction.

Sparkleton started from his chair; in so doing he unluckily trod on the broad-extended paw of Fatima's eldest daughter: upon this Fatima and her daughter flew at the offender, with a mingled bark and yell, Augusta and Mrs. Lindsay rushed to his rescue, Fatima had fixed her sharp fangs in the calf of his leg. Sparkleton bore it like a hero, for the calf was sham; Mrs. Lindsay in real terror tore off the dog. Alas! alas! the calf was displaced.

At this moment, Dashington was announced; visions of a new caricature flashed before poor Sparkleton's eyes his leg! he had always been famous for his leg - he had felt certain, upon the strength of it, to walk into the good graces of, at the worst, a rich tradesman's widow, or a city heiress, and now Dashington would not leave him a leg to stand upon; he