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that effect, soon after the family dispersed for the night, when his plans were somewhat deranged by hearing, through the open window of his father's room, most unextinguishable bursts of laughter, accompanying the recital to mother of his cross-examining Joe, and the poor fellow's dismal responses. Joe emptied his carpet bag into the middle of the floor, performed an Indian war-dance about the miscellaneous contents, and went to bed, where he dreamed of Theodosius Kramps beating him unmercifully with a woodenleg.

Well, a long story becomes short when its climax is manifest. Six weeks was the Professor an inmate of Mr. Norton's house; everybody liked him, and waited on him, but nobody was like Sally. She made him incredible dainties, and served them in a way to have suited an old maid fairy. She read to him in fearfully big books, all about the dual number, and hexameters, besides a great many other things that she didn't know, and I don't either, but Mr. Kramps did. She brought him flowers, at which he gazed in ignorant delight, not knowing whether they were exponents of potatoes and beets, or herbs for the healing of man, but only that Sally held them in her fine fingers, and stood right before his eyes, herself a

fairer flower."

length went vehemently to studying, as he was to enter Hale College the next term, under the Professorial auspices. Mother had a hearty cry, and then settled down again to the old routine. Mr. Norton missed Sally's daisy face most of all, now never peering over his dusty law books, or tearing him out of his best business hours into a drive, or frolic, or picnic. The younger boys were at school; they thought of Sally at home, when they stopped to think; but very rarely did their daily scrapes and exploits leave them any room for meditation. Sally herself was Aprilesque, as usual. Sometimes crying, oftener smiling, she made the journey to the Oldport a little romance to the Professor, who watched her much as if she were a bird he had unexpectedly caught, and of whose actual possession he was yet doubtful.

Once installed in her dignities, poor Sally's real life began; every day, indued in some bridal finery, she had to sit in state and receive the solemn calls of the Faculty wives; and every evening, when she longed, after such a stupid day, to pull off her little shoes and curl up in one corner of the sofa for a nice nap, or try and coax her "dear old Theo" into an ungainly gambol, in came the Faculty per. se., one or another, and she stiffened into Mrs. Kramps, with half suppressed yawns, and fre

This dangerous state of things went quent rubbings of her mist-blue eyeson continuously,

"Till out of long frustration of her care,

And pensive tendance in the all-weary noons,"

and all that, Sally was quite ready to say "yes," like a good little girl, when she was asked: and in due time, on a fine day of October, as awkward as she could be made by abundance of silk and lace, she was declared Mrs. Theodosius Kramps, in proper form, and with plenty of crying, kissing, and laughter, all to the great edification of her husband, who was not possessed with that self-consciousness and false pride that makes a man "detest scenes," but was himself true and genial enough to enjoy the demonstration of true and natural feeling in others; and unselfish enough to have enjoyed it because they did, had he not also shared the emotion. Sally left a lonely house behind her; Joe took refuge in the contemplation of a voyage before the mast, but at VOL. VIII.-6

with the dimpled knuckles of hands that should have decorously reposed on her handkerchief.

But Sally could not be proper; it was not in her: how shall I give to a respectable public a mild account of her incessant misdemeanors, or tell, in moderate language, how she went out to a large dinner-party, the thirteenth given in her honor, and there, being seated between a professor of Sanscrit and a mathematical tutor, for a long, time spent herself in ill-concealed efforts to keep awake, till the arrival of a little bee, that was attracted from the sunny window by her bouquet of roses, slightly diverted her thoughts, and after a long attempt to capture the winged-sting.. having at last succeeded, she dropped it slyly into the Sanscrit professor's tumbler, and he, abstractedly lifting the glass to his lips, sipped the wet bee, that of course made violent strugglesto escape from such a cavern, and frightened the timid man of tongues

almost into a catalepsy, while Sally shook with laughter at the ensuing scene?

Or will it do to acknowledge, that on the fourteenth like occasion, a species of mass Faculty meeting, the whole body of literati, ascended to the drawingroom, found Sally "making cheeses" for the great delight of a child unluckily present, and the horror of a circle of sober-suited matrons, whose spectacles gleamed with dignity and resentment at the pretty and piquant picture, Sally's fair head and rounded shoulders set in the vast and puffed-up circumference of her deep blue brocade skirt, as she had skillfully achieved a most wonderful "cheese" after a light waltz to inflate the airy mimicry? The gentlemen were charmed, being sensible, as I am bound to acknowledge men are apt to be, that there is something in truth and nature infinitely captivating and refreshing; but Theodosius was struck with consternation, and his old aunt, Rebecca Kramps, came as near using profane speech as her piety and politeness together would permit. Poor Sally!

However, this was not all; the advent of Joe at Hale College, and his speedy discovery there of a cousin in the senior class, just his double for mischief and merriment, gave Sally a fresh impetus. Paul Norton and Joe were at the yellow house on Avenue B six times a week, often seven. The professor, deep in his Greek and German, far away from the parlor, which rang continually with laughter and shouts of mirth, paid no heed to the gay echoes which now and then reached him, more than to smile abstractedly, and be glad Sally was so happy. As spring came on, however, and Paul Norton, more than half in love with his lovely and merry cousin, volunteered his escort for drives and picnics, utterly abhorrent to the professorial soul, the good Theodosius began to grow wearily lonely, and to long, even in his beloved study, for those brilliant sparks of fun that floated no more through the still house, and to long especially for his mocking-bird, at the hours he had used to give to her society. Rumors of no flattering nature to Sally's sense or propriety crept about the provincial circles of Oldport. All the Faculty wives treated her with profound politeness, and glared upon her with distrustful eyes at any social en

counters. But Sally, in her bright, brave innocence, and in her true heart, daily strengthened in its growing love for her husband, and more nobly fortified by her pride in his talent and reputation, cared little for the coldness of anybody. She rode, sang, and frolicked to her heart's content, and thought nothing of "they say ;" but aunt Rebecca brought it all to Theodosius, and would have done so to his wife, had he not strictly forbidden her to retail one word of such scandal in Sally's hearing: so Miss Kramps had to content herself with wonderful eye-exercises, and a rigid expression of virtuous indignation, that made her nose ache half an hour afterwards, so being its own reward.

Yet even these spinster shafts fell harmless upon Sally, till one day, or rather one night, the Professor having gone to a Faculty meeting, Sally and her faithful allies, with the aid of a few gay young girls, who had come in accidentally, amused themselves with charades, always well got up, and most spirited, where Sally took the lead; for, under her merriment, there lay a deep vein of talent and strong sense, as yet hidden, but no less genuine. In the midst of a great burst of laughter at Sally's appearance in the cap and shawl of an old woman, a skein of yarn doing duty as white hair, and her husband's spectacles on her funny little nose, the door opened, and into the melee walked the Professor, bringing with him a very distinguished foreigner, famous the world over as one of the lights of science. Joe roared inwardly in the corner; Paul stepped forward to shake hands with his cousin-in-law; and Sally, all forgetful of her costume, came behind him with her usual simple and well-bred manner, to welcome her husband's friend. Well might the Frenchman's thin lip curl to a perceptible sneer at the figure before him, which, being perceived by Joe, the unlucky boy rushed forward, and pulling off Sally's cap, to which also were attached the spectacles, pulled her golden hair down beside, and created a sudden change in the face of Professor Malpas, as well as in Sally's; for now the Frenchman, with unequivocal admiration, turned to poor, ashamed, yet vexed Theodosius

"Ah! you have one eldest daughter, sir, I see. I give you mirth; she is vair pretty indeed!"

A sudden pang went through Professor Kramps's soul.

"Monsieur Malpas," replied he, "this is my wife, Mrs. Kramps.”

"Oh! ah! pardon me."

The foreign professor had regained the sneer. Theodosius drew himself up, erect and pale; he looked for once like the man he was, and Paul Norton stared.

Mrs. Kramps!" said the professor, "will you order supper? Monsieur Malpas has just arrived in the cars, and will remain with us."

At this moment a very distinct sniff was audible, and the malign face of Rebecca peered in at the door, and retreated with an equally malign giggle, murmuring

"Oh! I disturb your theatricals, I perceive " This time, Sally felt her sting keenly; but she had to hide her grieved face, like the chidden child she was, and go. When she returned, her dress was carefully arranged, and the other guests taking leave, she sat down to converse with Professor Malpas; and having been most carefully taught French-a language, indeed, for which her traits seemed peculiarly adaptedshe made her unexpected visitor thoroughly and pleasantly at home, before the well-ordered and neatly-served supper appeared. Yet this was only the first cloud of Sally's sunshine, soon coaxed from the knit brows of her husband, by soft lips, and the touch of a wet eyelash: a new round of invitations, on their guest's account, brought Sally out once more into the circle of the college and its dependencies.

There she met a lady, just now a star in the ascendant among surrounding literati, and the most opposite creature possible to little Madame Kramps. Miss Vernon was tall, intellectual, and high-strung: not pretty, but striking; in air and manner most charming to the Faculty; full of a graceful and courtly dignity; a certain stereotyped ease of manner, the perfection of training and savoir faire. To her the learned and shy Theodosius introduced his little wife, and devoted his greater self. He hung upon her steps like a caricature shadow; conversed with her hour after hour, entranced, as it seemed, by her wit and wisdom; and entertained his wife at all intervals with Miss Vernon's bon-mots and learning, till into Sally's innocent

breast began to penetrate the agony of all mortal love, a bitter thorn of the red rose, a spark of jealousy.

She began to grow quiet and meek, the damask-colored cheek faded to the tenderest wilding hue; her blue eyes drooped so sadly that Paul Norton ground his teeth and shook his fist at the Professor every time he met him in the dark, till a sudden idea, to the effect that Sally was pining away for himself, struck the exalted mind of the senior, and he abstained, like any Spartan martyr, from visiting at the house more than once a fortnight, and put himself on a course of Bulwer's novels; all of which was very good in him, though quite unnecessary.

Now it happened that there came to town about this time a certain old bachelor uncle of Sally's, the most thorough type of his species possible, and to him Rebecca Kramps, in a paroxysm of satisfactory malice, made a statement of all the spite she had nursed so long against the girl-wife of her nephew; and Mr. Claudius Norton, in a stiff rage, vowed sudden vengeance, tied his white cravat in a frightfully rectangular manner, and betook himself to dinner at Professor Kramps's to meet Miss Vernon and four professors with their wives, beside President Lyndhurst without a wife, that lady being "absent from" for the best of reasonsthat the President had never found her, but was a happy bachelor of high degree and a whole alphabet of honors, moreover a school and college friend of Mr. Kramps. With Sally at her own table, Uncle Claudius found no fault; to be sure, he put on a grim and mummy-like aspect at a little badinage she ventured to exchange with Mr, Lyndhurst; but when the guests were gone, the Professor in his study, and Claudius alone beside the fire with Sally, his wrath burst forth, and he harangued the weary child full half an hour on the levity and freedom of her conduct, and the duty she owed her husband, with a score of sarcastic and malignant allusions added thereunto.

At first, weak and tired, Sally listened in helpless silence; but, as a few little parallels skillfully drawn between herself and Miss Vernon woke the keen sting of a long rankling pain, Sally flushed with scarlet, and spoke herself. Uncle," said she, "I don't think you ought to say what you do. I am

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sure I would not hurt any one's feelings for a world. I laugh and jest because I like to; it amuses people, and helps me to talk. I know there is no harm in it!"

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If you were my daughter, Sally," bitterly replied Uncle Claudius, "I should send you directly from the room at such an exhibition: it is totally unfeminine and undignified. I would permit no woman to do so in my house, I assure you!"

At this tirade from a man who could not comprehend the dignity of a pure and simple heart, or appreciate the divine and sparkling grace of nature, beside the tinsel of convention, poor Sally, taught to reverence age and relationship, burnt with a sense of the deepest pain and injustice, where an older and more self-esteeming woman would have laughed and despised.

"I am not your daughter, sir!" retorted she, "nor do I think that I deserve what you say. I am innocent to myself, and that shall suffice me. I must request you to excuse me for tonight!"

With a little air of queenliness, that to an uninterested observer might have been funny, but was only astounding to Claudius, Mrs. Kramps passed out of the room, majestically walked up stairs, threw herself on the bed, and cried till a half-delirious sleep overpowered every sense, and the Professor found her at midnight senseless to his tenderest words, her fair face burning scarlet, her hair all tossed and disheveled upon the delicate dress she had not yet removed. Poor Sally! she was ill enough by morning: her harassed thoughts, her long and silent hours of wakefulness; her terror of Miss Vernon's influence over Theodosius; her tedious self-questioning; were all visited now upon the tender physical nature unused to such a conflict with its master power.

She grew worse and worse; raved about everything she had kept in her tired heart so long, and enlightened Theodosius to an extent incredible to himself. Mrs. Norton came to nurse her darling the Faculty wives sent in every species of edible, as if a brain fever consumed jellies and soups like a new Wantley dragon. Miss Vernon's real womanly nature melted the pride above it, and she implored leave to watch with Sally; but the patient's

delirium heightened at the mere sound of her voice, and courteously ascribing this to Miss Vernon's recent acquaintance and comparative strangeness, Mrs. Norton took it upon herself to decline her aid.

As for Uncle Claudius, he departed for his own place, as Mr. Kingsley diplomatically says of doubtful characters. Only our friend went by rail, with a carpet bag, pursued, in fact, by a sort of blind remorse, and eschewing the sight of Rebecca Kramps, who had in vain curled her wig, and set her bonnet at him, six long weeks. Now, she took vast comfort in rolling her eyes, like the proverbial duck rendered desperate by electricity, and declaring this illness to be a judgment on Sally for her lightmindedness—a visitation certainly unknown to Rebecca, whose mind might have been an heir-loom from the dark ages-could it be supposed any one would take the trouble of handing down so infinitesimal a possession.

After a long season of doubts and doctors, melancholy and reducing, in the extreme, to Professor Kramps-who wore a little foot-path directly in the middle of the stair carpet, going up and down for Sally's good and his own relief of mind-the poor child became conscious, and smiled at Theodosius-a real, living, lovely, wan smile-whereat the Professor fell on his knees and kissed the coverlet, giving the devoutest inward thanks in his secret heart that this very sweetest gift of God was again given to him, and making a vow to be more tender and more careful than ever, for his heart smote him even in that

hour, remembering Sally's unconscious betrayal of her quietly endured sorrow and distrust of his love. A few days after, his wife having rapidly strengthened, Professor Kramps lifted her on to a pile of soft cushions, and opened the window at her side, for her to hear the swell of an organ, borne across the warm August air upon a scented wind.

"It is in Trinity Church!" said Sally. "Yes, dear; and what do you think is going on there?"

"A wedding," proposed the languid voice.

"But whose, my little wife?" "Tell me, Theo.; I am too tired to guess."

"Lyndhurst and Miss Vernon, Sally." A bright flush of shamefaced joy suffused Sally's wasted cheek. She turn

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Dear Sally, forget it all. I, too, was at least-I can't say I am sorry Paul Norton graduated last month."

"Oh, Theodosius !"

A little grimace met the indignant look and tone. Sally was beaten at her own weapons; she laughed her strength all away, and when at last her husband said, in that same serio-comic tone,

"Don't you think we are well matched, Sally?" she could laugh no longer; a few helpless, childlike tears replied.

The long convalescence did Sally no injury; in its shade and stillness she

learned and applied many lessons on the eternal fitness of things. The grain of truth in Claudius Norton's chaff-heap, having fallen on good ground, took root; she had been well tested in the severest of crucibles, the actual agony of life, and the metal rang clear. Mrs. Professor Kramps, thereafter, filled her place in Oldport with serene poise and self-possession, like the lovely and gracious woman that she was. Time brought efficient aid to her patient endeavor. Soon there came little fingers, that stole away her childish things; tiny feet danced her dances; sweet child's laughter, with no echo, unconsciously mimicked her own mad mirth of old days, and in the loveliness of love, a mother and a wife, she became a woman, owning, at this hour, no better or firmer friend than Mrs. Lyndhurst, whose own children have awakened her child-heart again, and taught her to reverence its power and presence, disciplined as it is in Mrs. Professor Kramps.

THE POLITICAL ASPECT.

O man, who is not the enemy of this country, can look upon its present political struggle with other feelings than those of shame, indignation, and alarm: of shame, because we present to the civilized world the spectacle of a great, free republic, almost rent asunder by a contest on the subject of human slavery; of indignation, because our men in power have committed, and are committing, a series of the very grossest outrages against the dictates of prudence, as well as of justice and freedom; and of alarm, because there seems to be no probable issue to the conflict but in civil war.

For nearly seventy years now, the delicate experiment of self-government, instituted on this western continent, has more than justified the hopes of its authors. It has been, in every sense, a most successful experiment. Every object which it is possible or desirable for a good government to attain, has been attained by our federation of republics. Peace, security, content, wealth, happiness, have followed its operations, with an amplitude and fullness of fruition that were never before

witnessed. Neither Sparta, nor Athens, nor Rome, nor the British Empire, nor Russia, nor any other nation, noted in the annals of mankind for early maturity, has exhibited such an astonishing growth, in all the elements of national greatness, as has been exhibited by the United States of North America. Other states have taken centuries to consolidate their power, and even to secure their existence, while we have sprung at once, as if by miracle, into the most flourishing vigor. Our territory, within the short period of our independence, has quadrupled in extent: our population has expanded tenfold; our commerce equals that of the mistress of the seas; and our attainments in intelligence and virtue compare favorably with those of the most civilized of the European nations.

During this time of unexampled advance and felicity, but one question has arisen among us, likely, from the nature of it, to interrupt the harmonious continuance of this happy condition. There have been many severe and earnest conflicts in the proceedings of our political parties-much excitement,

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