day, I met him in the
parlor.

"What do you think of this?" said I, pointing to the new sofa. I
spoke in an exultant voice.

"Where in the world did it come from?" enquired Mr. Smith, evincing
a natural surprise.

"I bought it," was my reply.

"When? where?"

"This morning, at auction."

"At auction!"

"Yes; and it's a bargain. Now guess what I gave for it?"

"Ten dollars?"

"Now Mr. Smith! But come; be serious. Isn't it cheap at forty
dollars?"

Mr. Smith examined the sofa with care, and then gave it as his
opinion that it wasn't dear at forty dollars.

"I got it for thirty," said I.

"Indeed! I should really call that a bargain,--provided you don't
discover in it, after a while, some defect."

"I've looked at every part, over and over again," was my response to
this, "and can find a defect nowhere. None exists, I am satisfied."

"Time will show," remarked Mr. Smith.

There was the smallest perceptible doubt in his tone.

Next morning, on going into my parlors, I was a little worried to
see two or three moths flying about the room. They were despatched
with commendable quickness. On the morning that followed, the same
thing occurred again; and this was repeated, morning after morning.
Moreover, in a few days, these insects, so dreaded by housekeepers,
showed themselves in the chambers above. Up to this time I had
neglected to put away my furs, a new set of which had been purchased
during the previous winter. I delayed this no longer.

House-cleaning time had now arrived. My new carpets were taken up
and packed away, to give place to the cooler matting. Our winter
clothing also received attention, and was deposited in chests and
closets for the summer, duly provided with all needful protection
from moths. After this came the calm of rest and self-satisfaction.

One day, about the middle of July, a lady friend called in to see
me.

"That's a neat sofa, Mrs. Smith," said she, in the pause of a
conversation.

"I think it very neat," was my answer.

"It's made from the same pattern with one that I had. One that I
always liked, and from which I was sorry to part."

"You sold it?" said I.

"Yes. I sent it to auction."

"Ah! Why so?"

"I discovered, this spring, that the moth had got into it."

"Indeed!"

"Yes. They showed themselves, every day, in such numbers, in my
parlors, that I became alarmed for my carpets. I soon traced their
origin to the sofa, which was immediately packed off t