ch thing? What soldier is there in the garrison
that I could marry--that he could _wish me_ to marry?"

"One may love a calling so well as to fancy it will cover a thousand
imperfections."

"But one is not likely to love his own calling so well as to cause him
to overlook everything else. You say my father wishes me to marry a
soldier; and yet there is no soldier at Oswego that he would be likely
to give me to. I am in an awkward position; for while I am not good
enough to be the wife of one of the gentlemen of the garrison, I think
even you will admit, Jasper, I am too good to be the wife of one of the
common soldiers."

As Mabel spoke thus frankly she blushed, she knew not why, though
the obscurity concealed the fact from her companion; and she laughed
faintly, like one who felt that the subject, however embarrassing it
might be, deserved to be treated fairly. Jasper, it would seem, viewed
her position differently from herself.

"It is true Mabel," said he, "you are not what is called a lady, in the
common meaning of the word."

"Not in any meaning, Jasper," the generous girl eagerly interrupted:
"on that head, I have no vanities, I hope. Providence has made me the
daughter of a sergeant, and I am content to remain in the station in
which I was born."

"But all do not remain in the stations in which they were born, Mabel;
for some rise above them, and some fall below them. Many sergeants have
become officers--even generals; and why may not sergeants' daughters
become officers' ladies?"

"In the case of Sergeant Dunham's daughter, I know no better reason
than the fact that no officer is likely to wish to make her his wife,"
returned Mabel, laughing.

"_You_ may think so; but there are some in the 55th that know better.
There is certainly one officer in that regiment, Mabel, who does wish to
make you his wife."

Quick as the flashing lightning, the rapid thoughts of Mabel Dunham
glanced over the five or six subalterns of the corps, who, by age and
inclinations, would be the most likely to form such a wish; and we
should do injustice to her habits, perhaps, were we not to say that
a lively sensation of pleasure rose momentarily in her bosom, at the
thought of being raised above a station which, whatever might be her
professions of contentment, she felt that she had been too well educated
to fill with perfect satisfaction. But this emotion was as transient as
it was sudden; for Mabel Dunham was a girl of too m