t looking on with a smile at their
lively spirits and the jokes of which Dan became the victim. Each family
has its own fantastic medium, in which it gets affairs to relieve them
of their concrete seriousness, and the Maverings now did this with Dan's
engagement, and played with it as an airy abstraction. They debated the
character of the embassy which was to be sent down to Boston on their
behalf, and it was decided that Eunice had better go with her father,
as representing more fully the age and respectability of the family: at
first glance the Pasmers would take her for Dan's mother, and this would
be a tremendous advantage.

"And if I like the ridiculous little chit," said Eunice, "I think I
shall let Dan marry her at once. I see no reason why he shouldn't and I
couldn't stand a long engagement; I should break it off."

"I guess there are others who will have something to say about that,"
retorted the younger sister. "I've always wanted a long engagement in
this family, and as there seems to be no chance for it with the ladies,
I wish to make the most of Dan's. I always like it where the hero gets
sick and the heroine nurses him. I want Dan to get sick, and have Alice
come here and take care of him."

"No; this marriage must take place at once. What do you say, father?"
asked Eunice.

Her father sat, enjoying the talk, at the foot of the bed, with a
tendency to doze. "You might ask Dan," he said, with a lazy cast of his
eye toward his son.

"Dan has nothing to do with it."

"Dan shall not be consulted."

The two girls stormed upon their father with their different reasons.

"Now I will tell you Girls, be still!" their mother broke in. "Listen to
me: I have an idea."

"Listen to her: she has an idea!" echoed Eunice, in recitative.

"Will you be quiet?" demanded the mother.

"We will be du-u-mb!"

When they became so, at the verge of their mother's patience, of which
they knew the limits, she went on: "I think Dan had better get married
at once."

"There, Minnie!"

"But what does Dan say?"

"I will--make the sacrifice," said Dan meekly.

"Noble boy! That's exactly what Washington said to his mother when she
asked him not to go to sea," said Minnie.

"And then he went into the militia, and made it all right with himself
that way," said Eunice. "Dan can't play his filial piety on this family.
Go on, mother."

"I want him to bring his wife home, and live with us," continued his
mother.

"In the