with the
most common sources of disquiet is that they have no wardrobe of flaming
phraseology to air themselves in; the inward burning goes on without the
relief and gratifying display of the crater.

"A _friend_ of mine is coming to the village," she said to Mr. Gifted
Hopkins. "I want you to see him. He is a genius,--as some other young
men are." (This was obviously personal, and the youthful poet blushed
with ingenuous delight.) "I have known him for ever so many years. He
and I are _very good friends_." The poet knew that this meant an
exclusive relation between them; and though the fact was no surprise to
him, his countenance fell a little. The truth was, that his admiration
was divided between Myrtle, who seemed to him divine and adorable, but
distant, and Susan, who listened to his frequent poems, whom he was in
the habit of seeing in artless domestic costumes, and whose attractions
had been gaining upon him of late in the enforced absence of his
divinity.

He retired pensive from this interview, and, flinging himself at his
desk, attempted wreaking his thoughts upon expression, to borrow the
language of one of his brother bards, in a passionate lyric which he
began thus:--

"ANOTHER'S!

"Another's! O the pang, the smart!
Fate owes to Love a deathless grudge,--
The barbed fang has rent a heart
Which--which--

"judge--judge,--no, not judge. Budge, drudge, fudge--What a disgusting
language English is! Nothing fit to couple with such a word as
grudge! And the gush of an impassioned moment arrested in full
flow, stopped short, corked up, for want of a paltry rhyme!
Judge,--budge,--drudge,--nudge,--oh!--smudge,--misery!--fudge. In
vain,--futile,--no use,--all up for to-night!"

While the poet, headed off in this way by the poverty of his native
tongue, sought inspiration by retiring into the world of dreams,--went
to bed, in short,--his more fortunate rival was just entering the
village, where he was to make his brief residence at the house of Deacon
Rumrill, who, having been a loser by the devouring element, was glad to
receive a stray boarder when any such were looking about for quarters.

For some reason or other he was restless that evening, and took out a
volume he had brought with him to beguile the earlier hours of the
night. It was too late when he arrived to disturb the quiet of Mrs.
Hopkins's household; and whatever may have been Clement's impatience, he
held it in check,