y felt at this period the wistful
tenderness of a marriage near at hand, and their eyes anticipated it,
seeking each other out. She was cast in the large stature of her
father, and her dark brown hair and eyes betokened the stability of
her character, while her graces of movement and speech no less
revealed her adaptability to the social responsibilities which she had
solely conducted since her mother's death. Together, Catharine and her
affianced made a couple equal to the fullest destiny, and they won
praise without envy from all.

"It is a happy fortuity," said Judge Dunlevy, putting aside his glass;
"Catharine's marriage to a worthy man, native to my own part of the
country; Arthur's induction into national life; and hard-working Jabel
Blake's final triumph with his bank! There is no misgiving in the mind
of any of us. The way is all smooth. Perfect content, perfect love, no
stain upon our honors or our characters: with such simple family
democracies all over the land we vindicate the truthfulness of our
institutions, and grow old without desponding of our country!"

"I feel almost religiously happy," said Arthur, the Congressman; "not
for myself, particularly; not for my mere election to Congress, for in
our district there are many abler men to make representatives of--I
hope none with more steadfast good intentions!--but Elk here always
had so much health, blood, wayward will, and brilliancy that I
sometimes feared he might abandon the safe highways of labor and
self-denial and try some dangerous short-cut to fortune. To see him
survive the battle-field and begin the longer campaigns of peace with
a profession, a reputation, no entanglements, and such a wife, makes
me a religious man. God bless you, brother Elk!"

General MacNair said, in a jesting way, that Arthur was the truest,
most old-fashioned, and most ridiculously scrupulous brother that ever
grew up among the daisies; but he was affected, as were they all.

"Elk MacNair," asked Jabel Blake, in his hard, incisive, positive,
business voice, "what do you mean to do after you are married?"

The General looked at Jabel as if he were a little officious and with
large capacities for being disagreeable.

"I have arranged to buy a partnership in a legal firm having the
largest practice in the North west. This is better than beginning
alone and waiting to make a business."

"How much will that cost?" persisted Jabel Blake, not remarking the
growing repulsio