ers; that he was gradually estranging himself from his peers, and
wasting his nights in a play-house watching a misguided young woman
turning unmaidenly somersaults on a piece of wood attached to two ropes.

Mrs. Vanrensselaer Vanzandt Van Twiller came down to town by the next
train to look into this little matter.

She found the flower of the family taking an early breakfast, at 11 a.m.,
in his cosey apartments on Thirty-fourth Street. With the least
possible circumlocution she confronted him with what rumor had reported
of his pursuits, and was pleased, but not too much pleased, when he
gave her an exact account of his relations with Mademoiselle Zabriski,
neither concealing nor qualifying anything. As a confession, it was
unique, and might have been a great deal less entertaining. Two or three
times in the course of the narrative, the matron had some difficulty
in preserving the gravity of her countenance. After meditating a few
minutes, she tapped Van Twiller softly on the arm with the tip of her
parasol, and invited him to return with her the next day up the Hudson
and make a brief visit at the home of his ancestors. He accepted the
invitation with outward alacrity and inward disgust.

When this was settled, and the worthy lady had withdrawn, Van Twiller
went directly to the establishment of Messrs Ball, Black, and Company,
and selected, with unerring taste, the finest diamond bracelet
procurable. For his mother? Dear me, no! She had the family jewels.

I would not like to state the enormous sum Van Twiller paid for this
bracelet. It was such a clasp of diamonds as would have hastened
the pulsation of a patrician wrist. It was such a bracelet as Prince
Camaralzaman might have sent to the Princess Badoura, and the Princess
Badoura--might have been very glad to get.

In the fragrant Levant morocco case, where these happy jewels lived when
they were at home, Van Twiller thoughtfully placed his card, on the back
of which he had written a line begging Mademoiselle Olympe Zabriski to
accept the accompanying trifle from one who had witnessed her
graceful performances with interest and pleasure. This was not done
inconsiderately. "Of course I must enclose my card, as I would to any
lady," Van Twiller had said to himself. "A Van Twiller can neither write
an anonymous letter nor make an anonymous present." Blood entails its
duties as well As its privileges.

The casket despatched to its destination, Van Twiller felt eas