h of them were seriously smitten with the beauty of
Lena Gray, the old Captain's only daughter, who had just come home from
Smith College, with a certificate of graduation, five charming new
hats, and a considerable knowledge of the art of amateur dramatics. She
was cast for the part of leading lady in Samaria's play that summer,
and Mr. Jones and Mr. Hopkins were both secretly ambitious for the post
of stage-manager. But it fell to Orlando Cutter, who lived on the farm
next to the Grays. The disappointed candidates consoled themselves by
the size of the bouquets which they threw to the heroine at the close
of the third act. One was of white roses and red carnations; the other
was of pink roses and lilies of the valley. The flowers that she
carried when she answered the final curtain-call, curiously enough,
were damask roses and mignonette. A minute observer would have noticed
that there was a fine damask rose-bush growing in the Cutter's back
garden.

There was no dispute of methods between Jones and Hopkins in the
amatorial realm, like that which divided them in matters piscatorial.
They were singularly alike in attitude and procedure. Both were very
much in earnest; both expressed their earnestness by offerings
presented to the object of their devotions; both hesitated to put their
desires and hopes into words, because they could not do it in any but a
serious way, and they feared to invite failure by a premature avowal.
So, as I said, they stood in love upon an equal footing, but not an
equality of success; rather one of doubt, delay and dissatisfaction.
Miss Gray received their oblations with an admirable impartiality. She
liked their books, their candy, their earnest conversation, their mild
clerical jokes, without giving any indication which of them she liked
best. As her father's daughter she was free from ecclesiastical
entanglements; but of course she wanted to go to church, so she
attended the Episcopal service at eleven o'clock and became a member of
Mr. Hopkins's Bible Class which met at twelve thirty. Orlando Cutter
usually drove home with her when the class was over.

You can imagine how eagerly and gravely Cotton Mather and Willibert
considered the best means of advancing their respective wishes in
regard to this young lady; how they sought for some gift which should
not be too costly for her to accept with propriety, and yet
sufficiently rare and distinguished to indicate her supreme place in
their re