deal more of our prospective visit than
it deserves. It must be because I have got it into my head that we are
bound to have some kind of sentimental outbreak amongst us, and that
this will give a chance for advances on the part of anybody disposed
in that direction. A little change of circumstance often hastens on a
movement that has been long in preparation. A chemist will show you a
flask containing a clear liquid; he will give it a shake or two, and the
whole contents of the flask will become solid in an instant. Or you
may lay a little heap of iron-filings on a sheet of paper with a magnet
beneath it, and they will be quiet enough as they are, but give the
paper a slight jar and the specks of metal will suddenly find their way
to the north or the south pole of the magnet and take a definite shape
not unpleasing to contemplate, and curiously illustrating the laws of
attraction, antagonism, and average, by which the worlds, conscious
and unconscious, are alike governed. So with our little party, with
any little party of persons who have got used to each other; leave them
undisturbed and they might remain in a state of equilibrium forever;
but let anything give them a shake or a jar, and the long-striving but
hindered affinities come all at once into play and finish the work of a
year in five minutes.

We were all a good deal excited by the anticipation of this visit. The
Capitalist, who for the most part keeps entirely to himself, seemed
to take an interest in it and joined the group in the parlor who were
making arrangements as to the details of the eventful expedition, which
was very soon to take place. The Young Girl was full of enthusiasm;
she is one of those young persons, I think, who are impressible, and
of necessity depressible when their nervous systems are overtasked, but
elastic, recovering easily from mental worries and fatigues, and only
wanting a little change of their conditions to get back their bloom
and cheerfulness. I could not help being pleased to see how much of the
child was left in her, after all the drudgery she had been through. What
is there that youth will not endure and triumph over? Here she was;
her story for the week was done in good season; she had got rid of her
villain by a new and original catastrophe; she had received a sum of
money for an extra string of verses,--painfully small, it is true, but
it would buy her a certain ribbon she wanted for the great excursion;
and now her eye