who--"

"Oh, cousin Lavinia! cousin Lavinia!" cried Redbud, with a gush of
tears, "please don't talk to me anymore about this; you make me feel
so badly! Verty never said a word to me about marrying, and it would
be foolish. Marry! Oh! you know I am nothing but a child, and you make
me very unhappy by talking so."

Redbud leaned her forehead on her hand, and wiped away the tears
running down her cheeks.

"It is not agreeable to me to mention this subject," Miss Lavinia
said, solemnly, smoothing Redbud's disordered hair, "but I consider it
my duty, child. You have said truly that you are still very young, and
that it is ridiculous to talk about your being married. But, Redbud,
the day will come when you will be a woman, and then you will find
this intimacy with Verty a stone around your neck. I wish to warn you
in time. These early friendships are only productive of suffering,
when in course of time they must be dissolved. I wish to ward off this
suffering from you!"

"Oh, ma'am!" sobbed Redbud.

"I love you very much."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And as I have more experience than you," said Miss Lavinia,
grimly--"more knowledge of the wiles of men, I consider it my duty to
direct your conduct."

"Yes, ma'am," said Redbud, seeing the wall closing round her
inexorably.

"If, then, you would spare Verty suffering, as well as yourself, you
will gradually place your relations on a different basis."

"On--a--dif--ferent--basis," said Redbud; "Yes, ma'am."

"It may be done," said Miss Lavinia; "and do not understand me, child,
to counsel an abrupt and violent breaking off of all the ties between
yourself and this young man."

"No, ma'am."

"You may do it gradually; make your demeanor toward him calmer at
every interview--if he must come--do not have so many confidential
conversations--never call him 'Verty'"--

"Oh, ma'am!" said Redbud, "but I can't call him Mr. Verty."

"Don't call him anything," said the astute enemy of the male sex, "and
gradually add 'sir' to the end of your observations. In this manner,
Redbud, you may place your relations on an entirely different
footing."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Miss Lavinia looked at the child for some moments with a singular
expression of commiseration. Then smoothing the small head again, she
said more softly:--

"What I advise is for your own good, Redbud. I only aim at your
happiness. Pursue the plan I have indicated, and whenever you can,
avoid this young man--as you will