he woods,
gathering flowers, and down by the run to play, and she has showed me
how to read and write, and she gave me a Bible; and everything which I
recollect has something in it about Redbud--only Redbud--so beautiful,
and kind, and good. Oh, Miss Sallianna, how could I be careful, and
watch, and think Redbud's smiles were not here! I could not--I would
rather die!"

And Verty's head sank upon his hands which covered the ingenuous
blushes of boyhood and first love. In this advanced age of the world,
we can pity and laugh at this romantic nonsense--let us be thankful.

Miss Sallianna listened with great equanimity to this outburst, and
smiling, and gently fanning Verty, said, when he had ceased speaking:

"Don't agitate yourself, my dear friend. I suspected this.
You misunderstand my paternal counsel in suggesting to you a
suspicionative exemplification of dear little Reddy. Darling child!
she is very good; but remember that we cannot always control our
feelings."

Verty raised his head, inquiringly.

"You do not understand?"

"No, ma'am," he said; "I mean, Miss--"

"No matter--you'll get into the habit," said the lady, with a
languishing smile; "I meant to observe, my dear friend, that Reddy
might be very good, and I suppose she is--and she might have had a
great and instructive affection for you at one period; but you know we
cannot control our sentiments, and Reddy has probably fancied herself
in love with somebody else."

Verty started, and half rose.

"In love with somebody else?" he cried.

"Yes," said the lady, smiling.

"Oh, no, no!" murmured the young man, falling again into his seat.

Miss Sallianna nodded.

"Mind now--I do not assert it," she said; "I only say that these
children--I mean young girls at Reddy's age--are very apt to take
fancies; and then they get tired of the youths they have known well,
and will hardly speak to them. Human nature is of derisive and
touching interest, Mr. Verty," sighed the lady, "you must not expect
to find Reddy an exception. She is not perfect."

"Oh yes, she is!" murmured poor Verty, thinking of Redbud's dreadful
change, and yet battling for her to the last with the loyal
extravagance of a true lover; "she would not--she could not--deceive
me."

"I do not say she would."

"But--"

"I know what you are about to observe, sir; but, remember that the
heart is not in our power entirely"--here Miss Sallianna sighed, and
threw a languishing glance upon