clare, Mrs. Lindsay," replied Mrs. Goodwin, (God forgive
her!) "you have taken us quite by surprise--you have indeed;--dear
me--I'm quite agitated; but he is, indeed, a fine young man--a perfect
gentleman in his manners, and if he be as good as he looks--for
marriage, God help us, tries us all--"

"I hope it never tried you much, Martha," replied her husband, smiling.

"No, my dear, I don't say so. Still, when the happiness of one's child
is concerned--and such a child as Alice--"

"But consider, Mrs. Goodwin," replied the ambassadress, who, in
fact, was not far from an explosion at what she considered a piece of
contemptible vacillation on the part of her neighbor--"consider, Mrs.
Goodwin," said she, "that the happiness of my son is concerned."

"I know it is," she replied; "but speak to her father, Mrs. Lindsay--he,
as such, is the proper person--O, dear me."

"Well, Mr. Goodwin--you have heard what I have said?"

"I have, madam," said he; "but thank God I am not so nervous as my good
wife here. I like your son, Harry, very much, from what I have seen
of him--and, to be plain with you, I really see no objection to such a
match. On the contrary, it will promote peace and good-will between
us; and, I have no doubt, will prove a happy event to the parties most
concerned."

"O, there is not a doubt of it," exclaimed Mrs. Goodwin, now chiming in
with her husband; "no, there can be no doubt of it. O, they will be very
happy together, and that will be so delightful. My darling Alice!"--and
here she became pathetic, and shed tears copiously--"yes," she added,
"we will lose you, my darling, and a lonely house we will have after
you, for I suppose they will live in the late Mr. Hamilton's residence,
on their own property."

This allusion to the arrangements contemplated in the event of the
marriage, redeemed, to a certain degree, the simple-hearted Mrs. Goodwin
from the strongest possible contempt on the part of a woman who was
never known to shed a tear upon any earthly subject.

"Well, then," proceeded Mrs. Lindsay, "I am to understand that this
proposal on the behalf of my son is accepted?"

"So far as I and Mrs. Goodwin are concerned," replied Goodwin, "you are,
indeed, Mrs. Lindsay, and so far all is smooth and easy; but, on the
other hand, there is Alice--she, you know, is to be consulted."

"O! as for poor Alice," said her mother, "there will be no difficulty
with her; whatever I and her father wish her to do