lighters.

Meantime Sheldon was snugly bestowed in a cushioned seat beside his good
friend, the doctor, who was plying him with a thousand questions
concerning his affairs, prospects, etc. After he had become satisfied on
these points, he recollected Sheldon had mentioned some business as the
cause of his sudden visit.

"What was it you said about business bringing you so unexpectedly?" he
inquired. "So, I would not have enjoyed this pleasure had inclination
alone biased your feelings!"

"You wrong me, sir," returned Sheldon, "by such an insinuation. I would
have visited you in the summer, in any event. I merely intended to say
business hurried my arrival. Our magazine, several months ago, issued a
set of prizes for the best poem and tale. The articles have been
received, and I commissioned to award the authoress, who, it appears, is
a resident of your city."

"Indeed!" said the doctor. "Then we've a literary genius among us. What
is her name?"

"She writes under a _nomme de plume_."

"And what is that?"

"Woodland Winnie."

The good doctor sprang to his feet with such remarkable quickness as to
overturn the tray of oranges on the stand beside him, and they went
rolling over the carpet in all directions, while he clapped his hands
and roared again and again with convulsing laughter. Sheldon was
dumb-founded.

"Good!" exclaimed the doctor, in a tone of gleeful chuckling. "Ha, ha,
ha! I declare I shall die a laughing. So cunning, the witch,--never to
tell me!"

"Do you know the lady?" asked Sheldon in amaze, gazing on his friend's
extravagant demonstrations of mirth and joy.

"Better and better!" roared the doctor. "Do I know her? Yes; she has
been an inmate of my mansion for the last _six_ months. Why, boy, she is
an angel;--as gifted, as beautiful, and as good as all the beauty and
genius put together. She has warmed my old heart and filled my house
with sunshine."

"You will do me a great favor to introduce your humble servant to this
paragon of excellence."

"Exactly! I'll do it all in good time; but take another orange, man!" he
said, extending the empty tray to Sheldon. "Zounds! where are they
gone?" he exclaimed, perceiving the dish to be vacant. "Have I eaten
them all?"

Sheldon could not forbear laughing now, as he informed the doctor of his
accident, which called forth another burst of merriment.

"Well, you want to see this lady?" he said, when it had subsided. "I'll
bring her to you in a