eing called
an 'odious creature,' and the surprise with which I listened to my own
description! So earnest were you, that I actually, for a moment, thought
my hair must have turned red!" and he ran his fingers through his curly
locks with a rueful face.

The girls laughed, and Cyn exclaimed,

"What a pity it is you tore up that picture, Nat!"

"Yes," acquiesced Nattie, adding, in explanation, to Clem-- "You
remember that pen and ink sketch? My first act of vengeance was to
destroy it!"

"Never mind, Jo will do another, will you not?" asked Clem, turning to
that gentleman, who, upon being thus appealed to, arose, laid down the
nutcracker he held, and said with the utmost solemnity,

"Jo is ready to draw anything. _But_ Jo is aghast and horrified at being
mixed even in the slightest degree with anything so near approaching the
romantic, as the affair in question. What is the use of a fellow shaving
off his hair, I would like to know, if such things as these will
happen?"

"It is no use fighting against Nature!" laughed Cyn. "Romance always has
been since the world was, and always will be, I suppose. Your turn will
come, Jo! I have no doubt we shall see you a long haired, cadaverous,
sentimental artist yet!"

"Never!" cried Jo heroically. "But you must confess that this affair is
taking undue advantage of a fellow. A _wired_ romance is something
entirely unexpected!"

"And besides, viewed telegraphically, there is nothing at all romantic
in the whole affair!" said Nattie, who, between her confusion at the
turn the conversation had taken, and her alarm lest something should be
said about that chubby Cupid--whom it will be remembered she had
suppressed in her former description to "C "--was decidedly embarrassed.

Before Jo could express his satisfaction at this statement, Clem
exclaimed, reproachfully,

"Oh! do not say that! not even to spare our friend's feelings can I deny
the romance of our acquaintance."

"I quite agree with you," said Cyn; "I really believe Nat is going over
to Jo's ideas. Never mind! just wait until your turn comes, you
unsentimental Jo."

"Madam!" cried Jo, "when I find myself in the condition you describe, I
will come and place the disposal of myself in your hands!" and he made
her a profound bow.

There is many a true word spoken in jest, and none of the little party
there assembled imagined how true, indeed, these words were to prove, as
Cyn gayly answered,

"It is a bargain, J