However, I am still greatly attracted to the idea, and on the morrow I
mean to take advantage of suitable opportunity to address Miss Hamm upon
the project with a view to enlisting her sympathies and co-operation, as
no doubt I shall succeed in doing. My powers of persuasion frequently
have been the subject of compliment.

Finished the bottle of Great-Aunt Paulina's blood tonic this evening.
Shall not have the prescription renewed as originally contemplated.
Diverting thoughts appear to be succeeding where herbs and simples
failed.

* * * * *

MAY THE NINTH.--This forenoon upon my broaching the topic of our
prospective coappearance in the annual commencement entertainment,
subject, of course, to Miss Waddleton's approval, I found, as I had
anticipated would be the case, that Miss Hamm was quite thoroughly in
accord with the proposition. However, at the outset she misunderstood
one point. Plainly it was her idea that she, in mediaeval masculine
attire, was to essay the role of Romeo. She asked who was to be Juliet
to her Romeo. When I had corrected her in this error, explaining the
proposed bestowal of the roles--she as Juliet upon the balcony, I as
Romeo upon the stage below--she seemed quite overcome with
gratification, managing, however, in part to cloak her feelings beneath
smiles and laughter.

I then voiced the suggestion that I should be very glad indeed to call
upon her some evening in the near future at her home, there to outline
the plans more fully. Pleased that she should so freely welcome this
advance upon my part, I was moved to suggest the present evening as a
suitable time for calling. But she, it appeared, had an engagement for
this evening, and we then fixed upon to-morrow evening at eight o'clock.

To-night I find myself looking forward with pleasurable anticipation,
not unmixed with impatience, to this hour twenty-four hours hence. I
shall wear a new suit which this day, by a fortunate chance, came from
my tailor. It is of a light grey tone, a deviation from the black which
uniformly I have worn for some years past.

Before retiring I shall again rehearse the balcony scene, but this time,
in a low key, to preclude eavesdropping.

I wonder what the nature of Miss Hamm's engagement for the current
evening may be?

* * * * *

MAY THE TENTH.--The hour is eleven and I have but just returned from a
visit of several hours' duration to