on Daily Argus at the time of which I am
speaking. Before that enterprising paper was sold, I was its "South
American man"; this being my only employment, excepting that by a
special agreement, in consideration of an addition to my salary, I was
engaged to attend to the news from St. Domingo, Guatemala, and
Mexico.[6]

Monday afternoon, just a fortnight after I received Harry Barry's
letter, in taking my afternoon walk round the Common, I happened to meet
Julia. I always walked in the same direction when I was alone. Julia
always preferred to go the other way; it was the only thing in which we
differed. When we were together I always went her way of course, and
liked it best.

I had told her, long before, all about Harry's letter, and the dear
girl in this walk, after a little blushing and sighing, and half
faltering and half hesitating and feeling uncertain, yielded to my last
and warmest persuasions, and agreed to go to Mrs. Pollexfen's ball that
evening, ready to leave it with me in my buggy sleigh, for a three
hours' ride to Topsham, where we both knew Harry would be waiting for
us. I do not know how she managed to get through tea that evening with
her lion of a grandfather, for she could not then cover her tearful eyes
with a veil as she did through the last half of our walk together. I
know that I got through my tea and such like ordinary affairs by
skipping them. I made all my arrangements, bade Gage and Streeter be
ready with the sleigh at my lodgings (fortunately only two doors from
Mrs. Pollexfen's) at half-past nine o'clock, and was the highest
spirited of men when, on returning to those lodgings myself at eight
o'clock, I found the following missives from the Argus office, which had
been accumulating through the afternoon.

No. 1.

"4 o'clock, P. M.

"DEAR SIR:--The southern mail, just in, brings Buenos Ayres papers
six days later, by the Medora, at Baltimore.

"In haste, J. C."

(Mr. C. was the gentleman who opened the newspapers, and arranged the
deaths and marriages; he always kindly sent for me when I was out of the
way.)

No. 2.

"5 o'clock, P. M.

"DEAR SIR:-- The U. S. ship Preble is in at Portsmouth; latest
from Valparaiso. The mail is not sorted.

"Yours, J. D."

(Mr. D. arranged the ship news for the Argus.)

No. 3.

"6 o'clock, P. M.

"DEAR SIR:--I boarded, this morning, off Cape Cod, the Blunderhead,