ll do my best,' said he, in the same bantering tone. 'By the by,
Annie--if that is your name--what do you think of my valet, Mr. Noah
Cotton?'

"'What an antiquated name!'--and my mistress laughed out. 'Was he
brought up in the ark?'

"'Names go by contraries, my dear,' said Mr. Carlos. 'Noah is a deuced
handsome fellow; not soft, as his name would imply, but shrewd and
clever--as sharp as a needle. I think he would suit Annie exactly; and
you and I will stand godfather and godmother for all the little Shems,
Hams and Japheths they may happen to place in their ark.'

"'Fie, Walter, fie! You make Annie blush like a rose. Look at him,
Annie, the next time he comes in, and tell me what you think of the fine
husband Mr. Carlos has provided for you.'

"'Oh, Miss Elinor,' I cried, dropping a low curtsey, 'it is very kind of
Mr. Carlos; but I never look at the servants. I am too young to marry.'

"But I did look at Mr. Cotton. He was very attentive to me, and I soon
thought him all that his master had said he was. I did not love him, but
I foolishly imagined that it was a fine thing to have a sweetheart, and
to be married, like my young mistress. And Noah Cotton was a farmer's
son, and better educated than most people in our class. He had a good
place, and was a great favourite with his master, and could afford to
keep me very comfortably. So, when he told me that he preferred me to
all the girls he had ever seen, and asked me to marry him, I said that I
would consult my mistress, and, if she approved of it, I had not the
least objection. Miss Elinor was enchanted with it. She said, it would
be capital; that we should be married on the same day with her and Mr.
Carlos; that she would buy my wedding-suit, and the Squire would pay the
parson the fees; and that we should go with them abroad, in the same
capacity we then held.

"And it all took place as she promised. I was dressed in white muslin,
trimmed with white ribbons, and just one moss rose-bud in my bosom, and
another in my hair. Miss Elinor put them in herself; and then, when I
was dressed, she took my hands in hers, and turned me all round, to see
that all was neat and nice; and she kissed my forehead, and said that I
looked charming,--that any man might be proud of such a little wife; and
she called her own bridegroom into her dressing-room, to come and look
at me before I went to church.

"Mr. Carlos seemed quite struck with my appearance, and declared 'that I