arol in the homes of our best people!

Thereafter Eustace sang only songs that had been censored by his family,
and his repertoire was now stainless, containing no song in which a
romantic attachment was even hinted at; but only those reciting
wholesome adventures, military and marine, pastoral scenes and
occupations, or the religious experience of the singer.

In the words of the _Argus_, "his powerful singing was highly enjoyed by
all present."

There followed the feature of the evening,--a paper read by Mrs. Potts;
subject, "The Message of Emerson." With an agreeable public manner the
lady erected herself at one corner of a square piano, placed her
manuscripts under the shaded lamp, and began. The subject, aforetime
made known among us, had been talked about and perhaps a little wondered
at. It is certain, at least, that Westley Keyts had yielded to the
urging of his good wife to be present in the belief that a man named
Emerson had sent Mrs. Potts a telegram to be read to us. This was what
"the message of Emerson" meant to Westley, and the novelty of it had
seemed to justify what he called "togging up," after a hard day's work
at the slaughter-house.

If, then, he listened to Mrs. Potts at first with wonder-widening eyes,
amazed at Mr. Emerson's recklessness in the matter of telegrams, and if
at last he fell into gentle slumber, perhaps it was only that he had
been less hardened than others present to the rigors of social nicety.
No one else fell asleep, but it was noticed that the guests, when the
paper was done, praised it to one another in swift generalities and with
averted face, as if they sought to evade specific or pointed inquiry as
to its import. But the impression made by the reader was all that she
could have wished, and the gathering was presently engrossed with
refreshments. The _Argus_ stated that "a dainty collation was served to
all present, the menu comprising the choicest delicacies of the season,"
which I took to mean that Solon was trying to profit by instruction; and
that never again would he permit a table in the _Argus_ to groan with
its weight of good things.

Westley Keyts, being skilfully awakened without scandal by his wife,
drank a cup of strong coffee to clear his brain, and cordially consumed
as many segments of cake as he was able to glean from passing trays,
speculating comfortably, meanwhile, about the message of
Emerson,--chiefly as to why Emerson had not sent it by mail, thus