evidently considered us as
mere children, nor did he appear to fix particular attention to any one.

One Monday my mother received a note from him, to beg she would grant
him a short interview on the following day, as he wished for her advice
on a subject of much interest to him. Mamma's reply begged him to come
at eleven o'clock, when she would be happy to see him.

He came, and was particularly neatly dressed. My mother had been very
agitated all the morning, and looked flushed and nervous as the hour
drew near; I really believe the old lady fancied it was for an idle
avowal to herself that he was coming. Be that however as it may, the
object of his visit turned out to be a proposal to Miss Evelyn, with an
offer of marriage. He was ready to make such settlements upon her as
could not but be satisfactory. He told my mother that before speaking
to Miss Evelyn, whom he had loved from her first appearance in the
parish, and whose quiet, modest character had daily made a deeper
impression, he thought it only his duty to first break the subject to
her, and to ask her permission for an interview with Miss Evelyn, and
next, if he was acceptable to her, for leave to visit at our house,
while courting his wished-for wife. He further stated that he had never
ventured to hint the state of his feelings to Miss Evelyn, and prayed
my mother to be the kind intermediary in opening the subject to her,
and to beg as a favour that she would grant him an interview to state
his case in person on the following day, so that he might learn his
fate from her own lips. My mother, although probably inwardly a little
disappointed, had the interest of Miss Evelyn too much at heart not to
take up the matter warmly, and urged, with all the volubility elderly
ladies can so well exercise, whenever the marriage of a younger friend
is in question, all the benefit that would accrue to her from so
advantageous a proposal. Miss Evelyn was really taken quite by
surprise, and stammered out some vague expressions of wishing for time
to consider.

"Stuff and nonsense, my dear, remember your dependent position, and the
advantages this match holds out to you. You must not think or talk of
delay. He will be here to-morrow, and I hope his lover eloquence will
soon decide the question in his favour."

Poor Miss Evelyn burst into tears and said it was so sudden, and she
was so ill-prepared to take any decision. She would, however, think
over it very seriously an