innocent, ignorant young creature," sez I; "two little
butterflies fluttering about instead of one, not thinkin' or carin'
for the fouler's net," sez I, smilin' on her pleasant, for I couldn't
help it. For I knew the heart of youth, and the monotony of life, and
the need of young hearts for each other. But I didn't like the young
men's looks and told her so agin, and she laughed, and said she didn't
like their looks either. Sez she, "Their breath always smells of the
whiskey. Faugh!" sez she, "it makes me sick," and she shrugged her
shoulders in the true French way.

And I sez agin, lookin' solemn, "No young man whose breath smells of
whiskey is safe for any young girl to associate with. It is a pizen
atmosphere that blasts every sweet and pure thing that comes nigh it."
And I sithed.

And she said in her own sweet way that she knew I was telling the
truth, for I talked just as her own sweet mother did. And she bent
down with one of her pretty foreign ways and kissed my hand. Dear
little thing, I didn't spoze my talk had done her much good, but then
I considered it couldn't do her any hurt 'tennyrate. And so I left the
event to the overruling Power, just as we poor weak mortals have to.

CHAPTER XIII

Well, a day or two after that Josiah and I wuz takin' a walk, meetin'
occasionally Turks all dressed Turkey fashion, and Japans, and Yankees
and men and wimmen and children, when who should we meet face to face
but Cousin John Richard, that blessed man. As I said, we had writ and
writ and tried to find him, but didn't know but we should have to hunt
round considerable, but wuz bound to not leave the islands till we'd
seen him. But lo and behold! here he wuz, lookin' just as good and
heavenly minded as ever. He wuz santerin' along apparently lost in
deep thought or nearly lost.

But when he see us he grasped our hands with a welcome that made us
know that no matter to what a extent a man's soul may live in the
heavens, his heart is tied with deathless ties to the relations on his
own side and to their pardners if they be congenial.

We stopped stun still and talked quite a spell about different things,
our health, the relations and so forth.

Anon I sez, "Cousin John Richard, you look wan and pale, but it is a
blessed work you are doin'."

He had opened a midnight mission, helpin' the weak and tempted and
overcome of both sects, preachin' the love of Christ and follerin' his
teachin' up by good works.

H