side Maurice, on the other Tom. The latter, I am bound to
say, felt a little embarrassed. He knew that the usages of the family
he was visiting must be different from those to which he was
accustomed, and he was afraid he might make some blunder. He resolved,
therefore, to watch Maurice carefully, and do whatever he did. Eating
with a fork, he thought odd, and not nearly as convenient as a knife.
Still, he did it to avoid mistakes. Maurice watched him, hoping to
detect him in blunders, but to no purpose. He was, perhaps, slightly
awkward, but committed no breaches of etiquette.

"This is Mr. Grey, Maurice," introduced Mr. Benton, at the commencement
of the meal.

"I have the honor of knowing Mr. Grey," said Maurice, stiffly.

There was a slight emphasis on the word honor, which Mr. Benton did not
notice.

After supper Mr. Benton said:

"I am obliged to go out on a little business, but you young people can
amuse yourselves without me. Perhaps Mr. Grey would like to hear you
play, Bessie."

"Perhaps he plays himself?" suggested Maurice, with a sneer.

"Do you?" asked Bessie.

"I can play on a hand-organ," answered Tom.

"Professionally?" inquired Maurice.

"I never was in the business," said our hero. "Is it profitable?"

"How should I know?" said Maurice, angrily.

They adjourned to a pleasant sitting-room, where there was a piano, and
Bessie took her place at the piano.

"I am not much of a player," she said, "but will do my best."

After a while she began to sing. Her voice was pleasant, but not
remarkable.

"I don't like singing alone," she said, at last.

"Mr. Grey will sing with you," said Maurice, maliciously.

"Will you?" pleaded Bessie, turning to our hero.

"If you'll play that," said Tom, pointing to one of the popular songs
of the day, which he had caught in the street.

"Of course I will."

I don't claim that Tom was a remarkable singer; but his voice was of
good quality, and harmonized well with Bessie's. He sang correctly,
also, and she was much pleased.

"How well you sing, Gilbert," she said. "Can't you sing something
else?"

They sang two other popular songs, to the great dissatisfaction of
Maurice, who saw himself quite eclipsed by the new arrival.

"Isn't he splendid, Maurice?" asked Bessie, after Tom had taken leave.

"He's a low fellow!" said Maurice.

"I wish you were half as handsome and agreeable," said Bessie, warmly.

Maurice went to bed in a very unhappy frame