amusing, if not the most instructive portion of
the morning's conversation, was that in which Mrs. Temple bore a
conspicuous part. The danger being past, the good woman adverted with
much pride to the calmness and fortitude which she had displayed during
the latter part of the trying scene. She never suspected that her
conduct had been at all open to criticism, for in the excess of her
agitation, she had not been aware, either of her manner or her language.

"The fact is, gentlemen," she said, "that while you all displayed great
coolness and resolution, it was well that you were not surrounded by
timid women to embarrass you with their fears. I was determined that
none of you should see my alarm, and I have no doubt you were surprised
at my calmness."

"It was very natural for ladies to feel alarm," said Hansford, scarcely
able to repress the rising smile, "under circumstances, which inspired
even strong men with fear. I only wonder that you bore it so well."

"Ah, it is easy to see you are apologizing for Virginia, and I must
confess that once or twice she did almost shake my self-possession a
little by her agitation. But poor thing! we should make allowance for
her. She is unaccustomed to such scenes. I, who was, you may say,
cradled in a revolution, and brought up in civil war, am not so easily
frightened."

"No, indeed, Bessy," said old Temple, smiling good humouredly, "so
entirely were you free from the prevailing fears, that I believe you
were unconscious half the time of what was going on."

"Well, really, Colonel Temple," said the old lady, bristling up at this
insinuation, "I think it ill becomes you to be exposing me as a jest
before an entire stranger. However, it makes but little difference. It
won't last always."

This prediction of his good wife, that "It," which always referred to
her husband's conduct immediately before, was doomed like all other
earthly things to terminate, was generally a precursor to hysterics. And
so she shook her head and patted her foot hysterically, while the
Colonel wholly unconscious of any reasonable cause for the offence he
had given, rolled up his eyes and shrugged his shoulders in silence.

Leaving the good couple to settle at their leisure those little disputes
which never lasted on an average more than five minutes, let us follow
Virginia as she goes down stairs to make some preparation for dinner. As
she passed through the hall on her way to the store-room, she saw