consented to accompany me,
provided I would not reveal to Aunt Polly the proposed length of my
visit until I had spent a day and night under her roof. This I readily
consented to, thinking only at the time what a strange proviso it was.
Accordingly, arrangements were soon completed for the long coveted
journey; but not until I had remonstrated with my mother on her
limited provision for my wardrobe, furnishing me only with what a
small carpet-bag would contain.

After a ride of some forty miles, through scenery that gave fresh
inspiration to my hopes, we arrived at the witching hour of sunset,
before a venerable-looking farm-house. Its exterior gave no signs in
the form of shrubbery or flowers of the decorating, refining hand of
woman; but the sturdy oak and sycamore were there to give shade, and
the life-scenes that surrounded the farm-yard were plenty in promise
of eggs and poultry for the keen appetites of the travelers.

As we drove into the avenue leading to a side-door of the mansion, I
caught a glimpse of Aunt Polly's unparalleled cap through a window,
and the next moment she stood on the steps, wringing her hands and
crying for joy. An involuntary dread of another _squeezing_ came over
me, which had scarce time to be idealized ere it was realized almost
to suffocation. My father's more graduated look of pleasure, called
from Aunt Polly an out-bursting--"_Forgive_ me, _forgive_ me! It's my
only brother in the world! It's my dear little puss all over again!
_Forgive_ me, _forgive_ me!" But during these ejaculations I was
confirmed in a discovery that had escaped all my vigilance while Aunt
Polly sojourned with us. She was a snuff-taker! That she took snuff,
as she did every thing else, by _snatches_, I had also ascertained, on
seeing her in the door, when she thought herself yet beyond the reach
of our vision, forgetting that young eyes can see further than old
eyes; _mine_ could not be deceived in the convulsive motion that
carried her fore-finger and thumb to the tip of her olfactory organ,
which drew up one snuff of the fragrant weed--as hurriedly as a
porpoise puts his head out of water for a snuff of the sweet air of
morning--when scattering the rest of the pinch to the four winds, she
forgot, in her excitement, for once, to wipe the traces from her upper
lip. Had I only suspected before, the hearty sneeze on my part that
followed close upon her kiss, would have made that suspicion a
certainty. Aunt Polly w