“He is the ornament of Parisian saloons; living no one knows how, but suspected to be one of that class, termed in England, ‘_flat-catchers_,’ lending the aid of his fine person and fascinating manners to attract victims to the gaming-table. He is said to be as handsome as ever,—dresses well, and is the admiration of all the young ladies as well as the dread of all the mammas who are on the watch to avoid ‘_ineligibles_.’ And now that you have heard my story, Emily, are you still surprised at my choice?” * * * * * THE BLUE VELVET MANTILLA. BY MRS. A. M. F. ANNAN. “I do admire Of womankind but one.” _John Gilpin._ “So then, Julius, you are at last a lawyer, out and out?—how did you pass your examination?” “Just to please myself, uncle, I wasn’t stumped once.” “Bravo! I am glad to hear it; that was exactly following my example. Before I got through, they tried hard to pose me, but I was an overmatch for them. I would have made a capital lawyer, Julius, had I chosen to practise.” “What a pity you did not, uncle!” “Yes, that’s what all my friends say, and that, if I had not been too rich to need it, they would have given me all the business in their power,—every cent’s worth of it. Many of them wish that I had been poorer, that I might have been of greater service to the public.” “What kind friends you must have, sir!” “You rascal! I see that you are laughing at me. However, I intend to take you for my raw material, and make of you everything that I have failed to be myself. In the first place, you are to rise to the height of the profession here, in this very city, to make amends for my not having attained the station.” “But the opposite reason to yours will forbid my accomplishing that, my dear sir,—too light a purse, is, in the generality of cases, a greater obstacle than one too heavy.” “An ingenious lawyer, to presume that, when I employ you to do my work for me, I expect you to go upon your own means! why, my worshipful attorney, you must live here with me, in my own house, and make use of my own purse. It is my place to pay the expenses.” “Dear uncle! how kind you are! how generous!—I can never be sufficiently grateful—” “Spare your eloquence to plead my causes for me!—we lawyers know how much speeches ought to go for, so I want none of them here, just now. Am I not telling you that you are to work for me in return?—and I wish you to fulfil another of my duties towards society.” “Anything in the world, uncle, after all the kindness—” “Poh! it’s not any uncommon task I wish you to undertake. It is only to marry a wife and to raise a family. You may imitate me in everything but in being an idler, and an old bachelor.”