That and the bow of mine did the bisness for her. I never did see a critter act so tickled--the dimples kept a coming and going round that sweet mouth of her'n like the bubbles on a glass of prime cider. Her eyes were brimful of funny looks, and she grew harnsomer every minit. Her face realy was like a picture book; every time I took a peak it seemed as if she'd turned over a new leaf with a brighter pictur painted on it. She went along towards a bench all cushioned off, that looked as if it was tu good to be sot on, and there she stood a waving that white hand, as much as to say, set down here Mr. Slick, and don't be particlar about gitting too fur off from them square pillars for I shall set agin them myself. I made her a kind of a half bow, and then arter giving my hand a wave to match her'n,--sez I-- "Arter you is manners for me." The critter understands what good manners is; her black eyes begun to sparkle and the smile came around her little mouth thicker and faster, like lady bugs around a full blown rose. I begun to feel to hum with her right off, so when she sot down and looked into my face with them sarcy mischievous eyes of her'n, and hitched up to the square cushion sort of inviting, I jest divided my coat tail with both hands and sot down tu. But when I got down I'll be darned if I knew what on arth to talk about; I stretched one of my new boots out on the carpet, and then crossed t'other over it and then I did it all over agin, but still I kept growing more and more streaked, till by-am-by I jest sidled towards her kind of insinivating, and sez I-- "Wal, Miss Elssler, what's the news?" "E--a de what," sez she, a looking puzzled half to death. "Oh nothing partic'lar," sez I. "I swow, Miss Elssler, you've got a tarnal purty foot--git out you critter you!" and with that I gave my yaller hankercher a flirt and upset a fly that had lit on the tip eend of her finefied silk shoe. Arter I'd finished his bisness, I folded up my hankercher and wiped my nose, and then put it in my pocket agin. Then I begun to think it was best to take a new start, and sez I-- "Its rather pleasant weather for the season, don't you think so--beautiful day yesterday, wasn't it?" She gave me one of her sweet smiles, and sez she-- "Yes it was, indeed. I was on board one French vessel in the harbor yesterday, and was so delighted." "What sort of a consarn was it?" sez I, "a sloop mebby"-- "Oh no," sez she, "it was a _La Belle Poule_."