"Wal," sez I, "next time I cum I'll bring you an allfired hunk, see if I don't." Jest then, the chap that I'd seen at the theatre with her the night afore, opened the door and cum straight in. I eenamost jumped on eend and dropped her hand, that some how or other had got intu mine agin, as if it had been a hot chesnut. But the chap only looked around, and made a sort of a slidin bow, and shet the door agin. "Wal," sez I, all in a twitter, for my heart had riz right up intu my mouth; "I guess I'll be goin." "So soon?" sez she, a liftin them eyes sort o' mournful. I wilted right down agin, like a cabbage plant in the sun. "And who may that chap be," sez I, for I begun tu feel ugly about the heart. "Oh, he's only my brother," sez she, "never mind him. Are you fond of music, Mr. Slick?" "I guess I be," sez I. "When the chorister is gone, I al'ers lead the singin at meetin tu hum." "Have you ever heard Castellan?" sez she. "No," sez I, "I don't know as ever I've heard that instrument, but I'm great on the bas-viol, and could beat all natur on the toot horn when I was a leetle shaver, not more than knee high to a toad." Consarn the critter, I couldn't speak but what that pesky mouth of hern would brighten and pucker up. "Would you like to go with me and hear her this evening?" sez she. "We shall hear some fine music." "If you'll only talk tu me there can't be a doubt on it," sez I, a bowin. "Then you will go?" sez she. "I reckon I will," sez I, "twice over if you want me tu, and tickled to death with the chance." "Wal," sez she, "I'll be ready at half past seven." "You'll find me on hand," sez I; "and now I guess I must be a goin." With that I took up old bell crown, and arter makin a prime bow, was a goin out; but I happened tu think what a coot I'd been, and turned back. "I swan," sez I, "I'd a'most forgot tu ask what you wanted tu see me for." I snum, it seemed as if the maple leaves I'd been a talking of had been flung, a hull swad on 'em into her face, she turned so red; but afore she could speak I heard that chap a comin agin; so I made her a low bow, but sudden, like a jack-knife opened and shet in a hurry, and I cut for the sloop agin. Your dutiful son, JONATHAN SLICK. * * * * * LETTER XXX. The Gambling House--Jonathan is taken in with Cards. DEAR PAR: I've tried to write tu you agin and agin since my t'other letter, but I felt so dreadful bad, there was no makin it out, all I could du. I've been dreadful sick, and about the darndest melancholy critter that ever sot up an eend in bed.