"They ought to be much obliged to you, as they bid fair to surpass both Grace and Emily," he said. "Pray don't let Miss Arlington hear you say so, or she will never forgive me." "Oh never fear, she would not believe it, but I will be careful, as she is already dreadfully jealous of you." "Of me, how can she be, why should she." "She has cause enough," he replied warmly, "but she should be more magnanimous." "I don't think it possible, I cannot imagine she could be so silly." "It is plain enough to me, that she is." "I don't see it, I confess." "'Where ignorance is bliss,' he replied, with one of his usual penetrating glances. "Yours must be a very happily constituted mind to be so unconscious of all things disagreeable." "Not quite so unconscious as you imagine, but I advise you not to fish into troubled waters." "Still waters run deep, you mean," he replied. "Unfathomable," she said, and followed the children to the dining-room, for they had gone there to see if the decorations were completed. A right merry party sat down to dinner, sixty in number, all relations or old friends. Here is Tom's description of the wedding nest day, which he sent his friend: DEAR DICK,--We are having jolly times here--rare fun on Christmas-eve, I assure you. But the best of all was my brother's wedding; eight bridesmaids, all as beautiful as sunshine. (I was a best-man, of course.) The bride looked magnificent--(between you and I, Dick, he has made a very good choice)--the rain and sunshine style. I can't say I understand that kind of thing, but on such occasions it tells immensely. (I admire one of the bridesmaids amazingly, but mum's the word, mind.) But to speak of the wedding. Governor Arlington is a liberal old fellow. Champagne like water, and everything to match. Your's truly, T. M.