"For fear of being unhappy, Mrs. Harding," replied the first speaker. "What an idea!" exclaimed a gay damsel, laughing aloud at the singular fear expressed by Ella. "For my part, I never expect to be happy until I am married." "If marriage should make you any happier than you are now, Caroline, the result will be very fortunate. Your case will form an exception to the rule." "Oh, no, Ella, don't say that," spoke up the one who had replied to her first remark. "Happiness is the rule, and unhappiness the exception." "Then it happens strangely enough," returned Ella, smiling, "that we are more familiar with the exceptions than the rule." "No, my dear, that cannot for a moment be admitted. Far more of happiness than misery results from marriage." "Look at Ellen Mallory," was answered promptly, "and Mrs. Cummings, and half a dozen others I could name." "The two you have mentioned are painful instances, I must admit, and form the exceptions of which I spoke; but the result is by no means one that should excite our surprise, for it is a natural consequence flowing from an adequate cause. If you marry as unwisely as did the persons you mention, I have no doubt but you will be quite as wretched as they are--it may be more so." "I am sure Mr. Mallory is an elegant-looking man," said one of the company, "and might have had his pick among a dozen more attractive girls than ever Ellen Martine was." "All as thoughtless and undiscriminating as she," remarked Mrs. Harding, quietly. "Ellen is no fool," returned the last speaker. "In the most important act of her whole life, she has certainly not shown herself to be a wise woman," said Mrs. Harding. "But how in the world was she to know that Mr. Mallory was going to turn out so badly?" spoke up Ella. "By opening her eyes, and using the ability that God has given her to see," was answered by Mrs. Harding. "Those eyes are wondrous wise, I ween, That see what is not to be seen," the maiden replied. "Do you then really think, Ella," said Mrs. Harding, "that a young lady cannot make herself as thoroughly acquainted with a man's real qualities as to put any serious mistake in marriage entirely out of the question?" "To me, I must confess that marriage seems very much like a lottery," answered Ella. "We may get a prize, but there are ten chances to one of our getting a blank." "If you choose to make it a lottery, it will no doubt become so; but if entered into from right motives, there is no danger of this being the case." "I don't know what you call right motives," said one; "but I'll tell you a necessary pre-requisite in the man who is to make me a husband." "Well, child, what is it?" "Plenty of money. I'm not going to be a poor man's wife, and work myself to death, all for love--no, not I!" "I'll have a handsome man for a husband, or none," remarked another. "Give me splendid talents," said a third. "And what must you have, Ella?" asked Mrs. Harding, turning to the one she addressed.