"Well, Professor Clark married her, and their house was fixed up with books, and pictures, and every thing of that sort which Maria liked. I never went to see them, for they never talked about any thing that interested me. Maria didn't care a penny whether her bonnet was an old or a new one, so long as it was clean and whole. She had no eyes nor ears for any thing but her books and her husband, till that child was born, and then she acted just so about that. When it was five years old, its father died, and then nothing would do but Maria must go after him, as if there was nobody in the world worth looking at but Professor Clark. She might have got married again, and then I should not have had that child to look after. I know she will turn out just like her mother. She looks just like her, and has all her superfine, good-for-nothing lady ways already. --"No, I did not have any time at all to look after the fashions in the city. The things there are enough to drive you distracted. Such beautiful big plaid and striped silks; such gay trimmings, and bright shawls. I declare every thing looks so homely here in this village, when I come back, that I am perfectly disgusted. Those old poke bonnets of the Cramm girls, trimmed with that pink ribbon they have worn two seasons, and Mrs. Munroe's rusty-looking black mantilla--it is perfectly disgusting." "So it is," said the sympathizing Kip, "I am tired to death of them, myself. I really wonder, Dolly, you can make up your mind to stay here in this dull place. Why don't you move into the city?" "Perhaps, I shall, one of these days," said Dolly, with a toss of her head. "I feel as though I was born to better things. It is dull work for a woman to live all her life alone." "I know it," said Kip, disconsolately. "There are men enough in the world, no doubt of that," said Dolly, "and when I go about with them, in the city, I quite enjoy it; but one sees nothing here, except frogs and crickets; it is perfectly disgusting." "So it is," chimed Kip; "and such splendid moonlight-nights as we have, too, and such nice places to walk." "Yes, but to walk with a _woman_!" said Dolly. "I like you very well, Kip; but when one _has_ had gentlemen's society, it is like swallowing the parings, after having eaten the peach." "So it is," said Kip (quite willing in such a cause to be tossed unceremoniously among the parings). "Well, it is just here," said Dolly, "I will own it to _you_, Kip, I mean to get married!" "You don't!" screamed Kip; "to whom?" "Lord knows, I don't, but I feel sure I shall do it." "How?" asked Kip, with great interest.