“We were all so charmed to see Arthur that I’m afraid we have been selfish and engrossed too much of his attention. You two will be longing for a cosy little chat to yourselves. If you run upstairs now, Peggy, and hurry through your dressing, there will be a little time before dinner, and you could have this room to yourselves.” “Yes, run along, Peg! It won’t take me ten minutes to get into my clothes, and I’ll be here waiting for you!” cried Arthur eagerly. And Peggy went flying two steps at a time upstairs to her own room. The gas was lit; the can of hot water stood in the basin, the towel neatly folded over the top; the hands of the little red clock pointed to six o’clock, and the faint chime met her ear as she entered. Peggy stood still in the doorway, an icy chill crept through her veins, her hands grasped the lintel, and her eyes grew wide and blank with horror. There, on the writing-table lay a brown paper parcel--the precious parcel which contained the calendar which had been the object of such painful work and anxiety! (_To be continued._) TWO OF THE GREATEST AFFLICTIONS OF GIRLHOOD: BLUSHING AND NERVOUSNESS. BY “THE NEW DOCTOR.” Some years ago an enterprising physician discovered that the whole human race was insane. This doctrine naturally drew forth from the public considerable indignation. We do not believe that we are insane. But the answer of the author was concise: “You cannot prove that you are sane, therefore you are insane!” And a large number took his word and believed it. Nay; even now people are to be met who believe that everyone is insane. Nay--further! There are many persons who not only believe everyone to be insane, but believe that all physicians hold the same opinion! And yet, if you ask one of these philanthropists if he thinks that he himself is insane: “Oh, well--no; you see I am an exception. I do not mean to say that I am better than anyone else, but I am different from everybody that I know. No, I do not think that I am insane.” Yesterday we were interviewing a gentleman “lodger” in an asylum, who had come to the conclusion that all the inmates of the house--nurses, patients, physicians and servants--were all insane, himself alone excepted. This is a common creed in lunatic asylums. No, everyone is not insane. The doctrine is fallacious. But we all pass through phases in our lives when our minds are not capable of fully grasping every detail of the situation. In other words, we are all liable to nervousness. What is nervousness? Think for yourself and try to answer the question. It is difficult, we admit. Is not nervousness a state in which the mind does not rise to the situation? Is it not a condition of uncertainty? Is it not, as it were, a feeling that you know not what step to take next or what answer to give to a question? Is it not a conviction that you are out of place? Indeed, it seems to us that nervousness is the expression of being mentally ill at ease.