"Welcome back again, then, to a truly social, and convivial spirit! After this, don't let me ever see you refuse a generous glass." "What! An empty wine-glass in the hand of young Mr. Incorrigible! Upon my word!" ejaculated old Mr. Manley, coming up at this moment. "O, yes, pa! I've conquered him to-night! He couldn't refuse to take a glass of wine with me on this occasion!" the daughter said, in great glee. "He must take one with me, too, then." "You must excuse me, indeed, sir," Haley replied--rallying himself, and bracing up into firmness his broken and still wavering resolutions. "Indeed, then, and I won't." "O, no. Don't excuse him at all, pa! He drank with me, and then with brother, and now to refuse to drink with you would be a downright shame." "He has taken a glass with George, too, has he? And now wants to be excused when I ask him. Upon my word! Here, George, tell the servant to come over this way." The servant came, of course, in a moment or two, with the wine. "Fill up his glass, George," the father said. Haley's glass was, of course, filled again. "Now, my boy!--Here's a health to my children! May this night's happiness be but as a drop to the ocean of delight in reserve for them." Drinking. "And here's to our father! May his children never love him less than they do now." Drinking in turn. "Thank you, my boy!" "And thank you in return, for your kind wishes." "That wine didn't seem to taste unpleasantly, James?" "O, no, sir. It is rich and generous." "How long is it since you tasted wine?" "About three years." "Are you not fond of it?" "O, yes. I like a good glass of wine." "Then what in the world has made you act so singularly about it?" "A mere whim of mine, I suppose you will call it. And perhaps it was. I thought I was just as well without it." "Nonsense! Don't let me ever again hear of this foolishness." And then the old man mingled with the happy company. "Come, James, you must drink with me, too," the mother said, a little while afterward. Haley did not seem unwilling, but turned off a glass of wine with an air of real pleasure. "You must drink with me, too," went through the room. Every little while some one, with whom the young man had on former occasions refused to drink, finding out that he had been driven from his cold-water resolutions, insisted upon taking a glass with him. Such being the case, it is not to be wondered at that a remark like this should be made before the passage of an hour. "See! As I live, Haley's getting lively!" "I think that 'rich and generous wine' is beginning to brighten you up a little," Mr. Manley said, about this time, slapping his son-in-law familiarly upon the shoulder? "I feel very happy, sir," was Haley's reply. "That's right. This is a happy occasion." "I never was so happy in my life! I hardly know what to do with myself. Come! Won't you take some wine with me. I drank with you a little while ago."