Gnipho and his brother, with all their restraining efforts, could not refrain from a hearty outburst of merriment at this courteous sally of the Dosch, whose commissary stores for a month’s supply for himself, wife, companions, and volantaphs, were the scarcely perceptible burden of a bee. Indegatus catching the infection, the trio startled the hereditary silence of the latifundium with the unusual echoes of jocund laughter, causing the distant laborers to suspend their occupations in wondering surprise at the vent of emotions which had been so long suppressed with the rule of discontent and anxiety. The cause of this ebullition lent his mitey chirrup to swell the chorus, and incite its continuance with Gnipho. Changing to the ear of Indegatus after the more urgent emotions had subsided, the Dosch complimented him for his well preserved sympathetic mirthful tones of voice, expressing in commendation his surprise that the long disuse of mirth provocatives had not caused the resonance of his intonations to become dry and wheezy. Then, in continuation, he said, “Now that I have gained your kindly appreciation seasoned with the genial sympathy of a hearty laugh, I will rejoin my family while you are absent with yours during the heat of noontide.” CHAPTER XV. While Gnipho was rehearsing the wonders of his marvelous interview with the Dosch of Manatitla, to his mother and sisters, as he was about closing he became suddenly silent, with his eyes drawn attentively to his right ear. The strabismic impulse startled his mother and sisters, but a bright smile on Gnipho’s face relieved their fears. In a few seconds he held out his hand, and presented, with an introduction, the Dosch and his wife, with their companions. When female curiosity had subsided the Doschessa intimated her desire to hold an auramental interview with the eldest daughter! Her compliance was accompanied with evidences of trepidation, but after a few minutes these subsided giving place to an expression of vivacious interest, indicating a discussion of matters pertaining to female economy. The Dosch observing these symptoms of female confluency, reminded the prætor that the confidence of the sex was formalistic, and never free in the presence of males! Acting upon this hint Indegatus with the Dosch, Gnipho, and brother withdrew to the thalmus auditorium. The renewed interview of the Dosch with Indegatus and sons was opened by Gnipho, who petitioned his father, “May I question the Dosch to obtain further knowledge of this power of self control? It appears so natural and free from the delusions of our worship, in which we are constantly supplicating for what we neglect to obtain from our own endowed resources, it must insure happy contentment in life, and as he says, a pro-realizing foretaste of immortality. Indeed, father, I have before felt that there was within my control a peaceful joy that would serve as a shield from self-deception and the