"She didn't mean to, aunty," said Ladybird, eagerly; "honest injun, it wasn't her fault. She wasn't going to say a word to me about it; but I couldn't help seeing there was some fearful thing going on in her heart, and so I made her tell me what it was; and of course after I got her started she kept going, and now I know all about it." "You do!" said Miss Priscilla. "And, pray, what do you propose to do about it?" "Oh, aunty, I don't know; but let's help her out some way, can't we?" "No, we can't," said Miss Priscilla, shortly. "It's none of our affair, and I forbid you, Lavinia, ever to refer to the subject again." "Yes, aunty, I'll remember; but just listen a minute." Ladybird had gone to her aunt's side, and she perched on the arm of her chair, and caressed the withered old face as she talked. "You see, aunty," she went on, "both aunties,"--for she felt instinctively that Miss Dorinda would show more sentiment in this matter than her sister,--"Charley Hayes is not half, nor quarter, nor not even the least little mite good enough for my beautiful, lovely, sweet Stella. She's so pretty, and so wise, that she ought to marry an earl, or a duke, or a king, at least." "Yes," said Miss Dorinda, timidly, "I can't help thinking it is all true, Priscilla." "It makes no difference how true it is," said Miss Priscilla, angrily, "it is nothing to us; and I repeat, Lavinia, that I wish you to drop the subject at once and forever." "Yes, aunty," said Ladybird, with every outward show of obedience; "but I've got the loveliest plan. You know there are places where you can advertise and get husbands." "What?" cried Miss Priscilla Flint, unable to believe her own ears. "Yes, really, aunty; didn't you know it? I've often wondered why you and Aunt Dorinda didn't get some husbands that way. I didn't know you didn't know about it. It's perfectly lovely. Martha told me about it; and you just send your name and the color of your eyes, and you say what kind of a husband you want, and they send them to you right away. What kind would you like, aunty?" Miss Dorinda was speechless at these fearsome revelations; but Miss Priscilla was rarely affected that way. "Lavinia Lovell," she exclaimed, with flashing eyes, "hush this talk at once! I am more ashamed of you than I can say. Hush! do not speak another word." "No," said Ladybird, "I won't; but truly, Aunt Priscilla, it's a great scheme. Martha knew a lady who got a lovely husband that way, and--" "Silence, Lavinia!" "Yes, 'm. And he married her, and they lived happy ever after. Martha said so." "Lavinia, be quiet." "Yes, 'm. And so you see, aunty, if we could just get a real nice husband for Stella, instead of that horrid Charley Hayes, we'd be doing as we'd be done by, and our neighbor as ourselves." "Lavinia," began Miss Priscilla again.