“You can’t frighten me with such an insinuation; but you only increase my anxiety to know more about you. By the by, were you ever in love?” “Oh, yes! I was dead in love with a fellow once--he was such a darling! and to tell you the truth, I love him yet. He had such a black beard, such black hair, and was so handsome!” “My hair is black, and so is my beard.” “I dare say it is. What if it should turn out that it was you, after all! Were you ever in love?” “Indeed, yes! I loved a pretty girl with dark-brown hair and large gray eyes; and would have married her but for a very trivial little circumstance--she wouldn’t have me.” “I suppose she didn’t like black hair and a black beard.” “Well, we didn’t marry, anyway.” “Suppose, sir knight, you entertain me with a history of your love scrape?” “I will, on condition that you will follow suit with your little episode, when I am through with mine.” “All right--I’ll do it.” “Mine is a short story, but very affecting--and, if you have tears, prepare to shed them now.” “Well, hold on then till I get out my handkerchief. Here it is now--go on.” “I was in the city of Jackson, Mississippi, once, attending the Legislature, of which I was a member.” “Wait a moment till I catch this tear--I think I feel one in my left eye.” “What have I said that could have started a tear?” “That you were a member of the Mississippi Legislature--that was the reason your girl refused to marry you.” “Well, perhaps it was; though I have repented of that; and have promised to go and sin no more in that way; but I am digressing. While I was in Jackson, I was invited by some friends, to join them in a picnic dinner on the beautiful banks of Pearl river. Many lovely women were with the party--one in particular; it was a clear case of love at first sight on my side, and spontaneous indifference on hers. The dinner was magnificent. My girl unloaded a basket. It made my mouth water to watch her pretty little white hands lifting out the nice cake, the luscious jam, the roast turkey, the broiled chicken, the snow-white bread, the great yellow rolls of butter. I fell in love with her and the contents of her basket--and felt like devouring the whole concern then and there. It would have done you good to see the sweet smile she cast on me as she invited me to take a seat by her side and eat with her. I made up my mind to make her an offer of marriage at the first opportunity, and I was very much mortified to learn that three other fellows had determined to do likewise. All three of them had great advantages over me--they were not members of the Mississippi Legislature, and I was--I had to carry too much dead weight. After dinner was over the band began to play a lively tune, and some one proposed a dance; I made a dash toward my girl, with the view of asking her to be my partner in the dance. She smiled sweetly on me, but danced with another fellow. I then took the pouts and refused to dance at all.