Why this young fellow fixed my attention, I can scarcely tell. His costume was by no means uncommon: though it was the only one of the kind there present. It was not that, however, nor yet his fine personal appearance, that interested me; but rather something I had observed in his bearing and manner. As we were seated opposite each other, near the foot of the long table, I had an excellent opportunity of observing him. Notwithstanding his undoubted good looks--sufficiently striking to have filled the possessor with vanity--his deportment was marked by a modest reserve, that proved him either unaware of his personal advantages, or without any conceit in them. By the glances occasionally cast towards him, from the opposite end of the table, I could perceive that "Miss Alvina" and "Miss Car'line" were not insensible to his attractions. Neither, however, had reason to congratulate herself upon any reciprocity of her favouring glances. The young man either did not observe, or, at all events, took no notice of them. The melancholy tinge pervading his features remained altogether unaltered. Equally impassible did he appear under the jealous looks of some three or four smart young storekeepers--influenced, no doubt, by tender relations existing between them and the aforementioned damsels, whose sly _espieglerie_ of the handsome hunter could not have escaped their observation. The young man appeared to be be rather _friendless_, than unknown. I could perceive that almost all of the company were acquainted with him; but that most of them--especially the gentlemen in broad-cloth--affected an air of superiority over him. No one talked much to him: for his reserved manner did not invite conversation; but when one of these did address a few words to him, it was in the style usually adopted by the well-to-do citizen, holding converse with his less affluent neighbour. The young fellow was evidently not one to be sneered at or insulted; but, for all that, I could perceive that the broad-cloth gentry did not quite regard him as an equal. Perhaps this may be explained by the hypothesis that he was _poor_, and, indeed, it did not require much penetration to perceive that such was the reality. The hunting-shirt, though once a handsome one, was no longer new. On the contrary, it was considerably "scuffed;" and the green baize wrappers upon his limbs were faded to a greenish brown. Other points proclaimed a light purse-- perhaps far lighter than the heart of him who carried it--if I was to judge by the expression of his countenance.