There was the smallest perceptible doubt in his tone. Next morning, on going into my parlors, I was a little worried to see two or three moths flying about the room. They were despatched with commendable quickness. On the morning that followed, the same thing occurred again; and this was repeated, morning after morning. Moreover, in a few days, these insects, so dreaded by housekeepers, showed themselves in the chambers above. Up to this time I had neglected to put away my furs, a new set of which had been purchased during the previous winter. I delayed this no longer. House-cleaning time had now arrived. My new carpets were taken up and packed away, to give place to the cooler matting. Our winter clothing also received attention, and was deposited in chests and closets for the summer, duly provided with all needful protection from moths. After this came the calm of rest and self-satisfaction. One day, about the middle of July, a lady friend called in to see me. "That's a neat sofa, Mrs. Smith," said she, in the pause of a conversation. "I think it very neat," was my answer. "It's made from the same pattern with one that I had. One that I always liked, and from which I was sorry to part." "You sold it?" said I. "Yes. I sent it to auction." "Ah! Why so?" "I discovered, this spring, that the moth had got into it." "Indeed!" "Yes. They showed themselves, every day, in such numbers, in my parlors, that I became alarmed for my carpets. I soon traced their origin to the sofa, which was immediately packed off to auction. I was sorry to part with it; but, there was no other effective remedy." "You lost on the sale, I presume," I ventured to remark. "Yes; that was to be expected. It cost sixty dollars, and brought only thirty. But this loss was to be preferred to the destruction such an army of moth as it was sending forth, would have occasioned." I changed the subject, dexterously, having heard quite enough about the sofa to satisfy me that my bargain was likely to prove a bad one.