With unbounded delight Mabel welcomed her cousin
Delphine, but she whispered, “Now Dell, I know well
enough that nothing but the agreeable escort of James
Clayton could have brought you to this stupid place in
the winter.”

Delphine's only answer was a deeper glow on her cheek,
which she declared was owing to the chill night air, and
Mabel said no more on the subject until they retired for
the night. Then, in the privacy of the dressing room
and before a cheerful fire, she teased and tortured her
cousin concerning her evident preference for the young
student, saying, “I know he is noble and generous, and
father thinks him a gem of rare talents, but after all—”

“After all what?” asked Delphine, suspending for a
moment the operation of brushing her silken hair.

“Why he is of a very low family,” answered Mabel, and
Delphine continued: “Why low? Is there anything bad
or disreputable about them?”

“Oh, no,” said Mabel. “I don't suppose there is a
more honest, upright man in town than cobbler Clayton,
but they are dreadfully poor, or, as mother says, shiftless.
Why, Dell, one glance at the old gable-roof, and one

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whiff of the leather smell, constantly around it, would spoil
all romance connected with the handsome son.”

“Pshaw!” was Delphine's only reply, and there the
conversation ended; nor was it resumed again until two
or three days after, when Delphine announced her intention
of calling on Mrs. Clayton!

“Call on Mrs. Clayton?” exclaimed Mabel, who was
listlessly turning over the leaves of her music book, and
occasionally striking the keys of her piano. “Call on
Mrs. Clayton? You cannot be in earnest.”

“I am,” answered Delphine, and Mabel continued:
“Pray don't ask me to accompany you.”

“You need not be alarmed on that score, as I greatly
prefer going alone,” was Delphine's answer, as she left the
room.

In a few moments she was on her way to the “gable-roof,”
which really looked poor enough; for, as Mrs. Howland
had expressed it, Uncle Isaac was rather “shiftless,”
and though he now had only himself and wife to care for,
he was worth but little more than when, in years gone by,
seven hungry children clustered around his fireside. His
wife, who was greatly his superior, was a paragon of neatness,
and made the most of what little she had. On this
afternoon, with clean cap and gingham apron, she sat
knitting, so wholly absorbed in her thoughts of Josephine,
that, though thrice repeated, she heard not the timid
knock of Delphine, nor was she aware of her presence until
the lady stood before her. Then, in some confusion,
she arose, but Delphine immediately introduced herself,
apologizing for her call, by saying that she thought Mrs.
Clayton might be glad to hear from Josephine. Eagerly
then her hand was grasped, and for the next hour Mrs.
Clayton listened breathlessly, while Delphine recounted
everything concerning Josephine which she thought would

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interest her mother. As she saw how many times the
gingham apron was brought into requisition, to wipe away
the tears of maternal love, she felt indignant toward the
heartless girl who could thus spurn her home and fireside,
because they lay beneath a gable-roof.

Swiftly the time flew on, and though upon the polished
stove the highly polished tea-kettle boiled and boiled, and
then boiled over, Mrs. Clayton heard it not; and though
token after token that daylight was departing fell around
them, still Delphine sat there, gazing at the high, placid
brow and clear, hazel eyes of her new acquaintance, and
tracing therein a likeness to Jimmy, who at last suddenly
opened the door, astonished beyond measure when he found
who was his mother's companion. At his unexpected appearance,
Mrs. Clayton started up, exclaiming, “Bless me,
it's past tea time! How I forgot myself!” while Delphine,
casting a rueful glance at the little narrow window, said,
“Dear me, how dark it is! What shall I do?”

“Stay to tea,” answered Mrs. Clayton, “and then Jimmy
will see you home. He'd just as lief, I know!”

For an instant Jimmy's and Delphine's eyes met, and
the next moment a velvet cloak and rich hood were lying
on the little lounge, while Delphine, demurely seating herself
in the corner, thought, “How funny! I wonder what
Mabel will say. Perhaps she'll think I came here on purpose
to see him; but I didn't.”

By this time tea was ready, and though the table lacked
the transparent china, silver forks, and delicate napkins,
to which Delphine had always been accustomed, she has
frequently declared that never was tea so hot, bread so
white, butter so sweet, or honey so delicious, as were they
that night in Isaac Clayton's sitting room. After supper,
Jimmy, inasmuch as his mother had offered his services,
felt in duty bound to conduct Miss Delphine home, and

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all the misgivings which she had felt as to what Mabel
would say, were put to flight by that delightful moonlight
walk.

“I declare, Dell,” was Mabel's first exclamation, “you
are actually reversing the order of things, and paying
your addresses to young Clayton, instead of waiting for
him to pay them to you.”

“And shows her sense, too,” said Judge Howland, who
was present, “for James, who looks upon her as far
above him, would never presume to address her first.
But, Mab,” he continued, “you had better have an eye on
her, for, in case Dell does not secure him, I intend him for
my own son-in-law.”

“Oh, capital!” said Mabel, clapping her hands, “won't
that be nice? He can attend to all of Uncle Isaac's lawsuits,
and, in return, Uncle Isaac can make all our shoes.”

“But I am in earnest,” said Judge Howland, seriously.
“You will never do better.”

“How absurd,” said Mabel. “Why, he is six months
younger than I am.”

“Six months be hanged,” answered the judge. “Why,
there's your mother, five years my senior, though I believe
she owns to only one!”

“Mr. Howland, how can you talk so?” said the highly
scandalized lady, who, with fair, round face, clear, blue
eyes, and white, sound teeth, really looked five years the
junior of her portly spouse, and probably was.

Had Jimmy been questioned concerning his feelings for
Delphine Granby, he might have pointed to some bright
star, which, while it hovered round and over his pathway,
was still too far distant for him ever to hope to reach
it. And yet, no matter how big the law book was which
he opened, or how intently over its printed leaves he pored,
one face, one form, and one voice ever came between him

p598-359 [figure description] Page 354.[end figure description]

and his studies; and once, in making out a bond, he wrote,
instead of “Know all men by these presents, &c,” “Know
Delphine Granby, &c.,” nor was he aware of his mistake,
until, with the best natured twinkle in the world, Judge
Howland pointed it out, saying, “Not so bad, after all;
for if a woman knows it, all the world stand a fair chance
of knowing it, too.”

Poor Jimmy! How he blushed, and stammered, and
apologized, apologized, stammered, and blushed, while
the judge good humoredly said, “Never mind; Dell
is a girl of the right stamp, and if you play your cards
right, 'tis not her fault if you do not win her.”