might charm. ' There are some men who 

 like that kind of thing,' and, for the first 

 time, the mother was consoled for the 

 daughter's truth ; that truth which she had 

 hitherto regarded as a terrible stumbling 

 block in the way of her success, for it must 

 be admitted that Fanny's frankness bordered 

 on brusquerie, and that, spite of all her 

 mother's training, she was often absolutely 

 blunt. But the contrast between the mother 

 and daughter took most so by surprise, that 

 few blamed as inelegant what they found so 

 refreshing. Music was naturally touched on 

 in the course of conversation, and he said, 



' You are a musician, Miss Robinson ? ' to 

 which Mrs. Robinson replied, 



' Oh, yes,' with a decision of manner that 

 implied that she was a proficient. 



' Only after a fashion, Mr. Rives,' said 

 Fanny, smiling. ' My music does not 

 amount to much — I have no ear.' 



Mrs. Robinson was really vexed, and took 

 Fanny to task afterward for such unneces- 

 sary frankness. 



' There is no use, Fanny,' she said, an- 

 grily, ' in telling every one what you don't 

 know, particularly as you never tell what 

 you do. Really it is too hard, after all the 

 money I have spent upon your music, that 

 you should not have even the reputation 

 of it.' 



' I am sure, mamma,' said Fanny, good- 

 humoredly, ' you need not reproach me 

 with the expense of it, for certainly I 

 dropped more tears than you have guineas 

 over that old piano. I think it has cost me 

 the most of the two.' 



And so they went on; Mrs. Robinson 

 telling fibs which Fanny always contra- 

 dicted, to the great amusement of their 

 friends, who could not help often ,smiling 

 at Fanny's interposing, with ' oh, mother, 

 how can you say so ?' or ' dear, mother, 

 how you forget,' when Mrs. Robinson was 

 weaving up some tissue that only wanted 

 truth to be very fine. 



Mr. Rives seemed quite taken, and more 

 even by Fanny's ignorance than by her ac- 

 quirements ; for the one he had been pre- 

 pared, but the other was avowed with such 

 naivete that he thought it charming. There 

 was nothing brilliant about him in the way 

 of a match, and therefore Mrs. Robinson 

 did not pay much attention to his admi- 

 ration for Fanny, and consequently was 

 taken quite by surprise in the course of 

 some months by his offering hand and heart 

 with all the earnestness of serious affection. 

 It was a surprise, however, that had nothing 

 disagreeable in it, as it had been a part of 

 Mrs. Robinson's expectations that Fanny 

 should reject some two or three before she 

 finally decided, and young Rives Mrs. Ro- 

 binson thought a very creditable offer to 



refuse. But how was the feeling heightened, 

 and that anything but pleasantly, when she 

 found that Fanny had no idea of refusing 

 him. On the contrary, she stoutly per- 

 sisted that she liked him, and saw no reason 

 why she should not marry him, and appealed 

 as usual to Uncle Langtree for support and 

 countenance, and begged his intercession. 



' Why, really, Cornelia,' said he, ' I see no 

 reasonable ground for your disapprobation. 

 Rives is a young man of good character, and 

 good business, and, if Fanny likes him, I 

 see every prospect for her happiness.' 



' Is this then to be the end of all my pains, 

 all my toiling,' said Mrs. Robinson with 

 bitterness, ' that Fanny is to settle down 

 thus, without either fortune or distinction ? 

 Fanny,' she said, and the tears started to 

 her eyes, ' I did hope to see you at the head 

 of such an establishment as Melville's. But 

 my whole life has been a disappointment — 

 and this is the bitterest of them all.' 



Fanny was touched by her mother's evi- 

 dent distress, and she said more gently — 

 1 But, mamma, I do not want such an esta- 

 blishment as that. You know I have no 

 taste for display.' 



' Come, Fanny,' said her uncle, l what is 

 your beau ideal ? Let us have it. Love in 

 a cottage ? ' 



' No,' said Fanny, laughing ; ' love in a 

 nice, pretty little two-storey house, well fur- 

 nished and supplied with every comfort. 

 And, uncle,' she continued with animation, 

 ' when you come to drink tea with me, I'll 

 give you the nicest soft waffles you ever ate 

 yet.' 



There was something so prosaic, so un- 

 sentimental, yet so rational in this speech, 

 that Mr. Langtree could not restrain his 

 laughter, which was ' long and loud,' with- 

 out any control. 



' Ton my word, Fanny, I should not think 

 there was much danger of your being dis- 

 appointed in your visions. I think they are 

 such as mortality may attain. Love and soft 

 waffles, hey ! " Pains and penitence," have 

 had the effect I always prophesied. How- 

 ever, Fan, if you are a bit of an epicure, 

 you'll only make the better housekeeper.' 



And Fanny being called from the room, 

 Mr. Langtree turned to his sister, and said — 



' Cornelia,^ would not advise you to oppose 

 this marriage. You had better yield with a 

 good grace, for yield you'll have to in 

 the end, and what must be done at last had 

 better be done at first. When two young- 

 people have made up their minds, and there 

 is no reasonable objection to their wishes, 

 depend upon it they will have their own 

 way. Besides, I think myself, that you 

 ought rather to be pleased than otherwise. 

 It is not a brilliant match, I admit ; but yet, 

 I do not think Fanny's chance of making 



