268 THE HONEYMOON. 
in vain prattle, were now hushed in silence ; and 
that silence needed to be broken by some spirit 
that could suggest a different and more agreeable 
pastime than that in which they had just been in- 
dulging, but which none now seemed disposed to 
renew. At this crisis, a married sister of the hus- 
band who had so suddenly changed the order of 
things, which she viewed with much satisfaction, 
noticed, likewise, the kiss, and for the purpose of 
putting an end to the awkward intermission, play- 
fully asked, directing attention to her brother, 
" Are you not ashamed to be courting here be- 
fore all the company ? " 
" The company," he returned, with an air of tri- 
umph which he could not well repress, " will please 
excuse us. We did not commence our regular 
courtship until after marriage^ and it is not yet 
ended. We trust that it may continue through 
the whole course of our natural lives, and that we 
may spend our honeymoon in heaven." 
This was enough. The scene was indeed 
changed. The offending gentlemen immediately 
became fully convinced of the pernicious tendency 
of their conduct frankly acknowledged their 
error apologized to their wives kissed them 
all round, and soon retired in perfect good humor, 
all well pleased with the lesson they had learned, 
and which was perhaps the means of saving them 
from many after years of discontent, alienation, 
and misery. 
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