MY COUSIN. 
225 
It was just such walks I took with Ellon. They 
were all set down to the score of cousinship; but 
they were so delicious, that I regretted the time 
had come for me to depart, and wished that one’s 
cousin could be with one forever. But it was no 
use. I wasn’t worth a copper dollar, and unless I 
could get some heiress to marry me for pity, I saw 
no way of living without roughing it through life. 
I was too proud to trespass on the bounty of my 
uncle, and had actually carried it so far as to take 
my quarters at the village inn. It may be the 
good old man could see farther than I: he only 
smiled and shook his head, and left the expostula¬ 
tion to his wife. So it happened my visit was 
nearly up. Happy, too happy, had been those 
months, and my pretty little cousin was the cause 
of it all. She, sweet angel, like all' the rest, 
charged it to our cousinship; but I, at last, be¬ 
gan to open my eyes, and half suspected the 
truth ; for I had noticed that my cousin, uncon¬ 
sciously to herself, seemed very fond of my pres¬ 
ence. I learned it all by close observation, sir — 
a faculty I picked up among the Sioux. I once 
admired a cape on a girl’s shoulder, — for I do 
hate your low dresses, — and lo ! the next day that 
I saw my pretty cousin, the dear creature had on 
a modest cape. I praised the tie of a ribbon, 
carelessly, the next afternoon, — declare it’s every 
word true, sir; — she met me in the evening with 
that very fashioned tie. And yet I don’t think she 
@= 
