for proceeding slowly and cautiously: so now for a point blank shot." "It shall be conveyed in a letter then,” replied Robertson; "I have always found it best, in matters of business, to put down every thing in black and white." "Do it at once then," said Wynslade: "I have some thoughts of Miss Mansel myself, and perhaps I may cut you out." "I doubt that,” replied Robertson; "you are but commencing business, and my fortune is already made." "I thought," observed Wynslade, "you would marry only on condition of being loved for yourself alone." "I have given up that hope," answered Robertson, with a sort of sigh: "however, I was certainly a very pretty baby. I fear I must now be content to take a wife on the usual terms." "Be quick, then, with your proposal," said Wynslade," for I am impatient to make mine." Wynslade then departed, and Robertson placed himself at his desk, and in a short time despatched to our heroine the following epistle, taking care to keep a copy of it: "MISS SELINA MANSEL:-Your statement last night was duly attended to; but further consideration may give another turn to the business. The following terms are the best I think proper to offer: "One Town House-1 Country House-6 Servants 3 Horses-1 Carriage-1 Chaise-1 Set of Jewels-2 New Dresses per Month-8 Bonnets per Ann.-1 Tea Party on your Birth-day-Ditto on mine-1 Dinner Party on each anniversary of our Wedding Day, till further orders-10 Plays per Season and half an Opera. "If you are not satisfied with the T. H. and the C. H. you may take 1 trip per summer to the Springs or the Sea-shore. If the Parties on the B. D.'s and the W. D. are not deemed sufficient, you may have sundry others. "On your part I only stipulate for a dish of rice always at dinner, black tea, 12 cigars per day, to be smoked by me without remark from you-newspapers, chess, and sundries. Your politics to be always the same as mine. No gentlemen under fifty to be received, except at parties. No musician to be allowed to enter the house; nor any young doctor. "If you conclude to close with these conditions, let me have advice of it as soon as convenient, that I may wait upon you without loss of time. "Your most obt. servt. "JOHN W. ROBERTSON. "N. B. It may be well to mention, that with respect to furniture, I cannot allow a piano, considering them as nuisances. Shall not object to any reasonable number of sofas and rocking-chairs.— Astral lamps at discretion.-Beg to call your attention to the allowance of gowns and bonnets.-Consider it remarkably liberal.-With respect to dress, sundries of course." To this letter half an hour brought a concise answer, containing a civil but decided refusal, which Mr. Robertson, though quite crest-fallen, could not forbear showing to Wynslade, telling him that he now withdrew from the market. On the following morning our hero left Somerford on a tour to Canada. Wynslade immediately laid siege to Selina Mansel, and being young, handsome, intelligent, and very much in love, he found little difficulty in obtaining her heart and hand. After their marriage the young couple continued to live with Mr. Mansel, who since the affair of Robertson has taken especial care that Selina shall always be well supplied with cents, frequently procuring her from the bank five dollars' worth at a time. John W. Robertson finally established himself in one of the large Atlantic cities; and in process of time his vanity recovered from the shock that had been given it by Miss Mansel. He has lately married a young widow, who being dependent with her five children on the bounty of her sister's husband, in whose house she lived with all her family, had address enough to persuade him that she loved him for himself alone. THE LADIES' BALL. Then, thrilling to the harp's gay sound, And echoed light the dancer's bound, As mirth and music cheer'd the hall.-Scott. THE gentlemen who were considered as the élite of a certain city that shall be nameless, had been for some years in the practice of giving, about Christmas, a splendid ball to the ladies of the same circle. But at the period from which we date the commencement of our story, Christmas was fast approaching, and there had, as yet, been no intimation of the usual practical compliment. Conjecture was busy among the ladies, as to the cause of this extraordinary defection; but it was most generally attributed to the palpable fact that the attention of the gentlemen had been recently directed to a very different channel. In short, the beaux were now taking vast strides in the march of intellect, pio |