My old friend Diamond, I see you like to have
your joke at me."

"Joke or no joke, I think our little Alice
paid you a very handsome compliment.  She
herself describes very well, I can tell you.  What
was that about the Feat at Havver?"  (So the
honest gentleman pronounced "fête.")  "I
declare to you, Tillotson, I never read any better
in a regular book."

"I dare say," said he, indifferently.  "I can
quite believe it.  All ladies excel in that."  But
he showed no desire to hear a specimen of this
gift.

Captain Diamond sighed, and moved
uncomfortably in his chair.  "And now," said he,
changing the subject hastily,  "tell us, in all
your adventures did you ever meet any
princess like those in the story-books—any one
whom you lost your heart to?  There, that
will interest the ladies.  Come, now, which of
the French ladies was it?  Ah, my boy, out
with it?  Come."

Mr. Tillotson shook his head.  "Never,"
he said.  "What French lady would trouble
herself with me?  I never fell in with an
adventure of that sort, and never shall, I
suppose."

"Nonsense," said the other, seriously.  "Is
it a fine soldier-like fellow like you!  I am
sure you will, if you only look for them.  And
now, in St. Alans the other day?  I declare,
dear, I shouldn't be at all surprised.  Do tell
us about that young lady, Tillotson."

This was all accidental on the part of
Captain Diamond.  But Mr. Tillotson seemed to
be uncomfortable.  He was not well, either.
The young girl's eyes, stealing over, saw his
confusion.

"Ah!"  she said to herself, with a start,
"there is his secret.  Some one down there!"
and her foot went down impatiently under the
table.

Then, of a sudden, she became quite
restless, and even bold.  "Won't you describe
this lady?"  she asked him.  "What was she
like?  Where did she live in St. Alans?
Uncle, you told us that you were there once."

"Quite right, dear, so I was; was billeted
there two nights, in the year——No matter.  I
and Knox were put together over a saddler's.
I assure you, my dears, there was as nice a
saddler's daughter there as ever you could ask
to see.  I was a young fellow then, and not
long joined, but I know, for a long time after,
I was quite dismal about the saddler's daughter.
Ah!  I see you all laugh at me.  Very
well. T here's my confession for you; and after
that, I hope, my dear Tillotson——"

Mr. Tillotson had risen to go away, with the
young girl's eyes still on him.  He turned
his face away from her impatiently.  "My
dear friend," he said to the captain, "a
thousand thanks for your goodness.  But I am
a wretched guest, and don't know how to be
agreeable."

With the younger girl he shook hands last,
and coldly.

"He is not well, I suspect," said the captain,
evasively.

"Or, do you know, nunkey, it struck me that
there was something in that about St. Alans."

"No, no, uncle," cried the elder girl;  "he is
not thinking of such trifles.  That I could
see."

"I wish he was," said the captain, wistfully;
"from my soul I do.  It would take
his thoughts off.  No, you are right, dear;
and, do you know, I believe I oughtn't to have
joked him about it."

"Why, uncle," said the younger girl, with
her cheeks naming, "do you suppose he is a
girl or a child, that cannot bear a joke?  Really,
that is too good.  I mean," she added, hastily,
"for him, not about you, dear uncle.  But it
is rather absurd if a gentleman's feelings are
to be held so sacred."

"Of course, dear," said the captain, gently.
"And I think you are right.  Egad!  I had to
rough it myself, and to bear plenty."

"Then why should he set up for this air of
suffering?  If we were all to do it, what a
world it would be!  And when there are so
many in real distress—the poor and the
unfortunate."

"Oh, Alice!"  said the elder Miss Diamond,
in remonstrance.

"Well, we won't be too hard on poor
Tillotson,"  said uncle Tom; "and, besides, I truly
think he was not well, the creature!"

       CHESTERFIELD JUNIOR.
A SON'S ADVICE TO HIS FATHER.

MY DEAR FATHER.  I find that I have still
more to say about the rising generation, and
that this subject must take precedence of all
others.  I think you will admit that, considering
how much I am myself interested in the
matter in hand, and how nearly I am touched
by all considerations connected with it, I have
spoken in my last letter as impartially as could
be expected about the young men ot the day,
and their good and bad qualities generally.

The subject on which I would now desire to
touch, very lightly and gingerly, is one which, I
am quite conscious, it is very difficult to handle;
and I approach it with considerable diffidence
and misgiving as to my capacity of dealing with
it.  To come to the point at once, and without
making more preamble, I think you want a
little enlightenment as to the exact present
condition of the more interesting portion of the
new generation—the young ladies, in short, of
the present day.  I own that what I know myself
about these fair and exemplary creatures is
not much; but at all events, I know more
about them than you do, worthy sir, and therefore,
as far as you are concerned, have some
right to speak.  The fact is, that I have
frequently been present when you have expressed
yourself as being utterly mystified by the young
lady of the period, while your friend the
colonel has been heard to say more than once,