He may have indirectly by William Beamer. whispered something of the obligation under which the whole family would be laid by such a result, or she may have whispered to herself that a bold bachelor like William was a very proper person for a damsel of five and twenty to oblige. The cause may be doubtful - the efforts were obvious enough. Though Miss Duncan had spoken so disparagingly of the rich brown curls, she lost no opportunity of instilling into the willing ears of Candace the idea that nothing but dress was wanting to make her "a real beauty handsome enough for a clock-picter ! "If your folk's people would only give you sich things as you'd oughter have, there a'n't a girl in this deestrict that could hold a candle to you! Those girls that's took for clocks wouldn't be nothing wonderful if it warn't for their bein' fixed up so! I declare it is a shame that you shouldn't have things suitable! your nose is kept to the grindstone, and so! that's all about it!" So vehement was Miss Duncan's metaphorical style that Candace put her hand to her nose instinctively. But the young lady, not noticing this, went on in the same strain, dwelling much upon the view that where one is kept down to the ground, one is obliged to keep company with low people. "I don't keep company with any body," said poor Candace, turning very red. "Well! I declare! look o' there now! how people does talk! Every body says you used to keep company with that there Arden boy! I said I knew you'd be above that! Them Ardens is as poor as drownded rats, and as proud as Lucifer! And Lewis Arden has said that you was too cheap for him! I wouldn't bear that, any how!" Candace was thunderstruck. With all the newlyraised flutter of vanity in her little heart, there had not yet been a serious thought of breaking with poor Lewis - but what element of woman's nature does not rise against this especial form of disparagement? The simple maiden was transformed in a moment. She said not a word, but her eyes flashed, her cheek burned with natural indignation, and the tempter saw her work as good as done. "You won't tell any one, will you?" she said; "you'll get me into trouble if you do. I only mentioned it out of friendship to you." There was no need to extort a promise. Candace could as soon have died as mention the odious subject. Her mind was a whirl of wounded pride, new-born vanity, and a desire to act with the spirit which she saw that her adviser expected, and withal, a deep-rooted confidence in her lover's truth, which could scarcely be shaken even by such testimony. She had promptly denied the imputation of "keeping company" with Lewis, and with truth; for be it known that the term has with us a sort of technical sense, which it would be difficult for me to explain. Suffice it to say that it implies a regular Sunday evening visit from the gentleman ; and that it is considered only part of the etiquette of "keeping company " if the sitting is prolonged "if far into the small hours, or even until daylight. This mode of courtship has the parental sanction, and is doubtless kept up in all modesty and good faith; yet some of us have been inclined to think that such a relic of the dark ages ought hardly to maintain a place under the light of the nineteenth century. 202 CHAPTER XLVI. But now I'm as waefu' as waefu' can be ; A FEAST of quilts which was held in the neighborhood about this time afforded a convenient opportunity to convince Lewis Arden that he was not so happy as he thought himself. All the young people were to be there, and Miss Duncan told. Candace that she never would forgive her if she did not show some "spunk." By way of security, she administered a double dose of flattery, and expended besides all her gayest taste in decorating the simple girl with finery like her own. She tortured the wilful curls into as fashionable a shape as possible; laced to thread-paper size the graceful and well-proportioned waist; and when she had made Candace look as unlike her own sweet natural self as possible, she hung round her neck that very necklace of blue beads which made her own sallow complexion look so muddy, but which set off the pure white and red of the young beauty to a dazzling splendor, and matched the color of her eyes better than any thing but living sapphires could have done. "Now you look something like!" exclaimed the fashionable, when the great work was finished. "Them beads makes your neck look as white as a curd! I've a great mind to make you a present of 'em! What'll you give me if I do?" Candace had nothing, and therefore could make no offer for the present, but Miss Duncan declared that should make no difference. "You will find something, I dare say," said she with an air of magnanimity, "or may be your mother will be a mind to give me one o' them nice cheeses of hers Candace was overpowered by such generosity, and she could not help blushing with pleasure as she gave a glance at her altered appearance, a bit at a time, in a triangular fragment of looking-glass which had been the only voucher for her beauty before Miss Duncan came. "You do look like a picter, and no mistake!" exclaimed that lady, who was contemplating her work with much self-gratulation; "I hope you'll treat that Arden boy with some sperrit! I should let him know I wasn't too cheap for his betters! A fellow that hasn't got a cent to be so uppish! Strange how soon this principle of estimation finds its way to the woods! It never entered the wise head of our little Candace to question the truth of Miss Duncan's report; so there was a fine show of contempt at the quilting. Lewis Arden's attentions were rejected in every way, and although it was hard to make him |