I did not really mean any thing.

I'm surprised that Mary should be so foolish." "You will not be surprised when you know all," was my answer.
"All?
What all?
I'm sure I wasn't in earnest.

I didn't mean to hurt the poor girl's feelings." My aunt looked very much troubled.
"No one blames you, aunt Rachel," said I."Mary knows you didn't intend wounding her." "But why should she take a little word so much to heart?
It must have had more truth in it than I supposed." "Did you know that Mary refused an offer of marriage from Walter Green, last week ?" "Why, no! It can't be possible! Refused Walter Green ?" "Yes." "They've been intimate for a long time." "I know." "She certainly encouraged him." "I think it more than probable." "Is it possible, then, that she did really jilt the young man ?" exclaimed aunt Rachel.
"This has been said of her," I replied.

"But, as far as I can learn, she was really attached to him, and suffered great pain in rejecting his offer.

Wisely she regarded marriage as the most important event of her life, and refused to make so solemn a contract with one in whose principles she had not the fullest confidence." "But she ought not to have encouraged Walter, if she did not intend marrying him," said aunt Rachel, with some warmth.
"She encouraged him so long as she thought well of him.