I suspected it before, and he himself almost told me as much with his own lips to-night.

I don't think that it is a laughing matter." "Really, I could not help it.

If you had told me that those two dear old ladies opposite, the Misses Williams, were both engaged, you would not have surprised me more.

It is really too funny." "Funny, Ida! Think of any one taking the place of dear mother." But her sister was of a more practical and less sentimental nature.

"I am sure," said she, "that dear mother would like papa to do whatever would make him most happy.