Buchanan and Breckenridge had been nominated and the Republicans had accepted Fremont and Dayton.
Birthdays were always pleasantly remembered at Grey Pine, and on September 20th, when John, aged sixteen, came down to breakfast, as he took his seat Ann came behind him and said as she kissed him, "You are sixteen to-day; here is my present." The boy flushed with pleasure as he received a pair of silver spurs.

"Oh! thank you, Aunt Ann," he cried as he rose.
"And here is mine," said Leila, and laughing asked with both hands behind her back, "Which hand, John ?" "Oh! both--both." "No." "Then the one nearest the heart." Some quick reflection passed through Ann Penhallow's mind of this being like an older man's humour.
Leila gave him a riding-whip.

He had a moment's return of the grown-up courtesies he had been taught, and bowed as he thanked her, saying, "Now, I suppose, I am your knight, Aunt Ann." "And mine," said Leila.
"I do not divide with any one," said Mrs.Ann.

"Where is your present, James ?" He had kept his secret.

"Come and see," he cried.