For this she may be to a great extent refunded out of the postage money on all mail matter. Thus in the end, she loses nothing, and at the same time, by her patronage and countenance, gives such facilities and encouragement to us, as will enable us, beyond all question, to carry off the palm of excellence.

"Well," said Sterling, "furnish all your facts and statistics. I will examine; and if it is right, I will advocate it."

"Allow me to say, General Sterling, without being intrusive for I am many years your senior in age as well as in observation the great error that young politicians commit when they get into high position, is to stick to the old thread-bare topics of politics, which they have been always familiar with through the newspapers and stump-orators; such as tariffs, banks, internal improvements; the mere names and designations of parties, and the strategies of partizanism. A rising man should sieze something fresh and new. He who tarries amid old topics, and contents himself with rehearsing thrice told speeches, will soon find himself in the rear of his more active competitors.

'Time hath a wallet at his back,

Wherein he puts alms for oblivion:

Those scraps are good deeds past, which are devoured

As fast as they are made,― forgot as soon

As done: Perseverance

Keeps honor bright. To have done, is to hang

Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail

In monumental mockery. Take instant way,

For honor travels in a strait so narrow,

Where one but goes abreast. Keep then the path,
For emulation hath a thousand sons

That one by one pursue: if you give way,
Or hedge aside from the direct forth-right,
Like to an entered tide, they all rush by
And leave you hindmost.

Or, like a gallant horse, fallen in first rank,
Lie there for pavement to the abject rear,

O'errun and trampled on."

After this fine speech, Mr. Huron, the broker, tendered Sterling another delicious segar, and arising, stretched his suspenders, thumbed the pockets of his pants, and loitered off to the far end of the car, where we must now leave him, looking over the money articles of the New York Herald.

CHAPTER VI.

Sterling and Beatrice were together in the cars again. She complained of cold feet. Sterling was near enough to hear. He offered his huge green blanket, in which he had been enveloped during the morning. Stooping at her feet, he wrapped them up. In winding the blanket about them, he touched her ankle, and without intending, lapped the thrilling embodiment with his thumb and finger! Electricity traveled up his arm, and, spreading its fires over his body, kindled all his veins!

As he returned to his seat, he thought that her

large eyes followed him with a little more of the lingering expression than usual. She was spelling her thanks with syllables of smiles;- but so subdued, so quiet, so calm was the utterance that he could make nothing of it. And yet, it gave life to the imp of his heart;- HOPE.

Behold, in her weariness, she leans her head upon her sister's shoulder. Her loosened hair falls in some confusion, along her cheek and ear. A stray curl creeps into her bosom, stealing its way timidly through a small opening left in her jacket by a single unfaithful button, as if taking advantage of her closed eyes to visit that sweet sanctuary.

A fly lit upon her forehead, and, buzzing about mingled its villainous wings with her long eye lashes, tickling her and causing her to shake her head. Lifting her hand she strikes at the mischevious insect;- but Sterling had brushed it away with a simultaneous movement - his hand meeting hers in the contrary dash, and lingering an instant with her fingers.

True happiness is felt only and cannot be described.

The heart is too jealous of its treasures to let the world know anything about them.

Rosy lips, joyous hearts, cosy chambers, bounding desires, exhilarating gratifications, dawning hopes, indefinite longings, budding promises, opening realities, extatic indulgencies, full satieties; - the dreamy uneasiness of unalloyed pleasures, and all

of Elysium, imaginative and real, may be sung and told and painted. But true happiness speaks to but one ear; it is syllabled only by those voiceless tongues whose throats are veins, and whose audible phrases, trembling along the inartificial aisles of existence, whisper to the heart:

"She loves me,"

BOOK II.

CHAPTER I.

The elephant ought to be seen, both by men and women; — and the sooner the better. Let the animal be as large as possible, too, for the eyes will be the more completely gratified, as the pleasure of a surprise depends much upon the magnitude of the object of admiration.

Sterling had reached the Federal City. The resolution to see everything was uppermost in his mind. His eyes fairly protruded with curiosity and expanded with anticipated delights. Everything was new to him. His imagination had been busy in figuring out the scenes which awaited him in Washington. He had been dreaming of its great men; its broad avenues; its lofty buildings; its public grounds; the Capitol with its monstrous dome; the president and his secretaries, those wonderful creatures who make up the cabinet, and whose supposed sagacity inspires the young American with so much