son and his beautiful daughter, that they have a great desire to see you. There is no necessity of looking so scared; all you will have to do is to prepare yourself for the party and accompany me. Will you go?"

ting himself, he said aloud, "she will be surprised." Why?" exclaimed the other, "has she ever seen

you?"

The young man blushed deeply, as he stammered out, "Yes-I-that is-she-I have seen her-I-"

"Ah, ha! I see, I understand. Well, we start at nine." And the amiable gentleman passed into the street laughing quietly to himself.

After tea Buckingham visited Cristadora's shaving saloon, under the Astor, and after a short space came forth greatly improved in the upper story. He then repaired to his chamber, and while dressing his thoughts were these:

"Day is at length beginning to dawn upon me; the clouds that have been hanging over me for weeks are now dispersing, leaving a clear opening in the bright blue sky of my existence. I feel that my presentiment will yet be crowned with success:

'It must be so,

Else, why this longing hope, this fond desire?'

"I have always been a firm believer in predestination, for, if the 'hairs of our heads are all numbered, and not a sparrow falleth to the ground without His notice,' have we not reason to believe that an event

of so much importance as marriage is arranged by Infinite Goodness? If so, might I not as well ascertain from the lovely Julia, to night, whether or not our lot is to be united? But, no; I will not be so abrupt: for if Providence ordains the ends, it also ordains the means by which those ends are accomplished.”

Having finished dressing he took a last look in the mirror, and was quite satisfied with what he saw there, for the reader will recollect that one of his failings was excessive vanity—and then descended to the ladies' parlor, where he remained making observations on the company, until summoned to the carriage by Captain Coleman.

CHAPTER III

"The brightness of her cheek would shame the stars,
"As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
"Would, through the airy region, stream so bright
"That birds would sing and think it were not night."

Eugene Buckingham and his companion said little on their way to the mansion of Dr. Tennyson, for our hero was too absent to converse, and the other had no inclination to interrupt his reverie. At length the carriage stopped before the door and the friends entered the house.

The large, brilliantly lighted parlors were filled with a goodly representation of the "upper tendom, and as they advanced, Eugene's visual organs scanned the rooms for the star and belle of the evening. He soon discovered her seated on an ottoman surrounded by a circle of gentlemen; and it was not surprising that a pang of jealousy shot with an electric thrill through his heart, "Should she happen to be engaged!" he thought.

"Come," said Coleman, with a meaning smile, now for the introduction !"

Buckingham's heart leaped at the words, and he actually felt a trembling sensation creep over him, as, taking the arm of his friend, he approached with him. the unconscious object of his adoration.

"Good evening, Miss Tennyson; allow me to present my friend Mr. Buckingham."

Julia raised her lustrous eyes, and an expression of strong surprise flitted across her countenance; and bowing with some embarrassment, she said, "I am happy to see you, sir."

Eugene bowed as politely as he knew how, and ventured to ask the honor of her hand for the dance, if not engaged.

She replied, "I am engaged for this set, but for the next I shall be happy."

Some of the young exquisites around her let fall their under lips with chagrin, and one or two, acquainted with the Captain, followed him to inquire "who the deuce that proud looking fellow was?"

On being informed that he was the only son and heir of a rich Southern planter, they begged for a presentation, and endeavored throughout the evening to make themselves as agreeable as possible to young Buckingham.

It was soon whispered about the room, who our hero was, and he became a lion at once. The young ladies bestowed on him their most fascinating smiles, but in vain; he, like Achilles, was invulnerable, save in one spot, and that, none had discovered but the gentle Julia.

As Eugene led Miss Tennyson to the dance, he felt, in his pride, full six inches taller, for was she not the most splendid girl in the room, and the "cynosure of all eyes?" She was simply dressed, in rich white embroidered muslin, without a single ornament save a blush rose in her dark hair, yet overshadowed every lady present, as in the dance

"She moved a goddess, and she looked a queen.”

All indeed acknowledged her superior charms except some over-dressed maiden ladies, whose eyes were blinded by pure envy alone. Our hero himself was in raptures with her beauty and grace, and charmed with the brilliance of her conversation.

But, "all that's bright must fade," and so thought Eugene, as

"The silent hours stole on,

"And flaky darkness broke within the East,”

compelling him, with the other guests, to depart. As he wished Julia good morning he begged permission to call on her, which she granted without hesitation.

Dr. Tennyson was a Scotchman, and a gentleman of the old school, proud, learned, and talented, with many good qualities both in mind and heart. Though not possessed of a fortune, he had an excellent practice, and always lived fully up to his income, so that whoever proposed for the hand of his daughter must take her portionless. This Eugene was fully aware of from the conversation of several persons at the