"Your taste, Mr. Verty, is such that I ought to quarrel with it--but I'm not going to;--no, not for fifty thousand worlds! If I have any quarreling to do, it will be with some one else!"

"With whom?"

"That c.o.xcomb cousin of mine, Ralph Ashley."

Verty's countenance became clouded; it was the second time his rival's name had been uttered that morning.

"He is a fop," said f.a.n.n.y--"a pure, unadulterated, presumptuous and intolerable fop. As I live, there he is coming up the road! Oh, won't we have fine times--he promised to show me his college alb.u.m!"

And the impulsive f.a.n.n.y clapped her hands, and more loudly than ever.

Five minutes afterward Mr. Ralph Ashley dismounted at the door of the Bower of Nature.

CHAPTER x.x.xVI.

RALPH MAKES LOVE TO MISS SALLIANNA.

We shall now return to Miss Sallianna, and see what effect the viper tendencies of Mr. Verty had produced upon that young lady.

The hysterics did not last long.. Miss Sallianna had a large and useful a.s.sortment of feminine weapons of this description, and was proficient in the use of all--from the embarra.s.sed, simpering laugh and maiden blush, with down-cast eyes, raised suddenly, at times, toward the "beloved object," then abased again--to the more artistic and effective weapons of female influence, tears, sobs, convulsions, hysterics and the rest. In each and all of these accomplishments was Miss Sallianna versed.

The hysterics, therefore, did not last long; the eyes grew serene again very soon; and contenting herself with a few spiteful looks toward the group in the garden, which glances she accompanied with a determined and vigorous rubbing of her antique nose, Miss Sallianna gently raised her fan, and seeing a cavalier approaching from the town, a.s.sumed her habitual air of languishing and meditative grace.

This cavalier was our friend Ralph, who, having deposited Mr. Jinks upon the earth before they emerged from the willows in sight of the Bower of Nature, now came on, laughing, and ready for any adventure which should present itself.

Ralph drew up before the house, tied his horse, and entered.

Miss Sallianna rose graciously, smiling.

"Good morning, sir," said the lady, rolling her eyes toward the ceiling, and leaning her head on her right shoulder, "we have a charming day."

"Oh, charming! but that is not all, madam," said Ralph, smiling satirically, as he bent profoundly over the hand given to him.

"Not all, sir?" sighed the lady.

"There is something still more charming."

"What is that?"

"The dear companion with whom good fortune blesses me."

This was so very direct, that Miss Sallianna actually blushed.

"Oh, no--" she murmured.

"Yes, yes!"

"You men--"

"Are sincere--"

"Oh, no! such flatterers."

"Flatterers, madam?" said Ralph, laughing, "that is true of some of us, but not of me; I am so perfectly sincere, and clad in the simplicity of my nature to that degree, that what I say is the pure out-gushing of my heart--ahem!"

The lady smiled, and motioned toward a settee.

"The beauties of nature--"

"Yes, my dear madam."

"Are--ahem!"

"Yes, yes."

"So much more beautiful than those of art," sighed Miss Sallianna, contemplating the ceiling, as though nature had taken up her post there to be gazed at.

"I fully agree with you," said Ralph, "they are."

"Oh, yes--they are--I knew you would--you are so--so remarkable--"

"No, no, Miss Sallianna!"

"Yes, you are--for your intrinsic perspicuity, sir--la!"

And Miss Sallianna ogled her visitor.

"This," said Ralph, with enthusiasm, "is the proudest moment of my life. The beautiful Sallianna--"

"Oh, Mr. Ashley."'

"Yes, madam!" said Ralph, "torture would not make me change the word."

"La! Mr. Ashley!"

"The beautiful Miss Sallianna has declared that I am possessed of intrinsic perspicuity! I need nothing more. Now let the fates descend!"

With which heroic words Mr. Ralph Ashley wiped his brow with solemn dignity, and chuckled behind his handkerchief.

"I always admired perspicuity," said Miss Sallianna, with a languid glance.

"And I, beauty, madam."

"La! sir."