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 assortment of feminine weapons of this description, and was proficient in the use of all from the embarrassed, 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, assumed 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.”

“Admiration is a weak word, Miss Sallianna.”

“Opprobrium?” suggested the lady.

“Yes, yes! that is the word! Thank you, Miss Sallianna. I am not as strong in philology as you are. I should have said opprobrium that is what I have always regarded beauty, such as yours, all my life.”

Miss Sallianna covered her face with her fan. Here was an opportunity to supply the place of the faithless Verty and the odious Jinks. As the thought occurred to her, Miss Sallianna assumed an awful expression of favor and innocent fondness. Ralph shuddered as he caught sight of it.

“Are you fond of ladies, sir?” asked Miss Sallianna, smiling.

“Yes, Miss Sallianna, devotedly,” said Ralph, recovering, in some degree.

“I should think so.”

“Why, madam?”

“From your visits.”

“My visits?”

“Oh, yes you are very sly!”

“Sly? I?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Never!”

“I think you have grown fond of ”

“Yourself, madam?”

“La no. I fear ”

“As I do ”

“That such a thing ”

“Is more than I could presume to do,” said Ralph, laughing.

Miss Sallianna bestowed upon the young gentleman a look from her maiden eyes, which seemed to say that he might presume to grow fond of her, if it had really become necessary to his peace of mind.

“But I meant Fanny,” she said.

“Fanny!”

“Yes, your cousin.”

“A mere baby!” said Ralph, with nonchalance.

“I agree with you.”

“Which I consider a circumstance of great encouragement, Miss Sallianna. The fact is, Fanny is very well in her way, and in course of time will make, no doubt, a very handsome woman. But at present I only call to see her because I have nothing else to do.”

“Indeed?”

“I am just from college.”

“Yes.”

“And consequently very innocent and inexperienced. I am sure you will take charge of my education.”

“La! Mr. Ashley.”

“I mean, Miss Sallianna, the education, not of my mind that is finished and perfect: Oh, no! not that! The education of my heart!”

Ralph was getting on at headlong speed.

“Do you consent?” he said.

“La really indeed ”

“Why not, oh, beautiful lady ”

“How can I ever so inexperienced so innocent a person as myself can scarcely ”

And Miss Sallianna fell into a flutter.

“Then Fanny must.”

“Oh, no!” observed Miss Sallianna, with vivacity.

“Why not?” said Ralph.

“She could not ”

“Could not!”

“She is too young, and then besides ”

“Besides, Miss Sallianna?”

“She is already taken up with her affair with Mr. Verty.”

“What!” cried Ralph, beginning to have the tables turned upon him, and to suffer for his quizzing.

“She is evidently in love with Mr. Verty,” said Miss Sallianna, compassionately; “that is, the child fancies that she feels a rare and inexpressive delight in his presence. Such children!”

“Yes, madam!” said Ralph, frowning.

“Especially that silly young man.”

“Verty?”

“Yes; he is very presumptuous, too. Just think that he presumed to to make love to me this morning;” and Miss Sallianna’s countenance was covered with a maiden blush. “I could scarcely persuade him that his attentions were not agreeable.”

And Miss Sallianna looked dignified and ladylike.

“Fanny in love with him,” said Ralph, reflecting.

“Look through the window,” said Miss Sallianna, smiling.

Ralph obeyed, and beheld Verty and Fanny sitting on a knoll, in the merriest conversation; that is to say, Fanny was thus talking. Young ladies always begin to converse very loud when visitors arrive for what reason has not yet been discovered. Verty’s absent look in the direction of Fanny’s face might very well have been considered the stare of a lover.

“Do you doubt any longer?”

“Oh, no!”

“Then, Mr. Ashley ”

“Yes, madam.”

“In future you will ”

“Care nothing for ”

“The person ”

“Who seems to me the concentration of folly and everything of that description no, madam! In future I will carefully avoid her!”

And with this ambiguous speech, Mr. Ralph rose, begged Miss Sallianna to excuse him for a short time, and making her a low and devoted bow, took his way into the garden, and toward the spot where Fanny and Verty were sitting.