makes Some A

rations made for his reception was the large number of small negroes who thought their presence necessary to the occasion. Little black faces grinned at him from behind every tree, and about a dozen of them peered out from a safe position behind "ole mas'r and ole missus."

d put it-in the porch, as they themselves would have phrased it. The welcome was of the right hearty order which nobo

lace curtains at the windows, but not a vestige of carpet was anywhere to be seen. Mr. Robert said nothing, but wondered silently whether it was possible that he had arrived in the midst of house-cleaning. Conversation, luncheo

er a few years to practice his profession in his native state and ultimately to marry his friend's sister. Mr. Robert soon felt himself literally at home, therefore, and the feeling was intensely enjoyable, too, to a young man who for ten years had not known any home other than that of a bachelor's quarters in a college community. His reception at Shirley had

r, "Cousin Edwin" went on to talk of Robert's father, for whom he had felt an unusual degree of affection, as all the relatives

acco by the prize barn, Cousin Edwin?" asked

replied Maj. Pagebrook; "but Sarah Ann thought we'd better keep them plowing for wheat a day

acco you sent to Richmond the oth

and three cents a

al better if you'd sold in

lding it till fall. By the way, I'm going to put all my lots, except t

orn land you have, Edwin, and it isn't safe to put

the price we got for tobacco this year, and doesn

er to-day, Cousin Edwin?" asked Miss Barksdale, coming out o

you know. I sold the black last week, an

at for, Cousin Ed! I thought you

Winger has a colt well broken that's a perfect match for him. Come, Ewing, we must be going. Sarah Ann said we must be home to tea without fail. You'll come to The

in Edwin, Bob?" asked Bill

very excellent

out. Let's hear

is a very dut

things. Your tongue's as soft as a feather bed.

against people he doesn't know. Sarah

he would have found out how good a man Cousin Edwin is lo

you are un

roscope when it is hunting for something good to say

n't tell me any of

anything good to say about him, and as they didn't want to say anything bad there was a profound silence in the room. Finally one old Dutchman, heaving a sigh, remarked: 'Vell, Hans vas vone goot schmoke

said the colonel, "y

fered his choice between occupying alone the Blue Room, which is the state guest chamber in most Virginian houses, and

such a thing as a

dictionary, I bel

not know. Per

want to find?

not we arrived here in time for 'sn

e did, d

ed it as one of the things we should find at Shirley, I have been curious to know what it i

tell Sudie that, and get her to i

esting custom of the

se customs that are 'more honored in t