WARBASSE, JAMES PETER.

" "I mean," said Peter, almost sulkily, "that she's only old Colonel Hewel's daughter, whom we've known all our lives.

" "That is nonsense," said Peter, very calmly; "and if they don't want you there, mother, I do.

"It will be possible," said Peter, cheerily.

The dome itself looks light and airy compared to St. Peter's or the Duomo of Florence, not only absolutely, but comparatively.

" "We never thought her a beauty down here," said Peter, rather contemptuously.

But you'll see," said Peter, decidedly, "that I mean to be different now; and you'll forgive me, won't you?" "My darling, I forgave you long agoif there was anything to forgive," she cried, "You know there was," said Peter; and he sounded like the boy Peter again, now that she could not see his face.

"Well," said Peter, rather doubtfully, "all right, I promise.

"And beauty," said Peter, excitedly.

" "You see, I can't help feeling," said Peter, bashfully, "that she wouldn't have told me why she couldn't marry me, if she hadn't thought she might bring herself to do it in the end, if I got over the difficulties she mentioned.

But he tried to think of himself as fighting a real boy in the way as his father, his dreams seemed to peter out ignominiously.

" "A fellow doesn't care," said Peter, loftily, "whether his mother's hair is becoming or not.

"I will not break the laws of my country, Peter, no matter how godless and sacrilegious those laws may be; therefore I cannot offer you a drink, but you will observe a second glass among the religious works, and the bottle sits in plain view on the tableerem."

"She didn't go so far as that," said Peter, rather reproachfully.

" "I won't hear of your going there," said Peter, stoutly, "whether I'm married or not.

"Ef you means dat stuck-up fly-by-night Cissie Dildine, say so, and don' stan' thaiuh mouthin', 'Miss Dildine, Miss Dildine'!" "Mother," asked Peter, thickly, through his swelling mouth, "do you want to know what did happen?" "I knows.

" "He's well enough," said Peter, somewhat ungraciously.

"We don't know any such word as 'stop,' Tump," declared Peter, gaily.

"I dare say you don't," said Peter, bitterly.