puts　a　different　face　on　the　whole　matter。　　I　still　think　it
  premature。　　Come　now；　would　it　not　be　much　wiser　to　wait；　and
  secure　a　good　practice　before　you　marry　a　mere　child？　　There！
  there！　I　only　advise；　I　don't　dictate；　you　shall　settle　it
  together；　you　two　wiseacres。　　Only　I　must　make　one　positive
  condition。　　I　have　nothing　to　give　my　child　during　my　lifetime；　but
  one　thing　I　have　done　for　her；　years　ago　I　insured　my　life　for　six
  thousand　pounds；　and　you　must　do　the　same。　　I　will　not　have　her
  thrown　on　the　world　a　widow；　with　a　child　or　two；　perhaps；　to
  support；　and　not　a　farthing；　you　know　the　insecurity　of　mortal
  life。〃
  〃I　do！　I　do！　　Why；　of　course　I　will　insure　my　life；　and　pay　the
  annual　premium　out　of　my　little　capital；　until　income　flows　in。〃
  〃Will　you　hand　me　over　a　sum　sufficient　to　pay　that　premium　for
  five　years？〃
  〃With　pleasure。〃
  〃Then　I　fear；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　with　a　sigh；　〃my　opposition
  to　the　match　must　cease　here。　　I　still　recommend　you　to　wait；　but
  there！　I　might　just　as　well　advise　fire　and　tow　to　live　neighbors
  and　keep　cool。〃
  To　show　the　injustice　of　this　simile；　Christopher　Staines　started
  up　with　his　eyes　all　aglow；　and　cried　out；　rapturously；　〃Oh；　sir；
  may　I　tell　her？〃
  〃Yes；　you　may　tell　her；〃　said　Lusignan；　with　a　smile。　　〃Stopwhat
  are　you　going　to　tell　her？〃
  〃That　you　consent；　sir。　　God　bless　you！　　God　bless　you！　　Oh！〃
  〃Yes；　but　that　I　advise　you　to　wait。〃
  〃I'll　tell　her　all；〃　said　Staines；　and　rushed　out　even　as　he　spoke；
  and　upset　a　heavy　chair　with　a　loud　thud。
  〃Ah！　ah！〃　cried　the　old　gentleman　in　dismay；　and　put　his　fingers　in
  his　earstoo　late。　　〃I　see；〃　said　he；　〃there　will　be　no　peace　and
  quiet　now　till　they　are　out　of　the　house。〃　　He　lighted　a　soothing
  cigar　to　counteract　the　fracas。
  〃Poor　little　Rosa！　a　child　but　yesterday；　and　now　to　encounter　the
  cares　of　a　wife；　and　perhaps　a　mother。　　Ah！　she　is　but　young；　but
  young。〃
  The　old　gentleman　prophesied　truly；　from　that　moment　he　had　no
  peace　till　he　withdrew　all　semblance　of　dissent；　and　even　of
  procrastination。
  Christopher　insured　his　life　for　six　thousand　pounds；　and　assigned
  the　policy　to　his　wife。　　Four　hundred　pounds　was　handed　to　Mr。
  Lusignan　to　pay　the　premiums　until　the　genius　of　Dr。　Staines　should
  have　secured　him　that　large　professional　income；　which　does　not
  come　all　at　once；　even　to　the　rare　physician；　who　is　Capax；
  Efficax；　Sagax。
  The　wedding…day　was　named。　　The　bridesmaids　were　selected；　the
  guests　invited。　　None　refused　but　Uncle　Philip。　　He　declined；　in
  his　fine　bold　hand；　to　countenance　in　person　an　act　of　folly　he
  disapproved。　　Christopher　put　his　letter　away　with　a　momentary
  sigh；　and　would　not　show　it　Rosa。　　All　other　letters　they　read
  together；　charming　pastime　of　that　happy　period。　　Presents　poured
  in。　　Silver　teapots；　coffeepots；　sugar…basins；　cream…jugs；　fruit…
  dishes；　silver…gilt　inkstands；　albums；　photograph…books；　little
  candlesticks；　choice　little　services　of　china；　shell　salt…cellars
  in　a　case　lined　with　maroon　velvet；　a　Bible；　superb　in　binding　and
  clasps；　and　everything　but　the　textthat　was　illegible；　a　silk
  scarf　from　Benares；　a　gold　chain　from　Delhi；　six　feet　long　or
  nearly；　a　Maltese　necklace；　a　ditto　in　exquisite　filagree　from
  Genoa；　English　brooches；　a　trifle　too　big　and　brainless；　apostle
  spoons；　a　treble…lined　parasol　with　ivory　stick　and　handle；　an
  ivory　card…case；　richly　carved；　workbox　of　sandal…wood　and　ivory；
  etc。　　Mr。　Lusignan's　City　friends；　as　usual　with　these　gentlemen；
  sent　the　most　valuable　things。　　Every　day　one　or　two　packages　were
  delivered；　and；　in　opening　them；　Rosa　invariably　uttered　a　peculiar
  scream　of　delight；　and　her　father　put　his　fingers　in　his　ears；　yet
  there　was　music　in　this　very　scream；　if　he　would　only　have　listened
  to　it　candidly；　instead　of　fixing　his　mind　on　his　vague　theory　of
  screamsso　formed　was　she　to　please　the　ear　as　well　as　the　eye。
  At　last　came　a　parcel　she　opened　and　stared　at；　smiling　and
  coloring　like　a　rose；　but　did　not　scream；　being　too　dumfounded　and
  perplexed；　for　lo！　a　teapot　of　some　base　material；　but　simple　and
  elegant　in　form；　being　an　exact　reproduction　of　a　melon；　and　inside
  this　teapot　a　canvas　bag　containing　ten　guineas　in　silver；　and　a
  wash…leather　bag　containing　twenty　guineas　in　gold；　and　a　slip　of
  paper；　which　Rosa；　being　now　half　recovered　from　her　stupefaction；
  read　out　to　her　father　and　Dr。　Staines：
  〃People　that　buy　presents　blindfold　give　duplicates　and
  triplicates；　and　men　seldom　choose　to　a　woman's　taste；　so　be
  pleased　to　accept　the　enclosed　tea…leaves；　and　buy　for　yourself。
  The　teapot　you　can　put　on　the　hob；　for　it　is　nickel。〃
  Rosa　looked　sore　puzzled　again。　　〃Papa；〃　said　she；　timidly；　〃have
  we　any　friend　that　isa　littlederanged？〃
  〃A　lot。〃
  〃Oh；　then；　that　accounts。〃
  〃Why　no；　love；〃　said　Christopher。　　〃I　have　heard　of　much　learning
  making　a　man　mad；　but　never　of　much　good　sense。〃
  〃What！　　Do　you　call　this　sensible？〃
  〃Don't　you？〃
  〃I'll　read　it　again；〃　said　Rosa。　　〃WellyesI　declareit　is　not
  so　mad　as　I　thought；　but　it　is　very　eccentric。〃
  Lusignan　suggested　there　was　nothing　so　eccentric　as　common　sense；
  especially　in　time　of　wedding。　　〃This；〃　said　he；　〃comes　from　the
  City。　　It　is　a　friend　of　mine；　some　old　fox；　he　is　throwing　dust　in
  your　eyes　with　his　reasons；　his　real　reason　was　that　his　time　is
  money；　it　would　have　cost　the　old　rogue　a　hundred　pounds'　worth　of
  timeyou　know　the　City；　Christopherto　go　out　and　choose　the　girl
  a　present；　so　he　has　sent　his　clerk　out　with　a　check　to　buy　a
  pewter　teapot；　and　fill　it　with　specie。〃
  〃Pewter！〃　cried　Rosa。　　〃No　such　thing！　　It's　nickel。　　What　is
  nickel；　I　wonder？〃
  The　handwriting　afforded　no　clew；　so　there　the　discussion　ended：
  but　it　was　a　nice　little　mystery；　and　very　convenient；　made
  conversation。　　Rosa　had　many　an　animated　discussion　about　it　with
  her　female　friends。
  The　wedding…day　came　at　last。　　The　sun　shoneACTUALLY；　as　Rosa
  observed。　　The　carriages　drove　up。　　The　bridesmaids；　principally
  old　schoolfellows　and　impassioned　correspondents　of　Rosa；　were
  pretty；　and　dressed　alike　and　delightfully；　but　the　bride　was
  peerless；　her　Southern　beauty　literally　shone　in　that　white　satin
  dress　and　veil；　and　her　head　was　regal　with　the　Crown　of　orange…
  blossoms。　　Another　crown　she　hadtrue　virgin　modesty。　　A　low
  murmur　burst　from　the　men　the　moment　they　saw　her；　the　old　women
  forgave　her　beauty　on　the　spot；　and　the　young　women　almost　pardoned
  it；　she　was　so　sweet　and　womanly；　and　so　sisterly　to　her　own　sex。
  When　they　started　for　the　church　she　began　to　tremble；　she　scarce
  knew　why；　and　when　the　solemn　words　were　said；　and　the　ring　was　put
  on　her　finger；　she　cried　a　little；　and　looked　half　imploringly　at
  her　bridesmaids　once；　as　if　seared　at　leaving　them　for　an　untried
  and　mysterious　life　with　no　woman　near。
  They　were　married。　　Then　came　the　breakfast；　that　hour　of
  uneasiness　and　blushing　to　such　a　bride　as　this；　but　at　last　she
  was　released。　　She　sped　up…stairs；　thanking　goodness　it　was　over。
  Down　came　her　last　box。　　The　bride　followed　in　a　plain　travelling
  dress；　which　her　glorious　eyes　and　brows　and　her　rich　glowing
  cheeks　seemed　to　illumine：　she　was　handed　into　the　carriage；　the
  bridegroom　followed。　　All　the　young　guests　clustered　about　the
  door；　armed　with　white　shoesslippers　are　gone　by。
  They　started；　the　ladies　flung　their　white　shoes　right　and　left
  with　religious　impartiality；　except　that　not　one　of　their　missiles
  went　at　the　object。　　The　men；　more　skilful；　sent　a　shower　on　to　the
  roof　of　the　carriage；　which　is　the　lucky　spot。　　The　bride　kissed
  her　hand；　and　managed　to　put　off　crying；　though　it　cost　her　a
  struggle。　　The　party　hurrahed；　enthusiastic　youths　gathered　fallen
  shoes；　and　ran　and　hurled　them　again　with　cheerful　yells；　and　away
  went　the　happy　pair；　the　bride　leaning　sweetly　and　confidingly　with
  both　her　white　hands　on　the　bridegroom's　shoulder；　while　he　dried
  the　tears　that　would　run　now　at　leaving　home　and　parent　forever；
  and　kissed　her　often；　and　encircled　her　with　his　strong　arm；　and
  murmured　comfort；　and　love；　and　pride；　and　joy；　and　sweet　vows　of
  lifelong　tenderness　into　her　ears；　that　soon　stole　nearer　his　lips
  to　hear；　and　the　fair　cheek　grew　softly　to　his　shoulder。
  CHAPTER　VI。
  Dr。　Staines　and　Mrs。　Staines　visited　France；　Switzerland；　and　the
  Rhine；　and　passed　a　month　of　Elysium　before　they　came　to　London　to
  face　their　real　destiny　and　fight　the　battle　of　life。
  And　here；　methinks；　a　reader　of　novels　may　perhaps　cry　out　and　say；
  〃What　manner　of　man　is　this；　who　marries　his　hero　and　heroine；　and
  then；　instead　of　leaving　them　happy　for　life；　and　at　rest　from　his
  uneasy　pen　and　all　their　other　troubles；　flows　coolly　on　with　their
  adventures？〃
  To　this　I　can　only　reply　that　the　old　English　novel　is　no　rule　to
  me；　and　life　is；　and　I　respectfully　propose　an　experiment。　　Catch
  eight　old　married　people；　four　of　each　sex；　and　say　unto　them；
  〃Sir；〃　or　〃Madam；　did　the　more　remarkable　events　of　your　life　come
  to　you　before　marriage　or　after？〃　　Most　of　them　will　say　〃after；〃
  and　let　that　be　my　excuse　for　treating　the　marriage　of　Christopher
  Staines　and　Rosa　Lusignan　as　merely　one