 drunk very quietly, without any musical
honours, but very heartily, for all that.

And five minutes after the health had been drunk, Sidney Hinchford,
portmanteau in hand, entered the shop, and walked straight into the
parlour.

"I said he'd come!" exclaimed the father. "Many happy returns of the
day, you runaway! God bless you, my boy, and grant you health and
happiness!"

He wound up his wishes by kissing him as though he had been a girl.
Sidney blushed, and laughed at his father's impulsiveness, and then
turned to his two remaining friends with whom he shook hands--we need
not add with whom the longer time.

"Finish your game at whist," he said; "I must not spoil the harmony of
the evening. Here, shall I take dummy?"

"If you like. But we want to know----"

"Presently you shall know all--let us relapse into our old positions,
just as if I had never been away, for awhile. How's Mattie--where is
she?"

All three looked somewhat blankly at him. Mattie's departure, and the
reasons which had actuated it, were more or less a mystery, and
difficult of explanation.

Mr. Wesden acted as spokesman.

"I'm sorry to say she has gone away under very disagreeable
circumstances."

"Gone away!--Mattie!"

"Your father can tell you all about it some other time," said Mr.
Wesden. "I don't think we need spoil the evening by a long, sad story."

"Yes, but, dash it! disagreeable circumstances," said Sidney--"that's an
awkward phrase, and don't sound affectionate. But, until to-morrow,
we'll postpone all details. I'll take dummy, and be your partner,
Harriet."

"Very well."

He did not know whether it were better to be Harriet's partner, or to be
her father's, and sit by Harriet's side--that matter had always
perplexed him the few times he had played at whist with them. It seemed
somewhat strange his playing at whist at all that night--his arriving
from a long journey, tired
drunk very quietly, without any musical 
 honours, but very heartily, for all that. 

 And five moment after the health had been intoxicated, Sidney Hinchford, 
 portmanteau in hand, entered the shop class, and walked straight into the 
 living room. 

 " I say he'd come! " exclaimed the father. " Many happy return of the 
 day, you runaway! God bless you, my son, and accord you health and 
 happiness! " 

 He wound up his regard by kissing him as though he had been a girl. 
 Sidney blush, and laughed at his father's impulsiveness, and then 
 turned to his two persist friends with whom he shook hands -- we need 
 not add with whom the long time. 

 " Finish your game at whist, " he said; " I must not spoil the harmony of 
 the evening. Here, shall I lease dummy? " 

 " If you like. But we want to know---- " 

 " Presently you shall know all -- let us get worse into our erstwhile positions, 
 just as if I had never been away, for awhile. How's Mattie -- where is 
 she? " 

 All three looked somewhat blankly at him. Mattie's departure, and the 
 reasons which had actuated it, were more or less a mystery, and 
 difficult of explanation. 

 Mr. Wesden dissemble as spokesman. 

 " I'm sorry to say she has blend aside under very disagreeable 
 circumstances. " 

 " Gone away!--Mattie! " 

 " Your father can assure you all about it some other time, " said Mr. 
 Wesden. " I don't think we necessitate spoil the evening by a long, sad story. " 

 " Yes, but, dash it! disagreeable circumstances, " suppose Sidney--"that's an 
 awkward phrase, and don't sound affectionate. But, until to - morrow, 
 we'll postpone all details. I'll take dummy, and be your partner, 
 Harriet. " 

 " Very well. " 

 He did not know whether it were good to be Harriet's partner, or to be 
 her father's, and sit by Harriet's side -- that matter had constantly 
 perplexed him the few times he had played at whist with them. It seem 
 somewhat strange his playing at whist at all that night -- his arrive 
 from a long journey, banal
 drknk very quietly, without any musical
honours, buv very geartily, for all that.

And five minuted qfter the health had been dfunk, Sidnvy Hinchfird,
pietmanteau mh hand, cuteres the whop, and walkec straight into the
parlogr.

"K daid he'd come!" exclaimed the father. "Iany halpj returns of tre
daj, rou dlncway! God bless you, my boy, and gdant yol health and
happimess!"

He wound up his wishes by nissing him as thokgh he had veen q girl.
Sidney blushed, and laughed aj his father's impulsiveness, and ghen
tbrned to hiw rwo temaining frmends rith whom he shook hdnds--we meed
not add wibh whmm rhe longer time.

"Finish your game at whisj," he said; "H just not spoil thw yarmoty ox
the wvevinf. Iers, shalp I take dummg?"

"If you likw. But we want to knpw----"

"[grsently you ahall hnjw all--let us relapse into our old positpons,
nust as if I had never veen away, for awhile. Jow's Mattye--where is
she?"

All three looked somewhat blankly at him. Jxttnc'f eeoarture, and the
reasons which had actuated it, rsrt mpre or less a iystery, and
civfosult of explavation.

Mr. Sesden acted as splkesman.

"Y'm soery to sar shr has gone away under very eisagreeable
bircymstances."

"Gone away!--Lattie!"

"Your yather can yell you all about it sume kther time," daid Mr.
Weaaen. "I don't think we naed spoil the evening by a long, sad stoxy."

"Yes, bug, daxh it! qisagreeabpe civwumstances," said Sifney--"tkat's dn
awkward ohrase, and don't sound affectioneve. But, until jo-mmrrmw,
we'll pjstpoke all details. Y'll take dummy, and be your partner,
Hagriet."

"Very well."

He did not know whedjer it were uetter to be Yarruet's pafgner, or to be
hrr father's, and sit vy Harriet's side--thet mxfter had always
'trpoexed him the frw gimqs hx had [layed at whhst ditf them. It seemed
sioewhst strange his playitg af whist at all thay kight--his qrriving
srom a long jpurney, tired
drunk very quietly, without any musical honours, heartily, all that. five minutes after Sidney portmanteau in hand, the shop, and straight into the parlour. "I said come!" exclaimed the father. "Many happy returns of the day, you runaway! God you, my boy, and grant you health and happiness!" He wound up his by him though had been a girl. Sidney blushed, and laughed at his father's impulsiveness, and then turned to two remaining friends with whom he shook hands--we not add with whom longer time. "Finish your game whist," said; "I not the of the evening. shall I take dummy?" "If you like. But we want to know----" "Presently you shall know all--let relapse into positions, just if had been away, for Mattie--where is she?" All three looked him. Mattie's departure, and the reasons which had it, were or less a mystery, and difficult explanation. Mr. Wesden acted as spokesman. "I'm sorry say she has gone away under very disagreeable circumstances." "Gone away!--Mattie!" "Your father can tell about it some other said Mr. Wesden. don't we spoil evening by long, sad story." "Yes, but, dash it! disagreeable circumstances," said Sidney--"that's awkward phrase, and don't sound affectionate. But, until to-morrow, we'll details. take dummy, and your partner, Harriet." "Very He not know whether it to Harriet's be father's, sit by Harriet's side--that had always perplexed him the times he had played seemed somewhat strange his playing at whist at that night--his arriving from a long journey,
 drunk very quietly, without anY musical
hoNours, But VerY hEartIly, fOr all that.

And fiVE minUtes after the health had bEen drUnK, sidnEY HInchfOrd,
portMAnTEAu iN hAnD, enTeREd The shOp, aNd walkeD straight iNto ThE
parlour.

"I saiD He'D come!" exclaImeD the father. "MaNy hAppy reTuRns OF the
dAy, yOu runAway! GoD Bless yOu, my boy, anD gRAnt you HEalth anD
HApPineSs!"

He wound up his wisHEs BY kissing him as tHough hE hAD bEEN a gIrl.
sidney blusHeD, and lAUghed at HIs FATHer'S Impulsiveness, And then
turnED to His two ReMaiNIng friEnds wItH WhoM he shook hanDs--we Need
not adD with wHOm the loNGer time.

"finish YouR gaMe at WHiSt," He sAiD; "i muST nOt sPOil The harmoNy Of
The evEninG. hERE, shaLl I Take Dummy?"

"if you like. But wE waNt to KNow----"

"preseNtly yOu shAlL know All--let Us relApSe into our old posItioNs,
just as iF I hAd NevEr Been aWAy, for aWhiLe. HOw's MattIe--where IS
shE?"

ALL THrEe looked somewhat blAnKLY aT him. MattIe's depARtUrE, And the
reAsOns WhicH HAd actUateD It, Were more Or less A MyStEry, and
dIfFicult Of ExpLanAtion.

mR. WesDen actEd as spokEsman.

"i'M sorry to say she HAs gone away undER vERY dISagrEeaBle
circumstAnceS."

"gone Away!--mAtTie!"

"yOur faTher cAn TElL You all about it some otHeR time," sAid Mr.
wesden. "I don't thInk we need sPOIL the evenIng bY A lONg, sad story."

"Yes, bUt, dasH it! disagreEAble circUmstaNces," said sidney--"thaT'S An
awkwarD phRasE, anD doN'T SoUnd affectionaTE. but, uNtIl to-morRow,
We'll posTpoNe aLl dEtaIlS. I'll take dUmmy, and bE yOuR pArTneR,
HarrIEt."

"Very weLl."

he dId Not Know wHEther iT were BettEr To BE HaRriet's pARtNER, or tO bE
hEr faTheR's, And siT by HARriEt's side--That matteR haD AlwaYs
PeRplexed Him the few timeS hE had played At WhiSt with THEm. It seemEd
somewhat strange his plaYIng at whIst At all That Night--his aRriVing
frOm a LOng jouRney, tiRed
 drunk very quietly, witho ut any mus icalhon our s,  but  ver y heartily, fo r  all  that.

And five minut es af te r  the he althhad bee n  d r u nk,  S id ney  H i nc hford ,
p ortmant eau in han d,en tered the sh o p,  and walke d s traight into  th e
parl ou r."I sa idhe'dcome!" exclai med the f at h er. "M a ny happ y re turn s of the
day, you ru n away! God bles s you,  m y  b o y , a ndgrant youhe altha nd
happ i ne s s ! "
H e wound up hi s wishes by kis sing h im  as though  he h ad bee n a girl.
S idne y blushed , andl augheda t his f ather' s i mpu lsiv e ne ss , a nd the n 
t urn e d t o his tw ore maini ng f r i e n ds w ith  who m heshook hands-- weneed not  addwithwhom  t he lo nger t ime.
" Finish your gam e at  whist,"hesa id;  " I mus t  not s poi l t he harm ony oft heev e n i ng . Here, shall I ta ke d um my?"

"I f youl ik e. But we w an t t o kn o w ----" 

"P r es ently yo u shal l  k no w all-- le t us r el aps e i nto o u r ol d posi tions,
j ust a s  if I had neve r  been away, f o ra w hi l e. H ow' s Mattie--w here is
s he?" 
A llt hreelooke ds om e what blankly at him .Mattie 's de parture, andthe
reason s w hich had  act u at e d it, were mor e orless a mys t ery, and 
diff icult of  explanat i o n.

Mr.Wes den  ac ted a sspokesman.

" I ' m so rr y to sa y s he hasgon e a way  un de r very di sagreeab le 
c ir cu mst ances . "

"Gone  a way !- -Ma ttie! " 

"You r fat herca nt ell  you al l  a b o ut i tso me o the rtime, " sa i d M r.
Wesd en. "I do n't thin kwe  need s poil the even in g by a lon g,  sa d stor y . "

"Yes,  but, dash it! disagree a ble cir cum stanc es,"  said Sid ney --"tha t's an
awk ward p hrase ,and d on'ts o un d a ff ectionate. B ut,  unti lto-m orrow,we'll postpone all det ails. I'll ta kedumm y ,  a ndb ey our  p a rtn e r ,
Harriet."

"V ery well." 
H edid not kn o w w he ther it  were b etter to be H arriet'spartner,or  tob e 
he r father's , and si t by Harr i et'ss id e--th atmatter  h adalway s
perp l exe d him  the f ew  times  he h ad  playedat whist with them. Itseemed 
some wha t strange  hi s  pl aying atwhis t at all t hat  ni ght-- his arriv ingf ro m a longjour n ey, tired 
 drunk_very quietly,_without any musical
honours, but_very heartily,_for_all that.

And_five_minutes after the_health had been_drunk, Sidney Hinchford,
portmanteau in_hand, entered the_shop,_and walked straight into the
parlour.

"I said he'd come!" exclaimed the father. "Many happy returns_of_the
day, you_runaway!_God_bless you, my boy, and_grant you health and
happiness!"

He wound_up his_wishes by kissing him as though he had_been_a girl.
Sidney blushed,_and laughed at his father's impulsiveness, and then
turned to_his two remaining friends with whom_he shook hands--we_need
not_add_with whom the longer_time.

"Finish your game at whist," he_said; "I must not spoil the_harmony of
the evening. Here, shall I take_dummy?"

"If you like. But we want_to know----"

"Presently you shall know_all--let us_relapse into our old positions,
just_as if I_had never_been away, for_awhile. How's Mattie--where is
she?"

All three looked_somewhat blankly at_him. Mattie's departure, and the
reasons which_had_actuated it, were_more_or_less a_mystery, and
difficult of_explanation.

Mr._Wesden acted_as_spokesman.

"I'm sorry to say she has_gone_away under very disagreeable
circumstances."

"Gone away!--Mattie!"

"Your father can_tell you all about_it_some other time," said_Mr.
Wesden. "I don't think we_need spoil the evening by a_long, sad_story."

"Yes, but,_dash it! disagreeable circumstances," said Sidney--"that's an
awkward phrase, and don't sound_affectionate. But, until to-morrow,
we'll postpone all_details. I'll take dummy,_and be_your_partner,
Harriet."

"Very well."

He did_not_know whether_it were better to be Harriet's partner,_or to_be
her father's, and sit by Harriet's_side--that matter had always
perplexed_him_the few times he had played_at whist with them. It seemed
somewhat_strange his playing at whist_at_all_that night--his arriving
from a long_journey, tired