iously of Maurice, who, taken
aback by the question, stared at Sidney with amazement.

"A friend of mine," he answered at last; "do you know him?"

"N--no."

Sidney relapsed into silence and mastered his excitement. This was not a
time or place to mention how he had met that man, or in what
questionable pursuit; there was danger to Maurice, from so evil an
acquaintance; and in his own honesty of purpose, Sid could not
understand that the man had any right at that table, an honoured guest
there. He knew but little of polite society; did not understand that
polite society requires no reference as to the morals of its guests, and
is quite satisfied if the name be good, and the status unquestionable.
Polite society cannot trouble itself about the morals of its male
members.

Sidney sat and watched the prowler, and, in his confusion, drank more
port wine than was perhaps good for him. He fancied that his cousin
Maurice had implied a rebuke for his harsh interrogative; and he was
considering _that_, too, in his mind, and wishing, for the first time,
that he had not presented himself at his cousin's dinner-table.

The toast was drunk and responded to by the family physician, who very
ingeniously dove-tailed the remarks upon Maurice's natal day into his
own expression of thanks for the honour accorded him. Sidney omitted to
drink the stranger's health, and made no attempt to applaud the fine
words by which it had been succeeded. He sat discomfited by the
prowler's presence there--but for that man he might never have been
engaged to Harriet Wesden, and, therefore, have never experienced the
disappointment--the cruel reaction--which had followed the folly of that
betrothal.

"Sid," called his father across the table at him, "aren't you well,
lad?"

"Oh! very well," was the reply; "what is there to ail me in such
pleasant company?"

"Perhaps the gentleman is sighing for lady's society; if he will move an
adjournment, I'll second the motion," said the prowler, sauve and bland,
tot
iously of Maurice, who, taken 
 aback by the question, stared at Sidney with amazement. 

 " A supporter of mine, " he answer at last; " do you know him? " 

 " N -- no. " 

 Sidney get worse into secrecy and mastered his excitement. This was not a 
 prison term or position to mention how he had meet that man, or in what 
 questionable pursuit; there be danger to Maurice, from so malefic an 
 acquaintance; and in his own honesty of purpose, Sid could not 
 understand that the man had any right at that table, an honoured guest 
 there. He know but little of polite society; did not sympathize that 
 polite society necessitate no reference as to the ethical motive of its guests, and 
 is quite satisfied if the name be good, and the status unquestionable. 
 Polite club cannot trouble itself about the morals of its male 
 members. 

 Sidney sat and watched the prowler, and, in his confusion, drank more 
 port wine than was perhaps good for him. He fancied that his cousin 
 Maurice had implied a rebuke for his harsh interrogative; and he was 
 considering _ that _, too, in his mind, and wishing, for the first clock time, 
 that he had not presented himself at his cousin's dinner - table. 

 The pledge was intoxicated and responded to by the family physician, who very 
 ingeniously dove - tail the remarks upon Maurice's natal day into his 
 own expression of thanks for the honour harmonize him. Sidney omitted to 
 drink the stranger's health, and made no attempt to applaud the fine 
 words by which it had been succeed. He sat discomfited by the 
 prowler's presence there -- but for that man he might never have been 
 engage to Harriet Wesden, and, consequently, have never experience the 
 disappointment -- the cruel reaction -- which had followed the folly of that 
 betrothal. 

 " Sid, " called his father across the table at him, " aren't you well, 
 chap? " 

 " Oh! very well, " was the reply; " what is there to ail me in such 
 pleasant company? " 

 " Perhaps the valet is sighing for lady's society; if he will move an 
 adjournment, I'll second the motion, " say the prowler, sauve and bland, 
 toddler
ioudly of Maurice, who, taken
xback by the qugsrion, svared af Sidney with amazement.

"A friend of mmne," ye anwwered at last; "do you ynow him?"

"N--jo."

Sidney relepsed into silenrs and masteres his xxcitement. This was not a
dime or place do mzntion how he had met that man, or in what
qurshionable pursuyt; tnqre sas danger to Maurice, from so evil an
acqueintance; and in his own honesty of purposf, Sif could not
understwnd that thg mag had any rigft at that table, an hohoured guest
there. He knew but lkttle of polite sicifjy; did not uiderstwnd that
polibv sociedy requores no referekce av ti the morals of its gnests, and
is quite sajisfied if tke name be good, and tye statos unxuesguonxblt.
Pokife socletb cannot trkuble itseld about the morals pf pys male
membeds.

Sidnqy sat and watched the prowler, and, in his cohfusion, drank more
port qine than was perhaps good for him. He fancied that his cousin
Maurice had implieg a rxbjke fjf hls harsh interrogative; and he was
considering _egau_, tpo, in his mind, and wishinb, vot the first tioe,
that he had not presented himsels at yis cousig's donner-table.

The toast was drubk and respoudee to by the family physician, cho vety
ingemiously dove-tailed the xemarka upon Maurlce's natam day into his
own exiresvion of ufanks for the honjur accorved hnm. Sidneh omotted eo
drink thf stranger's health, and mwde nl dttempt to applaud the fine
words by which it had been soccaedvd. He sat discpmfited by thq
prowler's presgnce therz--but fur that mah he mijht never hade been
engageg to Harriet Xesden, anq, thwrefire, havd never experiemced the
dpscppointmebt--the cruel reactipn--wfjch had followeb uhw folly of thay
begroehwl.

"Xiq," called his xathdr xvross the table ct him, "aren't you well,
lad?"

"Oh! verg well," was the repky; "what is there tj ail me in sich
pleasant companj?"

"Perheps thx gentkemwn is sighing for lady's societg; if he wlll move an
adjotrnmcnt, Y'll second the motion," said the prowler, sauve and uland,
tot
iously of Maurice, who, taken aback by stared Sidney with "A friend of "do know him?" "N--no." relapsed into silence mastered his excitement. This was not time or place to mention how he had met that man, or in questionable pursuit; there was danger to Maurice, from so evil an acquaintance; and his honesty purpose, could not understand that the man had any right at that table, an honoured guest there. knew but little of polite society; did not that polite society requires reference as to the morals its and is satisfied the be good, and status unquestionable. Polite society cannot trouble itself about the morals of its male members. Sidney sat and the prowler, his confusion, more wine was perhaps good He fancied that his cousin Maurice rebuke for his harsh interrogative; and he was _that_, too, his mind, and wishing, for the time, that he had not presented himself at cousin's dinner-table. The toast was drunk and responded to by the family physician, who very the remarks upon Maurice's day into his expression thanks the accorded him. omitted to drink the stranger's health, and made no attempt to the fine words by which it had been succeeded. He by prowler's presence there--but that man he might have engaged to Harriet Wesden, have experienced reaction--which followed folly of that betrothal. called his father across the at him, "aren't you was the reply; "what is there to ail in such pleasant company?" "Perhaps the gentleman sighing for lady's society; if he will move an adjournment, I'll second motion," said sauve and bland, tot
iously of Maurice, who, taken
abAck by the quEstioN, stAreD aT SidNey wIth amazement.

"A fRIend Of mine," he answered at last; "Do you KnOW him?"

"n--No."

sidneY relapsED iNTO siLeNcE anD mAStEred hIs eXcitemeNt. This was nOt a
TiMe or place to mENtIon how he haD meT that man, or in WhaT
questIoNabLE pursUit; There Was danGEr to MaUrice, from So EVil an
aCQuaintaNCE; aNd in His own honesty of puRPoSE, Sid could not
unDerstaNd THaT THe mAn hAd any right At That tABle, an hoNOuRED GueST
there. He knew bUt little of pOLitE socieTy; Did NOt undeRstanD tHAt
pOlite societY reqUires no reFerencE As to the MOrals of Its gueSts, And
Is quITe SaTisFiED if THe NamE Be gOod, and thE sTaTus unQuesTIONAble.
polIte sOcietY cannot troublE itSelf ABouT the mOrals Of itS mAle
meMbers.

SIdney SaT and watched the pRowlEr, and, in hiS coNfUsiOn, Drank MOre
porT wiNe tHan was pErhaps gOOd fOr HIM. he Fancied that his cousIn
mAUrIce had imPlied a REbUkE For his haRsH inTerrOGAtive; And hE WaS
consideRing _thAT_, tOo, In his miNd, And wisHiNg, fOr tHe firST timE,
that hE had not pResenTEd himself at his COusin's dinner-tABlE.

tHe TOast Was Drunk and resPondED to bY the FAmIly PHysicIan, whO vERy
INgeniously dove-taileD tHe remaRks upOn Maurice's natAl day into hIS
OWn expresSion OF tHAnks for the honoUr accOrded him. SiDNey omittEd to
dRink the sTranger's hEALth, and maDe nO atTemPt tO APpLaud the fine
woRDS by wHiCh it had BeeN succeeDed. he sAt dIscOmFited by thE
prowler'S pReSeNcE thEre--buT For that mAn He mIgHt nEver hAVe been
EngagEd to haRrIEt WEsden, anD, ThEREforE, hAvE nevEr eXpErienCed tHE
diSappoinTment--the cRueL ReacTiOn--Which haD followed the fOlLy of that
beTrOthAl.

"Sid," cALLed his faTher across the table at him, "ARen't you WelL,
lad?"

"OH! verY well," was tHe rEply; "whAt iS There tO ail me In sucH
pLeaSANt comPANy?"

"perHaPs the gentlEMAn iS sighInG for Lady's soCiety; if he will move aN
AdjOurnment, I'll seConD the MOTiOn," sAId THe pRoWLer, SAUve and bland,
tot
iously of Maurice, who, ta ken
abackby th e q ues ti on,star ed at Sidney w i th a mazement.

"A friend o f min e, "  hea ns wered  at las t ;" d o y ou  k now  h i m? "

"N --n o."

Si dney relap sed  i nto silencea nd  masteredhis  excitement.  Th is was  n ota 
time  or  plac e to m e ntionhow he ha dm et tha t  man, o r in  wha t
questionable pu r su i t; there was d angerto Ma u r ice , f rom so evi lan
ac q uaintan c e; a n d i n  his own hone sty of purp o se,  Sid c ou ldn ot
und ersta nd tha t the man h ad a ny rightat tha t  table, an hono ured g ues t
t here .  H ekne wb utl it tle ofpolite s oc ie ty; d id n o t u nder sta nd t hat
p olite society  re quir e s n o ref erenc e as  t o the  moral s ofit s guests, and
i s qu ite satis fie difth e nam e  be go od,  an d the s tatus u n que st i o n ab le.
Polite society  c a n no t troubl e itse l fab o ut the m or als  ofi t s mal e
me m be rs.

Sid ney sa t  a nd  watche dthe pr ow ler , a nd, i n  his  confu sion, dr ank m o re
port wine t h an was perhap s  g o o df or h im.  He fancied  tha t  his  cou s in 
Ma u ricehad i mp l ie d  a rebuke for his h ar sh int errog ative; and he  was
consi d e r ing _tha t_,t oo ,  in his mind,and w ishing, fo r  the fir st ti me,
that  he had n o t  present edhim sel f a t hi s cousin's di n n er-t ab le.

Th e t oast wa s d run k a ndre sponded t o by the  f am il yphy sicia n , who ve ry 
in ge nio uslyd ove-ta iledthere ma r ksupon Ma u ri c e 's n at al  day  in to  hisowne xpr essionof thanks  fo r  the  h on our acc orded him. Si dn ey omitted  t o
d rink t h e  strange r's health, and made no attempt  to  appl audthe finewor ds bywhi c h it h ad bee n suc ce ede d .  He s a t  d isc om fited by t h e 
pr owler 's  pre sence t here--but for that man  he might nev erhave b ee n
e n ga g edto Har r i et Wesden, and,  therefore ,h av e never ex p eri en ced the 
disapp ointm e nt--the  cruel re action--w hi ch h a d  fo llowed the  folly o f that
be t rotha l .
"Sid ,"called  h isfathe r acro s s t he ta ble at  h im, "a ren't  y ou well, 
lad?"

"Oh! very well, " wasthe r epl y; "whatist her e to ailme i n such
ple asa ntcompa ny? " 

"Pe rhap s  t heg entle mani s sighing fo r l a d y' s society;i f hewillmov e  an
ad jour nment, I'll secon d  the motion,"said t hepro w ler,  s auve and bland ,
t ot 
iously of_Maurice, who,_taken
aback by the question,_stared at_Sidney_with amazement.

"A_friend_of mine," he_answered at last;_"do you know him?"

"N--no."

Sidney_relapsed into silence_and_mastered his excitement. This was not a
time or place to mention how he had_met_that man,_or_in_what
questionable pursuit; there was danger_to Maurice, from so evil_an
acquaintance; and_in his own honesty of purpose, Sid could_not
understand_that the man_had any right at that table, an honoured guest
there._He knew but little of polite_society; did not_understand_that
polite_society requires no reference_as to the morals of its_guests, and
is quite satisfied if the_name be good, and the status unquestionable.
Polite_society cannot trouble itself about the_morals of its male
members.

Sidney sat_and watched_the prowler, and, in his_confusion, drank more
port_wine than_was perhaps good_for him. He fancied that his_cousin
Maurice had implied_a rebuke for his harsh interrogative;_and_he was
considering _that_,_too,_in_his mind,_and wishing, for_the_first time,
that_he_had not presented himself at his_cousin's_dinner-table.

The toast was drunk and responded to_by the family physician,_who_very
ingeniously dove-tailed the remarks_upon Maurice's natal day into_his
own expression of thanks for the_honour accorded_him. Sidney_omitted to
drink the stranger's health, and made no attempt to applaud_the fine
words by which it had_been succeeded. He sat_discomfited by_the
prowler's_presence there--but for_that_man he_might never have been
engaged to Harriet Wesden,_and, therefore,_have never experienced the
disappointment--the cruel reaction--which_had followed the folly_of_that
betrothal.

"Sid," called his father across the_table at him, "aren't you well,
lad?"

"Oh!_very well," was the reply;_"what_is_there to ail me in_such
pleasant company?"

"Perhaps the gentleman is sighing_for lady's society;_if he will move an
adjournment, I'll second_the_motion," said the prowler, sauve and_bland,
tot