Patty's Confidences.

" Pluffa , Avas the name of the Thane , Avas it not , Patty , " she asked , and that young Avoman . ansAvered demurely , "Yes , mamma . " " Ah , " I said , Avanting a joke very badly , " do you think it Avas not 'Fluffy , '

Mrs . Patchett ?" At Avhich I observed that Patty ' s eyes tAvinkled most maliciously . " No , Mr . Tomlinson , " replied Mrs . Patchett , in a stately maimer , Avhich silenced all my jokes at once . "Pluffa

Avas the Thane ' s name . Wilfred Plumpton is the present owner of Plumpton ; he has a brother , a charming man ; three sisters , fascinating girls , and one younger brother in the army , very good looking ; indeed the Avhole family are most distinguished and pleasing . " And here Mrs . Patchett looked

around , satisfied as a British matron , that she had clone her duty in the matter . So I asked cautiously , " Is he goodlooking , and all that ?" "Well , no , " ansAvered Mrs . Patchett , someAvhat slowly , " he is not

absolutely good-looking , but then he is such a high-principled young man . " Poor Patty , AVIIO had held doAvn her head someAvhat at this enumeration of her "futurs" excellencies , seemed anxious to change the conversation . So

she jumped up and said , looking at me , " Suppose , Mr . Tomlinson , you and I join Pippy and Poppy at croquet . " " Ah , " said the mother , Avhose

eloquence Avas not yet exhausted , "the clear girl Avill do very Avell . Plumpton is worth £ 4 , 000 a year , Mr . Tomlinson , clear , and there is money in the funds , to say nothing of expectations , and Avith Avhat Ave give Patty , for all our

daughters Avill have money , you know , she Avill be very Avell off . They will be able to get on on £ 7 , 000 a year . " Patty seemed IIOAV , as they say , to be quite " on pins and needles , " and anxious to get to croquetso I folloAved

, her , not at all reluctantly out of the Avindow-door , into the garden , and was soon engrossed in shaking hands Avarmly Avith the lively Pippy and the vivacious Poppy .

But above our conversation and greetings Ave could still hear the echoes of that maternal heart and voice , " Excellent young man , " " suitable marriage , " " Patty ' s happiness , " and " Patty ' s trousseau . "

I observed that all this time Miss Patty had been looking most archly , and very dangerously for an excitable bachelor , hut had said nothing . While Ave Avere arranging our sides , she looked up in my face Avith a merry

smile , and said in her confiding Avaj r , " Mr . Tomlinson , you knoAV us all so Avell , you know what an excellent person mamma is , but she does , as you know too , what the French call " broder " everything . AVilfred is not

goodlooking , but he is very good . Wilfred has not got £ 7 , 000 a year , but he has got quite enough . Wilfred ife a most Avorthy young man , but he does not say much , and you AVIIO like good talkersmight think him , perhaps ,

, Avhat you term ' SIOAV . ' " " But you knoAV , " she added , " marriages are not made in Heaven generally , but in families , and I suppose that it is all right , hut I do Avish mamma Avould not talk about it so much

everywhere . " She has quite enraged Mrs . Vancouver , Avhose pretty daughter Fanny has just married Mr . Wilcox Avith £ 700 a year , by telling her that Wilfred had £ 7 , 000 , and she could not have alloAved

her daughter to marry on a limited income . And she has put her friend Mrs . Higginson into a cold perspiration by assuring her that the position I Avas going to occupy Avas a very high one in society indeedand that she thanked

, Heaven I should have nothing to do Avith trade . As poor Mrs . Higginson had just married her good-looking daughter Emma to a most respectable drysalter , Avith £ 30 , 000 , you may fancy IIOAV pleased she Avas . The truth is "

, A \ diispered Patty , very confidingly , " I look upon marriage as a necessity , which takes place at one time or other . Wilfred is really a very nice young fellow , though he is plain and