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〃Mr。 Hopkins has entered into an engagement to supply me with at least two beaux at a time; and a regular change all the way to Niagara; or else I shouldn't have come;〃 said Miss Emma。

〃We are engaged at least by the day; I hope;〃 interposed one of the attendant young men。

〃No; indeed; I should be tired to death of you; for more than an hour at a time。 I sha'n't speak to YOU again; until we have passed West Point。〃

〃I have had no trouble as yet; my dear; in picking up recruits;〃 said Mr。 Hopkins; whose attention seemed equally divided between his snuff…box; and the little Hopkins; junior; on his kneehis great…nephew。

〃If there are two; that's all I care for; but I hate to have only one person to talk to。〃

Mr。 Ellsworth bit his lips; to prevent their expressing his opinion; that the young lady must always have a large circle of listeners。

〃Have you seen Mr。 Wyllys's party this morning?〃 inquired Adeline。

〃The Wyllyses!Are they on board?〃 exclaimed Mr。 Ellsworth; with surprise and pleasure。 〃I thought them at Saratoga by this time。〃

〃Oh; no; they are somewhere on the other side of the boat; my sister…in…law; Mrs。 Taylor's little girl is with them。 By…the…bye; Emma; I am going into the cabin to look after Jane; will you go with me?〃

〃No; indeed; I hale the cabin of a steamboat!〃

Adeline was quite satisfied to leave her sister with the prospect of a good supply of young men to flirt with; though matrimony had changed her in some respects; she still considered it a duty to encourage to the utmost; all love…affairs; and flirtations going on in her neighbourhood。 Mr。 Hopkins resigned the little boy to his mother's care; Mr。 St。 Leger helped his wife through the crowd; and; under cover of the movement made to allow Adeline to pass; Mr。 Ellsworth made his escape。 His eye had been already directed towards the opposite side of the boat; where he had discovered the venerable; benevolent face of Mr。 Wyllys; with three ladies near him。 Mr。 Ellsworth immediately recognised Miss Agnes; Elinor; and Mary Van Alstyne。 It was several minutes before he could edge his way through the crowd; to join them; but when he reached the spot; he was received very cordially by Mr。 Wyllys and Miss Agnes; in a friendly manner by Mary Van Alstyne; and possibly there was something of consciousness betrayed by Elinor。

〃I thought you already at Saratoga!〃 exclaimed Mr。 Ellsworth。

〃We were detained several days; waiting for Mrs。 Taylor;〃 replied Elinor; to whom the remark was made。

〃We shall not be at Saratoga until Monday;〃 added Mr。 Wyllys; 〃we are going to pass a day or two with our friends; the V…s; at Poughkeepsie。〃

〃I am very sorry to hear it;〃 continued Mr。 Ellsworth; 〃I have promised to carry Mrs。 Creighton to Nahant; about that time; and shall have my usual bad luck in missing you。〃

{〃Nahant〃 = sea…side resort in Massachusetts; then very popular; just north of Boston}

〃We must persuade Mrs。 Creighton not to run away;〃 said Mr。 Wyllys。

As Elinor stooped at that moment; to untie the hat of the pretty little creature at her side; it was impossible to say whether this intelligence were displeasing to her or not。

〃That is Mrs。 Taylor's child; is it not?〃 observed Mr。 Ellsworth; looking at the little girl。 〃She is very like Mrs。 St。 Leger。〃

〃Do you really think so?we fancy her like her mother;〃 said Elinor。

〃How is Tallman Taylor now?he was not well when they passed through Philadelphia。〃

〃He looks badly still;〃 said Miss Agnes。 〃He is very imprudent; and distresses Jane very much by his carelessness。〃

〃Gentlemen never seem to do what is right when invalids;〃 observed Mary Van Alstyne; smiling。 〃They are either very reckless; and indifferent to their health; or else over…careful。〃

〃What do you say; Mr。 Ellsworth; is that account true?〃 asked Miss Wyllys。

〃I dare say it isI have no doubt we are very troublesome to our nurses。 But; fortunately; women are endowed with a double stock of patience; to make up for our deficiencies。 Is Mr。 Taylor on board?I have not seen him。〃

〃No; he remained in town to attend to some business;〃 replied Miss Wyllys。 〃We have charge of Mrs。 Taylor; however; who was very anxious to get into the country; on account of her youngest child。〃

〃I see; Mr。 Ellsworth; that old Ironsides has arrived at Norfolk; bringing Mr。 Henley from Rio;〃 observed Mr。 Wyllys。

{〃Old Ironsides〃 = the United States Frigate 〃Constitution〃; in the early 1800s; U。S。 naval ships frequently carried diplomats to and from their stations}

〃Certainly; she arrived on Tuesday。〃

〃I saw it in the Globe; last night; grandpapa; Mr。 Henley had arrived at Washington。 Harry is with him; of course;〃 said Elinor; in a quiet; natural tone。

〃I supposed you knew of their arrival;〃 observed Mr。 Ellsworth。 〃I have a letter from Hazlehurst in my pocket。 He seems to have had quite enough of Rio。〃

〃Mr。 Henley; I understand; is talked of as minister to Russia;〃 said Mr。 Wyllys。

〃Yes; I believe that affair is settled。〃

〃Does Hazlehurst mention whether he is going with Mr。 Henley?〃 

〃That may be a state secret;〃 said Elinor; smiling。

〃He has had an offer of the situation; I believebut does not seem to have made up his mind; he is coming home to look about him; he says; having three months' vacation at any rate。〃

The shrill tone of Miss Emma Taylor's voice was at this moment heard so distinctly; from the other side of the boat that Mr。 Wyllys looked up from his paper; and Mr。 Ellsworth smiled。 It was very evident the young lady had inherited the peculiar tone of voice; and all the cast…off animation of her elder sister。

〃Miss Taylor seems to be in very good spirits;〃 remarked Mr。 Ellsworth。

〃Yes; she always talks and laughs a great deal;〃 replied Mary Van Alstyne。

〃They are no longer your neighbours; I understand; sir。〃

〃No; Mr。 Taylor sold Colonnade Manor this spring; De Vaux has purchased it; and changed the name of the place。 It is now to be called Broadlawn; which is certainly a great improvement。〃

〃And where does Mr。 Taylor's family pass the summer?〃

〃Why; Jane tells me he is building something he calls a cottage; at Rockaway; within a stone's throw of the principal hotel。 They thought Longbridge too quiet。〃

Mrs。 Taylor's little girl had; by this; time; become very sleepy; and a little fretful; and Miss Agnes advised her being carried to her mother。 Elinor led her away; rather; it is believed; to Mr。 Ellsworth's regret。

It was no easy task to make one's way among the nurses; and babies; and baskets; filling the ladies' cabin; which was more than usually crowded。 But at length Elinor reached Jane and Adeline; who were sitting together。

A single glance was sufficient to show that a change had come over these two young women; since the giddy days of their girlhood。 Jane was pale; but beautiful as ever; she was holding on her knees a sick child; about two months old; which apparently engrossed all her attention。 What would be her system as a mother; might be foretold by the manner in which she pacified the little girl Elinor had brought with her。

〃Give her some candy; Dinah;〃 she said to the black nurse; whose broad; good…natured face was soon covered with shining marks of affection; from the hands of the pretty little charge。

Adeline was less changed in her appearance than her sister…in…law; that is to say; she was as pretty as ever; and neither thin nor pale。 But there was something in her expression; and a great deal in her manner; that was no longer what it had been of old。 That excessive animation which had distinguished her as a belle; had been allowed to die away; and the restless expression; produced by a perpetual labour to make conquests; which was; at one time; always to be traced upon her features; had now vanished entirely。 In its place there was a touch of matronly care and affection; more natural; and far more pleasing。 She; too; was sitting by the side of her child; driving away the flies from the little thing; who was sleeping in a berth。 Adeline Taylor had married well; in the best sense of the word。 Not that she deserved much credit for doing so; since she had only accidentally; as it were; become attached to the young man who happened to be 

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