Year: 1870

low. By some this may have been
said of him disparagingly, though 9th
ers undoubtedly applied the words in
complimentary sense. Practically
has its eulogists, but it also has its
censors. There are people who find
fault with prose, because it amt poe
try. The same sort of people con-
siStently denounce practically be-
cause Of it's deficiency in speculative.
ness. For it is a common form Of
criticism to condemn a thing not so
much for being what it is, as for not
being something else; desiderated
something entirely antipodean and ir-
relevant TO the original and disrelish-
ed thing.


If Ned Stone had ever fault found


with him on the score that he was
practical and that he was not poetic
al, he might have answered for Mis-
tress Andrey-supposing (and it's a
doubtful ca8e) that he was informed


of the existence Of that rustic Il do


not know what poetical is; is it hon
est in word and deed? Is it a true
thing?"


Certainly in both word and deed


he is himself honest and true. For


things that were otherwise he was
quite without sympathy. Indeed he


was tor most part without knowledge
of them; being simple straightfor-


ward gentleman who went his own


way, lived his own life, did what fell
to his lot to do in a curiously sober,
steady hOmely fashion. He never
swerved to the right or to the left.


1t did not occur to him, apparently,
to deviate from a compact plan Of
consistent conduct. He never seem
ed to say any thing he did not mean


or to mean any thing he did not say,


the while his oDenness had not about


it that element of 0f'ensivenesS that
characterizes the unreserve of some


people; with whom speaking their


minds, as they phrase it, is rather


like cracking a bad egg-an action


better pretermitted than performed.


Ned Stones mind ran pure and


clear as a brook-you were, Of course,


at liberty. if such was your humor, to


deridc it as being merely a water


brook, after all-prelerring fount of


strong clarct, perhaps. Still the for
| mer, be it remembered, is available at


all times and delectable ever in its


own mild way; whereas the latter is


only for the occasions of festivity at


long intervals, never running for any


protracted period, nor always quite


clear, and with all its charms capable


upon provocation of giving you a head


ache or of throwing you into a fever.


He was a broker in the city--noth-


ing more nor less than that. Wheth'


er his labor or profits had to do with
tea, or sugar, or ships, or stocks, am


not certain. | found it sufficient tc
know that he was a broker of some


kind in the city. The fact conveyed
certain idea to my mind. If | had
sought to enlarge the idea by clarity
ing the fact | might have found my
self less enlightened than further con


fused about the matter; for inquiI J
often bewilders as much as it instructs
He had been very poor at one time o
his life and had had to work hard
His industry had in the end, however
met with its due reward. At middle
age he was very comfortably circum
stanced; and he saw no reason t
doubt his prosperity would continue
t When he announced to his friends


therefore, that he thought of taking t,


himself wife it was thought general
y ly that the step he meditated was
e prudent and proper one, and onl
a what might, under the circumstance
d Of the case, have been reasonably e1
5 peCted. And when he further state
;, that he had made an offer of his han
e to one GeOrgiana Warren, the daugt
}, ter of wealthy East India merchant
: and that his offer had been accepte
e by the lady, we of course FASTENED t
Y tender our heartfelt congratulation
d on the occasion.


Is When | say we l must not be III
I, derstood as employing the editoria
q first person plural by way of veilin
n my own individuality, but as speakin
Is on behalf of myself and various othe
"a friends Of Ned Stones who were ais
IN my friends and who cordially agrc
7r with me in wishing joy to our frien
a. upon the proposed important chang
G. in his life.


le Ned Stone spoke of the matter
le his own simple sober way.


"Well, you know, I'm getting on
III he said, "and if I'm ever to marry it
l0 about time should think of settir
- about it. A few years hence will |
le too late. | shall be settled down
u a bachelor kind of life, have difcre
y views and habits, and bachelors wa
W W Of looking at things, which I shall n
nc Nc be able to al:er or get out of at al
Di ' price. A few years ago | couldr
~ have afforded it to put the matt
~ ~ plainly, and so it was out Of the que
n0 ton. But | always looked forwa
~ to getting married when l could +;
" ~ ford it, and so now when | can afo
1 10 it, I'm going to carry out the motto
,u' You're very kind. | think | shall
u happy-in fact I've no doubt about
- as happy as fellow has a right
az az expect to be. One has not right
ou expect too much of course. But
-, fond in my way of this Georgia
M 10" Warren and | think that she in h
do way is fond of me; she is not t
u young nor too old; not too good loC
VI ing nor too plain; she's sensible a
!" accomplished enough; and don't S
n0 M why she shouldn't make good enou
w. sort Of wife, and similarly l do


see why shouldn't make very go


sort of husband. | know all C
% do is to make her happy and comic
ln- able, and I've no doubt she'll do t
ell same on her side. What more is the


to be said. Perhaps I'm not We


fond of old Warren, the father, a
ew perhaps also Warren, the father,