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near me all my life.)  But to those kind earnest eyes there is
a back ground of soul, to which I can appeal, and not in vain,
for response and sympathy to the thoughts of mine.  Very little
attraction for me would the ordinary run of �love matters� present,
wherein two mortals little knowing their own, or each others natures
pass through the avenue of a Fool�s Paradise into Matrimonial Com-
mon Place.     I can see through such business, and would rather
walk alone, self respecting than enter upon it.  But when there�s 
the hope of winning a human soul to love you, and being the better,
purer, and nobler for it, why, �tis worth striving for!  /   Look
at the anticipatory couplings of those around me; Ned�s to wit.
He, a good-looking, easy going, good humored fellow dropped into
the Chinnerian trap, never thinking it.  She, as Falstaff says
of treason �lay in his way, and he took it up.�  They made him
welcome o�nights at Stoke Newington, gave him hot tod, �Mary
Anne� did the �very amiable�,  Ned doubtless thought t�was time
he should fix somewhere, she was a �good sort of girl�, and
so it came about.     �Twill probably end in a common place
union, in which there will be no great endearments, no loves,
hopes, and blessed peace and trust in each other, nor perhaps
any very fierce quarrelings.     He�ll stay out o�nights, she�ll
be shrewish and give him �Candle� occasionally.     But what
commonstock of self respect and belief in each other can they
have to fall back upon?   Marriage isn�t all kissing, and
lives don�t end as in novels, with the ceremony.     /     And
now for Charley�s affair.     Little Rosa Bolton is shrewd,
and has feeling, and is, (I rather hope, than believe it,) not