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to stop, and the former to be married, which takes place, my
sisters abetting.       And now, how has the matter resulted?
She sits in the little surgery-parlor, finds life rather dull,
wants to be petted, to make country visits, to be �squired about,
to do little visits to theatres &c.     He, in the shop, grows
anxious about lack of custom, increasing Income tax and war-
prices.     I like Sam, he�s a kindly fellow, persistent in his
business, but cannot think his a marriage to be envied. Whether
conscious of it or no, they both feel weary of it, at times, and
have little spirits of ill temper, one towards the other.   /
For Tilly, I think I know why she�s up in London again, �
something in the wind apropos of Joe Stokes, whom Charley
speaks of as a Londoner who thinks it a �fast� thing to o to 
�Casinos.�     They�re plotting matrimony, and Minnie abetting
it, in aid of her sister.   Joe has written to Sam that he�ll 
�give up his situation� to him, that he wants �to see the world,�
and Tilly tells me that she �wants to go to America�! Ahem!
Let �em play out the play!
     � And you, too, the writer of all this, who are learning
to love, not to deserve, the warm hearted English girl; who
would be very lonely, weary, and heart sick; would regret 
that you had returned to England at all, but for her and
your mother�s face, � is there No thought of Mary Bilton�s
beautiful features, and voice now?   There has been, overmuch
of late, but it grows fainter, fainter �                 Months back,
not long after my return to England I wrote a few lines to her, asking her
did she wish to see me.  I had no answer.  I sent Price to