Philip Verrill Mighels

“ So you see, Uncle Henry, that I am forced to a level in society which renders it necessary for me to say that, after what has occurred to-day, I cannot think of marrying Miss Good——"
"Henry," cried Eunice, excitedly, "do you mean to stand there in patience and listen to your insolent nephew repudiating the sister of your wife? Frank Archer, you sha'n't, you shall not trifle with that young girl's affections!" ”

“ It's the war you mean, of course. Anxious?—of course I'm anxious—terribly worried. I'm a man of peace. A revolution is a fearful thing. You never can tell whether it's concluded or not—volcano-like—and it's enough to worry anyone. ”

“ Wide social discrepancy—can't be bridged." And then, in a desperate aside to his wife: "He doesn't know about the captain—best we can do."
Frank was silent. It was evident to both he was struggling to suppress his rising emotions. His eyes were fastened on the book, and he was reading, in a purely mechanical manner.
"Social—discrepancy," he murmured, hazily; "awkward—'Captain Henry Rust——'"
"Frank—Mr. Archer!" cried Eunice in a sudden excitement, "that book—kindly give that book to me."
"This book?" said Frank, with a mind mysteriously easy to divert, "why, but this is something remarkable. ”

“ I only say that Frank——"
"Yes—your affectionate nephew, who hasn't a single fighting ancestor——"
"—that Frank——"
"—that you love more than you do——"
"—that Frank and Hope are much the same as you and I."
"What?"
"Yes; if they're to be parted, how am I to stand? I'm loaded, unfortunately, with Frank's same identical peaceful progenitors. I trust you'll not be asking the judge to grant a divorce, on——"
"Oh! Oh!—my head—my heart—divorce! Oh, you—mean to cast—me off!" she gasped. "So this was what—you married me for, with all your words of love—to throw me aside! ”