room was quite full of people. I inquired of a boy for the author of the
notice I held in my hand, (I had carefully cut it from the paper,) and
was informed that this was the right place, and that the gentleman would
see me in a few moments. I took a seat and regarded the persons who were
standing and sitting about the room. They were all men, and in a few
minutes I discovered, to my great surprise, that they all wore black
hats and gray pantaloons!

I must admit, that when I made this discovery, I experienced a very
peculiar sensation, as if some one had suddenly dropped a little
ice-water down my back. Was it possible that all these men were here in
answer to that advertisement, which I considered addressed to me alone?
There were all sorts of them; old gentlemen with heads grayer than their
pants; young fellows who looked like clerks; and middle-aged men, who
seemed like very respectable heads of families. Was it possible that
each one of those individuals had, in the last week, passed up the fare
of a blue-eyed lady with high-heeled boots? And did each one of them
expect to enjoy that advantage for which I came here? One thing was
certain; they did not announce to each other their business, but looked
at their watches and tapped their boots, and knitted their brows as if
each one of them had come on very particular business, which had nothing
to do with the affairs of the general crowd. But all those gray
trowsers! There was no concealing them.

A door, leading into an adjoining room, now opened quickly, and Mr.
A.R.R. made his appearance. No one doubted that he was the man, for he
bowed politely, and seemed to expect the company. He was a tall, thin,
and well-dressed man, and held in his hand a small package. Instantly
upon his appearance every man in the room stuck his thumb and forefinger
into his vest pocket, and pulling out a little piece of printed paper,