embarrassment? Possibly, the General European War might not occur in an
ordinary married-lifetime, as France was no longer in a condition to
menace England, Russia would be wary about provoking the new Prussian
giant, and Austria and Italy were not likely soon to forget their last
military misadventures; yet, while all the great American journals had,
for the last twenty years, published daily editorials, by young writers
from the country, to show that such a War could not possibly be averted
longer than about the day after tomorrow, would it be judicious for a
young girl to marry as though that War were absolutely impossible? No!
Her woman's heart sternly reiterated the pitilessly negative; and, as
the Ritualistic organist had plainly evinced an earnest intention to let
no foreign military complications prevent her marriage with him, she
felt that her only safety from his matrimonial violence must be sought
in flight.

With whom, though, could she take refuge? If she went to MAGNOLIA
PENDRAGON, all her dearest schoolmates would say, that they had always
loved her, despite her great faults, yet could not disguise from
themselves that she seemed at last to be fairly running after Miss
PENDRAGON'S brother. Besides, Mr. BUMSTEAD, offended by the seeming want
of confidence in him evinced by her flight, would, probably, take
measures publicly to identify MAGNOLIA'S alpaca garment with the
covering of his lost umbrella, and thus direct new suspicion against a
sister and brother already bothered almost into hysterics.

During the last few weeks, an attack of dyspepsia had laid the
foundation of a mind in the Flowerpot, as it generally does in other
young female American boarding-school thinkers, and she was now capable
of that subtle line of reasoning which is the great commendation of her
sex to a recognized perfect intellectual equality with man. Once