not pay tribute, while the former demanded with all the firmness of an
absolute monarch, that the tribute should be forced from the water Queen
at all hazards.

After the above explanation our readers can well imagine Mr. Fabian's
feelings when after having congratulated himself that his wife's anger
with her nephew would occupy her mind for the entire evening, he
received a summons from her that the boat and fishing tackle were ready
for use.

Fishing was one of Mistress Ulrica's favorite pastimes, and although she
did not generally participate in it, yet when she observed her husband's
unskillfulness, she would indignantly cast aside her parasol, and grasp
the fishing rod. However it may be, whether the water queen below wished
to compliment the earthly queen above,--we know that ladies are prone to
be polite to each other--or that some truant fish remained behind to
become an easy prey to the enemy, suffice it to say that Mistress Ulrica
was generally fortunate; but she did not--as she might have done--make
use of her advantage, as she herself would say, "to cause her husband to
blush with shame."

When the dutiful husband arrived at the landing, he found his tender
wife, standing near the boat, clasping her child's hand in her own, and
our friend was obliged to see that his jewels were safely seated in the
boat. After he had rowed the skiff out as far as Ulrica thought was
proper, he with many misgivings threw out his line.

"How strange it is my dear Fabian, that every time you fish you sit
still there on your seat like a perfect automaton!"