Wealthy, and Wise_."

He enumerated the three items slowly, dwelling lovingly on each. I
admitted the fact.

"'Ah, that's a wonderful book, sir,' he went on. 'I ain't one of them as
has got brains of their own--not to speak of--but I know enough to know
them as has; and when I read that little book, I says to myself, Josiah
Hackett (that's my name, sir), when you're in doubt don't you get addling
that thick head o' yours, as will only tell you all wrong; you go to the
gentleman as wrote that little book and ask him for his advice. He is a
kind-hearted gentleman, as any one can tell, and he'll give it you; and
_when_ you've got it, you go straight ahead, full steam, and don't you
stop for nothing, 'cause he'll know what's best for you, same as he knows
what's best for everybody. That's what I says, sir; and that's what I'm
here for.'

"He paused, and wiped his brow with a green cotton handkerchief. I
prayed him to proceed.

"It appeared that the worthy fellow wanted to marry, but could not make
up his mind _whom_ he wanted to marry. He had his eye--so he expressed
it--upon two young women, and they, he had reason to believe, regarded
him in return with more than usual favour. His difficulty was to decide
which of the two--both of them excellent and deserving young
persons--would make him the best wife. The one, Juliana, the only
daughter of a retired sea-captain, he described as a winsome lassie. The
other, Hannah, was an older and altogether more womanly girl. She was
the eldest of a large family. Her father, he said, was a God-fearing
man, and was doing well in the timber trade. He asked me which of them I