"I did not promise her, though, to leave off loving Leah Mordecai. I
did not tell her, either, that I had asked Leah to be my wife one of
these days, when school-days were ended.

"June 5.--The closing exercises of the schools have been hurried up
this year, as the weather is exceedingly warm, and the Board of
Health fear a return of the terrible scourge, yellow fever, that so
devastated this fair city five years ago. Next week, Madam Truxton's
seminary closes, and that is one week before the institute does.
Invitations to Madam's levee are already out. The graduating class
of cadets are invited--lucky fellows!

"Helen seems really sad at the prospect of parting with her
school-days and her friends. But then she is eighteen, and that's
quite old enough for a girl to come out. She says, too, that of all
the girls at school, Lizzie Heartwell will be the most regretted
when she leaves the Queen City for her home in a distant State. She
is quite a pretty girl, but too religious, I should judge, from what
Helen says. Her mother is a widow. I guess they are poor.

"Mother is quite reconciled to me again, and spoke playfully to me
last night about marrying Miss Belle Upton, who is to visit Helen
next week and attend the closing of Madam Truxton's school. Well,
'we shall see what we shall see,' but I hardly think I will. She can
hardly eclipse 'Leah Mordecai the beautiful,'--that's the way I write
it now."