Mr. Bopp had never seen such a little piece of earnestness before,
and began to think the young lady must be training for a boat-race
or the ring. Her dumb-bells flew about till a pair of white arms
looked like the sails of a windmill; she hit out from the shoulder
with a vigor that would have done execution had there been anything
but empty air to "punish;" and the "one, two, three!" of the Zouave
movement went off with a snap; while the color deepened from pink to
scarlet in her cheeks, the black braids tumbled down upon her
shoulders, and the clasp of her belt flew asunder; but her eye
seldom left the leader's face, and she followed every motion with an
agility and precision quite inspiring. Mr. Bopp's courage rose as he
watched her, and a burning desire to excel took possession of him,
till he felt as if his muscles were made of India-rubber, and his
nerves of iron. He went into his work heart and soul, shaking a
brown mane out of his eyes, issuing commands like general at the
head of his troops, and keeping both interest and fun in full blast
till people laughed who had not laughed heartily for years; lungs
got their fill for once, unsuspected muscles were suddenly
developed, and, when the clock struck ten, all were bubbling over
with that innocent jollity which makes youth worth possessing, and
its memory the sunshine of old age.

The last exercise was drawing to a close, and a large ring of
respectable members of society were violently sitting down and
rising up in a manner which would have scandalized Miss Wilhelmina
Carolina Amelia S. Keggs to the last degree, when Mr. Bopp was seen
to grow very pale, and drop in a manner which it was evident his
pupils were not expected to follow.

At this unexpected performance, the gentlemen took advantage of