romance.

The painter, however, did not communicate
to his niece the important step which
he had taken in her behalf, and his resolution
arose not from any anticipation of
opposition on her part, but solely from a
ludicrous consciousness that if his ward
were, as she very naturally might do, to
ask him to describe the appearance of the
bridegroom whom he destined for her, he
would be forced to confess that he had not
seen his face, and, if called upon, would find
it impossible to identify him.

Upon the next day, Gerard Douw having
dined, called his niece to him, and having
scanned her person with an air of satisfaction,
he took her hand, and looking upon
her pretty, innocent face with a smile of
kindness, he said:

'Rose, my girl, that face of yours will
make your fortune.' Rose blushed and
smiled. 'Such faces and such tempers
seldom go together, and, when they do,
the compound is a love-potion which few
heads or hearts can resist. Trust me, thou
wilt soon be a bride, girl. But this is
trifling, and I am pressed for time, so