such as our young fellows of fortune usually have. At
this time, I really believe she thought she loved him;
and had they been married, I doubt not they
might have jogged on, to the end of the chapter, a
good kind of a sing-song lack-a-daysaical life, as other
honest married folks do.


CHARLOTTE

Why did they not then marry?


LETITIA

Upon the death of his father, Billy went to England
to see the world and rub off a little of the patroon
rust. During his absence, Maria, like a good girl, to
keep herself constant to her nown true-love, avoided
company, and betook herself, for her amusement, to
her books, and her dear Billy's letters. But, alas!
how many ways has the mischievous demon of incon-
stancy of stealing into a woman's heart! Her love was
destroyed by the very means she took to support it.


CHARLOTTE

How?--Oh! I have it--some likely young beau
found the way to her study.