will be good enough to stop scratching her nose while I am talking,)
that Unfounded Rumor sometimes means--hem!--

'The Associated Press
In bitter distress.'

In Bumsteadville, however, it has a signification more like what we
should give it in relation to a statement that Senator SUMNER had
delivered a Latin quotation without a speech selected for it. In this
sense, Ladies, (Miss PARKINSON can scarcely be aware of how much cotton
stocking can be seen when she lolls so,) the Unfounded Rumor concerning
two gentlemen of different political views in this county was not
correct. (Miss BABCOCK will learn four chapters in Chronicles by heart
to-night, for making her handkerchief into a baby,) as proper inquiries
have assured us that no more blood was shed than if the parties to the
strife had been a Canadian and a Fenian. We will, therefore, drop the
subject, and enter at once upon the flowery path of the first lesson in
algebra."

This explanation destroyed all the interest of a majority of the young
ladies, who had anticipated a horridly delightful duel, at least; but
FLORA was slightly hysterical about it, even late in the afternoon, when
it was announced that her guardian had come to see her.

Mr. DIBBLE, of Gowanus, had been selected for his trust on account of
his pre-eminent goodness, which, as seems to be invariably the case, was
associated with an absence of personal beauty trenching upon the
scarecrow. Possibly an excess of strong and disproportionate carving in
nose, mouth and chin, accompanied by weak eyes and unexpectedness of
forehead, may tend to make the Evil One but languid in his desire for