The next day fortune favored Paul in his efforts to please Miriam.  He had a tame white rabbit, and he thought that the child would like it for a pet—­so he got up very early in the morning, and washed the rabbit “clean as a new penny,” and put it under a new box to get dry while he rode to C——­ and bought a blue ribbon to tie around its neck.  This jaunt made Paul very late at breakfast, but he felt rewarded when afterward he gave the rabbit to old Jenny, and asked her to give it to the little girl—­and when he heard the latter say—­“Oh, what a pretty little thing! tell Paul, thanky!” After this, by slow degrees, he was enabled to approach “the little blackbird” without alarming her.  And after a while he coaxed her to take a row in his little boat, and a ride on his little pony—­always qualifying his attentions by saying that he did not like girls as a general thing, but that she was different from others.  And Mr. Willcoxen witnessed, with much satisfaction, the growing friendship between the girl and boy, for they were the two creatures in the world who divided all the interest he felt in life.  The mutual effect of the children upon each other’s characters was very beneficent; the gay and joyous spirits of Paul continually charmed Miriam away from those fits of melancholy, to which she was by temperament and circumstances a prey, while the little girl’s shyness and timidity taught Paul to tame his own boisterous manners for her sake.

* * * * *

Mrs. Waugh had not forgotten her young protege.  She came as often as possible to Dell-Delight, to inquire after the health and progress of the little girl.

It is not to be supposed, in any neighborhood where there existed managing mammas and unmarried daughters, that a young gentleman, handsome, accomplished, wealthy, and of good repute, should remain unmolested in his bachelorhood.  Indeed, the matrons and maidens of his own circle seemed to think themselves individually aggrieved by the young heir’s mode of life.  And many were the dinners and evening parties got up for his sake, in vain, for to their infinite disgust, Thurston always returned an excuse instead of an acceptance.

At length the wounded self-esteem of the community received a healing salve, in the form of a report that Mr. Willcoxen had withdrawn from the gay world, in order the better to prepare himself for the Christian ministry.  A report that, in twelve months, received its confirmation in the well established fact that Thurston Willcoxen was a candidate for holy orders.

And in the meantime the young guardian did not neglect his youthful charge, but in strict interpretation of his assumed duties of guardianship, he had taken the education of the girl and boy under his own personal charge.