By degrees, several young ladies who were not in the habit of calling at Jessup’s began to drop in to look at the dry-goods.  It was in vain Pease stepped briskly forward to wait on them, with his most fascinating smile; they wanted to see Mr. Meeker.  Pease was bursting with rage, but he was forced to restrain his passion.  On one occasion, on seeing two attractive-looking girls approaching, he sent Hiram to the cellar to draw a gallon of molasses, and as the weather was cold, he calculated he would have to wait at least a quarter of an hour for it to run.  When the young ladies entered, they inquired for Hiram; Pease reported Mr. Meeker as particularly engaged, and offered his services in the most pathetic manner.

‘Oh! we are in no hurry,’ was the reply, ‘we can wait.’

And they did wait, greatly to Pease’s disgust, and to Mr. Jessup’s delight, who happened to come in at that moment, for he knew Hiram would be sure to make some handsome sales to them.  At length came poor Pease’s crowning misfortune.  Mary Jessup began to give token that she was not slow to discover Hiram’s agreeable qualities, and his superiority in every respect over his rival.  Now, if there is any one thing which the sex admire in a man more than another, it is real ability.  Mary Jessup was a quick-witted girl herself, and she could not fail to perceive this quality in Hiram.  She had heretofore regarded him as a boy; but the boy had grown up almost without her observing it, and now stood, with his full stature of medium hight, admirably proportioned.  It was not long before she consented to accompany Hiram to the Thursday-evening lecture.  What a pleasant walk they had each way, and how gracefully he placed her shawl across her shoulders.  Pease was furious.  ‘How absurd you act,’ that was all Mary Jessup said in reply to his violent demonstrations, and she laughed when she said it.  What could Pease do for revenge?  He thought, and cogitated, and dreamed over it; it was of no use.  He began to feel himself under the fascination of Hiram’s calm, persevering, determined manner, a manner distinguished by tokens of latent power.  For no one in praising him ever made the ordinary exclamations, ’Such a smart, energetic fellow,’ ‘So active and efficient,’ ’A driving business chap.’  No; on the contrary, one would set him down as quite the reverse, for he was always very quiet, never in a hurry, and by no means rapid in his motions.  Yet he impressed you with an idea of his superiority, which his peculiar repose of manner served to highten.  It can easily be guessed that Mary Jessup and J. Pease quarreled, at last seriously, and the engagement, if there had been any, was broken.  The next evening, on her return from the sewing-society with Hiram, he ventured to retain her hand in his, and from that time she felt that there was an ‘understanding’ between them.  She would have found it difficult to say why, for Hiram had never spoken sentimentally to her.  His conversation was on ordinary topics, yet always in a low, meaning, confidential tone.