there is nothing to counterpoison at prisent。 So I'm for caushin； and working on the safe side th' hidge； till we are less in the dark。 Mind ye； young women at her age are kittle cattle； they have gusts o' this； and gusts o' that； th' unreasonable imps。 D'ye see these two pieces pasteboard？ They are tickets for a ball；
In Barkton town…hall。〃
〃Yes； of course I see them；〃 said Mrs。 Dodd dolefully。
〃Well； I prescribe 'em。 And when they have been taken；
And the pashint well shaken；
perhaps we shall see whether we are on the right system： and if so； we'll dose her with youthful society in a more irrashinal form； conversaziones； cookeyshines； et citera。 And if we find ourselves on the wrong _tack_ why then we'll hark _back。_
Stick blindly to 'a course；' the Dockers cry。 But it does me harm： _Then_ 'twill do good _by…and…bye。_ Where lairned ye that； Echoes of Echoes； say！ The killer ploughs 'a course；' the healer _'feels his way。'_〃
So mysterious are the operations of the human mind； that； when we have exploded in verse tuneful as the above； we lapse into triumph instead of penitence。 Not that doggrel meets with reverence here belowthe statues to it are few； and not in marble； but in the material itselfBut then an Impromptu！ A moment ago our Posy was not： and now is； with the speed； if not the brilliancy； of lightning； we have added a handful to the intellectual dust…heap of an oppressed nation。 From this bad eminence Sampson then looked down complacently； and saw Mrs。 Dodd's face as long as his arm。 She was one that held current opinions； and the world does not believe Poetry can sing the Practical。 Verse and useful knowledge pass for incompatibles； and； though Doggrel is not Poetry； yet it has a lumbering proclivity that way； and so forfeits the confidence of grave sensible people。 This versification； and this impalpable and unprecedented prescription she had waited for so long； seemed all of a piece to poor mamma： wild； unpractical； and〃oh； horror！ horror！〃eccentric。
Sampson read her sorrowful face after his fashion。 〃Oh； I see； ma'am；〃 cried he。 〃Cure is not welcome unless it comes in the form consecrated by cinturies of slaughter。 Well； then； give me a sheet。〃 He took the paper and rent it asunder； and wrote this on the larger fragment：
Rx Die Mercur。 circa x。 hor： vespert： eat in musca ad Aulam oppid： Saltet cum xiii canicul： praesertim meo。 Dom： reddita； 6 hora matutin： dormiat at prand： Repetat stultit： pro re nata。
He handed this with a sort of spiteful twinkle to Mrs。 Dodd； and her countenance lightened again。 Her sex will generally compound with whoever can give as well as take。 Now she had extracted a real； grave prescription； she acquiesced in the ball； though not a county one； 〃to satisfy your whim； my good； kind friend； to whom I owe so much。〃
Sampson called on his way back to town； and； in course of conversation； praised nature for her beautiful instincts； one of which； he said； had inspired Miss Julee； at a credulous age； not to swallow 〃the didly drastics of the tinkering dox。〃
Mrs。 Dodd smiled； and requested permission to contradict him； her daughter had taken the several prescriptions。
Sampson inquired brusquely if she took him for a fool。
She replied calmly： 〃No； for a very clever； but _rather_ opinionated personage。
〃Opinionated？ So is ivery man who has grounnds for his opinin。 D'ye think； because Dockers Short； an' Bist； an' Kinyon； an' Cuckoo； an' Jackdaw； an' Starling； an' Co。； don't know the dire effecks of calomel an' drastics on the buddy； I don't know't？ Her eye； her tongue； her skin； her voice； her elastic walk； all tell _me_ she has not been robbed of her vital resources。 'Why； if she had taken that genteel old thief Short's rimidies alone； the girl's gums would be sore；
And herself at Dith's door。〃
Mrs。 Dodd was amused。 〃Julia； this is so like the gentlemen； they are in love with argumeunt。They go on till they reason themselves out of their reason。 Why beat about the bush； when there she sits？〃
〃What； go t' a wumman for the truth； when I can go t' infallible Inference？〃
〃You may always go to my David's daughter for the truth；〃 said Mrs。 Dodd； with dignity。 She then looked the inquiry； and Julia replied to her look as follows： first； she coloured very high； then； she hid her face in both her hands； then rose； and turning her neck swiftly； darted a glance of fiery indignation and bitter reproach on Dr。 Meddlesome； and left the apartment mighty stag…like。
〃Maircy on us！〃 cried Sampson。 〃Did ye see that； ma'am？ Yon's just a bonny basilisk。 Another such thunderbolt as she dispinsed； and ye'll be ringing for your maid to sweep up the good physician's ashes。〃
Julia did not return till the good physician was gone back to London。 Then she came in with a rush； and； demonstrative toad； embraced Mrs。 Dodd's knees； and owned she had cultivated her geraniums with all those medicines； liquid and solid； and only one geranium had died。
There is a fascinating age； when an intelligent girl is said to fluctuate between childhood and womanhood。 Let me add that these seeming fluctuations depend much on the company she is in： the budding virgin is princess of chameleons； and； to confine ourselves to her two most piquant contrasts； by her mother's side she is always more or less childlike； but； let a nice young fellow engage her apart； and； hey presto！ she shall be every inch a woman： perhaps at no period of her life are the purely mental characteristics of her sex so supreme in her； thus her type； the rosebud； excels in essence of rosehood the rose itself。
My reader has seen Julia Dodd play both parts； but it is her child's face she has now been turning for several pages； so it may be prudent to remind him she has shone on Alfred Hardie in but one light； a young but Juno…like woman。 Had she shown 〃my puppy〃 her childish qualities； he would have despised herhe had left that department himself so recently。 But Nature guarded the budding fair from such a disaster。
We left Alfred Hardie standing in the moonlight gazing at her lodging。 This was sudden； but； let slow coaches deny it as loudly as they like； fast coaches exist； and Love is a Passion； which； like Hate； Envy； Avarice； &c。； has risen to a great height in a single day。 Not that Alfred's was 〃Love at first sight；〃 for he had seen her beauty in the full blaze of day with no deeper feeling than admiration； but in the moonlight he came under more sovereign spells than a fair face： her virtues and her voice。 The narrative of their meeting has indicated the first； and as to the latter； Julia was not one of those whose beauty goes out with the candle； her voice was that rich； mellow； moving organ； which belongs to no rank nor station； is born； not made； and； flow it from the lips of dairymaid or countess； touches every heart； gentle or simple； that is truly male。 And this divine contralto； full； yet penetrating； Dame Nature had inspired her to lower when she was moved or excited； instead of raising it； and then she was enchanting。 All unconsciously she cast this crowning spell on Alfred； and he adored her。 In a word； he caught a child…woman away from its mother； his fluttering captive turned； put on composure； and bewitched him。
She left him； and the moonlight night seemed to blacken。 But within his young breast all was light； new light。 He leaned opposite her window in an Elysian reverie； and let the hours go by。 He seemed to have vegetated till then； and lo！ true life had dawned。 He thought he should love to die for her； and； when he was calmer； he felt he was to live for her； and welcomed his destiny with rapture。 He passed the rest of the Oxford term in a soft ecstasy； called often on Edward； and took a sudden and prodigious interest in him； and counted the days glide by and the happy time draw near； when he should be four months in the same town with his enchantress。 This one did not trouble the doctors； he glowed with a steady fire； no heats and chills； and sad misgivings； for one thing； he was not a woman； a being tied to that stake； Suspense； and compelled to wait and wait for others' actions。 To him； life's path seemed paved with roses； and himself to march in eternal sunshine； buoyed by perfumed wings。
He came to Barkington to try for the lovely prize。 Then first he had to come down from love's sky； and realise how hard it is here below to court a young ladywho is guarded by a motherwithout an introduction in the usual form。 The obvious course was to call on Edward。 Having parted from him so lately； he forced himself to wait a few days； and then set out for Albion Villa。
As he went along； he arranged the coming dialogue for all the parties。 Edward was to introduce him； Mrs。 Dodd to recognise his friendship for her son； he was to say he was the gainer by it； Julia； silent at first； was to hazard a timid observation； and he to answer gracefully； and draw her out and find how he stood in her opinion。 The sprightly affair should end by his inviting Edward to dinner。 That should lead to their uninviting him in turn； and then he should have a word with Julia； and find out what houses she visited； and get introduced to their proprietors。 Arrived at this point； his mind went over hedge and ditch faster than my poor pen can follow； as the crow flies； so flew he； and had reached the church…porch under a rain of nosegays with Juliain imaginationby then he arrived at Albion Villa in the body。 Yet he knocked timidly； his heart beat almost as hard as his hand。
Sarah； the black…eyed housemaid； 〃answered the door。〃
〃Mr。 Edward Dodd？〃
〃Not at home； sir。 Left last week。〃
〃For long？〃
〃I don't rightly know； sir。 But he won't be back this week； I don't think。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 stammered Alfred； 〃the ladiesMrs。 Doddmight be able to tell me。〃
〃Oh yes； sir。 But my mistress； she's in London just now。〃
Alfred's eyes flashed。 〃Could I learn from Miss Dodd？〃
〃La； sir； she is in London along with her ma； why； 'tis for her they are gone； to insult the great doctors。〃
He started。 〃She is not ill？ Nothing serious？〃
〃Well； sir； we do hope not。 She is pinning a bit； as young ladies will。〃
Alfred was anything but consoled by this off…hand a