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UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE.

'And 'tis a fine swarm, too: I haven't seen such a fine swarm for these ten years.'

'An excellent sign,' said Mrs. Penny, from the depths of experience. 'An excellent sign.'

'I am glad everything seems so right,' said Fancy with a breath of relief.

'And so am I,' said the four bridesmaids with much sympathy.

'Well, bees can't be put off,' observed grandfather James. 'Marrying a woman is a thing you can do at any moment; but a swarm of bees won't come for the asking.'

Dick fanned himself with his hat. 'I can't think,' he said thoughtfully, 'whatever 'twas I did to offend Mr. Maybold,―a man I like so much too. He rather took to me when he came first, and used to say he should like to see me married, and that he'd marry me, whether the young woman I chose lived in his parish or no. I slightly

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