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Taylor, Bayard, 1825-1878

"Beauty and the Beast, and Tales of Home"

Johnson," interrupted Mrs. Billings, "it wasn't for
the fish!"
"Of course not," said her husband; "it was for my sake."
"No, you need not think it was for you. Enos," she added,
perceiving the feminine dilemma into which she had been led, "all
this is not necessary to the story."
"Stop!" he answered. "The A. C. has been revived for this night
only. Do you remember our platform, or rather no-platform? I must
follow my impulses, and say whatever comes uppermost."
"Right, Enos," said Mr. Johnson; "I, as temporary Arcadian, take
the same ground. My instinct tells me that you, Mrs. Billings,
must permit the confession."
She submitted with a good grace, and her husband continued:
"I said that our lazy life during the hot weather had become a
little monotonous. The Arcadian plan had worked tolerably well, on
the whole, for there was very little for any one to do--Mrs.
Shelldrake and Perkins Brown excepted. Our conversation, however,
lacked spirit and variety. We were, perhaps unconsciously, a
little tired of hearing and assenting to the same sentiments.


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