"His gratitude was touching. 'Don't you trouble to write no letters,
sir,' he said; 'you just stick down "Julia" or "Hannah" on a bit of
paper, and put it in an envelope. I shall know what it means, and that's
the one as I shall marry.'
"Then he gripped me by the hand and left me.
"I gave a good deal of thought to the selection of Josiah's wife. I
wanted him to be happy.
"Juliana was certainly very pretty. There was a lurking playfulness
about the corners of Juliana's mouth which conjured up the sound of
rippling laughter. Had I acted on impulse, I should have clasped Juliana
in Josiah's arms.
"But, I reflected, more sterling qualities than mere playfulness and
prettiness are needed for a wife. Hannah, though not so charming,
clearly possessed both energy and sense--qualities highly necessary to a
poor man's wife. Hannah's father was a pious man, and was 'doing well'--a
thrifty, saving man, no doubt. He would have instilled into her lessons
of economy and virtue; and, later on, she might possibly come in for a
little something. She was the eldest of a large family. She was sure to
have had to help her mother a good deal. She would be experienced in
household matters, and would understand the bringing up of children.
"Julia's father, on the other hand, was a retired sea-captain.
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