"Not one word does Frank say about remittances—the most important of all subjects!" cried James, with his elbows on his knees, and a half-filled sheet held out before him in both hands. "He is the most provoking fellow!—just look, Nettie, how much blank paper, too, sent all the way from Manhattan Island to Upper Egypt," he added, with a serio-comic tap on the paper.
"Good enough for you!" retorted his frequent tormentor; "you wouldn't write from Rome to him, as I begged you to"——
"But, most amiable Miss Consolation 'on a monument, smiling at grief,' don't you recollect that you favored him with three 'great big' sheets, crammed, crossed, and kissed"——
"Do go away, James Wilson! you are a regular squatter, as they say at home; really, if you are not established on my skirt!" laughed his merry companion, reddening, however, at his skillful sally.
James, well used to repulses, made not even a pretence of removing his quarters; but, tracing with his forefinger in the sand, began to tease his pretty neighbor for news from home, protesting that men were the poorest letter-writers, and that his correspondents in particular, never said anything!
But what had become of the thoughtful friend whose warning voice had checked too eager expectation in his companions, whilst
——"thou, oh Hope, with eyes so fair,"
made wild tumult in each eager breast? I marked his face, as he stood apart from the excited group gathered about the bearer of our dispatches. It was almost as immobile and coldly calm as those of the polished colossi around us, save for the burning eyes that seemed actually to devour the several directions that were glanced over, or read aloud by others. His hands, too, were tightly clutched, as though he were thus self-sustained.—Poor fellow! I had frequently noticed his manner before, where the happiness of others arrested attention; it indicated, to me, a serenity like that of the expiring hero who waved his life-draught to another, hiding, with a smile, the outward signs of tortured nature! Almost before the last package was unfolded, he was advancing with rapid strides along the majestic avenue leading from our stand-point towards the ruins of Karnac, and was soon lost to sight amid its massive ornaments. How easily might some friendly hand have shed balm upon his sad and solitary spirit, on that memorable day in far-off Nile-Land, when so many hearts were gladdened with the sweet sunlight enkindled by letters!—so many faces illumined with smiles reflected from the ever-glowing altars of Country and Home!