And this sums up my sketch illustrative of the peculiar character of marine life, and the hazards of submarine adventure, hitherto known to few, for—­well, for divers reasons.

WILL WALLACE HARNEY.

CONFIDENTIAL.

My ear has ever been considered public property for private usage.  I cannot call to mind the time when I was not somebody’s confidante, the business beginning as far back as the winter I ran down to Aunt Rally’s to receive my birthday-party of sweet or bitter sixteen, as will appear.

Ralph Romer was the first to spread the news of my arrival in the village among the girls of my own age.  Ralph Romer it was who had braved the dangers of “brier and brake” to find the bright holly berries with which Aunt Hally had decorated the cheery little parlor for the occasion; and it was with Ralph Romer I danced the oftenest on that famous night.

“Wouldn’t I just step out on the porch a short little minute,” he whispered as he came around in the rear of Aunt Hally to bid me good-night, ending the whisper, according to the style of all boy-lovers, “I’ve got something to tell you.”

The door stood open and conveniently near, and I suppose I wanted to see how high the snow had drifted since dark; and, a better reason still, I couldn’t afford to let Ralph take my hand off with him; and so I had to go out on the porch just long enough to get it back, while he said:  “Ettie Moore says she loves me, and we are going to correspond when I go back to college; and as you know all lovers and their sweethearts must have a confidante to smuggle letters and valentines across the lines, we have both chosen you for ours.  Oh, I was so afraid you wouldn’t come!”

I found the snow had drifted—­well, I don’t believe I knew how many inches.

I have not promised a recital of all my auricular experiences.  Enough to say, that in time I settled down into the conviction that it was my special mission to be the receptacle of other people’s secrets; and they seemed determined to convince me that they thought so too.

So, when Mr. Tennent Tremont happened along and became a candidate for auricular favors, like a tradesman who has gained the self-sustaining ground which has made him indifferent as to custom-seeking, I could afford to be entirely independent about giving a previous promise to keep his secrets for him; and so, dear reader, they are as much yours as mine.

When my brother introduced him into our family circle we took him to be a Northern college-chum, met with during his just-returned-from-trip to Washington; for it was in those days when Southern hospitality was as much appreciated as it was liberally bestowed.  It was a good time for a modest stranger to come among new faces.  We were in the flutter and bustle which a wedding in the family makes, and it gave him an opportunity to get used to us, and left us none to observe him unpleasantly much.