“I was flattered.  What man in my position would not have been?  This Josiah Hackett had come from afar to hear my wisdom.  He was willing—­nay, anxious—­to entrust his whole life’s happiness to my discretion.  That he was wise in so doing, I entertained no doubt.  The choice of a wife I had always held to be a matter needing a calm, unbiassed judgment, such as no lover could possibly bring to bear upon the subject.  In such a case, I should not have hesitated to offer advice to the wisest of men.  To this poor, simple-minded fellow, I felt it would be cruel to refuse it.

“He handed me photographs of both the young persons under consideration.  I jotted down on the back of each such particulars as I deemed would assist me in estimating their respective fitness for the vacancy in question, and promised to carefully consider the problem, and write him in a day or two.

“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.  Seafaring folk are generally loose sort of fish.  He had probably been in the habit of going about the house, using language and expressing views, the hearing of which could not but have exercised an injurious effect upon the formation of a growing girl’s character.  Juliana was his only child.  Only children generally make bad men and women.  They are allowed to have their own way too much.  The pretty daughter of a retired sea-captain would be certain to be spoilt.

“Josiah, I had also to remember, was a man evidently of weak character.  He would need management.  Now, there was something about Hannah’s eye that eminently suggested management.

“At the end of two days my mind was made up.  I wrote ‘Hannah’ on a slip of paper, and posted it.