I gave him up long ago as a bad job.

Well, good-by, Phebe.

Awfully sorry you can't go.

Everybody'll be there, and it's to be the biggest lark out." During the few days that intervened before Dick's birthday, little else was talked of anywhere than Mr.Hardcastle's party, which was never spoken of, by the way, as Mrs.Hardcastle's party, though upon that good lady devolved the onus of the weighty preparations.

It seemed purely Mr.
Hardcastle's affair, just as every thing did in which he was in any way concerned.