Beta Book

This laughter was probably directed toward the somewhat dandified
costume of the young gentleman, and he was not long left in the dark
upon this point.
"How d'ye do, my dearest Fanny," said Mr. Ralph Ashley, hastening
forward, and holding out his arms; "let us embrace!"
"Humph!" said Fanny; "indeed you shan't!"
"Shan't what--kiss you?"
"Yes, sir: you shall do nothing of the sort!"
"Wrong!--here goes!"
And before Miss Fanny could make her retreat, Ralph Ashley, Esq.,
caught that young lady in his arms, and impressed a salute upon her
lips, so remarkably enthusiastic, that it resembled the discharge of
a pistol. Perhaps we are wrong in saying that it was imprinted on
his cousin's lips, inasmuch as Miss Fanny, though incapacitated
from releasing herself, could still turn her head, and she always
maintained that nothing but her cheek suffered. On this point we
cannot be sure, and therefore leave the question undecided.
Of one fact, however, there can be no doubt--namely, that Mr.


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