"My grandfather lived upon small islands, St Kit's, perhaps, domain extended sea His house, rambling West Indian mansion, was surrounded with deep, spacious piazzas, covered with luxurious lounges, among which one capacious chair was his peculiar seat They tell me he used sometimes to sit there whole day, his great, soft, brown eyes fastened sea, watching the specks of sails that flashed horizon, while the evanescent expressions chased over his placid face, it reflected the calm and changing sea before him His morning costume was an ample dressing-gown of gorgeously flowered silk, morning was very apt to last all day

"He rarely read, but pace the great piazza for hours, hands sunken pockets dressing-gown, and an air of sweet reverie, which any author very happy

"Society, , little some slight apprehension that if he were bidden to social entertainments he might forget his coat, or arrive without some other essential part dress; and sly tradition Titbottom family that, having been invited to ball in honor new governor island, my grandfather Titbottom sauntered hall towards midnight, wrapped gorgeous flowers dressing-gown, and hands buried pockets, as usual great excitement, and immense deprecation of gubernatorial ire But it happened governor and my grandfather were old friends, and no offense But were conversing together, distressed managers cast indignant glances brilliant costume grandfather, who summoned him, and asked courteously:

"'Did you invite me or my coat ? '

"'You, in proper coat,' replied the manager

"The governor smiled approvingly, and looked at my grandfather

"'My friend," said he manager, 'I beg your pardon, I forgot '

"The my grandfather was seen promenading in full ball dress along the streets little town

"'They ought ,' said he, 'that proper coat, not contempt nor poverty, but forgetfulness, sent me to ball in my dressing-gown '

" much frequent social festivals failure, but he always told the story with satisfaction and quiet smile

"To stranger, life upon those little islands is uniform even to weariness But the old native dons like my grandfather ripen prolonged sunshine, like the turtle Bahama banks, nor know of existence more desirable Life tropics I take placid torpidity During the long, warm mornings of nearly half century, my grandfather Titbottom had sat dressing-gown and gazed sea But one calm June day, as he slowly paced the piazza after breakfast, his dreamy glance was arrested by little vessel, evidently nearing the shore spyglass, and surveying the craft, saw that she came neighboring island She glided smoothly, slowly, over the summer sea The warm morning air was sweet with perfumes, and silent with heat The sea sparkled languidly, brilliant blue hung cloudlessly over Scores of little island vessels had my grandfather seen come over the horizon, and cast anchor port Hundreds of summer mornings had the white sails flashed and faded, like vague faces through forgotten dreams But he laid down the spyglass, and leaned against column piazza, and watched the vessel with an intentness that explain She came nearer and nearer, graceful spectre dazzling morning

"'Decidedly step down vessel,' said my grandfather Titbottom

"He gathered his ample dressing-gown about him, and stepped piazza with no other protection sun little smoking cap upon his head His face wore calm, beaming smile, he approved of all the world not an old man, but almost patriarchal pathos expression as he sauntered along sunshine towards the shore group of idle gazers was collected to watch the arrival The little vessel furled her sails and drifted slowly landward, and as she was of very light draft, she came close shelving shore long plank was put out from her side, debarkation commenced My grandfather Titbottom stood looking on the passengers descend There were but few , and mostly traders neighboring island But suddenly the face of young girl appeared over the side vessel, and she stepped plank to descend My grandfather Titbottom instantly advanced, and moving briskly reached the top plank same moment, and old tassel cap flashing sun, and one hand pocket dressing gown, other he handed the young lady carefully down the plank That young lady was afterwards my grandmother Titbottom

"And so, over the gleaming sea which he had watched , and which seemed thus to reward his patient gaze, came his bride that sunny morning

"' happy,' he used : ' are the gift sun loved and ' And my grandfather Titbottom would lay his hand so tenderly golden hair young bride, that fancy him devout Parsee caressing sunbeams

"There were endless festivities upon occasion marriage; and my grandfather go to dressing-gown The gentle sweetness wife melted every heart into love and sympathy much older than she, without doubt But age, as he used with smile of immortal youth, is matter of feeling, not of years And if, sometimes, as she sat by his side piazza, her fancy looked through her eyes upon that summer sea and saw younger lover, perhaps some one graceful and glowing heroes who occupy the foreground of all young maidens' visions sea, yet find one more generous and gracious, nor fancy one more worthy and loving than my grandfather Titbottom And if moonlit midnight, while he lay calmly sleeping, she leaned window and sank into vague reveries of sweet possibility, and watched the gleaming path moonlight water, until the dawn glided over it-- only that mood of nameless regret and longing, which underlies all human happiness,--or it vision life of society, which she had never seen, but she had often read, and which looked very fair and alluring across the sea to girlish imagination which knew should never know that reality

"These West Indian years were the great days family," said Titbottom, with an air of majestic and regal regret, pausing and musing little parlor, like late Stuart in exile, remembering England Prue raised her eyes from her work, and looked at him with subdued admiration; for observed that, like the rest of her sex, she has singular sympathy representative of reduced family Perhaps their finer perception which leads these tender-hearted women to recognize the divine right of social superiority more readily than we; and yet, much as Titbottom was enhanced in my wife's admiration discovery that his dusky sadness of nature and expression was, as it were, the expiring gleam and late twilight of ancestral splendors, if Mr Bourne preferred him for bookkeeper moment sooner upon that account In truth, observed, down town, fact of your ancestors doing nothing considered good proof that do anything But Prue and her sex regard sentiment more than action, and I understand easily enough why never tired of hearing me read of Prince Charlie If Titbottom only little younger, little handsomer, little more gallantly dressed-- , little more Prince Charlie, her eyes have fallen again upon her work so tranquilly, as he resumed his story

" remember my grandfather Titbottom, although very young child, and very old man My young mother and my young grandmother are very distinct figures in my memory, ministering old gentleman, wrapped dressing-gown, and seated piazza I remember his white hair calm smile, and how, not long before he died, me to him, and laying his hand upon my head, said :

"My child, the world this great sunny piazza, nor life the fairy stories which the women tell you here sit in their laps soon be gone, but to leave some memento love , and nothing more valuable than these spectacles, which your grandmother brought from her native island, when she arrived here one fine summer morning, quite tell whether, grow older, regard it as gift greatest value or as something that you happier never possessed '

"'But grandpapa, not short-sighted '

"'My son, not human ? ' said the old gentleman; and how shall I ever forget the thoughtful sadness , same time he handed me the spectacles