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put a stop to it. On Wednesday afternoon last he stopped Aunt Emily at our gate as she was entering & stood outside & 'pestered' her, with some very unexpected questions. The fact that you haven't mentioned his letters to you, leads me to think that perhaps you will not be quite as much taken aback by the subject of the questions as she was,- for the fact is that she was completely - so to speak - "flabbergasted." (whatever that may be, - but the word seems to suit the case.) The mixture of mirth & mournfulness which seizes me when the case is discussed, don't suit the rest of us, with whom mournfulness predominates. But when I think of his fond hopes that perhaps you might be mother to his young children, my logical mind insists on including the other consequence which he didn't mention, of your being grandmother to his young grandchildren & then I roar,- every time - Oh! dear me! Why did he do it! He wanted to know if she thought he had any chance of you as a successor to his sainted Susan,- and she was obliged to tell him that in her opinion he hadn't the slightest, - altho' that