X' . : 6trrits.o4 - - -.VOIIi
THE TRYAING TREE.
ullteOrt the forest was a little dell,
High over-arched with the leafy sweep.
'Of a broad oak, through whose gnarled roots,
there fell . ••
A slender rill that sang itself asleep,
. Where its continuous toil has scooped's well;
To pleise the fair folk ; bhasthlessly_deep
The Stillness was,save when thedreaming brook
Prom its small- urn a drizzly murmur shook"
.
LOWED.
Hark! .
A suOctett and fearful crash of thunder start
les the heavens and shakes'the earth.
A moment since the air was glittering and
sparkling . . with golden sunlights—the birds
were singing amcmg the trees—the bees and
insects were humming dreamily. Now the
sun has a veil before its face :la the surface
of the earth has lost its,golden hue,
Hark l •
Again there is a tremendous burst of thund
trl-7the forked , lightning hisses and , crackles
as it flashes - wildly I The sky , each moment
darkens, until at an unnatural moment night
seems suddenly to set in. • '
The silence begins to be felt—to *gamble a
dread effect; the song birds have hushed their
- w arblings-the'bright,many-hued ineetta ha"ye
etassd their busy hum—not it sound'is now
to be heard. •
Hark I •
- „Fere is a sudden pattering and rattling on
.the leaves of, the forest trees. A thunder
shower has commenced to fall.
Along a narrow, damp, earthen, beaten
'pathway, tkneatti the widely spreading, inter
lacing leatenwoven branches •of the huge
elm, and "li t ivail oak in the forest of Hunting
an affrighted ydung
She was on the way from Wodingdene to
.Latimers, •.w here sbe , resided wii h her father,
Dd.; paih;which was the only footway through
the forest., by wilicki:ommunication between
_ the two places -could be obtained, was slii
. - miles in length, and she had. at least three yet
to go to reach her liOnae.:—/i small. neat cot
tage, in a very small village.. was timid
an d .. nervous extremely Apprehepkve •of
thunder and lightning--.-and bad at this CIO=
.
meat. a, too keen recollection of all, die ter
rible stories she lied heard -of the 'ravages
-committed at Various . times. by thunderbolts.
As'the rain began to patter down; rattling
and 'clattering upon the broad leaves.as
hell:mare beat; quicker; and-when a. broad
sheet 'of flaming lightning illuminated the
•Whole forest, only to render its recesses and
•depths ditker and 'gloomier thee ever., she
was ready to faint upon the pathway.
Still she hurried- ; the forest grew more .
somber, end each rnomeirmuriier still. Stye
glanced. uneasily 'right and left, and peered
into the misty coverts, but iro living thing
greeted her sight. The deer were• within"-
lairs—the birds were in their trests—nothing
was to be seen, and - soon it seemed that nth- 1
ing would be seen,. for the air darkened more
yachlinOment, and the way beneath the vast
forest trees: grew , indistinct Its in the night
time.
Now a vivid flash of:lurid hne it np every
• spot, thewall became desk again. Then en
sued the tremendous-thunder 'burst, with its
. awful vibrations; and then she ran up against
something soft—screamed and sunk in a
swoon upon the..ground.
When she'recovered she foupd.berself IY
. ing at the foot of a huge tree, surrounded.. on
all ales , by wil&-flowers; close - ether feet ran
meandering a silver - stream,—inurmuring
- gurgling, 'and .splashing it swiftly glided
ever its shallow bid--chattling's law, TITC - 0111-
ful, _quivering °sang, as 'it Forced 'its way
over the rugged stones aboettding in its
course. •
Over ter ' bending with 'earnest, antion's
look, was the faCe of a young man, handsome
as the Angel Michael. tier eyes rmisued the
lineaments of his features with' wonder. Was
she in a dream! .
A fearful flash' of ligijtning, tune:wed by a .
-terrific 'crash of thunder, made her screa m,
spring to her 'feet, and nucon € cion s of
what she did,'to nestle in his ,breast.
"Be not alarined, pretty 'crier he said
gently, "It is but .a thunder-storm.. h will
aeon be lint... It is to violent too last long."
• She,could not articulate a word for the re-'
`though
echoes, still sullenly repeated,
though each rimmeadying away.
' His arms were entwined round her waist s
and her face Was buried on his Shoulder. It
was only when she:beard the beating of ids
heart, and. felt - perhaps a certain reassuring
pressure of his arm, that she -became 'non
sciois that her situation at that moment did
not altogether squire with their:lles of maiden
propriety ; and ao, - though yet'. much terrified,
_ate disengag t ad Iterself from his arms ' and
voice in a low vce' said she should be better
soon. ! •
"The sun will ithineinesently," he said in's
musical voice, "and the birds will warble, in
the air again;' the rain, will depart with the
tbunder-clouds, and, your spirits and your
;courage will come back with returninglight.
You-are safe here. Best in peagel-caltn your
fears I You. Will soon be able to go on your
way again."-
' She lookid in his::-.face. How. particularly,
handsome it was - I
- 7 40 W precis e ly ,that ideal
of manly Beauty she'had formed iii- her own
`•trrincl as' the perfection of.masculine good
Looks.' His eyes were iarge, soft and:i'deep
blue;- his eyelids whre large, too, and gat e
, a
dreamy character to his eves. H' is Skin WAS
transparently fair; his cheeks had the - glow
of health upon them ; his teeth were *bite I
and even his hair Wag long and fair; and al
together, face and roan, he was jest dip young
fellow to - send a young girl with a sespectible
heart distracted for him. --',
Ellen Clinton for that was the younggirl's
- eame,.—thought an as she perused his features
and her -eyes, as they - caught his,went directly
into the careering brook. .
"How came I here, 'sir!" she asked, with
an embartased air. - _
He laughed. - -
"You,' like tpyrTelf, were caught in- the
storm; and was hurrying, I preempt., to L a d,
mers=" -
"Yes
'Aid too deeply engaged in peering on
each side of you, ran into my arms:screamed,
and 'Tainted." - -
_.-".116 - w foolish!" she eiclaimed, blushing.
A' loud crash of thunder 'preceded lay a
brilliantly-livid flash of lightning, burst with
stealing Suddenness at this instant ; ,she ut
t.er,,,ed a shriek,. and once mare _nestled in
his arms, whiCh he folded protectingly round
He held here there to 'shield her; *ad be
would have held her longer than -there was
any necessity for, so far -as protecting from
danger was concerped, bat that she &feign
ed herself ns 'quickly as she could tVaciVei•
from her terror, and stood apart front. him.
Wtth a suddenuese equal to that •Which had
ehateeterlied the commencement of the sum-
they-storm, it passed . off. Even,ria she quitted
tge safegnard bfliis stinheatns burst
through the clefts in the treetoppss and fantae
tiL gilding the lesitei of the green trees
and the enameled award _ with theii golden
f Her
.eyes once more bla„ abd be
?smiled—truly; a very sweet smile; neverthe
less, it. brought tears into hers:.
1 "Piny don't misconceive me, sir, 4 she t's
' iclaimed, almost entretingly.
"Misconctlive you!" he replied, with sur
prise. • •
"Yes,"'she responded; "do tot, f entreat of
`you, form wrong opinion of me because I
am the viMith of such .a foolish terror."
"There is only one oprMort I have formed
of you, and that is, that you are Very pretty,"
with an evident air of admiration
"I presume, when . I bad the folly to faint,
you bore me her, sir," she said, appearing not
to heed his remark. "Will von add to that
kindness by guiding put to the -beaten
,path
to Latimer% I"
"Certainly," he returned ; "snob is itly,
tention; but is there need that you should
hurry on return_?"
She looked at him with surprise. He, read
its meaning, and understood it.
"How selfish we'men are I" -he exclaiined.
"You see, because I should .find a pleasuiein
remaining here for some little time—this is a
favorite spot of mine—in the enjoyment of
your company, I assutud it might be equally
pleasant - to you, when -the probabilities are
itat: you would find nothing: Very gra:ifyirig
in the company of one 'so co' mon-plece as
myself." .
Again Ellen looked at him, and' with a
petuliai expression; as though she-hardly corn
ptehehded the intention of such a speech.
'Ste :I'd not reply to it, she only said she
wished to get home.
- Without further delay, he pined and
'quitted the spot, pointing out to her, as she
went, landmalks bv which she should find
by ,
her way to this remarkable secluded spot,
-should sheever feel disposed to pay it a visit;
and she, without seeming to do so, took very
accurate• notice, because there was a dim
foreshadowing before her eyes,that it was very
likely slie would wish to see once 'throe the
spot where. she had been alone.with that very
handsome strancrer.
So she marked each mossy elm and shining
beech, each thicket and eiegbarrier of prickly
undergrowth,—storing them carefully in her
men - Cory in such a man'crer that she could not
easili s forget thein when she came to examine
1 them as trines to . the place they had just
•
Now she found herself in the beaten track,
i again running on direct to Latimers, clear
and plain as it had been °An teriihlo
stork; and so she thanked him for his kind
nesi and attention, and wished him. "good
even," but be would not so have it, and per
sisted in walking by her side until they were
at the verge of the wood and close 'to Latiru
-ers. Then he bado her "good bye."
They shook each other's hand ; there was
an earnest gage into each tither's eyes, and
then she hurried to her. home.' He watched
her until she turned from the wood through
the turnstile lato the village—if so few houses
as Latimers s contained could be called a vil
lage; and then he turned back to his house
in Wodingdene.
He has ascertained from Ellen that she
canoe to Wodingdene sometimes once a week
and sometimes twice,—sometimes she was a
lone and sometimes her father accompanied
her;and as he had not the remotest intention of
giving hp the acquaintance thus formed,be of
course was always in her path when she was_
alone, and never was to be Men when her
fatherans. with her.
Young hearts it*. pretty ,mach alike.
!leaning ,no ittorig, they rery7alas ! too often .
get in the high road to do it-.
' Ellen Clinton very soon began to have a
love-tale pourei into her ear, and, as she was
already distractedly in love with her .young
stranger, it is to be supposed shi . listened to
his vows, and did not betray that repugnance
of manner I svbens he breathed them, which
would have displayed distaste or alrnoyance.
On the tonliary, while he spoke, the listened,
.with‘downci l ast eyes, in silence, bat in pleased
perturbation. Anti, when she did raise her
eyes to his,ithey were generally brimfull of
tenderness.
Now, as they *ere toe often, for their.own
satisfaction, interrupted in their meetini in
the pathway between Latimers and Wotling
dene, it is hot altogether astonishing that be
should propose to meet between tile green
shadow of that ancient oak overhafiging the
silver pool, at whose Margin he bad totaced
her, when she had fainted, and with whose
clear, cool waters, he had retired her during
the terrible thutider-sbowet; on their first
meeting; and it is heft, very surprising, that
this old oak should become to thettr a tryst
ing tree. To s be sure heioet here; acrd they
plighted their faith to earl) other, and swore
to be true `Untedeathi and to love ho other ;
and to never, never, never change.
To be sore; this .was sealed with-the pres
sure of burning lips; and, to be sure, she, the,
'same Ellen Clinton, was ih such hurry to
disengage herself frem his protecting arm, as
she was upon the first occasion. Of each
other's condition they learned that he was
living at home with Wit, Spencel, his thqt. l ifer,
and role tieing relative, entirety dependent on
her and she was living with her father, her
only surviving relative.
At least it year had elapsed since the meet
ing in the wood, and summer had come round
again; when, one bright, fresh, sparkling
morning, the postman stopped at the dan. AS
Mrs. Spencer, and canned- _ in a ietter from
London. f^-
net.
Arthur Spencer carried it into the small,
cheerful tooth, whenfhis,mother sat at needle
work, and gave it her. She took it, exam
ined. the superieription carefully, -- and then the
-seal r and, het; hind, it was plain, trembled
-"-_tOu'doit'toften have letters from London,
mother,"- said Arthur. -" Who can that be
from!' • 7 .
She fore it open 'examined with Curious
eyes the signature at the,battozu of the Closely
filled, sheet of paper, and,,saiaing ber head,
She looked . heresy- in the face, with an e.-
pression which be knew was intended-to con
vey her desire, to be obliged, and midi Leave
me i Arthur ritorit not until Loninuiong you.'
; : tintrose, Slisquekannit Countg, Venit'a, Soritimg, 1&58.
This, according to the routine of theii daily
life wee soniething mysterious ; but he bowed,
and quitted the room wondering.
It was lit least two hours before she sent
for him;
,and then, he Saw that be had been
weeping, hint he made no remark.
" Arthur."• she said,' addressing him, " I
with you I to go over at once to Latimer, for
me."
" With tpleasure, dear mother.'"
" In'quiie there for a Mr_ Clinton."
Who !" cried Arthur, startled.
"A Mr! Clinton. Do not r enunciate
clearly ! IHe is living there in retirement,—
I apprehead,you will not have Vouch difficulty
toifind him; like me, he has but one child ;
thjt, however, is a (laughter. Yet, her name,
Piememlier, is Ellen—Ellen Clinton.
"0, yes mother—a—"
Arthtir I" •
ItorribV l y confused, Arthur stitminered out
an 'excuse for his interruption, and put his
hasty let:nark to a _readiness to execute her
wish, instead of its true cause. She accepted
and belieied it:
" Yes,"i she continued, " the girl was a
tweet thild, and bid fair to grow up into.a
beautiful young woman. You will probably
see her at her father's honve."
" Yes, dear mother."
"Yes, Only to avoid her I"
" Avoid her I"'
t Aye, avoid as though she breathed pesti•
lencer
CoMplitely electrified, Arthur . gazedin his
mother's Stern face speechless.
"But Mother !" he exelaimed, "she surely
can haveldoue no ill?"
"I knew not. She belongs to one who
—to ouell hate—hate, bitterly fiercely,
forgivingly,--her father, boy ! and so I
you to avoid her, if you would not have
cure -`
‘ "ldoth!er I Mother! this is not the Chris
tian doctrine you sometimes preach to me,
ani to others
I kni.iw it--painfully know it! In this
matter 111 am heathen ; 'but though all the
world howl this in my ear, I cannot -with
Chri , tian apholisms l emove from my soul the
inextingeilktable hatred I bear that man.--'
Your' task will be easy. You will have to
ask wheu you see him, if his name be
Clinton. He will answer in the affirmative;
and you! will then hand him this letter, and
leave Ilia: Should you see the girl, treat her
with sco r nful contempt. Go,. my son !—I
shall be sick'at heart until I know that you
have exe c uted your mission."'
Witlitit-:a word, Arthur 'took the packet
and.departed on his errand.
As he made his way through the forest he•
pondered on his mother's words, and though
he could not unravel them-, it was Clear , there
was some painful story behind them—what, -
be could not imagine, but he determined •to
try and discover.
r As to avoiding Ellen, that was easy
counsel.' Ile bad met her before he bad an
pipit. his mother was in any way con•
nectelmrith a member of her family, and be
was not!, disposed to resign her because of
sortie =treasonable batted she, entertained for
another.;
, -He speculated and imagined, and drew out
a chain of circumstances, and worried him=
self, all' to no purpose. When 'be reached
Latimens l the sutra of his cogitations was, that
it was a strange co-incidence he should have
met with her as be bad, that there should
have bden some former comminion between
his family and hers; but lre thought it would
be far stranger if any quarrel between the old
People should prevent the meeting of the
young folks at the trysting-tree!
OT course, he marched straight up to Mr.
ClintoOs residence on gaining Latimers, and
was ushered into the parlor, where sat Major
Clinton] and his'pretty daughter, who looked
at Arthur with glittering-eyes ; surprised tho'
she wai to see him there. • - . .
"Your name is Clinton I believe!" said
Arthur respectfully to the major.
." It is sir," said the old soldier, erecting
himself! into a stern, uptight position. " Pray,
to whit am I to attribute the honor of this
visit frcim an entire stranger !"
--': I have _been requested by hiy mother to
place Chia, packet in your bands ; " replied Ar
thur. I - -
Theitnajor snatched it rather than took it.
He torn open the cover, and reading a few
lines, he threw the packet furiously upon the
table, fltl in a fiery tone, he exclaimed to Ar
thur, lour name, [presume, is Spencer 1""
Arthur bowed:
" But for the itiiperative lairs or hcis-pitaii
ty,' the major-almost howled, " I would fling
your carcass into the toad. You will under
stand, "thereby, young sir, that your presence
here it, to me and my daughter; especially
offensi6. I need not suggest to you, there
fore, fiat it will be prudent in you to retire
before you ate thrust out ;and though I tiev
,er perixtit myself to get in tt.passittit, -- d—it
me-:--4- 1 -- , " _ •
" F titer i father i" • cried Ellen; throwing
herself in his arms and bursting into tears,
—" what is it you would do to one who Can
not hrive ever offended your
'' Di) not plead for me, Miss Clinton," ex
-Zdailitel Arthur; "some day - Major Clinton
will bnid me in better estiniation.
He "bowed and -quitted the rood).
;d .over, you impertinent puppy l'' roared
the er+j , )r after him.
Thl street-door slamnied—the major thrust
hi 4 head out of the window. " Never you,
impudent jai:l:nape r be shouted.
Hatt -Arthur been le=a pained be would have
*milts:l i as it was, be ,na.le his way home
with a r.ad heart. ILt greatly softened to his
mothr the account of what had taken place.
/
" I was prepared tA4 ilMr .7147..: 7::::: ' she
•
said. L
Th trysting tree was now the only' spot
wheal Ellen and. Arthur dare Meet; and
..kuesei meetings they were ootigeu to manage
with discretion and care, to avoid discosery,
especially as. the brother of Mrs. Spencer,
, Gene al Noel, had arrived , from India. He
had2taken a fancy to Arthur, and occupied a
greatideal of his time, Still, Arthur contin
ued occasionally to give him the slip, and
meeti his dear little Ellen; who seemed to,
growl sadder and sadder as their meetings
grewl - wider apart. At length the General
began to suspect these. slidings off, and re•
solve to find out Where Master Arthur slipped
to tit l e first time he considered •him absent
withclut leave, and wititt what object he die
stppesired. Now, it happened that Major
Clinton bad his attention roused to the
fact that . Ellen was seized it , times with
. the very maddest arid most obstinate of re
solval—te walk in the wood; no matter what
4- WE ARE. ALL EQUAL =FOSE GOD AND THE COiSTITUTION. 99 —James linehanan.
suggestiob of hie, of •ii trip somewhere else,
might have beeb introduced: No matter
even if it rained s ; armed with an umbrella
and 'footed with stela boots, off she went :
no representations, Yequests even conunands,
diverted her.from hey purpose—go abe wo'd,
and go she did. ,Tier invariable-answer to
all questions respecting the why and where
fore of her absence for the time being wag
always the same,
.short and curt,—sbe hair
been out "only tor ,a ,
Major Clintob began id have suspicions
invade his mind that all Was not, right, lie
resolved. to watch •her;and he put hie deter
'ruination into etecution an the very -morning
,that General Noel quietly followed Arthur to
the place of,meeting. • . , -
Ellen never dreainetrthat her father would
play the spy—never had the faintest concep
tion that Any, one but Arthdr would imagine
the possibility of their secret meeting; so,
without , looking behind her, bn she went to
the trysting-tree,closely followed by her won=
daring parent..
Any ono, to have seen him, with his coat
tightly buttoned tip to his chin, and his hat
pressed .over his eye!, in 'aer wake • rand the
extraordinary tiptoe, bobbing-beliind-trees
'antics hn went throtigh, Would have certainly
considered him a ticket-of-leaves mamWatch
ing fur a chance to do it little highway rob
bery upon the young maiden he .was follow
inc. •
Ellen, however, uintioticing him—'rat think•
ing of him—kept on at her quiet pace, and
was soon by the side of the little brook, where
she saw Arthur reclining; and unconsciously
throwing pebbles into the stream. In a mo
ment they were locked in each other's arms,
and a loving, fervent kiss passed 'between
them. Then they sat down under the friend
ly shade of their trysting-tree—her head re
clining upon his shoulder, .and his arms
art ! und her waist,—her soft fingers playing
with the hand that "encompassed her
charms."
has
un
bid
my
Arthur, refreshing ,hireigelf with another
kiss of her ruby, pulpy little mouth, said,
" Dear, dear Ellen !-1 can stand this no lon
ger !"
"Nor I, von villain !.— you rcolndrefl—
you ae*nser . !" . roared a•passionate voice be
side them.
Tbey sprang to their feat in an instant.—
There stood Major Clinton, flourishing with
his walking-stick, and purple with passionate
rage. Sir!—Major Clinton !" shOuted Ar
ay, notwithstanding his electrified astonish
ment at the apparition of Ellat;'. father.
fling back your,(alse, unjust epithets! lam
neither villain, scoundrel, nor seducer ' • but as
honorable a man, and With as honorable sen
timents as yourself."
" You lie, you viper !"
" Father—father !" interrupted Ellen in
tears, and mortal fright.
reace—peace!" howled the frantic ma
jor ; "do not you. intetfere you most auda
ciously shall:tele-I'A wan-- '
" Hold !" cried a voice from a neighboring
thicket : " Hold, I -- say ! Come, come! better
language! Here, Arthur, come and assist
me out of these d—d briars, for I am ended;
fast !"- .
Arthur, who was in a flame of indignation
at "die expressions of Major Clinton, was
hardly less astonished to find his uncle en the
spot than he 'had been to see Elleu's father.
However, suppressing his-anger, lie ran and
as.sisted 'General Noel to escape from the
brambles, and to appear on the seems.
_ As soon at the general reached the spot, he
commenced addressing the father of Bien ;
and said, shaking his walking-stick rather
fiercely, " Now, you pestiferous old thief, be
fore you commence calling my nephew names,
let me give you, to understand—mildly—in
mild terms---Why, no—is it--what,
- Ned Clinton, of the 60th Rifles!"
"Eh I cried the major, with a start. -
" What, Noell—Jsck Noel, of The 14th Light
Dragoons r'
" Same! Ned !"
" Jack !"
And the tiro old men rushed into each
otherli arms and embraced. They shook
hands as though they would pull each oth
er's arms out of their sockets. and then to
gether waived their sticks in -the air, and
shouted, !` Hurrah !"
They were not common friends ; they lrad,
served their country in the, wars on the Con
tinent in the Napoleon era, arid since, in most
of the severe strugglei in India. They had
shared the bard work or a soldiers life together
for nearly forty years, and were trtie, fond,
tried friends.
When their emotion bad slightly subsided,
General Noel pointed to Ellen, and said to
Major Clinton, "Is that your child I"
"No !" yelled the major, " I di-own her— I
dial He saw 'General N eel's finger
raised deprecatingly, and then, with a cough,
he said, !' Well, yes, she is my daughter.'
General Noel walked deliberately
. up to
her, and kissed her. He returned to Arthur,
and winked his eye.
-• 1 You dog !" he said. " You told me you
liked strawberriesand cream the other "day
—here's a pretty proof of it !" and be pinched
Ellen's rosy, now very rosy cheek. Then he
chuckled joyously, and, turning to Major
elintoh, whose brovir was wondrous clear to
what it had been, he pointed to Arthur, mid
said, " That is my son."
`•
" Your son I" echoed Major Clinton, ele
radii his eyebrows. teWhy, I thought—"
"That's bottling to me! I say he is my
ton; and I mean to leave him all I ant word)
to buy a cradle .with."
Turning to Arthur, he affected great stern
ness of manner, add, With true military aus- :
terity said, "Novi, air,j ..,.. s : ; : tu c c lo k ie th o itt rd.. y "e o r ti ,a n t; g oe
lady's arm under yours, and hold herarm for
. slip away; Then, attention,
:ear
and march together, taw.. ,,
Wddingdene, and tell your Mother .
C
youngcoming. s
oati dla t Mind, ttoshme left e
T e teo t i h t e. wh
e l a n rr : a r t
tyoul
welcome
on r
t r o
h i
de a ro
t .
i f ,;• she is the child of my very oldest; warmest,
in!o his eyes. -
4ealtrajtorirCltnindtoria' roads a'gulp, and the tears
you would d h o e . ?aicit
The has 4l , s'pe`c.lesirld, earnruhltk
mother—=
"Is my...sister. 1. mean
s to C!uftr up
s der
p ta er il v d e i r n se g ,
ionbastfienwat.ew,orpdrser
ass7orouuws tirri
thur-attention 1--(osts order 1--tnarch . We
will bring up the rear."
"Noel, said the majar,"yo.'
can do as you
will with me." •
Away hurried Arthur, t a ki ng
_nllen
him- Hit lion beat high with hop.*. Oh
that hand and arts °Min's ! how they Were_
squeezed atid- pressed before they reached
Wodingclene I
They found Mrs. Spencer in the most ami
able of tempers. he day was . bright And
sunny; besides, the unexpected return to Eng
land of a brother whom she fondly loved,bad.
enlivened' her spirits, arid iaach4ar almost a
different woman. -
Arthur intrcidueeS MI6 to ttis mother ai
the daughter .of one of General Noel's oldest
and the valued friends, tug the old lady
took her in her arms, kissed her, took aFRY.
her bonnet andpretty little mantel, and with
out having 'any 'notion of what she was doing,
said to Arthni, with a nod and a smile, that
she would really would make him a vary nice,
pretty little Wife.
Althur clapped his hands , and crowed. El
len's fact and neck became of 'the brightest
crimson. •
Now; eremend Noel. and his friends made
their appearance ; and the former, in a kind
of precise way, said to! her, "Mrs. Spencer—
my tldest and dearest'friend, Major Edward
Chnton;of the 00th Rifles."
Mrs. Speneer, who had risen, thricked,.and
sunk. alinost fainting, on a chair. Arthur
sprung to his 'mother's side, but the General
pushed him aside, and said, "Arthur, to that
young 1/1(134 if you please, sir, and leave your
mother to me." Then addressing Mrs. Spen
cer, be said; hilester, stand up and listen to
me, your brother, respecting the question at
issue between- you and Major Clinton, and
interpose not a word until I havedone; then,
let whoever is to blame make the best - excuse,
and reparation they can to each - other, for
'vliatever amount ;.;f injury may have been
committed: You and the major,—first cous
ins—loved nach . other, in youth, fondly and
truly—"
"Hem !" coughed Mrs. Spencer and the
major together. Without noticing the inter
ruption, the, general proceeded, "You were
separated by the major's accompanying his
regiment ; to the Peninsula. While. he was
yet away, and in the face of loving letters to
you, you saw an announcement in the papers
that Captain V. Clinton, of the 44th, had
inaried, at Madrid, a Spanish donna—"
- Major Clinton made • a gesture, but Gene
ral Noel repressed it, continuing his narra
tion :
'TrAntic at thii perfidy, you married a Mr.
Spencer, who, struck by your obarnis, and
unconscious of your engagement to poor Ned
Clinton—"
Poor Ned Clinton, repeated Mrs. Spencer,
contempt udusly.
"Ave—l repeat it, poor Ned Clinton!
. •. •
.
offered you his band and fothine. 'you pre
cipitately accepted that offer, and and on
Ned's return, he found you married—himself
being single, and true to you."
."Single, and true to me V' grasped Mts.
Spencer.
"Even so," said General Noel. "It was not
Vim. c 4 ei; ytton a.. l , nd married flub
Spanish girl, but his cousin . Eimund, who
was in the flame regiment with him, and also
captain."
Mrs. Spencer Sank speechless in
"Weil," continued Veneta' „Noel, "Ned
asked jfor tio explanation—he thought there
needed none. He married, too. -just to show
vou your perfidy had not killed him. There!
* eats have-passed w ay—you r husband,Hester,
is no more, and Ned's wife.died soon after the
lirth of that sweet gill. _Now, will you two,
good people,:—who tied you have been
Loth victims of a rnisconeeption;--tell. me
why animosity should longer exist between
you?"
Mrs. Spencer rose sip and tottered towards
Major Clinton.
"Oh, Ed ward I Ed ward !" she cried, through
her fast fallen tears; "forgive niv wretched
prediPitdney=my criminal doubt in you!
Awl). Indeed, indeed, I have been punished
—for it has cost me Inany years of bitter an
guish!" . *
She would have fallen upon her knees, but
the major caught her in his arms.
_ "Hester ! Hester !" he exclaimed—he could
say uo more; he covered his. eyes with his
-hand. For a Moment there was a - dead silence,
for they were all in tears. •
Suni;glit, however, broke through again.
Thif thunderstorin was over, and the happiest
all the happy days was passed beneath the
ro - of-tree of Wodingdene.l
Even that very day everything was arrang
ed between the young people and their , parents
for a speedy marriage. The question of the
disposal of some family property, contained
in tha-scomtnunication which Arthur had
borne to Major Clinton, was also settled; acd
thus, though Arthur and Ellen often Visited it
before, and after their marriage, there , was im
longer any occasion for secret meetings. sit the
TRTST2NG THE'S.
A LOVE STORY.
"Xten are never so awkward, -never so un
graceful, never so disagreeable, as when they
are making Jove.. A friend, is a luxu'iy—a
husband ditto, 1 suppose; but that intermit
tent elasS of hunian beings denominated lov
ers ire terrible bores. It does very *ell for
a woman td blush and look flustered now and
then, when Occasion makes it desirable; but
too see d man with his face as red as a ripe
cherry, and a reaE porde! of strong minded
ness, self reliande; and Masculine dignity,
done up in broadcloatb and starched linen,
quaking front did toe of hid boot to the top
'of his shirt collar, his Mouth awry, and his
tongue twisted into. cotivulaiotis, in the vain
atienipt • to lay something sweet—Oh, grit--
Mons 1"
So said saucy Sophie Line aloud to herself
as she sat swinging backwards and s forwards
before the window, half buried in the cush
ions of a loluriatit old arm ehair,and playing
with a delicate ivory fan which lay upon hei
ap.
"It alway; seems so strangs„not to Pay
tiresome," she continued, with a running mu
sical laugh," after one has waltzed and sung.
quoted poetry and talked nonsense, with any
hod!, till one is puzzled to know which one
of the 'two is most heartless, one's self or ones
companion, to bear him come down plump on
the subjtSct of matrimony, as though that was
the legitimate result of every such insipid ac
quaintance! For my part never bad a lov
er (hero Sophie fluttered her fan -and looked
'pleased, for ehe had More than one,) thit
wasn't sick off' alter he had proposed. there.
was Capt. Morris--=F „thought him the. hand=
'mutest man in the whole circle of my ac
quaintances, until he went tin his knees to
me and swore he should die if I didn't take
pity On him, Elomebow, he alviays looked
- :
like a fright to me ,afteiWittds. Then these
wits Dr. 'Wilkinghe was agreeable, aiid
peopie .said.very learned. I was • delighted .
with him for ittitneJint he spoiled it all with
the o_ffer his—,what longwinded adjectives!
and how the poor fellow, blushed 3 and puffed,
al
and perspired 17 Ho l
called mean "4idorable
creature," and hiccoughed in. the .iniddle of
"adorable." Horrors 4 . I have Idetoted him
ever since. Then there was a - .-"'
Here Sophie started. She heard the door ,
bell ring. With a nervous spring she stood
before her' mirrOr,%moothing down her brown
hair with a taste truly comical.
It-won't do to seem interested," she said;
as she took a finishing sdrvey of her person
in the glass, and shook odt *ith, her plump,
jewelled fingers, the folds of her airy Muslin
dress. : _ ••
The mordent afterwards, when -a servant I
entered to announce Mr. Harry Ainslea, bile
- was back to her • old seat by the window,
rocking sand playing with her fan, apparently
as unconcerned and listless -as though dint
name had not sent a quicker thrill to her
heart, or the betraying crimson 'all over her
.pretty face. - "Tell hiin I will be down pres
ently," she said.
The girl disappeared, and Sophie flung open
the wiirdOw, that the cool, fresh air might fa&
away.the extra rosiness from her complexion.
Then she went again to the mirror, and after
composing her bright, esger, happy face into
an - expression of demureness, descended to the
parlor." A smile broke over her features, and
she reached out both her hands to the guest ;
but as if sudslenly •recollectinelierself, she
drew them back again, and with a formal bow
of recognition, she passed him and seated
herself in a further corner Of the root.
It was very evideut that-something was
wrong with Sophie; that she had made up
her mind, either not to be pleased, nor to
plea Se.. Could it be that she had' foreseen
what was coining ? that a presentment of that
visit and its result had dictated.theJne.rry
sp4ches in her chamber? Be that as it. may,
a half hour hid not elapsM before that Hairy
Ainslee's hand and fortune, (which latter, by
the way, was nothing wonderftil,) were in the
same place where Captain Morris's and Dr.
Wilkins' had been before him.:
"Th'i first:man that I ever heard say such
things without making a fool of himielr,"
muttered Sophie emphatically from behind
her fangs she sat. bhishing, and evidently
gratified, yet Without deigning any reply to
the gallant straight forward speeh in which
her lover bad risked his all of hope. _,. •
"lb ought to do penance for the pretty
pay be manages his tongue. He's altogether
too calm to suit me." shook her
curly heart trvlAningly,holdirig her fan before
14(r - fat a screen—nor did she forget what she
had been saying l ci I wonder-if I could snore
the way old Uncle Jones used to in church?"
she soliloquized. " Wouldn't it be•fun ?—and
wouldn't it plague Harry if he 'thotriht.l had
been asleep while_ he was talking,. ?"
Sopnte's Liao, eye danced with suppressed
merriment as she gave two or three heavy
breathings, and followed Ahem up with a na
sal, explosion worthy of an orihodox deacon.
It was well done- z — ! , and theatrically done,and
poor Harry sprang
.bolt upright- 7 surprised,
mortified, chagrin!.a.l. Human nature could
stand it no longer, and Sophie gave vent to
her mirth, a burst-of most triumphant laugh
ter.
" You little witch—you mischief—you
spirit of evil!" exclaimed the relieved Harry,
as he sprang to her side and caught her by the
arm with, a .grip© that. made her scream.—
You deserve a shaking fur your behaviiff
Then lowering his voice he added gravely,
Will you never have done tormenting me?
If you love rae,can you_ not be generous enough
to tell lie so I and if you ito not,. am I not, at
least worthy of a' candid refusal?"
Words sprang. to &Aide's lips - Oat would
have done credit to herwothanly•nature, and
made her lovei's heart bound with rapture—
for th- whole depths of her berng,were stirred'
and drawn towards him as they never before'
had been to any than: -
But .she could not gibe dp her 'raillery then .
She would gO one step further from hiv ere
she laid her band in his and told him \he was
dearer than all the wo rld
s beside. - 5a she
'checked the tender response that treinbled_on
her tongue and flinging off his grasp, with a
mocking gesture and a ringing laugh danced
across the room to the piano.
She seated herself, she ran her fingers grace
fully °Ver . the keys, and broke out in a wild,
defiant song, that made her listener's
ears tingle as 'he stood watching her, and
choking back the indignantwords that came
crowding tciliis lips for utterance.
"Sophie,-listen to me!" he said at length,
as she paused frorn.sheer exhaustion. "k it
generoui-tis it just, to trifle with me so ? to
turn into'ridicirle the emotion of a heart that
offers yodits Most reverent effections?"
-"I have loved you, because beneath this
volatile surface of yours, I thought I saw
,truthfulness and simplicity, purity of soul,
and a 'warm current of tender, woman's feel
ing, that would bathe with blessings the whole
life of him whose hand was fortunate to touch
its secret 'PilingS. You are an heiress, and I
only a poor students; but if that,is the reason
why you: treat My suit so sZarnfully, you
are less the noble ,woman than I thought
yoii."
• Sophie's' head Was averted, and a suspicious
moisture glistened in her dyes as Harry
ceased speaking. Ah ! why 'is it that we
someiindes bold our highest happiness so
lightly—carrying it carelessly In our hands
as though it stem Wit dross, staking it all up
on an idle caprice !
When she turned her countenance towards
him again,-the nixie mocking light was in her
eyes, the sank coquettish smile breathed from
,her red lips.
u Speaking of heiiress,"saidSophie," there's
Helen Myrtle, whose father is worth twice as
much as mine. Perhaps you had better trans
set your attentions to her, Mr.' Ainslee. The
difference in our dairies - would tki doubt be
quite an inducement, and possibly. she might
consider your case more edriously than I hare
=done." .• •
• Like an insulted pritice.,llarry Aitislee stood
up before her—the hot, fiery, indignant blood
dashiu in a flered torrent over, his fade—his
arms crossed' tightly upon his incest, aa..if to
keep his heart from bursting with, its uprising
indignation—his . lips compressed, and his
dark eyes flashing. Sophie, cruel Sophie !
You added one drop to) much to your clip cif
sarcasm.- You trespassed upon his forbear
aide one little step further than you ,would
havedarcd, bad you known his protid
seridi
tirenattuet.•
110iumt,t5 . , linultt.t . .10
Not till Ile - way gone—gone Withent a sin- -
gle word :of expost ulation,l,avitig only
"good byo,"and the intmory.of his pale face
;to pfead for ltirndid the thoughtless . girl
wake te a realization of what she had done
Then a qtri...k, let rible.fettr, shad- through her. ;
heart, and she would have . given every curt
-on her brown brad., tit have had Lim besidii ;
her one short moment,longer. . . ',
" Pshaw I what ftm I afraid of? He will'
be back again within twenty four hours, and.
as importunate as ever," she Muttered to ber-,.
self as the street deorllosed after him ; yet a
Sigh, that was half a setb followed the Words;
and ebuld Hairy have seen the beautiful . pair
of eyes that watched him so eagerly as he
went down'the tong street, ortlse bright facq
• that leaned away Out through the parted
blinds, with such a wistful look, as he dis
appeared, it might have been his . .turn to tri
umph." . .
In spite of Sophio's prolltecy, twenty-foni
hours did net bring - hvk Hairy. Days ma
tured into weC , ks, and still he did not cone,
nor in all that time did she see him. And
now she began to think het3W qiiite a mar
tyr, acid act accordingly. In, filet, She did
as almost any heroine would Ti3Ve done under •
the circumstances—grow pale find interesting.
Nltimura began-to stiggest delicacies to tempt
Sophie's pahtte, " The pocr, dear child was
wetting so thin.." In vain. Sophie protested
that she had no appetite. '
In vain papa brought dainty gifts, and . piled
up Costly dresses before his pet. A faint
smile or abstracted "thank you," was his only
rocompense. If sister Kate suggestedthat
Ilarr , y's ab-enee was in \ any manner courieCt
ed with her all. Jed demeanor, Sophie would
toss.her' ringlet head" with an air•of supreme'
indifference, and go away and cry ,over it,
hours at a time. Everyttodv thought sornethtug
was the matter with Sophie. Sophie abiong
the rest. . .. .
Hier supense,alid penitence became
iosdr
portable at last. Sister Kate, who 1-ad 'cOtUff
so near - the true solution of tho mystery, zho'd
know all=so said Sophie. Perhaps ,slit's
.nould advise her what,to do, for'to give Har
ry up fotever seemed every day wore an,.
morel of an impossibility.
0 ill you come into th
W exarden with me,
Kate 1" 6ho--!iiked of .her sister one day,
about a month after her,tronble with Harry.
"1 have something of importance to. tell
you "
" Go away, darlirig, and I will be With you
in a few moments," replied Kate, Casting a
searching glance at Sophie's flushed Cheeks
and swollen eves.
Running swiftly along the garden paths, as
if fronifear of pursuit; Sophie turned aside
into her favorite arbor, - and tl;ngin,,4 herself
down on a low seat, !Allied her head aniong
the'oool vines, and gave hersid-upto' a par:
oiysta of passionate grief. Soon- she heard
steps approaching, and - an arm was twined
tenderly about her waist, and, a warin hand
laid eftr•nn:•':ugly on bor drooped lkond. •
"0, Kate, Kate !" she cried in the agony
hor repentance. "Lam perfectly wretched.
You don't know Ilty, though you have como
very near guessing two or three tithes.harry
and
Ileie a vonv6bive sob •interrnpted ber,
and -the hand upon her bend passed over her
disordered curls e ith•s soothing
mo
tion. •
_ _
" harry and I"—another sob—" . quarreled
two or three week= ago. I was wilful and
rude, just-as it was natural for me to be, and
he got angry. I don't think going to •
forgive me, for be hasn't been bore since. -
Sophie felt 1i . ..2r - self dratvii/in a (loser • ens
brace, and was sure Kate pitied her. .
" I wouldn't have o wn e d it to anyboAvrAfit
hadn't been jnst as it is," she continued, rub
bing her little white hands into her eyaS;
" but I think I love himnilmost as'l do you
alid father and mother."
A kiss dropped on Sophid's g,lossyliead,lthd
tighter. was :she held. Sue wondered that
Kate Was so silent; but still kept her face
-•
hid
den in the-vines.
4 He'asked the to be his wife," are contin 7 .
ed, "asked me as nobody else ever did—in
such 'a manly way, that he made me feeLaq
though I ought to,have been the'one to plead
instead of Inni. I could not bear that, and so
I answered him as I should not. - lie thought
it -was because no was poor and I was rich;
and all the time I was thinking I would rath
er lice in a cottage with bim,. than in the.
grandest palace in the world with any otler
man, only I was too proud to tell him so td
his face. What:eau I do I Tell me' Kate;
you are much kettei. than I am, and you nev
er get into trouble. I ant sure I shall die if
you don't I" And poor Sophie wept anew, •
"Look up dear, and I will tell you."
Sophie did look up, with a start, and the
next moment, with a little :scream, leaped
from the arnti-•-not cif.Sitter Kate, but Harry
Ainslee
. Sophie' declines to this day, thit - she has
never forgiven either of theta; though shahs'
been Mrs. Harry Ainslee nearly. two years.
• bANGERS IN EARLY RISING.
Or Saturday morning last, says the Bangoi
Udion, a curious incident - occured in a small
domicil on Newbury street. A young man;
struck by the splendor of the full moon, arose
from his bed at half past one o'clock, suppos
ing it was morning, and proceeded to a store
in' West Market Square, in which he is a clerk;
built a fire, swept out and waited for costurn:
Seeing that there was no stir in the atreets;
he stepped out and got A of the town
clock, which revealed his error, whereupon be
shut up the store and returned his atelis bome.
Meanwhile the young !adi os of tbejamily,
hearing him go out,supposod it was rdorning .
and got up also, but finding their*riii; fast
ened the door arid retired again, gettitig Snug
into the arms of Morpheus before the early
bird Arrived. Not being able to get id at the
door and not wishing to discover hiasprema- .
Lure adventure to the famil heget ladder
and by it obtained afidesi to his chamber, the
noise of-which, heweier; aroused' the young
ladieti,whci rushed down ',
staid to their;parenta
with the cry theta Burglak was. breaking
to' the house. He niet the whole family in
-
dishabille, arnied pokers; - dda., aud
made Meisel( !violin - Axiom serious douse:
quencei ensued.
Jur The man of genius thinks for hiniseiff
his opinions are iomefnuesmontrary• firthore •
Coriinionly received; he threfore. sliecka the•
vaulty, of the -great number. To . offend no,
body, we should, have no ideas but thove of
the world ; as man is then• Without gen a
and without enemies. _ •