"Illustrious Madam,

"I received your agust leddyships condescending letter with feelings of the proodest gratification. I am thankful to the Lord for sparing me to see this day, to view your presence once more at Glenleven Castel; the abode you should always abide in. It was an ill day for the country, that your ancestor, the English Lord took away the lairds dochter; but these affairs is doubtless ordained for us, as I doubt not your illustrious leddyship knows. The whole country side is filled with exaltmentation at your approach. The Laird of Ballachrannoch is to send venison and birds, and the salmon and herrings are very plenty this year, the Lord be praised! According to your agust leddyships commandments I have engaged with a well instructed girl who was under cook at the duke's and is well connecket, forbye being cuisin to the laird of Balmaquapple. The lad I have in my eye is a nevey of

my own, so its not for me to say much; but I am sure he will shute your leddyship and so I am your leddyships to command.

BECKY MC INTYRE.

As Lady Darcy handed this epistle to Clare, she said, "That letter is an excellent illustration of what I have often told you I disliked among the Highlanders-a love of flattery, for its own sake, which I never met with any where else."

Clare was much amused, and said, "It is worth something to see you angry. I am afraid your temper will suffer by our Highland visit."

"No, when I am there I begin to like-and get quite accustomed to it."

"Worse and worse," said Clare archly, "then your morals will suffer. Now I, who profess to love the Highlands, flattery, tartan, peat-reek and all, cannot be worse than I am, and certainly deserve to be a favourite."

"I have no doubt you will; but I suspect I shall have to lecture you on behaving properly to the lairds; who, by the way, never understand a joke."

"That is a serious charge, my dear Lady."

"I knew you would think it so; but it may have been only my jokes they did not apprehend. I have no doubt they are acute on their own affairs."

About a week before their departure, Lady Darcy and Clare devoted two or three days to leave taking visits in the neighbourhood. They called on some whom they loved, some they only liked, and some they neither loved nor liked. The usual things were said, the usual lun cheons presented, the usual regrets expressed. Askings to hear, and promisings to write were uttered, and many pretty things said at parting. One young gentleman, of great expectations, declared that he must either go and shoot in the Highlands, or shoot himself at home; but at this Clare only smiled and it was evident

that "she passed on in maiden meditation, fancy free."

Their last visit, before concluding their labours in that way, was at the door of a nice looking old fashioned farm house, situated in a green pasture and surrounded by old trees. Mr. Harvey, its occupant, was an admirable specimen of the real English gentleman-farmer -honest, independent, frugal, generous, perfectly contented with his lot, and feeling his sight as an honest man to be welcome in any society, yet without the slightest desire to push himself into that above him. He lived respected by all, and sought by many, while his natural good sense and acuteness gave him a decided place, and at the same time preserved him from all pretension of mind or He had long been a valuable tenant of Sir Edward Loraine, and he was also factor to a neighbouring gentleman, at whose house he had become acquainted with the portionless daughter of a Highland laird, and had in his

manners.

fortieth year made her a happy wife and the mistress of Belwood farm. It so happened that Mrs. Harvey's relations lived near Glenleven, and Lady Darcy wished to inform her of their intended visit to her native place. Mr. Harvey came out to receive them, with his usual frankness, followed by two or three rosy little children, who seemed afraid to lose sight of him for a moment.

"Good evening, Lady Darcy. How are you, Miss Loraine? Do come in, we have been longing to see you; these little incumbrances," gently putting away the children, "will hardly let me help you out of the carriage; they don't see me all day, and when I get home they stick like burrs."

The ladies patted their heads, and praised their looks, as they walked through the little garden. It was easy to see from Mr. Harvey's animated face, that his little incumbrances, as he called them, were his points of vanity. They found Mrs. Harvey in her nice parlour preparing tea.