boldly" Julia, my love, as Alfred does not seem to be much of a wine-bibber, suppose you show him the improvements in the gardens and hot-houses, whilst we sexagenarians remain where we are, to drink the health of both and talk over a few family matters." Alfred thus called upon, could not avoid rising from his seat, and offering Julia his arm. She took it with a blush, and they walked off together in silence. "How devotedly he loves me!" thought Julia, with a sigh. "No, no, I cannot break his heart." "Poor girl?" thought Alfred, bringing one of the curls of his whiskers more killingly over his cheek;" her affections are irrevocably fixed upon me; the slightest attention calls to her face all the roses of Sharon." They proceeded down a long gravel walk, bordered on both sides with fragrant and flowery shrubs; but, except that the pebbles rubbed against each other as they passed over them, there was not a sound to be heard. Julia, however, was observed to hem twice, and we have been told that Fitzclarence coughed more than once. At length the lady stopped, and plucked a rose. Fitzclarence stopped also, and plucked a lily. Julia smiled; so did Alfred. Julia's smile was chased away by a sigh; Alfred immediately sighed also. Checking himself, however, he saw the absolute necessity of commencing a conversation. "Miss Appleby!" said he at last.-"Sir,"" It is two 66 years, I think, since we parted.""Yes, two years on the fifteenth of this month." Alfred was silent. "How she adores me!" thought he; 66 she can tell to a moment how long it is since we last met." There was a pause."You have seen, no doubt, a great deal since. you left Malhamdale?" said Julia. "O! very great deal," replied her lover. Miss Appleby hemmed once more, and then drew in a vast mouthful of courage. "I understand the ladies of England and Ireland are much more attractive than those of Wales."-" Generally speaking, I believe they are."-"Sir."-"That is-I mean, I beg your pardon-the truth is-I should have said-that-that-you have dropped your rose." Fitzclarence stooped to pick it up; but in so doing, the little miniature which he wore round his neck escaped from under his waistcoat, and, though he did not observe it, it was hanging conspicuous on his breast, like an order, when he presented the flower to Julia. "Good heavens! Fitzclarence, that is my cousin Rosalind." "Your cousin Rosalind! where? how?-the miniature? It is all over with me! The murder is out! Lord bless me! Julia, how pale you have grown; yet hear me! be comforted. I am a very wretch; but I shall be faithful: do not turn away, love; do not weep; Julia! Julia! what is the matter with you? By Jove! she's in hysterics; she will go distracted! Julia! I will marry you, I swear to you by" "Do not swear by any thing at all," cried Julia, unable any longer to conceal her rapture, lest you be transported for perjury. You are my own-my very best Alfred!" "Mad, quite mad," thought Alfred. "I wear a miniature too," proceeded the lady; and she pulled from the loveliest bosom in the world the likeness, set in brilliants, of a youth provokingly handsome, but not Fitzclarence. "Julia!" "Alfred!" "We have both been faithless." "And now we are both happy." 66 "By St Agatha ! I am sure of it. Only I cannot help wondering at your taste, Julia : that stripling has actually no whiskers !" "Neither has my cousin Rosalind; yet you found her resistless." "Well, I believe you are right; and besides, de gustibus-I beg your pardon, I was going to quote Latin." H. G. BELL. THE OATH. "Do you," said Fanny, t'other day, "Dear, cruel girl" said I, "forbear- And said, "you've sworn-so kiss the book.". F THE LOVER'S LAST VISIT.; THE window of the lonely cottage of Hilltop was beaming far above the highest birch-wood, seeming to travellers at a distance in the long valley below, who knew it not, to be a star in the sky. A bright fire was in the kitchen of that small tenement; the floor was washed, swept, and sanded, and not a footstep had marked its perfect neatness; a small table was covered, near the ingle, with a snowwhite cloth, on which was placed a frugal evening meal; and, in happy, but pensive mood, sat there, all alone, the Woodcutter's only daughter, a comely and gentle creature, if not beautiful; such a one as diffuses pleasures round her in the hay field, and serenity over the seat in which she sits attentively on the Sabbath, listening to the word of God, or joining with mellow voice in his praise and worship. On this night, she expected a visit from her lover, that they might fix their marriage-day; and her parents, satisfied and happy that their child was about to be wedded to a respectable shepherd, had gone to pay a visit to their nearest neighbour in the glen. A feeble and hesitating knock was at the door, not like the glad and joyful touch of a lover's hand; and, cautiously opening it, Mary Robinson beheld a female figure wrapped in a cloak, with her face concealed in a black bonnet. The stranger, whoever she might be, seemed wearied and worn out, and her feet bore witness to a long day's travel across the marshy mountains. Although she could scarcely help considering her an unwelcome visiter at such an hour, yet Mary had too much sweetness of disposition-too much humanity, not to request her to step forward into the hut; for it seemed as if the wearied woman had lost her way, and had come toward the shining window to be put right upon her journey to the low country. The stranger took off her bonnet on reaching the fire; and Mary Robinson, beheld the face of one whom, in youth, she had tenderly loved; although, for some years past, the distance at which they lived from each other had kept them from meeting, and only a letter or two, written in their simple way, had given them a few notices of each other's existence. And now Mary had opportunity, in the first speechless gaze of recognition, to mark the altered face of her friend; and her heart was touched with an ignorant compassion."For mercy's sake! sit down, Sarah ! and tell me what evil has befallen you; for you are as white as a ghost. Fear not to confide any thing to my bosom : we have herded sheep together on the lonesome braes; we have stripped the bark together in the more lone |