heart sank with an ominous foreboding, as I encountered her wild upbraiding glance. Her father seized and shook her violently, exclaiming in hoarse, suppressed accents, "What! minion, do you dare to weep for the insolent wretch who could so grossly insult your father?" I returned to rescue her from his grasp; but before I could reach her, she screamed out, "Leave us instantly, if you would not have me hate you." I obeyed her then, when my obedience was of little avail. The fatal mischief was already a-foot. Reason soon returned under the sobering influence of the cool night air, but I strove to deaden the growing sense of self-blame, by persuading my conscience that all was for the best, and that passion had, once in my life, befriended me. For I did not doubt my power to persuade Lily to a clandestine marriage, in which case, my happiness would be much accelerated; while, but for the pain I knew it would give my bride, I would have rejoiced at the breach between her father and me, as it promised to free me from his society. Thinking it possible that her father might insist on her fulfilling her original intention of going to the ball, I went there to seek her, but she was absent. Her aunt, however, was there, to whom I related the circumstance, and implored her to procure me an interview with Lily at her house the ensuing day. This she promised. ing to myself that there was something But, although compelled to resign all hopes of bringing her to my views, I determined that no earthly power should prevent my seeing and conversing with her. Accordingly, by her aunt's connivance, I occasionally met her there.— Things went on in this state of hopelessness for a few months, when I was one day stunned with a report that Miss Montgomery was about to be married. I flew to her aunt, and learnt, to my utter consternation, that the detested Scotchman had returned; and perceiving that I no When, however, I hastened there at the longer visited at her father's, had made appointed time, instead of Lily, I found a his proposals, and was strenuously supbrief note, written in faint unsteady cha-ported by her father. "And he will force racters. It ran thus: "I am made miserable for life. An awful impediment is placed between us. My aunt will give you particulars. I will not reproach you. Your sufferings will, I fear, be cruel as my own. As soon as I can go abroad, I will see you at my aunt's; but, O! dearest, dearest George, it must be for a last farewell." Agonized by apprehension, I learnt from her aunt that, as soon as I had left his house on the preceding evening, Mr. Montgomery walked quietly up to his own room, and returned in a few minutes, bringing with him the large family Bible, upon which, with shocking impiety, he vowed the most appalling curses upon his daughter, should she ever, either before or after his death, unite herself to me. His unfortunate child fell into a long and death-like fainting fit, and had since continued very ill; but my informant added, that such was her brother-in-law's inflexible obstinacy, that he would see his child die by inches rather than revoke his horrid imprecations. This I did not doubt; but I could not believe that Lily would sacrifice her own love and mine to a few words of wicked breath. I was sure I could convince her that curses recoil upon the heads of the guilty utterers, and cannot reach the innocent. I could not, however, avoid own- | her to accept them!" I exclaimed, in a frenzy; "he has only to curse her into compliance. And is she then not only lost to me, but given to another? O! that I should have given my happiness into the keeping of a creature so tame and unresisting!" I had not seen Lily for some weeks, and I found it almost impossible to procure an interview; while, on every side, I heard of the eligible match which the beautiful Miss Montgomery was about to make, and several of my own intimates unconsciously tortured me with such observations as, "Why, Harman, I once thought you would yourself be the happy man-but mutabile fæmina." At last, maddened by uncertainty and jealousy, I wrote to Lily, deinanding, rather than entreating, an interview; and threatening, in case of refusal, to brave all hazards, and visit her at her father's, This had the desired effect. She came. I addressed her with constrained calmness, "Is this true, Lily, that I hear of you? Are you faithless, and is all our hapless love forgotten?" "O, that it were forgotten, or that it had never been, or might from henceforth cease to be!" "Cruel girl! And can you wish that our great love should cease?" "Can I do otherwise when, a week thing is hid," pleaded guilty to every word hence, I must be the wife of another?- of the indictment. I was silent, and she when a week hence, even the dark remembrance of that love will be a crime?" proceeded. "I would not heedlessly reproach you, but you must feel that you owe me some atonement. Let it be this. Give me back my promise, forgive and bless me, and I may yet know a melancholy peace on this side the grave.” A dizzy faintness seized me at this stunning intelligence; I sank back in my chair speechless, tearless, almost unconscious. I was first roused from this torpor of affliction by seeing Lily cast herself at my Distracted at the thought of losing her knees. She took my chill, motionless sweet presence and society for ever, I stihands in hers, and her bright tears fell pulated, as the terms of my consent, that fast and heavily upon them while she she should promise to receive a visit from spoke. "O! dearest George, do but hear me, once each year of her life. She rehow I have been wrought upon. My fa- fused this strenuously, until I protested ther declared (and none who knew him that I would attend at church and forbid could doubt that he would keep his word) the banns, even should the consequence that if I did not marry Mr. Logan, he be death to me and ruin to her. She then would sell all that belongs to him; and reluctantly consented: I wrote out the leaving my mother and me to our fate, promise that she might conceive the highwould go to some foreign land where we er idea of its solemnity. She wept bitshould never see him more; and this he terly as she signed it, saying, "These viowould also do if, by any confession of re- lent spirits sway me at their will: but I luctance or of prior attachment, I should tell you, George Harman," she added, risinduce the gentleman to withdraw his pro-ing with dignity, "I tell you, in the spirit of posal. I withstood this threat-O! George, prophecy, that days will come when you indeed I did withstand it, for my inmost will mourn and repent in your heart of soul loathed the thoughts of marriage with hearts for this act of tyranny." Alas! another than you; but my good, my ten-alas! she did indeed speak in the spirit of der mother, knelt to her unworthy child. prophecy. Yes, with tears and anguish she knelt to me, and prayed me not to part her from the husband of her youth-the father of her child. She adjured me not to put asunder those whom God had joined." "And, Lily," I replied, "has not God joined us? Have not our hearts been united in his sight?" Ah! what is our imaginary union, who, eight months since, were strangers to each other, compared to the sacred nuptial bond cemented by the joys and sorrows of twenty years." "Then I am to understand," I said, my temper again rising, "that, of your own free will, you cast me off, and marry with another." "Surely you do not call it free will to be reduced to an alternative so frightful. Heaven knows how gladly I would exchange lots with you. You need not wear a mask. You are not obliged O! my Despite her displeasure, she parted from me with lingering tenderness and assurances of everlasting friendship—-she would not say love. I did not see her again till I saw her in her bridal dress, a decorated victim. I had discovered the church in which the ceremony was to be performed, and could not resist the morbid desire I felt to witness it. By bribing the sexton, I was suffered to screen myself behind the curtains of the organ-loft, from which I had a full view of the bridal party. In thinking of the scene since, or, rather of Lily's appearance in it, for I saw none but her, I have always recalled a verse of an old ballad describing a bride. "And when she cam into the kirk, I strove to catch the bride's responses, heavenly Father," she added, casting her but the silvery tones were lost in weepstreaming eyes upwards, "how shall I go ing. Once, when all was over, I saw her through this dreadful--dreadful task?" fixed and lifted eye gleam with an expresMy fierceness melted before her over- sion of unutterable misery, and for a mowhelming grief, and I in turn attempted to ment I lost all consciousness of my own comfort her. After a short pause she said bereavement in painful pity for her unabruptly, "George, my dream is accom- merited affliction. plished. This fatal marriage is the grave It was in the month of June, just one of the vision, and O! is it not too true that year after Lily's marriage, that I embarkyou have helped my father to cast me into ed for Scotland. On arriving there, I it? Had your ill-temper not caused the hastened to the neighbourhood of Mr. breach, he must have waited the result of Logan's summer villa, where Lily was then your speculations; and had you retained residing. I put up at a small inn in a your place near me, Mr. Logan would ne- neighbouring village, and wrote to her, rever have addressed me. Your specula-minding her of her promise, and requiring tions have been fortunate you tell me, but to know when and where it would be fulit is now too late-too late! The dream filled. Her nurse, whom she still retained is accomplished." Conscience, "the soli- about her person, brought me her brief and tary seer in the heart from whose eye no- indignant answer. "Unrelenting persecutor! I see you are determined to exact the full penalty of your bond. I thank you for thus changing my former regard into fear and resentment of your conduct. You shall not cross my husband's threshold in his absence, and without his knowledge. Since I must meet you, it shall be on the beach between seven and eight o'clock." heart the sinful love so deeply rooted there: I seconded my prayers by my own best endeavours, and I succeeded. It is my firm belief that none ever so strove in vain. Now I do indeed love my husband as, before heaven, I promised to love him; and but for your persecutions, I might enjoy a calm and happy conscience." Maddened by the irresistible conviction I repaired to the sea-shore long before that she no longer loved me, my passion the appointed hour. It was a lovely and was, if possible, increased by mingled adosecluded scene. A broad firm beach of ration and envy of the angelic mind that yellow sand edged the blue, boundless could so nobly reconcile inclination to duty. ocean, which was the only object visible, Exasperated by her praises of her husthe view of the surrounding country being band and censure of me, I was deaf to her shut out by shelving rocks. The distant urgent and even humble entreaties that I hum of rural voices, and the low dirge of would cease to molest her. Then, finding the everlasting waters hushed my warring petitions vain, she declared that she would passions, and lulled me into a dreamy pa- no longer consider her promise binding, tience while I awaited the arrival of her wrung from her, as it was, by terror, and whom I still madly loved. Towards eight that she would never again meet me. But o'clock she appeared at the upper extre-I knew too well how to subdue her gentle mity of the little bay, accompanied by the spirit: I vowed that, if she would not wilvenerable nurse. Leaving her seated on lingly meet me, I would visit her openly at a rock at a little distance, she advanced her house in her despite and in her hustowards me with an ease and loftiness of band's, and bade her beware, lest by such carriage I had never before seen in her. a step she might be made a widow or her The descending sun shone on her bright husband a man-slayer. Aware of my repale features, "severe in youthful beauty." solute and restless character, she submitI felt that she was changed and sanctified ted to necessity, and the hour being exsince I had seen her last. New and holy pired, she parted from me in anger and in hopes had dawned upon her. Though still a tears. Would to heaven she had rather child in years, she was now a mother and braved the utmost my vile temper could a matron, the mistress of a family, and the inflict! guardian of its peace and honour. I felt For a long time these annual meetings that I dared not address the offended wife continued, and every year during that as I had the tender and tearful virgin, and time poor Lily lost one of her beloved infor a moment I repented that I had disturb-fants. Before they had learnt to lisp her ed the serenity which she had evidenly attained. She spoke first, and without any courteous greeting. "Let me know in brief, Mr. Harman, what you propose to yourself by such an interview as this." The coolness of her tone and manner thrilled every nerve with anguish, and I exclaimed bitterly, "Heartless, unfeeling girl, why did I squander my affections on such a mere automaton? Is then one hour, out of the many thousands the year contains, too much to give to pity for the misery you have caused?” name, almost before they could distinguish her by the first sweet recognitory smile that gladden's a mother's heart, they were successively cut off. These repeated bereavements her superstious fancy ascribed to a deserved judgment on her clandestine interviews with me. In vain I represented that our conversations were such as might be published to the world with honour to her, and that they were all that enabled me to endure a miserable being: still, the mystery, the secrecy with which they were attended, wounded her tender conscience. Her youngest and only child, Jessie, I "That I have caused! but I will not re-think it was called, had lived several criminate. I will show you the state of my heart, in hopes that when you know it, you will cease to torture me. I will reveal it to you, as clearly as it is revealed to Heaven. I will go back to my weddingday. My husband imputed my wild grief to my separation from my parents. All that the most considerate tenderness could suggest was done to solace me: still no answering tenderness repaid his care. Often, in the very height of my selfish indulgence of sorrow, my heart smote me when I saw the cloud of disappointed affection steal over his honest countenance. The pang of conscious ingratitude is a dreadful pang. I could not endure it. I prayed incessantly that God would tear from my VOL. IL 45 months, and gave promise of a healthful constitution, when, at the usual time, I paid my visit. Anxiety and fear had thrown the fond mother into a low nervous fever as the period of my coming approached. She was confined to her bed when I arrived, and sent her nurse to inform me of her inability to see me, and to intreat my forbearance, at least, this year. I complied, and the event seemed to justify her former fancies, for her child continued to live. I myself began to fear that uneasiness of mind, fostering an inherent delicacy of constitution, might be the remote cause of her trying calamities. Touched with compassion, and doubting the permanence of my favourable dispositions, I resolved to Penitence may put it out of my own power to harass her | henceforth and for ever. serve you in another world, but I am no The mistaken but not, therefore, less miserable man, after uttering these words with almost maniacal vehemence, rushed down the rocks towards the beach. Lily rose to follow him, saying to me in a changed hollow voice, "Are you much hurt, unhappy man?" She sat beside me in a small recess formed by the rock, considerably above the beach, and almost on a level with the adjoining valley. As I gazed on her faded cheek and altered eye, I rejoiced that I had agreed to her wishes before it was too late. Misjudging fool! it was already too late. She spoke to me more kindly than she had ever done since her marriage; yet I perceived that she was solicitous to shorten the interview. When about to leave me for the last time, she held out both her hands to bid me farewell. I seized and pressed them to my lips and heart, shedding sadder, but purer and sweeter, tears than any I had ever known. Sud-yet was pierced, but it gave forth balm. denly a sharp tread rung upon the rocks above us, and before I could look round or recognize the intruder, I received a pistol-shot in my right arm. "Ay, to the heart's core with vain remorse. How you must hate me!" "No, oh no, indeed, you are not more guilty now than you were five minutes since, when I called you my friend. Be still my friend, and to prove it, leave these kingdoms instantly. You have my pity, for your misfortunes have far outweighed your crimes: farewell, and may God bless you! My prayers shall follow you to the ends of the earth." "Base villain!" shouted the infuriated Logan, "has it not reached your wicked heart? Oh, for another weapon!" The wound I had received rendered me faint but not insensible. Lily remained motionless as the rock on which she sat. I saw with horror and ineffectual remorse the fatal effects of my passionate and selfish conduct. I valued not my life, could I but restore my hapless victim to her husband's confidence. I attempted to explain, to state the simple truth: as well might I have talked to the raging sea. Some officious, but, perhaps, well-intentioned person had acquainted him with our correspondence. He had hastened up from town and witnessed what he thought an assurance of his wife's attachment to me. He knew I was once her admirer; he had heard that we had met often since, and he found me now at her feet, her hands clasped in mine. These things had an aspect black as guilt could wear. Ah! noble and tender heart that never She hastened after her husband, fearless in her innocence, and in her noble simplicity convinced that truth had but to speak and be believed. Her low but clear tones were borne to me by the balmy evening breeze. "Dear Richard, what frenzy is this? Am I not your own loved and loving wife?" "Fawning hypocrite, begone! Dare not to touch me!" "Richard, as I hope to meet my heavenly Judge, I am innocent in thought-in word-in deed." "Devil! but I will not kill you. I will not put you out of pain. My revenge shall be as deep and lasting as my torments. He threw her slight, clinging form, from him with a violence that prostrated her on the sand; then raising his hand menacingly towards me, cried, "Pitiful poltroon! if Scotland holds you to-morrow, the earth shall be rid of you or me before to-morrow night." to offer assistance. At last she arose, and waving her handkerchief to me in adieu, pointed to the sea in intimation of her wish for my departure, then proceeded slowly towards her changed and melancholy home. Having said this he strode out of sight. Faint with grief and loss of blood, I sat listening to Lily's convulsive sobs as she lay on the spot where her unhappy husHe furiously demanded instant satisfac-band had cast her. I dared not approach tion. I refused it; I submitted to be called coward: I was patient now, when patience availed so little: inexpressible contempt for me seemed to restore his selfpossession: he turned from me as from a reptile unworthy hatred, and folding his arms, looked sternly into the face of his In less than a month after, I was on my mute, heart-stricken wife. For you, fair voyage to India. I had been there five or serpent, you shall live as long as heaven six years, when I read in an old newspaper will let you. From this day I devote my-that-"Lily, wife of Richard Logan, died self to your punishment. The world shall of a lingering disease, esteemed and lanot know your shame, for your shame is mented by all who knew her." mine and my child's: you shall live under my roof, but you shall neither know peace nor rest: my ears shall be deaf to your prayers, my eyes shall be blind to your beauty. I divorce you from my heart I wrote to my sister, requesting her to learn from her nurse the particulars of Lily's death, and of her husband's treatment of her. She did so, and the intelligence infixed more deeply the deadly ar II. Η σοβαρόν γελασασα κ. τ. λ. Could once have robbed all Greece of ease, Whose porches lovers used to fill In clusters, like thick swarms of bees, And that at no such mighty cost; THOUGHTS ON POVERTY. BY MRS. CRAWFORD. rows of remorse. Logan kept but too There is no need "to point the moral" of my tale. All may read it in my childless, hopeless, and unhappy old age. It was perhaps more the fault of another than my own that I lost the object of my early affection, yet even then happiness was not placed beyond my reach. When the impassable barrier was placed between my lost love and me, had I left her alone with her destiny, she would soon have made it a happy one. For myself, absence, and the death of hope, would have been the death of passion, and I might, in time, have made another and more fortunate choice. But I spent the prime of manhood in madly cherishing an attachment which finally drove me into exile, haunted by a remore which left no space for gentler passions. "Poverty parts good companie."-JOANNA BAILLIE. WHAT is so much dreaded, so much ridiculed, or so much misrepresented by the world, as poverty? And yet, after all, what is this same poverty that so many fear even more than death, seeing they often fly to death from it? 'Tis a phantom, that scares only the weak, the proud, and the worldly; for cannot peace of mind, health of body, vigour of intellect, sweet affections, and holy hopes, become the indwellers of an humble roof, giving relish to the unpampering viands of a scanty board, and sleep to the rude pillow of a couch as rude? By poverty, I do not mean a state of abject want or mendicity; but such a modicum as can afford nothing beyond the common necessaries of life, and those of the commonest kind; and with such, who ought to complain? None ought, and none would, but, as I have before said, the weak and the worldly-minded. To those who have never left the state of poverty in which a wise Providence first placed them, the trial is not so great. Yet I do hope, for the honour of human nature, that there are those who could, step by step, descend from the temple of fortune, into the low valley of humility. 'Tis hard, at first, to give up what we have long enjoyed, so long, perhaps, that we had ceased even to acknowledge the blessing, either by our lips or our actions. To be deprived of noble mansions, lofty and elegant chambers, dainty living, and fine apparel, is a trial. Such things are desiIt may seem strange that being so con- rable, and we esteem them in proportion scious of the source from which my mis- to the esteem they beget in others, our fortunes have sprung, I should still yield fallen nature and faulty education giving to the transports of a temper which render the stamp of gold to base metal. Meme a plague to myself and to my friends. thinks if I were fated to exchange the To this I can only reply, that age, and sor- home of prosperity for the lodging of adrow, and disease, are sorry sweeteners of versity, I should thus reason with myself: a temper that was not sweet even in the-If my soul has been so long contented "morn and liquid dew of youth." with its poor habitation, this frail and often Youths and maidens, if you would diseased body, that frequently shuts out choose a wife, if you would choose a hus- the light of enjoyment-if through the band, let temper be your first-second-"ragged loopholes" of this miserable teand third consideration. nement, for ever out of repair, from the |