"THE situation of this town is indeed uncommonly beautiful. The populous part stands upon a slope, gently declining to the river, so that a summer rain can at any time completely wash the streets. By whatever avenue it is approached, its appearance never fails to impress the mind of the visitor with pleasurable sensations. The compact settlement of the town of Newbury enclosing it upon two sides along the bank of the river, as you approach it upon the eastern road or from the sea, it presents the aspect of a considerable city, extending to the distance of nearly three miles.

"The dwelling-houses and other buildings are generally kept in good repair and condition, and present a neat and often elegant appearance. Some of the principal houses are extremely handsome; and there are few of any condition which do not possess a considerable garden spot, which gives a very open and airy aspect to the town, at the same time that it promotes that general health for which this place has always been highly distinguished. Indeed, a great deal of attention has been paid here, of late years, to ornamental as well as common gardening.

stone from high-water mark, and is further sup-
ported by chains passing over the tops of pyramids
erected on the piers and under the centers of the
arches. The span of the center arch is 83 yards.
The bridge is built in two distinct longitudinal
parts, so that, in case of accident to one, the pas-
sage of the river will not be interrupted. Whole
length, three sevenths of a mile. Cost, $70,000.
There has been a rapid and steady increase of
travel over this bridge. The tolls taken in 1835
amounted to nearly double those of 1827."

"Jacob Perkins was born at Newburyport, July

TALES

The Mysterious Stranger.

A TALE OF PASSION, FOUNDED ON FACT.

BY MRS. AMELIA OPIE.

IT is a well-known saying, that the true does not always bear the semblance of truth. It is also certain that the incidents of real life are sometimes more incredible than any thing we read of in fictitious history; and most of us can remem

happened in our memory, that has called forth the sneer of incredulity when it has at a distant period been communicated to others.

9, 1766. After receiving a common school edu-ber, probably, some well-authenticated fact which cation, he became apprentice to a goldsmith, and soon displayed those extraordinary inventive powers in mechanics which bave elevated him to distinction. At the age of twenty-one, he was employed, when "Of the incidents which I am now going to other artists had failed, to make dies for the copper relate," says the writer of the following narrative, coinage of Massachusetts, under the old confeder." I was myself an eye-witness, and I was present ation. At twenty-four, he invented the nail when the heroine of my tale related such parts of machine, which cut and headed nails at one oper- her history, as had taken place before I knew her. ation. His mechanical genius was now fully Still, I am well aware that, though my veracity developed; and for twenty years and upwards, he would not, nay could not, be doubted by those to continued to multiply useful inventions in the whom I am known, I might be deemed by stran"The Newburyport bridge crosses the Merrimac arts with a facility truly astonishing. His inge-gers not entitled to unqualified belief, because the from the north part of the town. It was built innuity in making a plate for bank notes incapable story which I am going to tell, though certainly le 1827. Abutments with stone walls, filled in with vrai, is not the vraisemblable." sods, gravel, &c. project from either shore. That on the Newburyport side is 240, and that on the Salisbury side is 187 yards long. The bridge rests on these abutments and on four piers built of

of being counterfeited, and in discovering the art
of softening and hardening steel at pleasure, was
particularly useful to the public. The latter dis-
covery opened a wide field for the labors of the
engraver, and led to many happy results.

I was the schoolfellow and favorite companion of the Honorable Frederick H-, afterwards Lord D. True, I was some years his senior; but circumstances had so much endeared us to

each other, that we mutually forgot the difference obstacle to his putting his design in execution-ill calculated to make up to my beloved patron the in our ages; and when I left school to study and curiosity made me as eager to go, as prefer- loss of his admirable wife. physic at Edinburgh, the separation was painfully ence made him. But as Lord D- who had felt by us both. I had saved the grateful child seen France, was unacquainted with Spain and from drowning, and he never forgot the obligation; Portugal, he resolved to embark at Falmouth for while I, on my side, became attached to him from Lisbon, and enter France by the Pyrenees. To the consciousness of the benefit which I had con- Falmouth therefore we repaired; but the wind ferred; nor did absence or distance obliterate either being against our embarkation, we were reluctantly from the mind of the other. We kept up a con-obliged to prepare for an abode of, perhaps, many stant correspondence; and when I went to finish my studies at college, in order to take my degree at the university, it was a great joy to us both to meet again, and I was at least half a year at Trinity after Mr. H– was a resident there. At the end of that time I went to reside in a provincial town, in order to practise my profession; IIhaving vainly tried to prevail on me to quit physic for the church, promising me a great living in his father's gift.

days at an inn. The delay, however, was of little
consequence to me, as I was deeply engaged in
reading Horace, of whom I was meditating a
translation; therefore, to me all places were nearly
alike; but that restlessness, ever the attendant on
recently-experienced affliction, made Lord D-
very impatient of our enforced delays.

One evening, our projected walk having been
put a stop to by the threatening appearance of the
clouds, I sat down to my Horace; and Lord
D—, as was too often the case with him, instead
of endeavoring to employ his mind in reading or
writing, began his walk up and down the room.—
Suddenly, however, I was conscious that he turned
to the window, which looked into a large garden
at the back of the house, and it was not long be-
fore I heard him explain, "Heavens! what an
angel!" However, I went on reading; for know-
ing his passion for children, and having seen
very lovely child about the house, I concluded this
sweet girl was now playing in the garden.
"How beautiful! Do, Moreton, come and look
at her!" again cried Lord D-

a

'Not now, my dear lord, for I have seen her, and she is very pretty indeed.”

Pretty! she is an angel! and I wonder you did not mention her to me!" I replied not for I was again engrossed by my book. Soon after he exclaimed, "She will be wet. I am sure she will, and here is a storm coming and she is at the end of the garden. What can I do?"

"Do!" said I. "Can't you go as you have your great-coat on, and take her up under your arm, and wrap her up in it, and bring her in ?"

I had been settled about fifteen years, when H-, who had married at an early age an heiress chosen by his father, succeeded to the title of Viscount D—; but soon after he was rendered one of the most unhappy of men by the death of his wife, who died of her eighth lying-in, leaving him one son, their only surviving child. Beauty was his passion; but his father had consulted more his interest than his taste in the choice of a wife, and Mrs. H had certainly every qualification but beauty. However, her virtues and her talents had at length so won upon the excellent heart of her husband, that he had long ceased to remember that her personal charms were few, when death dissolved a union which had been a blessing to both, and my disconsolate friend wrote to beg me hasten to him in my double capacity of friend and physician. I did so, and found him oppressed not only by the grief which was already overwhelming him, but the fear of that which might too surely be impending; for he thought his son was in great danger of following his beloved mother. I was only too much of the same opinion, and urged an Imminediate removal to a warmer climate; to be brief, I was prevailed upon, that I might devote "'Sdeath! Moreton, are you mad?" cried Lord myself entirely to my friend and his child, to aban- D—, indignantly; and, immediately rising, I ran don my profession, and take orders. Accordingly, to the window, where I must own that I saw, with I returned to college, and in due time I was quali-more pain than pleasure, not a pretty child, but the fied to accept a very excellent living in Lord D's gift, which was on his estate; but it was given to a gentleman to hold for me until I should return from abroad. I also took upon myself the office of tutor to Lord D's son; but just as every thing was settled for our setting off for the continent, to winter in some milder climate than our own, the object of our joint anxiety was carried off in a few days by an inflammation on the lungs; and for many months Lord D gave way to his feelings of agonizing regret, in a manner that alarmed me for his mind. But at the end of that time he became more composed, and proposed to me that we should resume our plan of leaving England, and travel, without fixing any period for In the interval between his quitting college and his marriage, Lord D—had visited the continent, and had imbibed such a taste for foreign manners, and the foreign style of levity, that he would fain have persuaded his lady to reside with him abroad for a few years; but she could never be prevailed upon to consent; and he loved her too well to urge what he saw was displeasing to her. Now, however, there was no

our return.

most perfectly beautiful woman I ever beheld! She
was dressed in mourning, nearly resembling that of
a widow! but her glossy, waving, auburn hair,
parted a la Madonna, relieved the exquisite white
of her forehead, preventing the usual unbecoming.
ness of a widow's costume, Her cheek was pale;
but her complexion was so transparent that the
least emotion or movement, crimsoned every part of
it. Her eyes were hazel, large, and almost fierce
in their expression-her features, faultless in their
formation-and her person, tall and well propor-
tioned, though thin to a fault, was in every respect
worthy of her face, and gave to her whole appear-
ance a dignity and a beauty which I never saw
before, nor have ever seen since in woman. To be
sure I did not, on my first survey, see all I have
above described; but I had no sooner beheld her
than, aware of Lord D's admiration of beauty,
and that the heart is never so susceptible as after
recent affliction, I felt an involuntary fear that this
lovely incognita would captivate him; for with
the conviction of her beauty, came over my mind,
at the same time, a distaste to her expression of
countenance; and an apprehension that she was

While I was contemplating her as fixedly, though not as delightedly, as my friend had done, Lord D left the room seized an umbrella, and running to meet the lady, who was leaning on the arm of a short, thick, odd-looking waiting maid, he reached her just as the shower fell, and had the satisfaction of conveying her safe from the rain to the house. I had gone to the hall door to wait for them, that I might have a nearer survey of her beauty, and I sat down my poor patron as a lost man, when I saw the graceful sweetness and ladylike self possession with which she thanked him for his attention, and listened to the soft and winning accents of her voice. Then, taking the arm of her servant, she withdrew to her own apartment, and Lord D—, with a deep sigh, returned to ours. "Ay-it is all over with him, poor man!" said I to myself; and piqued, provoked and alarmed I began reading aloud such parts of Horace as reflected on women; and though I had not read, or thought of the passage since I was a boy at school and had acted Castalio, I caught myself several times during the evening repeating his celebrated speech

"Who lost Mark Antony the world? A woman?" Nor did I read without thundering out very impressively

deceitful woman,

neither heard my

To the first tempter lewdly she inclined Her soul, and for an apple damned mankind!" But I really believe Lord DHorace nor my Otway; for he sat in a sort of abstracted silence, which alarmed me for the danger of his heart more than any loud praise of the beautiful incognita would have done. At length, however, he said, " Moreton, who can that woman be? Her air and carriage bespeak her to be somebody of distinction; let us inquire concerning her of the waiter," and he was accordingly summoned. But all he knew of her was, that she had arrived there the day before us, on her way, like ourselves, to Lisbon, that she never stirred out, never saw any one, and received no letters; that they did not know her name; and that the Welch girl whom she had brought with her scarcely spoke English enough to be intelligible. He also added, that she seemed very unhappy, and frequently was heard to pass half the night in walking up and down her apartment.

"Very mysterious, and very odd!" observed I, when the man had withdrawn.

"Not at all," answered Lord D- with quickness-"She is evidently a widow, in delicate health and probably reduced circumstances, going to Lisbon for change of air; and having recently lost a beloved husband, she is naturally enough wretched in mind, and can't sleep. I have often walked half the night Moreton."

Now what my friend said was very just. Still I felt a great desire to contradict it; but I was ashamed, and remained silent, and soon after we parted for the night. The next morning when I rose, the first objects that met my eyes were the lady and her maid, and Lord D————, walking together in the garden; and as they were too much engrossed in conversation to see me, I busied myself in studying the countenance of this most lovely of women. I found my prejudice against her increase rather than diminish. My medical profession had given me some of that physiognomical,

or rather pathognomical knowledge which distin-help surveying her with very scrutinizing looks, I
guishes medical men. Indications of insanity are saw that she was often embarrassed by the steadi-
certainly discoverable to them, when unseen by ness of my observation. But the intercourse was
others, from their habit of acute observation; and at length not confined to the garden; Lord Del-
though I saw no marks of derangement about this borough offered to lend her books; and the offer
unknown beauty, I discovered, in the quick motion being accepted, he carried them himself to her
and perturbed expression of her eye, symptoms of room, and was rewarded by an invitation to walk
alarm, suspicion and disquiet, which told me all in. But she kept her maid in the room then, and
was not at peace within, and that she had some- did the same in future when my friend visited her
thing to conceal. But I saw that her beauty had alone, though when he was accompanied by me,
so completely dazzled Lord D—, that he was the servant was dismissed.
quite unconscious her countenance was not one to
dwell upon with confidence and pleasure; and I
hurried down stairs, from a silly feeling as if my
presence would be a sort of protection to him from {
the dangers that assailed him.

"How do you do to-day, Moreton ?" said Lord D— with more vivacity than he had lately exhibited; and before I could even get in a "How do you do, my Lord ?" he continued; "This, madame, is the kind and tried friend I was mentioning to you, who has promised never to forsake me, but share my fate whatever it may be."

“Happy you, sir, in possessing such a friend!" replied the lady with a faint smile. She might have called Lord D- -66 Sir," even though she was apprised of his rank, still I felt an irresistible desire to let her know his rank, though of my real motives I am not certain.

I have often ridiculed in others the fondness for showing their intimacy with and knowledge of great people. Still, as I have almost always observed that those who are most ready to laugh at this weakness in others, infallibly fall into it themselves whenever they have an opportunity, I am by no means sure that one of my motives for calling my friend by his title as soon as I could, was not the wish of impressing her with an idea of my importance in having a lord for my friend. But whatever was the cause, it is certain that I very soon made an opportunity of saying, "My lord, will your lordship-" and as I did so, I have no doubt but that I looked at the incognita, with an expression which seemed to say, "There! do you hear that? You are talking thus familiarly with a lord!" I am the more confirmed in this suspicion by the look which she gave me in return; for while

"That eye dropt sense distinct and clear As any muse's tongue could speak,"

it seemed to say,-" Well, and what then? I have seen a lord before-ay, and think it no such marvellous fine thing to be the friend of one;" and I felt the blood rush into my face, as a sort of half smile as if in contempt played on her beautiful lip. This was the beginning of those dialogues of looks which this lady and myself from that hour to the last of our acquaintance very frequently held; and when I thus do justice to the powers of her expression, I flatter myself that my readers will believe I was not deficient in similar powers, though I might perhaps be called notwithstanding a very ugly fellow.

But to return to more important matters. These meetings in the garden took place daily; and though nothing could be more proper or more guarded, than the lady's behavior, I saw that she evinced every day more and more satisfaction whenever my Lord Delborough first accosted her; still her look seemed the result of a restless, unhappy, and undecided mind; and as I could not

Thus did we pass six weeks, and they passed
rapidly to my friend, but slowly to me, because
I wished, what I persisted to think a dangerous
intercourse, to be put a stop to by our voyage.-
However, we had acquired some necessary infor-
mation during that time; for we had learnt both
the maiden and married name of our incognita.-
One day Lord Delborough said playfully, but evi-
dently with a view to give her an opportunity of
naming herself, " I have always forgotton to pre-
sent my friend properly to you, madame, and he
has never done me the favor of presenting me.-
But better late than never.' This, madam, is
Mr. Moreton, formerly Dr. Moreton, a learned
physician; but as doctor is not a good travelling
title, in future he is only Mr. Moreton, at your
service."-" And give me leave, madam," said I,
"to present to you the viscount D- of-
Hall, in Ruthlandshire, and Portman-square in
London."

finally drop the subject. When the great misfortune of my life took place, I resolved to quit England for ever, and try by change of scene to divert my mind from images of past happiness which destroyed my peace. I had no paternal fortune; but when my calamities occurred, I found myself possessed of a clear five thousand pounds, and on that sum I knew I could live decently in a foreign country; and I also knew that my mind, accustomed to depend on itself, and capable of being acted upon by new scenes and interests, would gradually recover its tone when removed from its scene of suffering, and that life might once tnore become interesting to me. At present, however," she continued in a tone of deep dejection, and absolute despondence, "time has done nothing for me yet, nor entire change of scene, because I am still in Britain; but I trust that when I am once settled on some part of the continent, I may become more calm, clse death in any shape almost were welcome!"

Lord D, excessively agitated, could only reply to this mournful address, by broken sentences of sorrow, pity, regret, interest, attachment, esteem, and so forth; but I did not think of making any answer at all, being wholly absorbed in wonder at that almost stern independence of character, as it appeared to me, which had led this young and unprotected women to disregard the soothings and support of her friends, and to launch out on the world of another country, like a female adventurer "But who is to present me to you, gentlemen?" seeking as it were her fortune. But had she replied the lady, blushing deeply, and forcing a friends? was the question. Had she deserved smile, though an expression of great distress was friends?. Nor could I behold without a feeling of visible in her countenance; then recovering herself dismay, the total want of religious comfort or deas rapidly as she could, for she saw then even pendence which her language evinced. Not once Lord D― seemed to think a mutual disclosure of had she adverted to the necessity of resignation to names necessary, she assumed an air of dignity the divine will, and the comfort which the deepest and replied, "I was born a St. Clair and I married sorrow derived from that resignation; but she apa Macdonald," and as she spoke her national pride peared in every thing a self-poised being, wrestling of birth flushed deeply o'er her face, and, sprung with only mortal strength against the anguish as she was from, "the lordly line of high St. Clair," which fate had inflicted, and proudly resolved to I saw clearly why, at the sound of my friend's prove victorious in the combat. But my infatuated rank, she had turned on me a look of such calm friend saw nothing in her character to counteract and scornful disregard. "Yes," she continued, the effects of her beauty, and her evident wretched"my maiden name was Rosabel St. Clair;" and ness only made his benevolent heart yearn towards seeing that I regarded her with a scrutinizing look her more fondly, till the earnest wish to be her which she probably mistook for a look of suspicion, consoler and her husband, became triumphant over she fixed her eyes on me, and said, "those who every other consideration; and I soon discovered knew any thing of the pedigree of my family, nust that it was Mrs. Macdonald's mourning habit know that Rosabel is one of the family names of alone which delayed the offer of his hand and the St. Clairs; but I am the last of my branch of heart. How did I congratulate myself that I was that noble family. I was always an only child, not so vulnerable to the power of beauty, nor even and I was soon an orphan; and when Colonel to the more lasting attraction of intellect and manMacdonald made me his wife, I stood alone inner! Else, I too might have loved this fascinating creation, without near tie of any kind. But he," women, and tasted the agonics of a hopeless at she added, clasping her hands together in agony, tachment. But I was never for a moment in dan. "he made up to me for loss of every other tie.-ger. The peculiar expression of her countenance He was my all, my pride, and for some years my blessing! "Till-I lost here, too much affected to proceed, she retired into her chamber, leaving my poor friend, who sympathized only too deeply in her affliction, as much affected as her. self.

It was some time before she returned to us, but as soon as she did she addressed us thus: "It is so painful to me to recall what I have been, and to contrast it with what I am, that I shall disclose as much of my situation as it is right for you to know, to convince you that you have not bestowed your attentions on an unworthy object, and then

had always rendered me suspicious, and the evi dent haughtiness of her disposition had from the first repelled me. Nor had her mind, though pow. erful, any charm for my taste or my judgment; for, though superior it was not sufficiently so to satisfy either, like the traveller who has ascended high enough up the side of a lofty mountain to be enveloped in clouds, but not high enough to see them roll away beneath him; so Mrs. Macdonald was sufficiently clevated in understanding above her sex to think she might despise those restraints, those rules of decorum, and those usages of society, which regulate the actions of inferior women, but

fruitless to say any more on the subject; though I felt assured, that a woman who really wished to establish her identity, and had the means of doing it in a satisfactory manner, would have set about the task in a very different manner; and instead of giving one reference, would have given many, and not have dictated an anonymous letter to any one. However, my opinion was of no importance, and the letter was sent, and answered by return of post. It was as follows:

not wise enough to feel the necessity, the grace-ence; but it was some days before she was suffifulness, and the benevolent utility of submitting to ciently well to admit Lord D- to address her such restraints. She felt, in her imagined power again on the subject nearest his heart. At length, of self-government, that her innocence and purity, however, as he himself informed me, she told him fortified by strength of intellect, did not need the with considerable emotion, that though she was protecting aid of the customary forms of society to afraid she should never be happy herself, she was guard them from attack. But she did not feel, willing to do all in her power, to administer to his that as such forms are necessary for the preserva-happiness, conscious as she was, that, if she had tion of women exposed by their weakness to dan-any affections left, after all she had endured, those ger, it is the more incumbent on those who are affections would be his, and would lead her to raised in intellect above other women, to submit to study his comfort in every thing. 'My lord," SIR,-Your letter gave me pleasure, though from the salutary restraints of decorum, lest they lead added she, "I am so gratified, and my heart is so a writer unknown, because it afforded me an optheir less-gifted sisters into danger by the seduc- touched by the devoted, confiding attachment portunity of speaking of Mrs. Macdonald in the tions of their example. In short, her talents which you have shown me, that I swear to you, terms which she deserves. Sir, her virtues and were bright enough to shed an uncertain and light. were you my inferior, and a beggar, I would have her talents are equal to her beauty, and though not ning brilliancy in her path, calculated to mislead consented to be yours. So sweet is it to be loved, happy, no one ever deserved happiness more; but rather than direct; but their brilliance was not and so particularly soothing to the torn heart, she is only too much wedded to the memory of a strong enough to shine with steady, noon.day which, having once been fondly beloved, has been very bad, unfaithful husband, whose sudden death radiance, and light her with safety and certainty doomed to mourn over the cessation of its bless-ought to have been a source of rejoicing to her, as on her way. ings." When my friend related these assurances well as to her friends.

re

he did; but I have since been led to place implicit
reliance on their truth, and to admit that what she
thus expressed she most thoroughly felt.

It may be thought surprising, and even impos-to me I did not entirely believe in them, though sible, that I could discern so easily the defects in this lady's character, and see so evidently the marks in her of some mysterious sorrow, some probably guilty secret, while Lord D mained perfectly unconscious of both. To this I reply, that Lord D was a man wholly devoid of suspicion, and not gifted with much penetration. He was, on the contrary, even blind to the faults of those he loved; and, being wholly free from guile himself, was never apt to suspect it in others. He was

The morning after this conversation, she sent for us both into her apartment, and with an expression of countenance in which my friend saw only the confusion of modesty and emotion, but in which I read the perturbation of a conscious and oppressed mind, she told us, that though she saw with pleasure that Lord D's confidence in her was such as to make him satisfied with what she "So pure, so good, he searce could guess at sin, had narrated to him of her story, still for the satis. But thought the world without like that within.' faction of his friends, (and here she turned on me Besides, he was in love, and love cast its own a most meaning glance,) she had resolved to put beautiful hue over all that he beheld. As the it in his power to gain more information relative to effect of a Claude Lorraine glass sheds one equal her. She therefore, pointing to the table, on which and beautifying tint over every landscape and were materials for writing, begged Lord D to every cloud, giving warmth to coldness, and cloth-write down what she dictated, and the result was ing barren scenes in beauty; so love made every the following letter enclosed to Messrs. M quality in this charming woman assume a charm Co. Bankers, Lombard-street, London, and direc. and appear a virtue in the eyes of her lover; itted to Mrs. M, the wife of one of the parties. gave the semblance of tender regret to the gloom of conscious duplicity, and dignified the impetuous inequality of her temper with the name of quick sensibility, and proper self-respect.

Whatever were my ideas relative to this mysterious woman, as she appeared to me, I soon found that they were confined to myself alone, and that Lord D's confidence in her was equal to his admiration. At the end of six weeks the wind changed, to the joy of us all. But, when we were on the point of being summoned on board, Mrs. Macdonald became so ill that she was forced to keep her room, and our voyage was consequently abandoned; for Lord Ddeclared he was bound by powerful ties not to leave this friendless stranger behind in a sick bed; and I was forced to acquiesce, through reluctantly, in the justice of the sentiment. But I soon found that honor itself forbade my friend to leave Falmouth under such circumstances, as he owned to me that he had recently made an offer of his hand to the interesting widow; and that the excessive agitation which his proposal had occasioned, had been followed so closely by her severe indisposition, that he was not only obliged, as a man of honor, to wait to receive her answer to his declarations, but his anxiety on account of her illness was increased by the fear of having caused it. At length she re covered, and we were again admitted to her pres

&

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

A. M. Lord D's delight on perusing this letter, could only be exceeded by Mrs. Macdonald's trepidation on its delivery; and when, having read it herself, she gave it with a look of triumph, to me, her face became of a hue resembling death itself. When I came to the part relative to the sudden death of Colonel Macdonald, I involuntarily exclaimed, sudden death! I did not understand the death was sudden." Sudden!" exclaimed Mrs. Macdonald, echoing my word-"Sudden O ay, so it was sudden;" and holding her hand to her head, she left the room.

Reader, though well convinced that a suspicious is an unamiable temper, I must honestly confess that, at this moment, a suspicion of a most horribly nature took possession of my mind, while my more generous patron remained as confiding as before, and saw, in the strong emotion of Mrs. Macdonald nothing but a very natural distress at hearing the sudden death of her husband alluded MADAM,-You would greatly oblige a person to. But then he was in love and I not; and a much interested in the inquiry, by informing me man who chooses a wife under the delusions of in a letter, addressed to A. B. Post-office, Fal-passion, appears to me to be no more a rational mouth, what you know or think of Mrs. Macdon-judge of the results of his actions, than a man ald, the widow of Colonel Macdonald, who, when who enlists for a soldier when in a state of intoxiyou last heard of her, was, you know, on the point cation. From this unfortunate moment I enterof quitting England. Is her character equal to hertained a horror of my patron's approaching union, appearance? and does she deserve the esteem which her conduct, and manners, seem so powerfully to challenge?

I am, Madame, your obedient humble serv't,
A. B.
"There is no necessity, none in the world, for
an application of this nature," observed Lord D-
"and the testimony of this lady can only confirm
all I already think."

46

"But Mr. Moreton looks," replied Mrs. Mac-
donald, as if he approved of the application."
"I should do so," answered I gravely, "if it
were made in a proper way; for why should not
Lord D write in his own name ?"

"Because, if I am not what I seem, Mrs. M-
would be more likely to write openly and ingenu-
ously to A. B. than to Lord D-

"O! certainly, certainly!" interrupted Lord D, "nothing can be more honorable and deli. cate than your motives—and I will hear no objections made, but seal and send the letter directly."

I therefore, on hearing this, saw it would be

and I was forced to quit the room abruptly, when I learnt that as soon as the two years' mourning of Mrs. Macdonald had expired, she would become the wife of Lord D-.

[To be Continued.]

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

For the Rural Repository.

RANDOM GLEANINGS. GREETING-Reader, have you ever wandered in the woods and stopped to cull a flower here, to pluck a blossom there, or break off a green twig from the o'er hanging branches? Have you not sometime when a child, followed a stream up a dark ravine, wondering where it would end-yet ever and anon staying in your course to mark the beauty of a shell-the rounding of a pebble or the clearness of the flowing water? Have you not often stood still in your onward way to hearken to the far off sound of a waterfall, the song of a bird or