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After that it was all over with me, of course. I got the new coat as cheap as I could, and I went through all the rest of it as cheap as I could. We were not a happy couple, and not a miserable couple. We were six of one and half a dozen of the other. How it was I don't understand, but we always seemed to be getting, with the best of motives, in one another's way. When I wanted to go up stairs, there was my wife coming down; or when my wife wanted to go down, there was I coming up. That is married life, according to my experience of it.

After five years of misunderstandings on the stairs, it pleased an all-wise Providence to relieve us of each other by taking my wife. I was left with my little girl, Penelope, and with no other child. Shortly afterward Sir John died, and my lady was left with her little girl, Miss Rachel, and no other child. I have written to very poor purpose of my lady if you require to be told that my little Penelope was taken care of under my good mistress's own eye, and was sent to school and taught, and made a sharp girl, and promoted, when old enough, to be Miss Rachel's own maid.

As for me, I went on with my business as bailiff year after year up to Christmas, 1847, when there came a change in my life. On that day my lady invited herself to a cup of tea alone with me in my cottage. She remarked that, reckoning from the year when I started as page-boy in the time of the old lord, I had been more than fifty years in her service, and she put into my hands a beautiful waistcoat of wool that she had worked herself, to keep me warm in the bitter winter weather.

a loss to find words to thank my mistress with for the honor she had done me. To my great astonishment, it turned out, however, that the waistcoat was not an honor, but a bribe. My lady had discovered that I was getting old before I had discovered it myself, and she had come to my cottage to wheedle me (if I may use such an expression) into giving up my hard, out-of-door work as bailiff and taking my ease for the rest of my days as steward in the house. I made as good a fight of it against the indignity of taking my ease as I could. But my mistress knew the weak side of me; she put it as a favor to herself. The dispute between us ended, after that, in my wiping my eyes, like an old fool, with my new woollen waistcoat, and saying I would think about it.

The perturbation in my mind in regard to thinking about it being truly dreadful after my lady had gone away, I applied the remedy which I have never yet found to fail me in cases of doubt and emergency: I smoked a pipe and took a turn at Robinson Crusoe. Before I had occupied myself with that extraordinary book five minutes I came on a comforting bit (page one hundred and fiftyeight), as follows: "To-day we love what to-morrow we hate." I saw my way clear directly. To-day I was all for continuing to be farm-bailiff; to-morrow, on the authority of Robinson Crusoe, I should be all the other way. Take myself to-morrow while in tomorrow's humor, and the thing was done. My mind being relieved in this manner, I went to sleep that night in the character of Lady Verinder's farm-bailiff, and I woke up the next morning in the character of Lady Verinder's house-steward. All quite com

I received this magnificent present quite at fortable, and all through Robinson Crusoe.

My daughter, Penelope, has just looked over my shoulder to see what I have done. She remarks that it is beautifully written and every word of it true. But she points out one objection. She says what I have done so far isn't in the least what I was wanted to do. I am asked to tell the story of the Diamond, and, instead of that, I have been telling the story of my own self. Curious, and quite beyond me to account for. I wonder whether the gentlemen who make a business and a living out of writing books ever find their own selves getting in the way of their subjects, like me? If they do, I can feel for them.

THEY

WILKIE COLLINS.

AFTER THE BALL.

HEY sat and combed their beautiful hair

Their long bright tresses one by oneAs they laughed and talked in the chamber there

After the revel was done.

Idly they talked of waltz and quadrille, Idly they laughed, like other girls Who over the fire, when all is still, Comb out their braids and curls.

Robe of satin and Brussels lace,

Knots of flowers and ribbons too, Scattered about in every place,

For the revel is through.

And Maud and Madge, in robes of white, The prettiest nightgowns under the sun, Stockingless, slipperless, sit in the night, For the revel is done

Sit and comb their beautiful hair,

Those wonderful waves of brown and gold, Till the fire is out in the chamber there

And the little bare feet are cold.

Then out of the gathering winter chill,

All out of the bitter St. Agnes weather, While the fire is out and the house is still, Maud and Madge together

Maud and Madge, in robes of white,

The prettiest nightgowns under the sun, Curtained away from the chilly night, After the revel is done

Float along in a splendid dream.

To a golden gittern's tinkling tune, While a thousand lustres shimmering stream In a palace's grand saloon.

Flashing of jewels and flutter of laces,

Tropical odors sweeter than musk, Men and women with beautiful faces, And of tropical dusk, eyes

And one face shining out like a star,

One face haunting the dreams of each, And one voice, sweeter than others are, Breaking into silvery speech,

Telling, through lips of bearded bloom,
An old, old story over again,
As down the royal-bannered room,
To the golden gittern's strain,

Two and two, they dreamily walk,

While an unseen spirit walks beside, And, all unheard in the lovers' talk, He claimeth one for a bride.

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One day, before our wondering eyes, Expanded by an inward power, The infant bud became a flower In all the hues of Paradise.

The gift was taken in full bloom;
But flowers their odors leave behind,
Diffusing all the tempered wind
With Memory's sweet and sad perfume.

EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN.

THE TOMBS IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

M

ORTALITY, behold and fear!

What a change of flesh is here!
Think how many royal bones
Sleep within these heaps of stones!
Here they lie, had realms and lands,
Who now want strength to stir their hands,
Where from their pulpits sealed with dust
They preach, "In greatness is no trust."

Here's an acre sown indeed
With the richest, royallest seed
That the earth did e'er suck in
Since the first man died for sin;
Here the bones of birth have cried,

"Though gods they were, as men they died!" Here are sands, ignoble things,

Dropt from the ruined sides of kings;
Here's a world of pomp and state

Buried in dust once dead by fate.

FRANCIS BEAUMONT.

GOD GIVES US LOVE.

GOD gives us love; something to love,

He lends us; but when love is grown To ripeness, that on which it throve

Falls off, and love is left alone.

ALFRED TENNYSON.

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PENN TO HIS FAMILY.

SELECTED FROM A LETTER TO HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN.

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TO HIS WIFE.

Y DEAR WIFE: Remember thou wast the love of my youth, and much the joy of my life-the most beloved as well as most worthy of all my earthly comforts; and the reason of that love was more thy inward than thy outward excellencies, which yet were many. God knows, and thou knowest it, I can say it was a match of Providence's making; and God's image in us both was the first thing, and the most amiable and engaging ornament in our eyes. Now I am to leave thee, and that without knowing whether I shall ever see thee more in this world take my counsel into thy bosom, and let it dwell with thee in my stead while thou livest. And now, my dearest, let me recommend to thy care my dear children, abundantly beloved of me as the Lord's blessings and the sweet pledges of our mutual and endeared affection. Above all things endeavor to breed them up in the love of virtue, and that holy plain way of it which we have lived in, that the world in no part of it get into my family. I had rather they were homely than finely bred as to outward behavior; yet I love sweetness mixed with gravity and cheerfulness tempered with sobriety. Religion in the heart leads into this true civility, teaching men and women to be mild and courteous in

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their behavior-an accomplishment worthy indeed of praise.

Next, breed them up in love one of another; tell them it is the charge I left behind me, and that it is the way to have the love and blessing of God upon them. Sometimes separate them, but not long, and allow them to send and give each other small things to endear one another with.

Once more I say tell them it was my counsel they should be tender and affectionate one to another. For their learning be liberal. Spare no cost, for by such parsimony all is lost that is saved; but let it be useful knowledge, such as is consistent with truth and godliness, not cherishing a vain conversation or idle mind. But ingenuity mixed with industry is good for the body and the mind too. I recommend the useful parts of mathematics, as building houses or ships, measuring, surveying, dialling, navigation, but agriculture is especially in my eye: let my children be husbandmen and housewives-it is industrious, healthy, honest and of good example-like Abraham and the holy ancients, who pleased God and obtained a good report. This leads to consider the works of God and nature, of things that are good, and diverts the mind from being taken up with the vain arts and inventions of a luxurious world. Rather keep an ingenious person in the house to teach them than send them to schools, too many evil impressions being commonly received there. Be sure to observe their genius, and do not

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