morally, she was one of those delicate structures that require a hardening process-she resembled the exquisite instrument that responds music to the gentle touches of the elements, but is broken by the first rude gust that sweeps over it. But we are anticipating.

"There is a history in all men's lives,

Figuring the nature of the times deceased;
The which observed, a man may prophesy,
With a near aim, of the main chance of things,
As yet not come to life."

CHAPTER II.

"This life, sae far's I understand,
Is a' enchanted fairy-land,

Where pleasure is the magic wand,

That, wielded right,

Makes hours like minutes, hand in hand,

Dance by fu' light."—BURNS.

As soon as Mr. Linwood became aware of his son's whig tendencies, he determined, as far as possible, to counteract them; and instead of sending him, as he had purposed, to Harvard University, into a district which he considered infected with the worst of plagues, he determined to retain him under his own vigilant eye, at the loyal literary institution in his own city. This was a bitter disappointment to Herbert.

"It is deused hard," he said to Jasper Meredith, who was just setting out for Cambridge to finish his collegiate career there, "that you, who have such a contempt for the Yankees, should go to live among them; when I, who love and honour them from the bottom of my heart, must stay here, play the good boy, and quietly submit to this most unreasonable paternal fiat."

"No more of my contempt for the Yankees, Hal,

an' thou lovest me," replied Jasper; "you remember Esop's advice to Croesus at the Persian court?"

No, I am sure I do not. You have the most provoking way of resting the lever by which you bring out your own knowledge on your friend's ignorance."

"Pardon me, Herbert; I was only going to remind you of the Phrygian sage's counsel to Croesus, to speak flattery at court, or hold his tongue. I assure you, that as long as I live among these soidisant sovereigns, I shall conceal my spleen, if I do not get rid of it."

Oh, you'll get rid of it. They need only to be seen at their homes to be admired and loved."

"Loved!"

"Yes, loved; to tell you the truth, Jasper," Herbert's honest face reddened as he spoke, "it was something of this matter of loving that I have been trying for the last week to make up my mind to speak to you. You may think me fool, dunce, or what you please; but, mark me, I am seriousyou remember Bessie Lee ?"

"Perfectly! I understand you-excellent !"— "Hear me out, and then laugh as much as you like. Eliot, Bessie's brother, will be your classmate-you will naturally be friends-for he is a first-rate-and you will naturally-"

"Fall in love with his pretty sister?"

"If not forewarned, you certainly would; for there is nothing like her this side heaven. But

remember, Jasper, as you are my friend, remember, I look upon her as mine. I spoke first,' as the children say; I have loved Bessie ever since I lived at Westbrook."

Upon my soul, Herbert, you have woven a pretty bit of romance. This is the very youngest dream of love I ever heard of. Pray, how old were you when you went to live at farmer Lee's?" "Eleven-Bessie was six-I stayed there two years; and last year, as you know, Bessie spent with us."

"And she is now fairly entered upon her teens; you have nothing to fear from me, Herbert, depend on't. I never was particularly fond of children— there is not the slightest probability of my falling into an intimacy with your yeoman friend, or ever, in any stage of my existence, getting up a serious passion for a peasant girl. I have no affinities for birds of the basse cour. My flight is more aspiring -'birds of a feather flock together,' my dear fellow, and the lady of my love must be such a one as my lady aunts in England and my eagle-eyed mother will not look down upon. So a truce to your fears, dear Herbert. Give me the letter you promised to your farmer, scholar, friend; and rest assured, he never shall find out that I do not think him equal in blood and breeding to the King of England, as all these Yankees fancy themselves to be."

Herbert gave the letter, but not with the best grace. He did not like Jasper's tone towards his

New-England friends. He half wished he had not written the letter, and quite, that he had been more frugal of his praise of Jasper. With the letter, he gave to Jasper various love-tokens from Isabella and himself for Bessie. The young men were saying their last parting words, when Herbert suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, I forgot! Isabella sent you a keepsake," and he gave Jasper a silk purse, with a dove and olive-branch prettily wrought on it.

"Oh, you savage !" exclaimed Jasper," had you forgotten this!" He pressed it to his lips. "Dear, dear Belle! I kiss your olive-branch-we have had many a falling-out, but thus will they always end." Then slipping a ring from his finger, on which was engraven a heart, transfixed by an arrow-"Beg Isabella," he said, "to wear this for my sake. It is a pretty bauble, but she'll not value it for that, nor because it has been worn by all our Capulets since the days of good Queen Bess, as my aunt, Lady Mary, assured me; but perhaps she will care for it for-pshaw." He dashed off an honest tear-a servant announced that his uncle was awaiting him, and cordially embracing Herbert, they parted.

As Herbert had expected, Eliot Lee and Meredith were classmates, but not, as he predicted, or at least not immediately, did they become friends. Their circumstances, and those habits which grow out of circumstances, were discordant. Meredith