"Poor thing!" said Lucy, and she sighed from her very heart.

"Why do you sigh, my own wife ?" he demanded ; "Do you envy that poor country maiden ?"

“Do I envy her?" she replied, in a voice of tender reproach; "what a strange question! Do I envy any one?" and as she said this, she drew more closely round her the arm which encircled her slender waist; "would I exchange my husband with any one?" she added, looking up tenderly and lovingly into his face; "I sighed in pity for the poor young lady (for lady she is now); such a change is enough to turn her head!"

"Would it turn yours Lucy?" he said.

66

Perhaps it might!" she replied, in the simplest and most natural manner. "But is she really happy? Does she love him for himself alone ?"

"My sweet Lucy," he began, and as he spoke his wife thought that he had never seemed so tenderly respectful towards her: "My sweet Lucy, you alone can answer these last questions:-you smile! I see you look amazed upon me; but I repeat it, you alone!"

"But first," said Lucy, very artlessly, "I must be lady here; you must make me Countess of D- !”

She had scarcely said this, when, from one of the castle turrets, a bell began to toll: Clifford rose up instantly, and, without saying a word, led his wife to the castle. They entered the chapel there, in which the servants and

the tenants had all assembled, and the chaplain was preparing to commence the evening service: then, leading the wondering Lucy into the midst of them, he presented her to them all as their future mistress, the Countess of D, his wife.

Lucy did not speak; she could scarcely stand; the color forsook her face, and she looked as one about to faint. She stared first at her husband, and then at the domestics around her, and at last she began to comprehend every thing. Eagerly she seized her husband's hand, which she had dropped in her surprise, now affectionately extended to her; then, with an effort that was very visible, but which gave new interest to her in the eyes of all present, she regained somewhat of her natural and modest self-possession; and, raising her innocent face, she curtseyed to the ground, and met the respectful greeting of those around her with smiles, which, perhaps, spoke more at once to the heart, than the best wisdom of words. The Earl of D led his wife to his own seat,

and placed her beside him.

Lucy knelt down upon a cushion of embroidered velvet, with the sculptured escutcheons, and stately banners of the house of Dabove her: but, perhaps, of all the high-born dames of that ancient family, none ever knelt there with a purer heart, or with a humbler spirit, than that Lowly Lady.

W. P.

O

THE SABBATH.

BY MARGARET R-,

Oh what an hour was that when the mighty work was
done!

Creation all completed and the Sabbath day begun ;—
When gently sinking to the west,* the glorious orb of day
Flung, brightly, purely, beautiful-its first Sabbatic ray
Upon a world, all lovely in its sweet and peaceful rest,
That glorying in its Maker, was by its Maker blest.

All nature now is still-so still, that scarce a breeze Causes the young green grass to wave, or plays among the trees;

The animals have sunk to rest, and many a fragrant
flower,

With folded leaves, and bended head, enjoys the silent hour.
A holy quiet reigns around, save that now and then is

heard

The motion of an insect's wing, or the twitter of a bird.

* I need not remind my readers that the first Sabbath commenced at sunset, at which time the Jewish Sabbath still commences.