of her having landed. Eve Effingham and Grace Van Courtlandt were sisters' children, and had been born within a month of each other. As the latter was without father or mother, most of their time had been passed together, until the former was taken abroad, when a separation unavoidably ensued. Mr. Effingham ardently desired, and had actually designed to take his niece with him to Europe; but her paternal grandfather, who was still living, pleaded his years and his affection in opposition to the scheme, and it was reluctantly abandoned. This grandfather was now dead; and Grace had been left, with a very ample fortune, almost entirely the mistress of her own

movements.

The moment of the meeting between the two warm-hearted and sincerely attached young women, was one of great interest and anxiety to both. They retained for each other the tenderest love, though the years that had separated them had given rise to so many new impressions and habits, that they did not prepare themselves for the interview without ap

prehensions. This interview took place about a week after Eve was established in State Street, and at an hour earlier than was usual for the reception of visits. Hearing a carriage stop before the door, and the bell ring, our heroine stole a glance from behind a curtain, and recognized her cousin as she alighted.

" Qu'avez vous, ma chère?" demanded Mademoiselle Viefville, observing that her élève trembled and grew pale.

"It is my cousin, Miss Van Courtlandt, she whom I loved as a sister; we now meet for the first time, after so many years!"

"Bien, c'est une très jolie jeune personne!" returned the governess, taking a glance from the spot Eve had just quitted. "Sur le rapport de la personne, ma chère, vous devriez être

contente au moins."

"If you will excuse me, mademoiselle, I will go down alone. I think I should prefer to meet Grace without witnesses in the first interview."

"Très volontiers.-Elle est parente, et c'est bien naturel."

Eve, on this expressed approbation, met her

maid at the door, as she came to announce that Mademoiselle de Courtlandt was in the library, and descended slowly to receive her. The library was lighted from above by means of a small dome, and Grace had unconsciously placed herself in the very position that a painter would have chosen had she been about to sit for her portrait. A strong, full, rich light fell obliquely on her as Eve entered, displaying her fine person and beautiful features to the very best advantage; and they were features and a person that are not seen every day, even in a country where female beauty is so common. She was in a carriage dress, and her toilette was rather more elaborate than Eve had been accustomed to see at that hour; but still Eve thought she had seldom beheld a more lovely young creature. Some such idea, also, passed through the mind of Grace herself; who, though struck, with a woman's readiness in such matters, by the severe simplicity of Eve's attire, as well as by its entire elegance, was more struck with the charms of her countenance and figure. There

was, in truth, a strong resemblance between them, though each was distinguished by an expression suited to her character, and to the habits of her mind.

"Miss Effingham !" said Grace, advancing a step to meet the lady who entered, while her voice was scarcely audible, and her limbs trembled.

"Miss Van Courtlandt!" said Eve in the same low smothered tone.

This formality caused a chill in both, and each unconsciously stopped and curtsied. Eve had been so much impressed with the coldness of the American manner in the week she had been at home, and Grace was so sensitive on the subject of the opinion of one who had seen so much of Europe, that there was great danger, at that critical moment, that the meeting would terminate unpropitiously.

Thus far, however, all had been rigidly decorous, though the strong feelings that were glowing in the bosoms of both had been so completely suppressed. But the smile, cold and embarrassed as it was, that each gave as

she curtsied, had the sweet character of her childhood in it, and recalled to both the girlish and affectionate intercourse of their younger days.

"Grace!" said Eve, eagerly advancing a step or two impetuously, and blushing like the dawn.

"Eve!"

Each opened her arms, and in a moment they were locked in a long and fervent embrace. This was the revival of their former intimacy; and before night Grace was domesticated in her uncle's house. It is true that Miss Effingham perceived certain peculiarities about Miss Van Courtlandt that she would rather had been absent; and Miss Van Courtlandt would have felt more at her ease, had Miss Effingham had a little less reserve of manner on certain subjects that the latter had been taught to think interdicted.

Notwithstanding these slight separating shades in character, however, their mutual affection was warm and sincere; and if Eve, according to Grace's notions, was a little stately