old gentleman! In the next place, my patronymic commences with a round O'-yet how is Lee' affected by Hibernicism?-Lee! Lee! Never mind, we'll cast Lee to windward, and go on to the third place. In the third place, then, I'm mightily given to blundering at times-that's certain. And now, my boys, attention! Whet your whistles, but keep them silent for I'm going to begin. My father was owner of three whalers at the time of my birth, and was consequently a rich man. But train oil is not the right sort of stuff wherewith to polish manners, so I may as well confess that he hadn't a bright spot of gentility the size of a crown piece about him he was an upright, downright tradesman, and that was all. However, great pains were taken to manufacture a gentleman out of me, and I must without vanity observe, that the experiment exceeded to perfection. I might have been a bit of a harum-scarum in my hobbledehoyish days per haps, but where is the watch whose materials were not one time scattered over a dirty shop-board? "Our next-door neighbour-we resided in Liverpool-was a Mr. Beaufort, an extensive man amongst metals. He had lead enough to roof half the nation, and sufficient iron to form a rail-road round the earth. In addition to this, he had brought his pigs' to so good a market, that he kept a fine carriage and a country house, which, together with good society, did for his habits what the Sheffield folks did for his dingy ore,-brightened them up, and gave them all the brilliance and temper of high-wrought steel. Notwithstanding this disparity of manners, there existed a far from unfriendly intercourse between my father and Mr. Beaufort; they had commenced the race of life together, and each, through the industrious exercise of limited means, had at about the same period attained their present opulence. Added to this, while a mere boy I was instrumental in saving our neighbour's eldest daughter, when about six years old, from perishing by suffocation, at the hazard of my life. The accident occurred thus: at the termination of Beaufort's garden. was a deep draw-well, and Miss Frances, girl-like, thinking that it would be a fine treat to ride to the bottom, stepped into the bucket one day, and down she went. I was playing in the next yard when this happened, and hearing the rapid whirling of the windlass, turned my head just in time to see the young lady vanish. To immediately leap the dwarf wall that separated us, was an act of impulse; I ran with a speed that would have outstripped the rein-deer, and shouted as I went all the murders I could lay my tongue to. On reaching the well I instinctively clutched the rope with both hands, and down I slid like a shot, tearing the flesh in ribbons from my bones as I descended. "It was a mercy that my weight did not crush the poor little girl to death; however-Heaven knows how !—she escaped, and in half a moment I held her in my arms. The water was not more than eighteen inches deep, so there was no fear of drowning; but I don't know an office in Great Britain that would have insured us against choking. Frances, the darling! was first to feel the effects of the confined air - she leaned against my breast, and rested her head upon my shoulder, whilst her warm breath came colder and colder upon my cheek. Courage, courage,' said I; don't faint yet awhile' but she didn't heed me, and went off all of a sudden, just murmuring, as sense departed, "Good bye, Philip—I'm going to our Father which is in heaven.'At this distance of time, friends, I shudder as I recall the sensations of that moment!-Imagine the horror of fancying that I held a corpse within my embrace, of finding that when I attempted to climb the rope, I had neither strength nor ability to do so,-and of experiencing a difficulty in breathing, which I believed to be the precursor of death! In this terrible exigency I collected sufficient power to utter one cry, and then fell against the rope, round which I twined my disembarrassed arm with nervous tenacity. Every thing now appeared to swim around me - I felt like one being strangled-cold drops of perspiration ran over my entire frame -a thousand veins seemed to start into my eyeballs, charged to bursting with blood!-I felt each precious hold relaxing-another instant, and destruction would have ensued-but no !-a cheer from above shot new life into every fibre, and the next breath I drew was an inhalation of the pure air of the upward atmosphere! "On what a chance does existence at times depend! Without my exclamations, as was afterwards proved, the household would not have received a timely alarm; and had I not, by the one shout I gave below, attracted attention to the well, we should have remained undiscovered till too late that's certain. "After this adventure I made Frances my inseparable companion. Her sister Bertha frequently joined our sports, but in her I had no interest, save what was reflected by the light she gathered in her sister's presence. My own little girleen was a sun that warmed my heart as it shone there, while Bertha, in comparison, was cold, like the moon, which glitters but in borrowed beams without emitting one genial spark. O those days of innocence and joy! The slave who finds a gem of value to purchase freedom, fondles not his treasure with more delight than I did the fairy being I had snatched from death! -and was it not natural?-To me she was indebted for life, and when we see the interest we attach to a simple flower which we have preserved from fading, who can wonder if we idolize creation's fairest blossom when it owes its bloom to us? For my own part, I prize nothing but what costs me trouble. Well-after a few years spent in this delectable manner I was sent to college, and some of these days I'll make you laugh finely at an account of my adventures therefor I led a roystering frolicksome life, and many's the jovial rollicking son of mischief could tell you the same. Any how, I passed through the furnace without much damage, and when I returned home, which I did at twenty-one, it was with principles untouched by profanity; feelings, unblunted by wantonness or fun; and a breast which libertinism had not rendered heartless. How well can I recollect the dear gay party that collected at our house to welcome me once more amongst them. There was my father and my mother (God rest her!) and all my sisters, who formed a capital muster roll of affectionate relations. Then there was my cousin Alfred, and a schoolfellow of his, named Tim Lackington, a young fellow of good property; and, lastly, there was Mr. Beaufort, with Bertha and my own bewitching Frances by his side. I rushed into the thick of the group, and was embraced with acclamations by all, but cold and dead in my grave must I lie before the soft notes in which one voice uttered welcome' fades upon my delighted me mory. It was spoken by the girl for whose presence the world was indebted to me. I flew to her and kissed her rapturously, and while I did so, lads, I learned to prize the unbought pressure from the lip of purity far, far beyond the hollow blandishments of hireling wantons. Frances blushed, but immediately afterwards she laughed, and said with all her sweetest playfulness of manner, 'Come, come, master Philip; remember I am not now the little goosecap whose inquiries after truth led her to the bottom of a well.' What, you still remember that,' said I, as delighted as if somebody had proved his remembrance of me by a good fat legacy. "Yes,' returned she, still laughing, And I also recollect how a certain person, a little given to blundering, took a flight after me, when by simply winding up the bucket in which I stood, he might have saved himself the trouble.' "That was in order to die with you, if we could'nt live together,' said I, taking both her hands. She made no reply to this, but a tear, bright as an angel's glance, spoke folio volumes. There was enchantment in her look at that moment, and only then did I discover how surprisingly she was altered and improved. The innocence of childhood still shed its vestal light over her features, but the fires of intellect blended with the flame, and exalted their character so highly, that a pagan would have taken her for Diana, beautified by a resemblance to the god of genius with whom she was twin-born! Added to this, her eye was a heaven in itself, and her mouth the most perfect thing in nature;-as to the nectar on her lips,-pass the wine, boys! "Her stature was tall and sylphlike! but if any of you can form a notion of what a fairy ought to be, you will at once draw her portrait. We now renewed our old confidential intercourse when I walked, she was my companion; if she stayed at home, it was I who read to her; or if there was a ball took place, Frances Beaufort and Philip O'Lee were each other's sole partners. At first all this was noticed by our parents with sly nods and winks; then with finger placed knowingly against the nose; and lastly, they looked serious, and laid their heads together in consultation upon the matter. upshot of all which was, that they came to an agreement to tie us up with the halter of matrimony. The "I think I now see the look of pleased importance with which my father came to broach this affair to me. He was a little Punchinello formed chap, yet then you would have taken him for an alderman at a feast; and I declare that he looked quite as wise as one. When, however, he essayed to speak, he became sadly puzzled how to make a commencement, and stood hemming and coughing, and twirling his chair for several minutes; at length he pitched himself upon his seat as a butcher does a round of beef upon a block, and once more clearing his throat, exclaimed, The top of the morning upon you, Philip O'Lee.' "The same to you, sir, and plenty of 'em,' said I. "Until you make a grandfather of me?' returned he, with an attempt at archness. "With all my heart, for then you'll live to eternity, as I never intend to marry,' was my rejoinder. "Just as you please,' said dad, Tim Lackington then will stand a good chance of carrying off Miss Beaufort.' Let him!-what do I care for Miss Beaufort?' cried I. 66 6 Have a care, Philip,' said one of my sisters; love, you know, is an April shower.' "Then I don't care how long I'm weather-bound,' was my answer. At this moment I perceived my heart's favourite toy walking along an evergreen enclosure in her garden; so without ceremony I capered over my father's gouty toes, turned a deaf ear to the yell which followed-threw open the back parlour window-leaped outvaulted over the dwarf wall of youthful memory, and was by the darling's side before any of you could have said Jack Robinson.' "Heavens, Mr. O'Lee!' cried Frances, what the devil' no, she didn't say what the devil-—' what in Heaven's name brings you here in such a mighty hurry?' News, news,' I exclaimed, I'm so pleased, and so proud!-Do you know, Frances, that they've just been telling me I'm in love.' "You!' said she, and then she paused, and the jewel faltered, and her colour went and came fifty times in a minute, like the hues of a spring sky. But I mustn't tell secrets: therefore suffice it, that before day was an hour older, I pressed the joyous one to my heart with her own consent, and while her face glowed with blushes, the smile of approval told me they were caused by anything but anger. Talk as ye will, boys, the sunniest beam bestowed by Heaven upon earth is the bright smile of a woman's lip! "Our hearts once opened, we lived on in the happiest manner imaginable. We were disturbed by neither jealousy nor disquiet the unbroken intimacy of our early years and its spontaneous renewal after so long a separation prevented the first, while the consent of parents and friends entirely precluded the last from perplexing us. I was also completely free from the numerous petty torments which ladies in the exercise of their fancied privileges are so apt to inflict upon their admirers; nor did I suffer from any of those little artifices that frequently make women disagreeable; Frances was above them: her frank heart had made her confess her love, and each action displayed it with all the sincerity of her nature. On the other hand, as I placed the most unreserved confidence in her faith, I never tortured the sweet girl by those causeless suspicions which are found to superinduce the very acts we wish to guard our sweethearts from committing; and thus, while Frances could fearlessly show as much politeness as she pleased to the other sex, my peace of mind was secure, for she never failed by a side look and a kindly glance to assure me that I was uppermost in her thoughts. In short, as love is the summer-land in which a mortal can sojourn but once, we took care to wander hand in hand together, and to avoid all paths disfigured by a shade, which I assure you is the true secret of happiness between lovers after all. "It is a strange thing that dame Fate is sure to poke her malice at us when we are most joyful. It was impossible for prospects to be brighter than were those of the families of Beaufort and O'Lee, when at one fell swoop they were entirely destroyed. This calamity occurred through a sudden depression in the iron trade, which, by occasioning a loss of so much per pig, not only proved that Mr. Beaufort had taken the wrong sow by the ear, when a short time previously he had injudiciously bought up a more than usually large stock, but absolutely reduced him to a comparative state of penury. Then was the time for friendship to have stretched forth the unsparing hand; but I am shocked to say that my worldlyminded father, instead of affording or offering the slightest assistance, took immediate measures for breaking off all connection with his friend, of too contemptible a nature for a son to repeat. "Uninfluenced by his example, I flew to the side of my Frances. We embraced, we mingled our tears together, and vowed eternal fidelity. But parental authority interposed; the old gentleman, bad luck to the lawyers, had the power of disinheriting me if I married against his will, and he swore point blank that he would exert that power if I ever spoke to Frances again. (To be continued.) THE FOUNTAIN OF THE WOODS. Fount of the woods! o'er whom ages have pass'd, No more thy green turf by the pilgrim is press'd, But the skylark upon it is building her nest; The arms of the ivy around thee are clinging, And the voice of the breeze to thy slumbers is singing. But the hymns that were blended, the pray'rs that were breath'd, When the last gleams of sunset to thee were bequeath'd, And the visions of mourners prolong'd at thy shrine, No more-save in Memory's records are thine! THE HOROSCOPE; OR, THE BROKEN HEART. It was at college that I first knew Harry Merton. At that period there was nothing remarkable either in his habits or appearance, no particular development or superiority of intellect, nor, in fact, any thing that could be construed either into genius, or even sensibility, or depth of feeling, different from the ordinary run of individuals,―minds, like the current coin of the realm, differing merely in size and value, but all bearing the same image and superscription. We read together, entered in the same routine of studies and pursuits, and, in short, were almost inseparable. Our gaieties and amusements were those incident to a college life some twenty years ago, when alma mater was reckoned more indulgent than appeared compatible with the future welfare of her progeny. But in all our engagements at that period, and I knew him intimately, my friend never surprised me by any outbreak, or display of character under any new aspect or combination. I could calculate to a nicety what would be Harry Merton's conduct under any given circumstances, with the certainty of a mathematical demonstration. In fine, he was one of those, destined, as I thought, to pass through life with the least possible aberration from the common rules and bearings of any problem of contingencies in the records of human existence. How deceitful the surfacehow mysterious, how inscrutable, the dark places of imagery in the human heart. Calm, and unruffled, the awful profundity of those depths may never be discovered the abyss below that smooth and waveless ocean never penetrated. Some fortuitous impulse alone is wanting to upheave the whole tide. of feeling that shall eventually overwhelm every barrier, and leave the moral nature one wide waste of desolation and despair! One morning I breakfasted with him. He had spent the previous evening with a friend from the country, and I observed an air of thoughtfulness, and even gloom, about him very different from his usual habits, which were those of subdued serenity and cheerfulness. The change, however, was not so de cidedly marked as would have led me to make any observation on the subject. When the equipage was removed he said, looking away from me he spoke as "To-day is my birth-day, Will." shall we dine?" He shook his head. Why Harry, what is the matter with you this morning?" I inquired. I hardly know, unless that it is my birthday." "And what, in that auspicious cycle, needs so grave a welcome?" I met an old friend yesternight." "Some good-natured one, I suppose, with a friend's news." "Listen-he has reminded me of by-gone events-he has brought news, too, that I did not think could have again stirred the stagnant impulses of my heart." "Let me know it, by all means. Perhaps a laugh will disperse the vapours that have gathered into such a cloud; like a shot at sea the distant waterspout." you a Agreed-but I must first let little into the secret, or you will hardly know whereabouts to point your shot. You must know, I was once in love!" Really a very original conception-a very marvellous, and most recondite disclosure!" Truce with thine impertinences, and listen no more interruptions, pray. About eight years ago, in the neighbourhood of W, a family intimacy brought me into almost daily. communication with Mary W, the daughter of a wealthy commoner, whose acres joined, or nearly so, those of mine uncle. She was then about thirteen; we played together, rambled together, and, in short, she was my sole companion for about twelve months; after which time her family removed to a distant part of England. About four years had elapsed before I saw her again-never shall I forget the change. Expanding into all the graces of womanhood, though not strictly handsome, she stood before me as fascinating a creature as ever sun shone upon. The beautiful contour of her form; grace breathing |