“You cannot doubt, my Lord, of the sensation which I at this moment experience, that any child of mine should be thought worthy of your inestimable heart, and that I do not feel proud of the 'flattering distinction which your Lordship has paid to my Alexina. As far as relates to myself, it is utterly and morally impossible, my Lord for me to object to an alliance, not only every way highly advantageous to my daughter, but which the feelings of my own heart so thoroughly approve; but, will you forgive me, dear Wyndham, by pointing out to you the necessity of a little longer delay on iso delicate and important a subject, not that I have the slightest reason to suppose that you are an object of indifference to Alexina, on the contrary, I believe that without being conscious of it, that her youthful heart is now in your Lordship's possession; but I am aware that if she were to continue six months longer under the eye of her mother, she would derive great benefit, as she is yet so extremely young and inexperienced, though not uninformed, your Lordship cannot mistake my meaning. The superintendence of a mother over her daughter, is almost always in! dispensibly necessary, but never more so than when she is on the verge of matrimony; it is then that parental anxiety is blended with the confidence of friendship, and the willing maid is more than half form ed to enter on those sacred duties to which she shall be called when she fulfils the character of a wife and mother; let Alexina remain with Mrs. Trelawney for six months, and at the expiration of that time, Wyndham, we will resign her to your care."

Lord Wyndham looked embarrassed, he had no objection to the arrangement made by her father, being a most reasonable one, but he had a very great one to the lovely girl being kept in ignorance of his firm and honourable attachment towards her; in short, his Lord ship was very desirous to know whether Miss Trelawney herself would accept of his proposals, and of being received by her and her father in the character of an accepted lover, and solicited and obtained the permission of Trelawney, to address her on the subject, which his Lordship was not long in finding an opportunity, for on pretence of going into the music-room, to search for a particular ballad he had been purchasing only the day before for Mary, Alexina was stationed at her harp, and quite alone, and blushed a deep and rosy red on his Lordship's entrance into the room." Love's a Ty rant," was open on the music stand, and Lord Wyndham carelessly turning over the leaves, inquired thus, Lhsot forw

a

What is your opinion of love, Miss Trelawney? is he a tyrant as the author here calls him?”

"That, my Lord, is a question which it is utterly impossible for me to resolve, because I really cannot tell," cried Miss Trelawney, without once removing her eyes from the music stand.

Lord Wyndham most respectfully caught the snowy hand which rested on her harp, and in a voice of the most resistless sweetness, exclaimed,

“And you will not allow me to tell you what I think of it, very probably?"

To which Alexina replied, with great dignity of countenance and

manner,

"In that, my Lord, I must be guided by the propriety of the circumstance, more than to a consideration of my own wishes, and it is a subject which I ought not to—————”

Whether his Lordship pressed the fair hand he held a prisoner in his own, with rather more warmth than Miss Trelawney imagined was consistent with the rules of delicacy, we cannot tell, but certain it is, that she very quickly withdrew it from his Lordship: meanwhile, he gently, and by degrees, unfolded the business of his errand there, the conversation he had held with her father, and, like a man of honour, in very few words revealed the state of his heart, which was accompanied with an offer of his hand, title, and splendid fortune.

On which a scene ensued which generally does ensue with two fond hearts that are mutually blessed in an acknowledgment of each other's regard, it was transport on the part of Lord Wyndbam, and joy, too great to be expressed, on the part of Alexina, when in timid blushes, and, with eyes moistened with the tear of genuine sensibility, she revealed the secret of her love; and roses, gemmed with the morning dew, looked not half so beautiful in the estimation of Lord Wyndham, as the tear which rested on the cheek of Alexina, as she timidly pronounced to her impassioned lover,—“ I love you,"

No further explanation was necessary, except that when the six months' probation was at an end, Miss Trelawney promised that with papa and mamma's permission she would become Lady Wyndham, which was not communicated to any part of the family but to Emma, who, with tearful eyes and a palpitating heart, congratulated

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cousin on the prospect of so much felicity with the man of her heart.

Nay, my dear, but they are prospects which are only yet in perspective," cried Alexina; "I am to wait six months before I can be married to his Lordship, and it is a great while;-one don't know what may happen in six months, does one, Emma ?"

"One does not, indeed," cried Emma, with a fearful and involuntary emotion; "there was only a period of six months between the deaths of my poor mother and father, and there was only the same distance of time in that of my grandfather Clarendale and his dear wife."

Alexina looked in the face of Emma, and thought, though she did not choose to remark it, that she had never seen her complexion so transparently fair, or her countenance more angelic, yet in the same instant she perceived, that the roundness of her fine polished limbs was decreasing in size, and that Emma was considerably thinner than she used to be; and the idea that she was falling a sacrifice, daily and hourly, to the unhappy passion which was consuming her fair form, and letting the worm prey upon her damask cheek, wrung the heart of the affectionate Alexina with the most insupportable anguish, which was very near discharging itself in an agony of tears, had not the reflection that it would only add to Emma's despondency restrained them; still, however, Alexina threw her arms round the now really slender waist of poor Emma, and exclaimed,-

"Come, dear coz, I will act the part of Rosalind in Shakespeare's comedy of,' As you like it,' and say I pray thee, coz, dear coz, be merry.' Indeed, Emma, I wish I could instil some of my saucy spirits into your melancholy ones; I don't think you would be much the worse for the change."

6

"Nor I either," cried Emma; "but pray, dear Alley, do not be' so observant of my looks, for do you know that my uncle Trelawney only asked me yesterday if I did not feel well; Why, Sir,' cried I. Because, my dear,' uttered he,' you are so much paler than usual.': Now the next person who will be inquiring about my looks will be William, and

"Tanjore," exclaimed Alexina, looking very expressively at Emma as she spoke; "I dare say he is quite as solicitous about your looks as William, though he does not say so."

"Emma could not bear the subject, it was too nice a chord, and it