that they were more emulous of improvement, as Mrs. Trelawney always gave a prize to the young candidates, whenever she was informed by their preceptress that they merited such marks of encouragement. Was this laudable system more adopted by fashionable parents, were they more frequently to inspect the education of their offspring, instead of leaving them wholly to the management of those whom they place about them, many failings, and even vices, of the present age might be spared instead of being handed down to posterity, as they too frequently are, from one generation to another. Sometimes, however, Mrs. Pelham's visitants consisted only of Messrs. William and Tanjore Trelawney, who, leaving Fothersgill to his meditations and favorite folios, would contrive to steal to the apartment of Mrs. Pelham, some few hours before dinner, to enjoy a little chit-chat with their lovely sisters, which they could not do with out some little reserve in the presence of Mr. Trelawney. Mrs. Pelham was not surprised, therefore, when a gentle tap announced their approach the morning after they had visited the theatre with the additional company of Sedley Clarendale, who exclaimed on his entrance,— "You must pardon an intruder, Mrs. Pelham, who would never have had the temerity to venture here, but for the assurance given me by my cousins, that you would kindly receive me." To which Mrs. Pelham replied,— "Indeed, Mr. Sedley, I cannot consider you an intruder in the slightest degree; I am, on the contrary highly honored by the pleasure of your company, pray be seated, I beg of you." Sedley now took a seat next to Mrs. Pelham, and while William stole to the side of Emma, Tanjore had already began his usual sports and was romping with his sister Mary, all over the room. The young ladies had all began their several occupations,-Miss Trelawney was at her harp; Ellen at her drawing; Emma at her work, and Mary was assisting her cousin Lucy to wind up some silk. Meanwhile Mrs. Pelham had taken up a favorite author, and was just going to read aloud, for the amusement of her pupils, when they were thus suddenly surprised by their unexpected visiters. Emma did not once raise her eyes towards Tanjore, though he had several times looked over her shoulder, while she continued work. ing, but when William addressed her, and kindly enquired after her health, she turned her lovely blue eyes full upon him, and in a gen. tle softened voice replied, “I am much better than I was last night, I thank you, William,” and instantly resumed her work. The cheeks of Tanjore, at this marked preference shewn by Emma to the attentions of his brother, at a moment when he had not been able to obtain one glance, reddened like scarlet; but he appeared to check the impression which her coolness made upon his feelings, by yielding to sudden fits of the most immoderate gaiety, nor did he cease romping with Mary, till according to custom, he had done considerable damage to her muslin frock, and she exclaimed, "There now, brother Tanjore, look what you have done to my frock; indeed, Mrs. Pelham, I told him that he would tear it, and so he has, only see." "For shame, Tanjore," cried Miss Trelawney, "I wish you would find some better amusement than in tearing Mary's frocks; I pro test, she has scarcely a frock on which you have not left your coat of arms." "I wish, Alexina, you would mind your own business," answered Tanjore, a little piqued; "there is Mrs. Pelham, I will go and talk to her, and have nothing to say to any of you." Mrs. Pelham very soon perceived that something had put her young favorite a little out of sorts, for to say out of humor Tanjore nevor was, and she determined to exert the best of her abilities to restore him to his usual brilliancy, and spirit; and she answered,— “Ah, do so, Mr. Tanjore, and leave those naughty girls to themselves. Miss Mary, you had better finish winding up Miss Claren. dale's silk." "Brother Tanjore, will you give it to me," cried Mary, looking archly at her brother. "Give you what," answered Tanjore, pettishly. "Why Lucy's silk that you have got in your pocket," cried Ma. ry, laughing most immoderately. "I thought that my father gave you a pretty good lesson on the subject of laughter, last night, Miss Mary," retorted Tanjore. "Yes, but he did not say that I might not laugh at you," cried Ma ry, "and who can help it? there is my cousin Lucy's silk sticking out at one of your pockets, and Emma's gloves hanging at the other.” A burst of laughter now immediately succeeded from the whole party, which was a climax to the already mortified feelings of poor Tanjore, who now exhibiting the most evident marks of confusion, indignantly exclaimed, "Emma's gloves, what have I to do with her gloves ?" and he threw them on the table with a highly offended air, "this is some of your tricks, Mary, and if I ever catch you making fool of me in this manner again, why remember that I shall be inclined to treat you with more severity than I do now," and to the astonishment of all present, Tanjore immediately made a sudden retreat from the apartments of Mrs. Pelham, who gently reprimanded the lively Mary for taking any ridiculous liberty to render her brother an object of raillery "You see, my love, that he is seriously offended with you," cried Mrs. Pelham; "indeed, it was very foolish of you to put Miss Bradbury's gloves in your brother's pocket.” Mary reddened, and almost shed tears, while she exclaimed,― "Indeed, Mrs. Pelham, I would scorn to tell you an untruth, but it was not me who took Emma's gloves out of the drawer." "Then who did ?" demanded Mrs. Pelham. "It was my brother Tanjore himself," replied Mary, and more than that he" Mary at this moment some how or other caught the eye of Emma, and made a full stop; while Emma arose and quietly taking her gloves and replacing them in the drawer, mildly uttered, "It is nonsense of Tanjore to quarrel with his sister about such trifles; I am sure that neither the gloves nor the wearer of them, are of such consequence as to produce so close an investigation as to the propriety of whoever removed them from the drawer, and whether it was Tanjore, or whether it was Mary, is not of the slightest moment to me. This settled the business at once, no more was said by the party about either the gloves or Tanjore, who in a few moments returned, as if nothing had occurred to have given him displeasure; his spirits were even increased to a pitch of hilarity, and he entered into the most lively conversation with Mrs. Pelham; now and then, however, giv. ing a sly glance at Mary, whose little pouting lip and downcast look proclaimed that she had by no means relished the rebuke she had re. ceived from him. “I wish, Mrs. Pelham, you would tell us some of your entertaining stories," cried Tanjore. “Me, Mr. Tanjore," answered Mrs Pelham, "I protest, that I was never entertaining in my life." “Ah do not say that dear Madam," uttered Sedley Clarendale, "for you once entertained the whole world, when you were an authoress.” "And that is precisely what I should like to be," cried Tanjore; "oh, I should glory in being an author, how delightful to soar in the regions of fancy, to live in the clouds !" "And if you were an author, it is very likely that you would be permited to live there as long as you chose, Mr. Tanjore," cried Mrs. Pelham, laughing, "from the little probability you would have of existing any where else." “But, Mrs. Pelham, did you not feel delighted when you used to sit whole nights over your compositions?" resumed Tanjore. Wasting the midnight taper and my own thoughts together, very delighted, Mr. Tanjore," cried Mrs. Pelham, "to be greeted in the morning by some surly publisher, with the flattering salutation of,-"Your book wont do, ma'am ; I have had no time to look at it; but it wont answer my purpose, it is not the kind of book I want;" and other observations, Mr. Tanjore, equally pleasant and gratifying to the feelings of an author; say, is not this delightful, is not this charming when you have expended whole days, whole nights, whole months, on the composition?" $6 Why really Mrs. Pelham, it is a most mortifying reflection,” answered Tanjore, "but still I should like to hear some of your more fortunate encounters in journeying over the mountain of Parnassus, you did not always encounter difficulty, did you Mrs, Pelham?” To which she answered, suppressing a deep and painful sigh,— "It was my misfortune, Mr. Tanjore, to encounter nothing else. I did not, indeed, expect to find roses without thorns; but some of those have pierced my heart too deeply ever to be forgotten." At this moment a gentle tap announced the approach of a visitor at the door of Mrs. Pelham, and one they least expected to see at this early time of the day, in the person of Mr. Trelawney. CHAPTER V. "I am not enamoured of this painted idol, "But when this squint-eyed age sees virtue poor, 66 Begging of all,-reliev'd at no man's door, "She smiles on her, as the sun shines on fire, "To kill that little heat; and with her frowns "Is proud that she can tread poor virtue down,— "Let me not be the means of any interruption to good company," cried Mr. Trelawney, with one of those warm breathing smiles of native benevolence with which his fine intelligent and expressive countenance was almost always animated, as he viewed with unspeakable delight and satisfaction, his group of lovely and amiable children, and as they had all respectfully arisen at his entrance, and Mrs. Pelham still remained standing, he instantly desired that they would resume their seats, gently forcing Mrs. Pelham into the chair she had just quitted, and taking a seat without further ceremony close beside her. Still there was an expression on the countenance of Mr. Trelaw. ney that was unusual, for in a few minutes it partook in some degree of sadness, as he communicated the following intelligence with a manner which was peculiarly affecting to the youthful party. 66 'My dear children," uttered he, "you well know there is no thing can add more to my own pleasures and comforts than to see you happy with yourselves, nor can any thing diminish those plea sures more than in beholding you the reverse; but at this moment we must all participate in the general concern, because it is material |