I AM weary of straying-oh fain would I rest
In that far distant land of the pure and the blest,
Where sin can no longer her blandishments spread,

To their orphans, have hearts, as the mothers of And tears and temptations forever are fled.
Pest;

Nor are love's aspirations more tenderly drawn
I am weary of hoping-where hope is untrue,
From the bosoms of youth by the Theiss than the As fair, but as fleeting as morning's bright dew;
Don.
I long for that land whose blest promise alone
Is changeless and sure as eternity's throne

God of Russian and Magyar, who ne'er hast de-
signed

Save one shedding of blood for the sins of man-
kind,

No demon of battle and bloodshed art thou,
To the war-wearied nations be pitiful now!

general stooped to kiss her wan cheek, and press | sals." The lady spoke these words in a tone of her feverish hand, "You see how gentle Leon is displeasure so unlike her usual languid meekness,

when you treat him gently."

"Ay, but that won't do," said the count, shaking his head, with a smile. "The world is apt to rough it with us. Besides, Leon must one day be a soldier, like me; we poor Poles have no other chance or opening. Napoleon used to say he knew no prince in the army. I shall echo the sentiment, and say heirs and only sons are un- to call again, in a week or so. I do not feel well

that even the boy was startled, and his attention, already half roused by Seraphinka's remarks, became completely withdrawn from his book. Two crimson spots stained the cheeks of his mother, and her look had fallen to the ground. After a slight pause, which the maid did not venture to break, the countess said : "Tell the woman known in the army. But, my poor Vanda, how to-day, and can see no one. Mind, Seraphinka," hot your hand is! I think I had better again have she added with some severity, say just what I the physician from Lemberg. You seem very say, and no more; add nothing of your own, I weak, my dearest." The tone of command natu- beg." Seraphinka withdrew in silence, and the ral to the general always gave way, when he ad- countess, sinking back on her couch, bade Leon dressed his wife, to accents of almost feminine solicitude.

Wasted as she was by the insidious disease that was hurrying her to the grave, the countess still bore in her elegant form and interesting countenance traces of great personal charms, and her whole air and manner had that aristocratic grace peculiar to the women of her nation; but more winning than the stamps of birth and the lingering evidences of beauty, was the soul that breathed from her dark eyes, and played in her mournful smile.

continue his reading; but the boy's mind ran on the maid's errand.

"What a nasty, idle, filthy old witch is that Jakubska! I wonder, mamma, you do not get her whipped for coming up so often to the chateau."

The countess rose to a sitting posture, and fixed upon her son a long, melancholy gaze. At last her eyes filled with tears, and her voice trembled with emotion, as, taking his hand, she said, with an earnestness most rare with her :

"My poor Leon, do not speak thus: you know When the general had left the room, the lady not what you say; but it is very, very wicked. I desired her son to bring the History of Poland am not well enough to make you feel how wrong from her own bookcase; but somehow he missed it is, and what pain you give me." She laid her hand on her heart to stop, as it were, its throbbing.

the volume, and brought one of the Arabian Nights instead. His mother smiled at the mistake, but made no comment. Gazing steadily at the youthful reader with eyes whose melancholy deepened as his countenance became irradiated with the growing interest of the tale, she seemed absorbed in some meditation apart from the occupation of the moment. The languor of her frame, however, could not resist the soothing effect of the reading; and the long lids drooped over the

"And why is what I say so very wrong?" demanded the boy; "my cousin Joseph speaks such things, and is never reproved for them."

The countess, after a moment's pause, resumed. "How can you ask, Leon? Does not your own heart tell you it is not the poor woman's fault that she is destitute, any more than it is through any merit of your own that you are ricn

thoughtful orbs so lately filled with intense, and happy? Your being so happy, and she so though, to the child, incomprehensible meaning. wretched, should induce you to pity her all the Carried away by his childish eagerness, the boy more. How can you hate the unfortunate, Leon? did not lower his voice, and the monotonous mur- You know not how unfortunate you may yourself mur kept his mother's senses lulled. Half an be one day, for sorrow is as much at home in the hour or more thus passed away, when a side-door halls of the great as in the huts of the poor. I was gently opened, and a female stole softly in. Leon, wholly engrossed with the fairy existence his soul was drinking in, did not become aware of the presence of this new-comer until her step, light as it was, roused the countess.

hope, Leon, you have not a bad heart," she added, musingly.

"Oh! mamma, I could like any one else; but Jakubska I can't help hating!-she is so very frightful;" and the boy, with the repulsion of childhood from personal disgrace, covered his face with his hands.

"Hush! Seraphinka, you know I do not The countess, glancing at her son's contracted approve your speaking thus of the count's vas- brow, rose hastily, and, folding an India shawl closely round her emaciated, lofty form, leaning | mansion, and of trees, except those of his garon her maid's arm, slowly crossed the room. Her den, that rose immediately behind it. The garden silent acquiescence in what both the young heir was large, and well shaded; and as the countess and Seraphinka considered an impertinence that had not, for some years past, been able to extend deserved chastisement, caused an expressive glance her walks beyond its limits, it had been kept in

to pass between them. Before opening the door leading to her own apartment, the countess turned, and said: "Leon, now you may go and play about the grounds; I don't wish you to read any longer, and you need not look for my return, for I am going to lie down and sleep."

As the door closed on his mother, Leon darted through the opposite one, and in a minute had cleared the straggling corridors and stairs that separated him from the so-called pleasure-grounds. The Castle of Stanoiki-for the house bore this sounding appellation-like most of the mansions belonging to the nobility of that neighborhood, was a long, low, irregular edifice, with so few

better style than was to be expected from the disorderly look of the house and the rest of its belongings. It had an aviary, a fine hothouse, plenty of fragrant shrubs and flowers, some statues, and many a neat bower, which the poor lady called her stages, for each seat marked the place where rest became necessary to her. Here Leon spent most of the time he devoted to his mother; though he hated its trimness, and was ever anxious to escape to the large pond, some distance off, over whose wide expanse he could manage a boat, unassisted by any one.

But, notwithstanding the neglected look of all around, the count was immensely rich. His pretensions to style, either architectural or decora- wealth, however, like that of most landed propritive, that it might have been mistaken for a farm etors towards the south of Galicia, chiefly conor manufactory; and, though by no means of a sisted in metal and salt mines, so abundant in remote date, it already bore an air of dilapida- these parts. This may excuse his having betion, owing to the want of timely repair. Where stowed so little attention on the improvement or a tile fell, there it remained, the servants being cultivation of land, which would have absorbed too idle to remove it, and the noble possessors more time and money than its returns would have deeming such trifles altogether beneath their notice. justified. His mines, and the intricate nature of A huge hole in the roof allowed the rain to enter the accounts connected with them, wholly engaged the upper chambers, which, however, being the his attention when not visiting his friends and con

nexions whose intimacy he wished to keep up for Leon's sake; for the general, a good man in the main, but whose education had been most superficial, had no interest in life beyond his estate and his heir.

apartment allotted to guests, in nowise incommoded the family. A visitor, on one occasion, being obliged to adjust a large umbrella over his bed, and to sleep beneath its protection throughout the night, informed his hosts in the morning of the circumstance, and his expedient. It was laughed at as a good joke, but, with habitual carelessness in such matters, was forgotten the next instant. Large patches of plaster had fallen here and there from the walls, and revealed the red brick beneath, which greatly disfigured the general appearance of the building. The count once remarked that the house was getting sadly out of repair, and that a new one was becoming necessary; but the simple plan of fresh plastering and painting the old one never suggested itself to his mind, nor, indeed, to that of any one about him. In front of the castle, a large waste of scanty, discolored grass extended in wearisome uniform- an age when most men are intent on their studies.

Besides the last-named all-engrossing object of tenderness, the general had never known but two affections-the Emperor Napoleon, under whom he had served, and Vanda, his first and only love. His existence had been under a spell. Whatever he most desired he obtained, indeed, but only after years of hope deferred, which proverbially maketh the heart sick; it produced on him, however, the contrary effect of strengthening, perhaps it might be said, of hardening, his character. Stanoiki being the younger son of a younger son, his cousin Vanda had been destined to another; and, landless, hopeless, he had followed the banners of Napoleon at

with himself except when he is at war with others.

ity-a type of the surrounding landscape-until, Thus he became the pupil of the drum, as he himby a rather abrupt descent, it sloped into a swamp, self termed it, and ripened to the din of arms; where the grass grew rank, and harbored under the real element of the Pole, the only one in its tall blades hosts of toads and water-snakes- which he can live content-never being at peace vermin and reptiles of all kinds and varieties. Beyond this swept a river; shallow or nearly dry in summer, a rapid torrent in autumn, hard frozen in winter, regularly overflowing each spring, and as regularly carrying away the many fragile bridges that intersected it and united that part of the count's domains with his lands lying on the other side the stream. The flats-sand-pits and bogs alternating-extended as far as the eye could reach, and gave the country a desolate, monotonous aspect, which was increased by the total absence of human habitation, except the count's

Vanda and he patiently waited years for the attainment of their most ardent wish their union. At his return from Moscow, death having thinned the ranks of his family with inconceivable rapidity, he became heir to the property which he now enjoyed. Shortly after, he had the satisfaction to introduce Vanda as mistress of it. He might now have been truly happy, in spite of the sighs he gave to the fate of his country and his hero-Poland and Napoleon-had not destiny again baulked his legitimate desires. All he demanded was an heir to the family honors about to be extinct in his own person, and that heir Heaven had denied. In vain the countess spent hours kneeling on the cold pavement of her chapel-in vain did she open a bountiful hand to the poor, in order to call down the blessed boon from Heaven-it was still denied.

her features, originally fine-for she had a touch of Armenian blood in her veins-but distorted by age, the indulgence of low habits, and the hardships of a rough life, became softened from their usually lowering expression as she said, with whining familiarity,

"Surely-surely-you 'll let me kiss your robe; you'll not be prouder than the countess herself. Now do, my little lord, and such a handsome lord, too, as you are-it's a prince you ought to be, not a count, with that face and that air-do, now, let me but just feel that soft velvet!"

In vain did the count resort to less spiritual means, dragging his wife to all the spas of Germany in succession, and tormenting her with a continual change of habit and regimen; his wishes were frustrated, and the countess, always delicate, grew weaker and sadder with every new voyage. At last, when the hope of both had well nigh given Leon drew himself up with all his father's seway to despair, and their domestic felicity was be- verity. "Leave me!" he said; "begone, beg

ginning to cloud over, the countess became a mother, and, oh joy! the mother of a son! The count was wild with delight; and not even in the days of early love had he so surrounded his wife with attention and tenderness as he did now. The countess, too, bloomed afresh under the tardy but welcome emotion; and though the child seemed to participate in her delicacy of constitution, the fond parents anchored their every hope on this solitary treasure-for solitary it proved. Towards the close of the first year the child grew hearty and robust, but the countess began to droop, and gradually sank into decline, towards whose last stage she was now rapidly progressing. She bore her sufferings with a resigned, if not a strong heart, and was gentle and patient as ever; but, never buoyant, even in her best days, she gave way in time to a despondency from which nothing but her husband's presence could rouse her. Such Leon's birth and parentage, which may account for the lax education under which the weeds of his young mind were growing apace.

gar! You get alms enough from the chateau, what more would you have?"

"Ay, alms," she muttered. "When you are master, I wonder if you 'll give me any."

"I!" said he, impetuously-" I shall have yon taught with the lash to forget the road to the chateau."

"Holy Virgin!" exclaimed the woman, "SO young, and already so hard-hearted! Do you know," she added, grasping with her long, bony fingers the stick that supported her, and fixing her wild black eyes intently upon those of the child, "do you know that I could find it in my heart to curse you?"

"Do not do not!" exclaimed the boy, hastily. "There," he added, drawing from his shirt front the small gold buttons which fastened it, "these are valuable-take them, and do not cast an evil eye upon me, for I see it-you have an evil eye; or, if they do not satisfy you, take my watch"it was one belonging to his mother, which she had given him but a few days previously-" take this-take everything I have, but do not touch me-do not look at me-and, oh! pray do not curse me."

"Keep your watch," the woman sternly said, closing her hand the moment the gold buttons touched her palm; "it would be missed and reclaimed, and my lord, the count, would have me punished like a thief for it-the buttons I will keep, and even endure a whipping for them, if they must be bought at that price. No! I will not curse you-not for your own sake, but for your mother's"-she spoke the last words emphatically-"take heed, however, young lordling, that your luck in life match your pride;" so saying, she shook her rags about her, and, grasping her stick tightly, moved off without bestowing another look at the boy.

Leon stood on the lawn before the mansion, breathing health and enjoyment. What cared he for the absence of the picturesque? For him there were plenty of turreted castles in the clouds when the evening sun gilded them with a parting tinge, and he missed not those reared by human hands. He was at the age when trees are only desired to be climbed-when the inexperienced eye and heart feel the want of nothing, and the fresh fancy conjures up the images it would feed upon. But Leon was not in a dreamy mood. There were boats and boatmen at his command, grooms and ponies in the stable, and, in the backyard, a kennel full of dogs, a heterogeneous mixture of his own selection; and he was revolving in his mind whether he should yield to any of these temptations, or seek the game-keeper and his beavers, gazing the whilst mechanically towards the river, when he felt a slight tug at his velvet polonaise. The boy started; and, turning him she appeared little else than one of those round, perceived the hated Jakubska standing close wicked fairies he had so often read of, whose to him, and attempting, with the humility of a wand had the power of transforming diamonds Polish vassal, to kiss the hem of his robe. Cus- and rubies into ashes, and lovely young princesses tomary as was this token of respect, Leon shrank into hideous wenches; and, as he now beheld her, from her touch with a shudder of aversion which diminutive and spare in form, yet moving forward he did not feel for the various reptiles that crawled with a rapidity that would have baffled pursuit, across the grass. The woman perceived it, and and without any appearance of effort, striding

Leon remained transfixed to the spot, gazing after the old woman, like one in a trance.

To