we go halves in this

"Shall we go halves?" said he. "Oh! yes, it's a bargain. and everything."

"Well, that's a clever girl!" said he, "but I think your father had better take the foot. I don't wish you now."

to get too far from

"You must take the foot, hub; father has the right to sit here this time."

"And you positively agree-halves ?" said the doctor.

"Certainly."

When the doctor turned over his plate, he picked up the paper, and just about the time his eyes reached the words "twenty thousand dollars "

When Curtis reflected that twenty-five thousand dollars was not more than the annual income of his father-in-law, he was not surprised at the amount of this donation; but he was charmed by the liberality of the gift, and with its unincumbered condition. In fact, he had been expecting something of the sort: and the agreeable sensations which pervaded him, can hardly be described. There was a lifting up of his bounding spirit from comparative poverty to the prospect of positive wealth; an elevation as dangerous to one of his temperament as it was sudden

and exhilarating. Dr. Curtis had received his education at the hands of kind friends, and had won his professional distinction by the utmost energy of character and by devotion to his patients. He was just now beginning to reap a moderate income equal to his necessities, but by no means commensurate with his desires. He had extravagant notions of living, which were curbed only by the lack of means. He wished to be a leader in high life. There was an additional spur, since his marriage, to this desire; he wished to display in society the varied charms of his accomplished wife. He appreciated the eminent position which was awarded him by his brothers of the profession; but that was not enough to place him in the front rank of fashionable life; and when he saw, in looking around him, how inferior was the position taken by merit to that which was assumed and occupied by wealth, his proud spirit shrunk from the vulgar contact, and he had resolved to keep out of society altogether as a man of fashion, until he could have money enough to compete in every respect with his fortunate and presuming inferiors.

-

During the whole day, after the occurrence at the breakfast table, he was absolutely bewildered. He had got by fortune, that which his laboratory had refused to yield, the philosopher's stone. Here was a mine opened unto him! would it ever cease to yield? Such thoughts as these thronged his imagination. There was no rest for his unchained spirit. He could find no comfort except in the brilliant sparkle of the glorious wine, or the misty and ir

regular weavings of the vapors of his cigar. With his long dressing gown about him, the day was spent in lounging, from sofa to settee and from chamber to chamber, until he had momentarily occupied every inch of every apartment in his cottage. But he lost not the sight of his beloved Beatrice. She was his graceful companion wherever he went, she leaned over him wherever he flung himself. She saw through his eyes, white-winged happiness dancing in his soul, and she was all ecstacies herself from the knowledge that she had been the moving cause of his delight. His patients sent for him, but, for the first time, were disregarded.

"I can not go out to-day,-love," he would say to his wife.

man.

Beatrice assented, reluctantly. However much she joyed in his company, she was pained at the slightest professional neglect. The money they had received was as nothing to her when compared to the brilliant character of her husband as a professional She had no use for money except to contribute to his comforts; and she could not well imagine. that his heart could now wish anything beyond his reach. She knew, poor girl, very little of this restless man. His imagination was full of show. The walls of his cottage began to grow, his parlors to be enriched. His little family carriage swelled into a stately coach; the shafts of his buggy were growing into a pole; and his fleet pony, heretofore a great favorite, was about to be supplanted by two splendid greys! What other use had he for money?

The idea of a speculation never entered his mind. He knew nothing of investments or of living upon interest. He was indeed no longer the same man. The fixed attention, the staid gravity of appearance, so inseparable from the energetic pursuit of business, had given way to feverish restlessness. A vague pleasure-hunting look disfigured his once resolute countenance. And who will be surprised at this? In his little port-monnaie, where he had seldom before had more than one hundred dollars, he now had twenty thousand.

After a day's happy uneasiness at home, sweetened by all the connubial blisses, he went into the city. The avenue swarmed with splendid equipages. A magnificent pair of very large gray horses flashed along by him, pulling a light buggy. He knew they were for sale, and quickly sought the jockey. The horses were examined. They were the finest in the city. A bargain was struck. Two thousand dollars was the price. The twenty thousand dollar certificate which had been deposited in the Bank of Washington, was reduced to eighteen thousand by the doctor's check, which was duly honored and paid.

The same day he sent a check to New-York of one thousand dollars, ordering the finest family carriage that could be purchased for that price.

He intended to surprise his wife with this magnificent present.

CHAPTER XI.

When Lily awoke, she was much bewildered. She sprang up and looked around, pressing her hands. upon her eyes as if striving to see more distinctly. Leaping out of bed, she ran to the door of her chamber, and opening it quietly, saw her guitar and market-basket. This reminded her of all that had passed; and she knew where she was. She quickly drew on her stockings and shoes, and fastened her frock; then going to the mirror, began a rapid arrangement of her toilet. When she came to her hair, she found it much tangled, but could not help observing the beauty of the sweet little hair brush, which had a glass upon the back that reflected a pretty face whenever she looked into it. There was the cologne too, with which she moistened her curls. "Oh! what a sweet man he is," she said to herself. She put her locket-chain around her neck, doubling it twice, so that it made a very becoming necklace. She tried on some of her mother's rings but they were all too large. The ear-rings however were soon dangling from her ears: in fact, before she left the mirror, she had made herself look so sweet and lovely that her own fancy was more than satisfied with her appearance; and sighing for the return of Sterling, after looking around the parlor, she began to amuse herself as usual by turning over and arranging her various trinkets.