seldom did, to look back upon the heart breaking past. In general now she lived from hour to hour in the drudgery of her daily work, but could not bear a thought of what might have been her happy fate; but this day the temptation was not to be resisted, and taking out a lock of Robert's hair, with which in all her former delirium she had never been able to part, she gazed at it through blinding tears; and many a convulsive sob gave utterance to her grief, as she once more pressed it to her lips.

"So you still kept that, Bessie," said a voice trembling with emotion behind her; and looking round she started, and her eyes could scarcely believe their own evidence when she saw Robert standing by her side, his colour raised, his lip quivering, and his eyes glittering with almost feverish agitation. Robert instantly drew from a case in his hand, one long and glossy ringlet of Bessie's hair; and smilingly held it up before her tearful eyes, saying in accents of mournful tenderness," Since the day we exchanged these in the hayfield, Bessie, three miserable months have passed over us both. It would be difficult to say which has suffered most. The fault was not yours, you well-meaning little dupe, but his who misled you. Bessie! shall we forget everything that has passed, since you and I, then the two happiest people in the world, exchanged these gifts, and shall we fancy that the hour when we did so was only yesterday?"

"Robert! dear, generous Robert!" exclaimed

Bessie, while fresh tears gushed into her eyes, "If a lifetime of gratitude could reward you

"It can, Bessie,—I am already more than rewarded," said young Carre, looking smilingly and fondly at the agitated countenance of Bessie, now glowing with emotion. "And I hope the lifetime may be a long and happy one to us both. Only now let us lose no time in beginning it, as life is too short for any more delays.”

The most beautiful rural festival that ever was seen in Scotland, took place at Clanmarina on Thursday last. The entire village seemed covered with flags and flowers, and the entire population were assembled in their holiday dresses,-the sun shone, the birds sang, the children hurra'd. There were hogsheads of porter, and barrels of ale, oxen roasted whole, dancing on the village-green, and bonfires blazing on every eminence. It was the wedding-day of the three happiest couples in Britain; and long may their happinss last, for it is founded on an enlightened obedience to God, and charity to man!

The happy couples looked all so young, that it seemed as if a party of boys and girls were playing at matrimony! Each bridegroom called himself the happiest of men, and felt himself so; while each bride resolved in her heart, that through coming years his utmost hopes should be fulfilled by finding her the best of wives: while Lady Anne, amidst a thousand home feelings and pleasant duties, looks back now with wonder at her former infatuation. "Lady Edith," she said, before

taking a tearful leave of her friendly hostess, "Your advice and example have rescued me from being ensnared, and with my whole heart I thank you."

"Dear Lady Anne! it is the pleasantest privilege of age, when our experience can serve the young friends we love, and I cannot look on in silence, when girls like yourself, or poor Bessie, are misled. If an old veteran soldier saw a youth in whom he felt interested, about to enlist in the army, because dazzled by the magnificent dress, and still more magnificent promises of a recruiting officer, might he not feel entitled to warn him against rashly engaging in that, of which he did not know the end? Perhaps his young favourite might reply to every well-meant caution, 'You are quite mistaken! I know all! I was once at a review, and approved of it extremely. There was nothing I did not like. The music was delightful, and this friendly officer assures me that the discipline is a mere nothing. I have only to walk out of the regiment any day, if I tire, for he tells me that those absurd stories are perfectly obsolete now about men being shut up in a black hole, or flogged, or about their being shot for desertion. All is made perfectly easy now, for my friend here tells me I may have an assistant to carry my gun, whenever I feel fatigued; that I need attend drill only when it suits me; and that I shall never be sent abroad.' When I see girls plunging headlong into ruin, I always think what a clever recruiting officer has enlisted

them; and wishing well to all young people, I feel an ardent desire,-oh, how ardent !-to lift up for them the very long black veil that is thrown over the realities of conventual life.”

Sir Allan, awakened now to a consciousness of his high position, felt a new estimate of his high duties, and never more so than on the day of his joyful wedding. Flags, bearing his colours of crimson and yellow, were displayed in every crowded window at Clanmarina, and in the surrounding country, which blazed with bonfires. There were ceaseless cheers, with the waving of handkerchiefs, and an enthusiastic crowd: each man wearing a cockade in his hat of his colours, crimson and gold. Taking the horses from his carriage, the clansmen drew him, with his lovely bride, along the approach, the bagpipes playing "McAlpine's Gathering," and the banners of the clan fluttering brightly in the sunshine. The Eaglescairn tenantry flocked also round the church; and, in honour of a Protestant landlord, came for once without being preceded by the wooden images of St. Anthony and St. Bridget, while the absence of Father Eustace contributed more than anything to the general hilarity.

Robert and Bessie retired to Daisybank, and Sir Allan and Lady Anne to Cairngorum Castle, drawn by the usual four prancing grey horses, which seem to make a point of being always on the spot everywhere for a marriage excursion. The Eaglescairns proceeded to what had once seemed as gloomy a residence as the Castle of Otranto; but

now every window was illuminated, and gay flags waving on the tower. As Beatrice entered the splendid hall of Eaglescairn, brilliantly lighted, and filled with servants and retainers, the housekeeper, according to ancient Scottish custom, advanced to the door, and broke a large cake over her head, the fragments of which were scrambled for, with a desperation of eagerness only comparable to that of the Californian diggers; and during the melée, she quietly escaped into the solitary drawing-room, in which so many scenes and circumstances had already occurred to her, of pleasure and pain.

"Miss Turton," said Lord Eaglescairn, when he met her yesterday, "why do you not follow the general fashion of our matrimonial neighbourhood? There is that good, worthy pill-box, Dr. McIndre, for ever playing at backgammon with you, and much in want of exactly such a wife as yourself to keep his model villa cheerful, and to keep him and all his papers in order."

"To be perfectly honest, Lord Eaglescairn,which is perhaps the best policy,-I will tell you the plain truth; for I believe you to be thoroughly kind-hearted, though fond of taking your hit at me when you can. If Dr. McIndre, six months. ago, had wanted a wife, to mix his toddy, to dry his spectacles, to air his newspaper, and to listen patiently when he grumbled about his rheumatism and the bad times, I should have been only too happy then to accept him. But not now. I voluntarily took upon me very solemn vows, and our