that time forth, whenever my Susannah made him. What was my astonishment on coming a call at the Commissioner's she always listen- home one day to find Susannah sunk upon ed on the doorstep for any slight preliminary the oil-cloth in the hall, holding her brow with scuffling in the hall, and hearing it, was de- both hands, and meeting my gaze, when I adlighted to remark, "The family are here, and mitted myself with my latch-key, in a distractthey are hiding them!" ed manner! "Susannah!" I exclaimed,

I have never been personally acquainted" what has happened?" She merely ejacu with any gentleman who kept his mother-in-lated, "Larver"-that being the name of the law in the kitchen, in the useful capacity of friend in question. "Susannah!" said I, Cook; but I have heard of such a case on "what of Larver? Speak! Has he met good authority. I once lodged in the house of with any accident? Is he ill?" Susannah a genteel lady claiming to be a widow, who replied faintly, "Married-married before we had four pretty children, and might be occa- were: and would have gone into hysterics sionally overheard coercing an obscure man but that I make a rule of never permitting in a sleeved waistcoat, who appeared to be that disorder under my roof. confined in some Pit below the foundations of the house, where he was condemned to be always cleaning knives. One day, the smallest of the children crept into my room, and said, pointing downward with a little chubby finger, "Don't tell! It's Pa!" and vanished on tiptoe.

One other branch of the smuggling trade demands a word of mention before I conclude. My friend of friends in my bachelor days, became the friend of the house when I got married. He is our Amelia's godfather; Amelia being the eldest of our cherubs. Through upwards of ten years he was backwards and forwards at our house three or four times a week, and always found his knife and fork ready for

For upwards of ten years, my bosom friend Larver, in close communication with me every day had smuggled a wife! He had at the last confided the truth to Susannah, and had presented Mrs. Larver. There was no kind of reason for this, that we could ever find out. Even Susannah had not a doubt of things being all correct. He had "run" Mrs. Larver into a little cottage in Hertfordshire, and nobody ever knew why, or ever will know. In fact, I believe there was no why in it.

The most astonishing part of the matter is, that I have known other men do exactly the same thing. I could give the names of a dozen in a footnote, if I thought it right.

From The Spectator.

BEECHER'S STAR-PAPERS.*

are often overlaid by words, but they give a good idea of rustic manners in places removed from the bustle and speculation of Young America. They also indicate the external aspects of Nature, and the changes the seasons continually bring. Except in differences of climate and circumstances, New England, in the country, seems a good deal like Old Eng

land.

MR. BEECHER'S collection of papers descriptive of his impressions during a month's visit to Europe, and of oldfashioned habits and natural features in remoter parts of the New-England States, is a pleasanter volume than America often furnishes. There is indeed the national tendency to much speaking, shown in deIn Europe, everything appears to Mr. scriptions pursued into over-minute details, and Beecher and his reader in rose-color; for he in too frequent recurrence of personal feelings postpones controversial topics to another occaexhibited at far too great a length. The vol- sion. In England, his narratives are mainly ume, however, is pervaded by a fresh and about visits to Kennilworth, Stratford-on Avon, genuine love of Nature, imparting a pastoral Warwick Castle, and Oxford; all of which feeling to many portions. The " experiences places threw him into raptures. Apparently a in England, among scenes with historical and Presbyterian minister, Mr. Beecher was so poetical associations, show the effect produced overcome at Stratford by the service, the by the "Old Country" upon an unprejudiced chanting, and the associations of the place, that American, even when years might be supposed for the first time in his life he joined the Episto have reduced the mind to staidness. Of art copal communion-table. At Stratford, too, he Mr. Beecher has no acquired knowledge, and he dwells too much upon his own impressions; but his taste is sound and his perceptions are shrewd. The pictures of American rustic life

*Star Papers; or Experiences of Art and Nature. By Henry Ward Beecher. Published by Trubner and Co., London; Derby, New York.

heard what he had longed to hear - one of the poetical birds of England. The incident is slight, but the whole is a striking example of the power of the poet over educated and susceptible minds. If the effect be so great in a matter only touching the sentiments, what must it be in questions affecting the formation

of character and the conduct of life?

slope! there was the free-singing lark - not half so happy to sing as I was to hear. In a moment more he had reached the summit of his ambition, and suddenly fell back to the grass again. And now, if you laugh at my enthusiasm, I will pity you for the want of it. I have heard one poet's lark, if I never hear another, and am much happier for it.

Among the many things which I determined ted in here and there, I could see every shade of to see and hear in England, were the classic green, and all of them most beautiful, and as rebirds, and especially the thrush, the nightin- freshing to me as old friends. After standing gale, and the lark; after these, I desired to see awhile to take a last view of Stratford-on-Avon cuckoos, starlings, and rooks. While in Bir- from this high ground, and the beautiful slopes mingham, going about one of the manufactories, around it and of the meadows of the Avon, I beI was inquiring where I might see some of the gan to walk homeward, when I heard such an first-named. The young man who escorted me outbreak behind me as wheeled me about quick pointed across the way to a cage hanging from a enough: there he flew, singing as he rose, and second-story window, and said: “There's a lark!"rising gradually, not directly up, but with gentle Sure enough, in a little cage and standing upon a handful of green grass, stood the little fellow, apparently with russet-brown wings and lightercolored breast, ash-color, singing away to his own great comfort and mine. The song reminded me, in many of its notes, of the canary-bird. In my boyhood I had innocently supposed that the lark, of which I read when first beginning to read in English books, was our meadow-lark; and I often watched in vain to see them rise, singing, in- The French tour may be said to be conto the air! As for singing just beneath "heaven's fined to visits to collections of art, and London gate," or near the sun, after diligent observation, is almost limited to the National Gallery. Perwith great simplicity, I set that down for a pure sonal commentary rather than criticism is the fancy of the poets. But I had, before this, learned characteristic of the remarks; but there are that the English sky-lark was not our meadow- observations displaying acumen, of which this A bird in a cage is not half a bird; and I de- on the statues of Venus is one :termined to hear a lark at Stratford-on-Avon, if one could be scared up. And so, early this morn- Contrary to my expectation, the greatest numing I awoke, according to a predetermination, ber of statues of Venus, as a divinity, are anything and sallied out through the fields to a beautiful but voluptuous. Her freaks, in the fabulous historange of grounds called " Welcombe." I watched ries, were surely wanton enough; but the ancients for birds, and saw birds, but no larks. The reap- evidently had a conception of her which we do ers were already in the wheat-fields, and brought not at all take in as the divinity of new life; to mind the fable of the lark who had reared her of fresh existence; and so, of yet unstained purity. young there. Far over, toward the Avon, I could We must separate in our minds the Venus of see black specks of crows walking about, and pleasure from the more purely and poetically conpicking up a morsel here and there in the grass.ceived Venus. Youth, beauty, hope, and health I listened to one very sweet song from a tree characterize her. If this ideal be separated from near a farm-house; but it was unfamiliar to my the grosser associations, it is not wanting in ear; and no one was near from whom I might beauty. I am greatly but agreeably disappointed inquire. Besides, the plain laboring people know in the statues of Venus. little about ornithology, and would have told me that "it is some sort of a singing-bird," as if I thought it was a goose; and so I said to myself: "I've had my labor for my pains. Well, I will enjoy the clouds and the riband-strips of blue that interlace them. I must revoke my judgment of the English trees; for, as I stood looking over upon the masses of foliage and the single trees dot

lark.

The articles that constitute this volume were

originally published in the New-York Independent, with the signature of a star. They were thereupon known by the name of " Star Papers," which circumstance determined the title of the book.

ANNIVERSARY OF BRADDOCK'S DEFEAT.The 9th July completes the one hundredth year since the defeat of General Braddock, by the French and Indians, on the Monongahela river. The defeat was total; sixty-four officers out of eighty-five, and about six hundred privates were killed. A hasty retreat ensued.

A new Railway break has been invented by | Mr. Miles. The arresting power is distributed over the entire train, instead of being confined to one or two carriages, as it is now. It was tested on the Hereford and Shrewsbury line; a train going at the rate of forty miles an hour was stopped on 300 yards, usually requiring with the ordinary breaks, 1600 yards. A new invention The army made no halt until it met the divifor effecting a communication between the dri- sion under Dunbar, forty miles in the rear. ver and the guard has been produced by Mr. There Braddock died from his wounds. Wickens, which promises success. We hail whole army continued to retreat until it reached with satisfaction any inventions which diminish Cumberland, (Md.,) then called Fort Cumberthe liability of accidents on railways, and trust land, one hundred and twenty miles from the that no time may be lost in applying these scene of the catastrophe.-Cumberland Telegraph. means throughout the lines generally.

The

CHAPTER VIII.-MISS BLACKBURN'S VISITERS.

"If anything will, ma'am," he returned, with grave confidence. "But you see, sometimes, air A MAY morning, fresh, sweet, and bright, don't seem to be the thing that's wanted to set the soft air ringing with the songs of birds, and people to rights. Don't you remember the young fragrant with flowers, that covered bank and lady they brought here last April two yearsslope, woody nooks and secret dells of the con- her as died the evening before her wedding day? tented earth; tender clouds, islanding the blue How the doctors said she'd be sure to get well heaven; and the gracious sunshine upon all-in this healthy, pleasant place, and how her pure, and serene, and hopeful, as only spring father and mother believed it, and even her hus sunshine ever is. band that was to be got quite bright-like about Mr. Joy lifted up his face to that same sun- it. And yet there she lies under the white stone shine, and paused long in his occupation. It in our churchyard, close to the wood she was was that of planting out young geraniums in so fond of. Poor young thing!" the flower-borders immediately under the win- "I remember her," said Miss Blackburn, softdows of his mistress's favorite sitting-room. At ly, half to herself. She added, in a quick, almost one of these windows occasionally appeared the peevish, tone, "I don't see what all this has to face of Miss Blackburn. She was pacing up do with Miss Dynevor. You are of a terrible and down the apartment, it seemed, and ever lugubrious turn of mind, Joy ;" and she turned and anon stopped and looked out, with eyes that away, leaving him to pursue his work in happy borrowed no light or clearness from the morn- ignorance of the meaning of the adjective she had ing. The dark, mobile face was disturbed; and applied to him. restlessness and anxiety were evident enough in her every look and movement. Presently she opened the window ::

66

Joy, have you sent the flowers to Thorn

"Has he returned yet ? "

Jim returned; the note was written and despatched; and Miss Blackburn sat down and began her knitting. A wonderful piece of handiwork was that knitting. Intended for a winhill ?" dow-curtain, and wrought in a pattern specially "Half-an-hour ago, ma'am. Likewise the devised for its easiness of execution and simplic'sparrer-grass and the strawberries. Little Jim ity of stitch, it existed as a perpetual rememtook 'em." brancer and inexorable diary of its maker's "states of mind." An English day, all sunshine, would be "No ma'am. He's a slow boy, is Jim, par- no greater marvel than a single row of Miss Blacktick'ler at this time o' year. You see the prim- burn's knitting without a mistake. She was preroses and such like are a temptation to him. He cisely of that vehement, impatient temperament, always comes back with a great bunch stuck in which might be not unaptly designated as antihis hat. Also, he's set his mind on getting the needle-workian. Her fingers moved swiftly but first branch of May blossom. He does every not deftly; there was no nicety in her performyear, and it hinders him of his arrands, I don't ances, at the best and quietest of times. And when deny. But bless you, ma'am, it's very natural. any disturbance was in progress, when any sus"I shall want him to go to Thornhill again as pense tried the imperfectly regulated mind, or soon as he returns,” said his mistress; "he must when there was any bitterness newly rising in take word that I have to stay at home to-day. the poor, tossed heart, that had not yet found I am hourly expecting the arrival of a friend its peace, then she had a habit of sitting down who is coming from London to see me, so that to her "work," and the unlucky window-cur I shall not be able to go to Miss Dynevor as I tain became a sort of practical confessional, and, had arranged." at the same time, the victim of the penance. "Poor young lady, she did look bad, surely, Then were stitches dropped, and twisted, and yesterday, when I see her a-sitting at the win- misplaced, and entangled cotton was impatientdow; just for all the world like a flower that's ly jerked until it broke; and then did strange come out too soon, and got nipped, and blown intricacies appear, and unthought-of variations about, and all the color dried out of it. It quite diversified the simple "barley-corn"pattern which vexed me to see it, so it did. She seemed such was the original intention of the designer and a nice, quiet young lady, too," went on Mr. planner of the drapery, Joy, leasing on his spade, and assuming an air Not long, however, did the weaving proceed of meditative concern," and took a deal of inter- this morning. Visiters were announced. Two est in the garden. And she was just beginning ladies and a gentleman were ushered into the to know about the place. I used to meet her room-habited, booted, and spurred-members early in the mornings when I rode to the post of one of the "county families." They had -walking along the north road, or the wood- taken Hillington Place in their morning's ride, lane-walking at a pace. For all that, though, as a favorable opportunity of paying a visit to its she didn't look special strong." mistress. Had they known all, they might "No. But she will get stronger now. Hil- have postponed their morning call even to an lington air will make her strong, Joy, depend apparently less convenient occasion. However, upon it." Miss Blackburn put by her knitting, and as

sumed as pleasant a smile as was consistent with hunts, balls, and county families, or-of friends assumption. She sat down and conversed bland- of his own, as she was proceeding to do. ly, and listened politely to the mild chit-chat of "You are not aware of the acquisition Hilthe Misses Egerton, and the interspersed re-lington society has recently received? Literamarks of their brother, a fine specimen of a ry, too. You will be sure to sympathize. Mr. young squire who could not sit still in his chair Dynevor, the author, has come to live amongst for two minutes together, but strode to the win-us. I suppose you know him ?" dow, looked at the pictures on the walls, yawn- "I do, and I can congratulate you feelingly on ed, gesticulated with his riding whip, and seem-your good fortune.

He is a man whose brilled generally uneasy, not to say unhappy, at iant talent is but one of his claims to admirainding himself in feminine society. Miss Black-tion and esteem."

urn felt quite a sympathy with his discomfort; "Dear me, that is truly delightful," observed e could not wish himself away more heartily Miss Egerton, while her sister, Miss Laura, han she did-though she concealed her aspira- added an inquiry:ion with something more of good breeding.

"And the family, Mr. Avarne?

Do you

In the midst of Miss Egerton's description know anything of his wife and daughters? But of a proposed archery meeting, anent which I suppose they did not mix in the same circles; oth she and her sister were warming into unu- I know that literary men

sual animation, the door opened, and a gentle- "Oh, pardon me; I never met Mr. Dynevor man entered the room, unannounced. Young in any society of which ladies did not form a Mr. Egerton had an observation on his lips, part," briefly inserted Mr. Avarne. and no possible occurrence could or should pre- "What are you thinking of, Miss Laura ?" vent its utterance. So he went on to state what cried her hostess, sharply. "Where did you

a capital shot Sir Charles Blackburn used to be, gather such notions of literary men, and their while Miss Blackburn rose from her chair, with a wives and daughters? For my part, it is the cheek flushed darkly-almost as much from an- literary man's daughter that I know most noyance as pleasure-and clasped the hand of about. She is my friend."

the new comer.

Mr. Avarne's glance flashed on her with an

"Is it possible? Mr. Avarne!" cried the instant's resumption of its ancient brightness. Misses Egerton, in a soprano duet, con molto Miss Laura slowly struggled out of her dilemallegro, while their brother chimed in with a deep ma as she best might. bass of "Well, I'll be hanged if -" leaving "I am sure, if I had guessed the rest of his astonishment to the eloquent ex- ignorance must plead my excuse. pression of his eyes and mouth. we shall be to make their acquaintance; shall

66

Mr. Avarne duly responded to these testimo- we not, Sophia?" nials of delighted surprise. Miss Blackburn

But my

How glad

"Yes, indeed," replied the young lady, gra

envied him the calm equanimity with which he ciously. sat down and prepared to listen and reply to the And her brother nipped in the bud a someEgertonian small-talk. She looked at him, mean- what sarcastic rejoinder from Miss Blackburn, while, closely, narrowly, till she could bear it no by proceeding to impart his sentiments on the longer, and the choking in her throat warned her subject:-"We want some fresh faces badly to turn her eyes, and as much of her thoughts as enough-that's all I know. Don't care who would go with them, to something else. they are, if they're young, and agreeable, and

But her old friend, and this the son of that ready to dance; and if they can ride, so much friend, lived too constantly at her heart to be the better."

"Remarkably good-looking girl, too," pronounced Mr. Egerton, emphasizing the observation with a fresh slash of the whip at his boot.

Mr. Avarne rose from his chair, and moved from the group, apparently to examine some plants on a stand at the window.

even momentarily exiled. And he was so al- "And we have seen Miss Dynevor," added tered. A vision came before her, of the boy his sister; "we met her with her little brother she had first seen at his mother's knee, bright- and sister two days since on the H- road." eyed and radiant with life and energy; and then the slow, wholesome growth she had watched, until he ceased to be a boy, and took his place among men. These visions slid before her eyes, for a moment blotting out the reality a worn face, and the broad temples, over which now very thinly fell the black hair, and the eyes un- "That must have been Miss Helen Dynevor," naturally large and earnest, as if with watching Miss Blackburn said. "Her elder sister has and much thought. A more impassive calm been ill, and is only just slowly recovering." rested on his features than had been wont. The "Dear me how distressing! Laura, had expression was brave, manly, kind, and good, as you any idea it was so late? Mr. Avarne's of old, but it seldom changed. The sudden appearanee"-with a benignant smile wasted on lights and shades never visited his face now. the flower-stand-"has quite made us forget He listened to Miss Egerton's chatter with the everything else. We must really be going same attentive, quiet air, whether she spoke of now."

Adieux, civil and sweet, followed, with an would do it, and burn us all up without any addition to Mr. Avarne, of earnest inquiries compunction."

as to when they should see him at Egerton "And you would hand me the lucifer match Park. But civilities, and sweetnesses, and in- with which to fire the pile, wouldn't you?" vitations, seemed all alike lost on this invulner- "Not a bit of it. I'd lay an information able gentleman, who stood in a somewhat stiff against you at the nearest magistrate, and have phase of courtesy, bowing his thanks, and utter- you bound over in heavy recognizances to keep ing words, few, but definitive, as to the profferred the peace, and not leave the country. I wish, hospitality. He should be in London again the indeed, that I could do that," she went on, next day; and at the end of the week he left gravely; "only you are not mercenary enough England, probably for some years. to care about the forfeit. You would pay the

"You don't mean it?" cried Mr. Egerton, thousand pounds, and go."

with his favorite astonished look. "Why, we "Indeed, you are greatly mistaken; I have were going to ask you to come to us next Sep- the highest esteem and consideration for a tember, to help kill our partridges. Could'nt thousand pounds." you wait ?"

"You are very kind. Unhappily, my plans do not admit of postponement."

A terzetto of regret, hopes, and valedictions followed, till the door closed, and the two old friends were left alone.

66

Really ?"

She looked at him, laughing; but something in his face made her look again, seriously and inquiringly.

"Yes, it is true. At this mature age I am learning a new lesson-the value of money. "Now, Walter, you needn't be Mr. Axarne More than that, I am going to learn a newer a minute longer," cried Miss Blackburn, impa- yet-to gain some for myself." tiently, but with an air of infinite relief, as she "You are? Walter Avarne, son of Colonel invited him to a cushioned chair on one side of Avarne, formerly of Moorhead Park, in the the window recess. She herself took the other, county of - and grandson of-of and both of them looked out in silence for some "Ah, you may well stop there," he cried, minutes. laughing. "You see the family glory, accord"There seems to be no change here," at ing to heraldic notions, does not extend very far length said he. "It looks just as it did that back. Unhappily for my pride of ancestry, May morning, four years ago, when we came to most happily for every other sort of pride, my stay a month with you. I could almost declare grandfather was a man of business. I am going that is the same thrush on the lawn there, which to begin life on the patrimony I derive from I remember was then singing on the lower him, his good name, and remembered integrity, branch of the great walnut-tree. As for the and mercantile talents. If it had not been for bees, they are the same; I know their voices." that, I should probably not be received, as I He smiled; then went on in a slower and softer now am, junior partner in the firm of Johnson, tone:"It is pleasant, and comforting, and Gray, & Ryland, Jamaica Merchants, Mincing restful, to come back into something that is un- Lane, and Kingston, Jamaica. You appear altered and unalterable. Nature, like sorrow, overwhelmed." isso constant and so kind;' and then-she is "So I am; so I was, at least," said Miss a visible symbol of the Eternal Constancy which Blackburn, drawing a long breath. "Oh, Walis over all." ter, how comes this ?"

Why do you run away from her, then ?" "It is rather a long story, yet resolvable into demanded his friend, peremptorily eager, per- a very simple statement. At my father's death haps, to hide the gathering softness in her eyes. ten years ago, I discovered involvements and em"Why in the world exile yourself from all that barrassments which, dealt with in the only right you most appreciate and care for? I used to glory and practicable manner, reduced the estate of in your love for English scenes and English Moorhead to something merely nominal. It was things. But it is all theory, it seems: and I possible, however, to keep my mother in happy hate your theoretical enthusiasts, who are prac-ignorance of this; she never knew. But now tical dullards. If you have an affection for it is necessary to work upwards; that is to say, home, show it, and live it, and prove it. Don't if it is not exactly necessary, I choose to consider run away from a thing because you love it; that it is. I am glad of an occasion for plungthere's no sense in that." ing into active, useful life. And it will be a "Isn't there? I'm afraid there is sometimes," good thing and a pleasant thing to reclaim replied Walter Avarne. "It is a hard duty; but Moorhead, she loved it so well." "But-but is there no other way? Is there "What have you taken into your head about no other career open to you, Walter?" 'duty?' I am afraid only of two things in the "Yes; an old friend of my father's offered world-a mad dog, and you, when you get pos- me a commission in his regiment. I preferred sessed with some idea of duty. If you thought Johnson, Gray, & Ryland, and declined with it right to set this house on fire, I know you thanks.'

if it be a duty