Lawson occupied the sofa not far from me. As near as I am able to recollect, the conversation ran thus: To my further inquiries as to Lizzie she replied: Yes sir, she is quite unwell, but nothing serious, I think, sir.' Her effort to speak in a more agreeable tone of voice, and appear a little womanly, was not wholly ineffectual. I then absently remarked, more to myself than her, 'I regret it exceedingly, as I wished to speak with her on a very interesting that is II—

Yes sir, she anticipated it.' How very coolly she said that! and how very coolly she continued: ' And she wished me to say to you that she had no desire to open again the relations which have been so long discontinued!'

If she had hurled the piano at my head I should have been simply astonished, but in this case I was thunderstruck! I don't know, surely, how I looked, or what I said, but I must have exhibited some signs of surprise, for Miss L. continued, with the nonchalance of the veriest stoic who ever sat under the nose of Zeno:

'Surely, sir, you cannot be surprised that years of silence and absence on your part, and evident neglect, should have destroyed the foolish fancies of youth, and changed the tastes of thoughtless girlhood!'

I

I did not spring from my chair and pace the floor, or pull my hair, or rant and rave as I would have done once, but I sat steadily in my chair, looked the speaker full in the face, and when she had done, I asked very calmly if it were possible for me to see 'Miss Lawson.' was informed that it was the wish of that lady not to see me, and, moreover, that seeing her would avail nothing, as there were other considerations that weighed against me: such as, for instance, I was not a man of education, or, in other words, I had not spent four years within the walls of a college; another and weighty consideration was, that I practised the profession of law, or I was a lawyer, which term in the remarkable mental vision of the Lawson family was synonymous with liar, villain, cut-throat; another was that I lived in New-York, and New-York having within its borders many temptations, (especially for such an innocent young man as I had ever been!) I must have de necessité yielded to their treacherous charms, and consequently was totally unworthy of an admittance into the family of the Lawsons. These, with many more, were cast into the scale, and Mr. Doolittle was found wanting!

I essayed to explain the cause of my non-appearance at Oakfields ; to declare my constancy and unremitting efforts for the attainment of that coveted worthiness, and to avow how valueless I looked upon life without the idol of my boyhood as of my manhood; but it was casting pearls before swine! I began to feel ashamed of myself for stooping so low as to dally and plead with this proud, selfish spinster, and stopped unceremoniously, seeing with clearer vision than I had enjoyed the preceding evening that these accusations on the part of Mary Lawson were but rude breast-works of defense for the loveless heart of her

sister. I might have judged harshly doubtless I did. I have often thought since I might have been mistaken in thinking thus of her in whom I had seen naught but to love, to cherish, to worship.

But the fiat was pronounced: it shall be obeyed. This was no easy matter. I could not look composedly on this sundering of the sweet bonds that had so long entwined my heart. The cold manner of Lizzie on the preceding evening stared me in the face; Lizzie Lawson not love me! the dreams and hopes of so many years destroyed! The thought was too intolerable for a nature so sensitive as mine.

I began to lose my self-possession; the past, the present, the future were dark hopeless; the room, the yard—every thing wore a hateful look; I gazed upon the calm, unruffled face before me as the root of all this. I rose from my seat. My progress to the door was restrained by the harsh voice of Miss Lawson:

Lizzie has wished me, Mr. Doolittle, to hand you your miniature, and request hers if you have it with you.'

I mechanically placed my hand in the breast-pocket of my coat, and drew forth the miniature I had carried and caressed for six long, happy years. Handing it to her, she gave me mine, and passed out of the door.

-

I looked after her a moment, and then sat down. I glanced at the miniature; it was that of a grinning, thoughtless boy of seventeen The smooth boy-face gave rise to many pleasant - no! painful now recollections, and gave to my vision a truer sight of the contrast between Now and Then. In the fullness of my heart, I murmured, in the exquisite imagery of Barry Cornwall:

'I SEEM to go

Calmly, yet with a melancholy step,
Onward and onward. Is there not a tale
Of some man (an Arabian as I think)
Who sailed upon the wide sea many days,

Tossing about, the sport of the winds and waters,
Until he saw an isle, toward which his ship
Suddenly turned? there is: and he was drawn,
As if by a magnet, on, slowly, until

The vessel neared the isle; and then it flew
Quick as a shooting star, and dashed itself
To pieces. Methinks I am that man.'

I had toiled and struggled long to grasp a coveted jewel, and when I had it but in my hand, heartless Fate snatched it from me! Hope led me on with beckoning finger, and whispered in my ear sweet stories of future happiness! Say, where is it now? Say, where is it now? There was no answer. I rose and passed out the door to Mr. Lawson's study, muttering with a heart overflowing with emotion, Thus hope allures, deceives, and damns!' I conjured up some excuse for my sudden departure, and left the scene where had been spent the aroma of my life, never to return! I turned to take one last, lingering look of the old Institute, as I passed out the gate.

In one of the upper windows I beheld the pale, lovely face of I cannot write the name: pardon this womanish emotion — years have softened my heart. The sweet face, like all my dreams, disappeared as I turned to gaze upon it!

I never saw her more!

No more 'tis enough.

A. A. R.

'DOMINE

Rome, Italy, 1854.

QUO VADIS?'

Ir was a time of sword and flame,

And many a martyr fled,

And many that wore the Christian name

From rack and fagot fled.

They fled and was it shame to fly,

When the Faith had lost its home,

Nor a shelter found in the caves under ground,
Where worshipped the saints of Rome?

Forth by the Appian Gate at night
An old man trembling passed;

His hair was white, and his long beard white,
And his face with fear aghast.

It was that holy saint of CHRIST

To whom He had left His flock;

That Head and Chief, on whose belief
He had built as on a rock.

SIR ROGER IN KLEBY'S

STORY.

BY KIT KELVIN.

THERE is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 't is not to come if it be not to come, it will be now: if it be not now, yet it will come.' - HAMLET.

An excellent old man was Roger Inkleby. As full of wisdom as experience, experience as age, age as temperance and regularity could command by the will of GOD. It was my good fortune to know him in the prime of his silvery locks. With a smile pleasant as sun-light; a heart crowded with good intentions and kind thoughts: with a will to execute strong as life; with advice sincere as valuable; with sympathy warm as his friendship, was Roger Inkleby. He was called Sir Roger to perpetuate his universal benevolence. An evening passed with him became one better than the enjoyment of the evaporating frivolities of gayer life. But he is now entombed with the worm of the grave, yet his face is painted upon, and his virtues framed for, my memory. Come to-morrow evening,' said Sir Roger, and I will tell you a story.'

To you it may be benefit others: for we love to do good,

No matter the

'My story is a life-fact,' commenced Sir Roger. instructive, and still more, you may remember it to know,' turning his pleasant eyes full upon me, you at least we should. No one lives without power. rank, condition, or place. Each has his influence upon the other. It is in action, conduct, and speech. In the home, the ware-house, the desk, the field, upon deck. It is in the eye, the walk, the dress; for the latter is as much characteristic of the man as his face is the index prefacing the life. Brutes recognize the fact. A mild cur you see with a gentle master; a savage bull-dog with a wretch. And yet, incontrovertible as this is, it is little regarded — too little by the parent, less by the guardian.

'Philip Marlowe was my intimate class-mate in college. a young man possessing peculiar and noticeable traits. He was a good scholar, a gentleman in his manners, and apparently easily read. He was ambitious, cool in design, shrewd, cunning, and rashly bold. He played deep without suspicion or failure. Yet, in all things, he lacked one essential principle. This was effectually covered by his master tact, and he always passed as the model student. I fancied he suspected my confidence in him was not strong; but he pursued the right course in such a case flattering me with his friendship and reliance so far as his policy dictated. Unexceptionable in his easy conversations, princely in his ideas, he charmed me, and although I loved him, yet there was something fearful in my suspicions that the evidences of friendship were clever advances to convert me. I have shuddered as I caught, unawares, his eye upon me. I never could relieve myself from

the idea that he suspected I knew him better than he desired. The sequel demonstrated it.

It is a fearful thing, my young friend, to live under a disguise one's life-time. But there are those who do it. It may be the first you meet in the street. It may be the father, the counsellor, the elder, the preacher, the merchant in high esteem, your friend. Did you ever think of it? In order to know, you must observe. Pass not blindly through life. Live to learn. Watch the lip, the brow, the eye. Study the semblance between the utterance and the action. Mark the gift and the subject, the favor and the grantor. The politician takes you warmly by the hand, he speaks warmly, protests warmly, promises warmly, despises you warmly. The speculator of friendship whispers a golden word to you, and bites off a damning point against you. effects his object, triumphs; you suffer. The man clamorously zealous in advocating moral and divine precepts, imploring, with streaming eyes, Our FATHER,' is a consummate hypocrite. After the fire the still small voice. That was of God. It was GOD. The merchant, rich in his crowning suppers, is a bankrupt and a villain. All this and these may be successfully veiled for years, but not for all time. Just retribution will develop, will scorch, will incinerate. You can readily suspect that man who declares the most for your interest. The cat needs but to watch to catch her prey.

Through the period of four years Marlowe and myself were mostly together. By this singular friendship I gained character, for my classmate was highly esteemed by the Faculty and loved by all. The young ladies smiled more sweetly when Marlowe addressed them but he looked upon women as ornaments merely, that would not bear handling without losing lustre.

'It is instructive as well as pleasant to follow the movements of good chess-players. The pieces are before each, and the same opportunity to win offers itself, if the one is as practised as the other. But there is a wide difference resting upon the same talent, developed in a cheating game of cards, where the sleeve or other covert hides the ace that gives to and takes from. I contend human nature is more easily studied where there is the more to occupy the minds of the many for instance, a city. The pressure of obligations is esteemed security from detection, but to the accurate observer it is the very signal of distress.

'So successfully did Marlowe play his part at our graduation I almost denied my suspicions. Indeed, the jury of my conscience stood ten for acquittal and two for conviction; still those two were very tenacious of their opinions. The usual result took place a discharge; for we pursued different avocations. Before we separated, I received much good counsel, and many excellent suggestions from Marlowe, such as could exist only where there was actual belief in the same.

'Disgusted with all professions, my friend chose merchandise, and soon after gave me his reasons for so doing, the chief of which hung upon being known as the first in the world of traffic. I remember his words. C Surprised you no doubt may be; yet, Roger, I can make more of a sensation in this sphere than in the professions. Note the margin