salaries. For several weeks the receipts of the theatre did not yield enough even to pay quarter salaries; and Mrs. Murden had already expended all the money she had saved from her late husband's clutches-she had not now another penny.

"Would the actors share after the expenses?" she asked. What could be done? Those few who clung to the wrecked ship had not the means to leave her-they must sink or float with her.

Distress stood, once more, on the threshold of the stroller's home.

'Tis the same chamber, over the grocer's shop in Pilgrim Street, into which I will again introduce the reader.

The scene is somewhat different from the one which took place in this same apartment nearly four years ago. Emma's face is marked with lines of care, and her figure is shrunken and meagre. Julius has grown bald on the temples; but his figure still retains its youthful suppleness and grace; his strong will has battled with, and conquered, every trial.

Two maidens are sitting in the bay-window: look at them well! She, "whose sunny locks, hang on her temples like a golden fleece," is 'Rina; and she with the soft brown eyes and dark glossy hair-is Clotilda. It is difficult to decide which is the lovelier of the two: Zarina is bright, sparkling, and vivacious; she commands you to love her. Clotilda, on the other hand, is gentle; her voice has a rich and peculiar melody which steals into your heart, and you are won-you are her willing slave-taken captive you know not how, nor do you care to know, for you are proud of your captivity. How fondly their round, dimpled arms are twined about each other. There is the love, the trusting love of other days between them still. Clo' would willingly give all to 'Rina, as willingly now as on the day she thrust her doll-Joyful Jessy's gift-into her sick sister's hand.

The maidens are talking of their future-of their mother's health. 'Rina is building castles in the air; while at her feet Clotilda kneels, and looks up in listening wonderment. "Mamma shall not work much longer," said 'Rina, resolutely.

"Oh! 'Rina," rejoined Clo', clasping her hands across her sister's knees, "what can we do to assist her?"

"Let me get to London, and you shall see what I can do!"

"Yes, 'Rina, I know you will be able to do much, for you are clever; but I also should like to help our mother and the children."

"You little goose!" exclaimed 'Rina, "why, you are cleverer than I am, only papa does not keep on telling you so, and you have no self-confidence. Now, don't shake your head, Clo'! I know what I'm talking about. I could not

read 'Juliet' as you do.”

"Oh! 'Rina; do you think-do you really think that I have talent for the stage?"

"Of course you have, dear Clo' ! only let us get the chance of a London engagement, and papa and our precious mamma, shall ride in a carriage."

"You are so hopeful!"

'Papa has told me a hundred times that we shall some day have a carriage of our own-our very own."

"I shan't care for a carriage-I shall be contented, happy, if we have but plenty of comforts for her,"-and Clotilda glanced anxiously towards her mother.

"What are my daughters talking about ?" asked Emma. "About our dearest mamma," ,"returned Clotilda affectionately.

"God bless them!" prayed Emma, and tears started to her eyes.

Julius rose and walked to the window.

Papa is very restless," observed Clotilda, aside to her sister.

"He is expecting a letter from Manchester," replied 'Rina.

"I wish it would come."

"So do I, Clo'."

"Oh! what a good thing it will be if we get an engagement in the Manchester theatre-papa was born in Manchester, was he not?"

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No; he lived there once-lived there for many years, I

believe.

His father and mother both died in that town." "Our grandfather and grandmother, whom we never saw?"

"Yes, Clo"

"How strange papa never talks of them." "Ha! the postman!" exclaimed Julius.

"Don't stir, papa; I'll run to him," said Clotilda-and away sped the little maiden to answer the postman's knock.

"Well-well?” cried Julius, as Clotilda returned, bearing

a letter.

"From Manchester, papa," said she, throwing her arms round his neck, and kissing him.

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Oh, Julius!" faltered Emma, as he broke the seal.

Three anxious faces watched Julius, while he silently perused the contents of the letter, which was written on a half-sheet of note paper.

"Well, dear Julius," said Emma, "what is the answer to our application?”

"We may join on the tenth of this month."

"Are we engaged?" asked 'Rina.

"Yes, my Titania," replied he.

'Rina clasped her sister's waist, and with a burst of joy and a merry, silvery laugh, she waltzed the quiet Clo' round and round the room.

"Cease, madcaps !" said Julius, addressing his daughterscease, I say!"

"Yes, papa." And 'Rina, still clasping Clo's waist, stood laughing before him.

"Let us hear the letter," said Emma.

"Attention!" exclaimed 'Rina, affecting a prim attitude, and pursing up her pretty mouth demurely-" attention for Mrs. Godfrey's letter, written on half a sheet of note paper," added she, peering over her father's shoulder.

"Silence, mischievous puss!" said Julius.

"Well, but 'pa, isn't she a queer woman to"Hush! while I read."

"SIR,-In reply to your application, I beg leave to state that I can offer you an engagement as follows: I will begin with yourself, as I presume you are like all the male creatures-fond of precedence. Briefly, then, you will have the situation of ballet-master and first dancer-understand, you find your own shoes and tights-I'll have nothing to do

with those things. Now for your wife: she's too passie for the juveniles; I don't like old married women with grownup daughters playing lovesick damsels, and in my theatre I won't have such unnatural rubbish-so we'll put her to the heavy line. As to your young slips, I'll put them to whatever I find they can do best. I purpose opening on the tenth of this month. Your two twigs must come out in Titania and Puck. Now for the salary. I'll take the family in a lump. The utmost sum I can give you, for the first season, will be six pounds per week.

"Yours truly,

"CYNTHIA GODFREY." "P.S.-I shall expect you to throw in a couple of flying

fairies."

There, dears; what do you think of the lady's offer?" inquired Julius.

'I am quite satisfied with it," observed Emma.

"And I, papa, am delighted with it," said 'Rina.

"Oh! papa," exclaimed Clo', "why does Mrs. Godfrey call mamma passie? It is so rude."

"My darling child," interrupted her mother, "the old lady is quite right; I am no longer young."

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Well, but, mamma," urged Clotilda in a low voice, "she is surely impertinent to say you are so before she sees you. I am certain you are ten times prettier than Miss Grey or Miss Paget; and they are young women, only twenty years of age.'

"Pooh! who cares for what Mrs. Cynthia Godfrey would say?" cried 'Rina. "I warrant she's an old figure of fun!" Hush, hush, 'Rina !" said Julius; "Mrs. Godfrey is, I have heard, a most eccentric woman, and very niggardly, disagreeable, and all that sort of thing; yet she always pays salaries regularly, and conducts her theatre respectably; in fact, I look upon this engagement as a rise-a decided risein our worldly position."

"Two steps higher up the ladder of fortune-eh, 'pa?" "A dozen steps higher, 'Rina," rejoined he.

Emma wrote to the Honeybuns, who were then living in London, and recounted the good fortune of her family. Julius had long ago offered to refund to the happy couple the sums of money they had so kindly lent, but Mrs. Honeybun would not receive a penny in repayment,

Mrs. Godfrey advanced to Julius sufficient money for his family's travelling expenses, which money was to be repaid in weekly instalments; so, with a kind good-bye to poor Mrs. Murden and the members of her struggling company, Julius and his family departed for Manchester.

CHAPTER XVI.

It was a dark morning: a yellow mist overhung the whole town, and the people, with muffled mouths, went wheezing along. Manchester is proverbially a dismal abiding-place, even in the summer, but in the winter season this smoky town is positively unbearable.

On the morning after their arrival, Julius, with his wife and daughters, proceeded to the theatre, of which Mrs. Godfrey was the manageress, and there awaited an introduction to the important lady. Shortly after making his business. known, Julius was thus addressed by a veteran actor ;—

"I am instructed to inform you that Mrs. Godfrey is busy at present, sir, but she will see you in a quarter of an hour. Please to step into the green-room-this way, sir; mind the braces, ladies. The place is terribly dark at all times, but this morning we are enveloped in a dense fog, which penetrates, if I may use the expression, into the very bowels of the theatre. Here we are: this is our green-room,-what do you think of it? I'll stir up the fire and brighten the scene a little. There! now I can see you, Ladies, pray be seated. Allow me to say you are welcome, very welcome, to Manchester. A wretched dearth of talent now-a-days! Ah!

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