ened.

proceeded. And at its close his countenance bright"You are in an awkward dilemma, it must be owned, Master Jocelyn Mounchensey," he said. "But I think I can protect you in spite of them all-in spite of Buckingham himself. Luckily, he is not at Theobalds at present—so the coast is clear for action. The first blow is half the battle. I must present you to the King without delay. And see, his Majesty approaches. Stand close behind me, and act as I advise you by a sign."

M

CHAPTER XX.

KING JAMES THE FIRST.

EANTIME the royal cavalcade came slowly up the avenue. It was very numerous, and all the more brilliant in appearance, since it comprised nearly as many high-born dames as nobles. Amongst the distinguished foreigners, who with their attendants swelled the party, were the Venetian lieger-ambassador Giustiniano, and the Marquis de Tremouille, of the family des Ursins, ambassador from France.

These exalted personages rode close behind the king, and one or the other of them was constantly engaged in conversation with him. Giustiniano had one of those dark, grave, handsome countenances familiarised to us by the portraits of Titian and Tintoretto, and even the king's jests failed in making him smile. He was apparelled entirely in black velvet, with a cloak bordered with the costly fur of the black fox. All his followers were similarly attired. The sombre Venetian presented a striking contrast to his vivacious companion, the gay and graceful De Tremouille, who glittered in white satin, embroidered with leaves of silver, while the same color and the same ornaments were adopted by his retinue.

No order of precedence was observed by the court nobles. Each rode as he listed. Prince Charles was absent, and so was the supreme favorite, Buckingham; but their places were supplied by some of the chief personages of the realm, including the Earls of Arundel, Pembroke, and Montgomery, the Marquis of Hamilton, and the Lords Haddington, Fenton, and Doncaster. Intermingled with the nobles, the courtiers of lesser rank, and the ambassadors' followers, were the ladies, most of whom claimed attention from personal charms, rich attire, and the grace and skill with which they managed their horses.

Perhaps the most beautiful amongst them was the young Countess of Exeter, whose magnificent black eyes did great execution. The lovely Countess was mounted on a fiery Spanish barb, given to her by De Gondomar. Forced into a union with a gouty and decrepit old husband, the Countess of Exeter might have pleaded this circumstance in extenuation of some of her follies. It was undoubtedly an argument employed by her admirers, who, in endeavoring to shake her fidelity to her lord, told her it was an infamy that she should be sacrificed to such an old dotard as he. Whether these arguments prevailed in more cases than one we shall not inquire too nicely; but, if courtscandal may be relied on, they did-Buckingham and De Gondomar being both reputed to have been her lovers.

The last, however, in the list, and the one who appeared to be most passionately enamoured of the beautiful Countess, and to receive the largest share of her regard, was Lord Roos; and as this culpable attachment and its consequences connect themselves intimately with our history we have been obliged to advert to them thus particularly. Lord Roos was a near relative of the Earl of Exeter; and although ne infirm and gouty old peer had been excessively jealous of his lovely young wife on former occasions, when she had appeared to trifle with his honor, he seemed perfectly easy and unsuspicious now, though there was infinitely more cause for distrust. Possibly he had too much reliance on Lord Roos's good feelings and principles to suspect him.

woman, whose vanity had prompted her to bring a different source that he was cast over his horse s
about this unfortunate match. Expressing the great- head into the New River, and narrowly escaped drown-
est indignation at the treatment her daughter had ing, his boots alone being visible above the ice cover-
experienced, Lady Lake counselled her to resent it, ing the stream. Moreover, the monarch's attire was
undertaking herself to open the eyes of the injured excessively stiff and cum brous, and this, added to the
Earl of Exeter to his wife's infidelity; but she was natural ungainliness of his person, prevented all free-
dissuaded from her purpose by Sir Thomas Lake. dom of movement, especially on horseback. His
Though generally governed by his wife, Sir Thomas doublet, which, on the present occasion was of green
succeeded in this instance, in over-ruling her design velvet, considerably frayed-for he was by no means
of proceeding at once to extremities with the guilty particular about the newness of his apparel-was pad-
pair, recommending that, in the first instance, Lord ded and quilted so as to be dagger-proof; and his hose
Roos should be strongly remonstrated with by Lady were stuffed in the same manner, and preposterously
Lake and her daughter, when perhaps his fears might large about the hips. Then his ruff was triple-banded,
be aroused, if his sense of duty could not be awak- and so stiffly starched, that the head was fixed im-
ened.
movably amidst its plaits.

This final appeal had not yet been made; but an in- Though not handsome, James's features were
terview had taken place between Lady Roos and her thoughtful and intelligent, with a gleam of cunning
husband, at which, with many passionate entreaties, in the eye, and an expression of sarcasm about the
she had implored him to shake off the thraldom in mouth, and they contained the type of the peculiar
which he had bound himself, and to return to her, physiognomy that distinguished all his unfortunate
when all should be forgiven and forgotten, but with-line. His beard was of a yellowish brown, and
out effect.
scantily covered his chin, and his thin moustaches
Thus matters stood at present.
were of a yet lighter hue. His hair was beginning to
As we have seen, though the Countess of Exeter turn gray, but his complexion was ruddy and hale,
formed one of the chief ornaments of the hawking proving that, but for his constant ebriety and indul-
party, Lord Roos had not joined it; his absence being gence in the pleasures of the table, he might have at-
occasioned by a summons from the Conde de Gondo-tained a good old age-if, indeed his life were not un-
mar, with some of whose political intrigues he was fairly abridged. His large eyes were for ever rolling
secretly mixed up. Whether the Countess missed about, and his tongue was too big for his mouth,
him or not, we pretend not to say. All we are able causing him to splutter in utterance, besides giving
to declare is, she was in high spirits, and seemed in him a disagreeable appearance when eating; while his
no mood to check the advance of other aspirants to legs were so weak, that he required support in walk-
her favor. Her beautiful and expressive features ing. Notwithstanding these defects, and his general
beamed with constant smiles, and her lustrous black coarseness of manner, James was not without dignity,
eyes seemed to create a flame wherever their beams and could, when he chose, assume a right royal air
alighted.
and deportment. But these occasions were rare.
is well known, his pedantry and his pretensions to
superior wisdom and discrimination procured him the
title of the "Scottish Solomon." His general charac-
ter will be more fully developed as we proceed; and
we shall show the perfidy and dissimulation which he
practised in carrying out his schemes, and tried to
soften down under the plausible appellation of "King-
craft."

But we must quit this enchantress and her spells, and proceed with the description of the royal party. In the rear of those on horseback walked the falconers, in liveries of green cloth, with bugles hanging from the shoulder; each man having a hawk upon his fist, completely tired in its hood, bells, varvels, and jesses. At the heels of the falconers, and accompanied by a throng of varlets, in russet jerkins, carrying staves, came two packs of hounds,-one used for what was termed, in the language of falconry, the Flight at the River, these were all water-spaniels; and the other, for the Flight at the Field. Nice music they made, in spite of the efforts of the varlets in russet to keep them quiet.

As

James was never seen to greater advantage than on occasions like the present. His hearty enjoyment of the sport he was engaged in, even with the meanest varlets by whom he was attended, and for whom he had generally some droll nickname; his complete abandonment of all etiquette which either he or his master of the ceremonies observed elsewhere; his good-tempered vanity and boasting about his skill as a woodsman-all these things created an impression in his favor, which was not diminished in those who were not brought much into contact with him in other ways. When hunting or hawking, James was nothing more than a hearty country gentleman engaged in the like sports.

Hawking, in those days, was what shooting is in the present; fowling-pieces being scarcely used. if at all. Thus the varieties of the hawk-tribe were not merely employed in the capture of pheasants, partridges, grouse, rails, quails, and other game, besides water-fowl, but in the chase of hares; and in all of these pursuits the falconers were assisted by dogs. Game, of course, could only be killed at particular seasons of the year; and wild-geese, wild-ducks, The cavalcade came leisurely on, for the King prowoodcocks, and snipes in the winter; but spring and ceeded no faster than would allow the falconers to summer pastime was afforded by the crane, the keep easily up with those on horseback. He was in bustard, the heron, the rook, and the kite; while, at high good humor, and laughed and jested sometimes the same periods, some of the smaller description of with one ambassador, sometimes with the other, and water-fowl offered excellent sport on lake or river. having finished a learned discussion on the manner of A striking and picturesque sight that cavalcade fleeing a hawk at the river and on the field, as taught presented, with its nodding plumes of many colors, by the great French authorities, Martin, Malopin, and its glittering silks and velvets, its proud array of horse- Aimé Cassin, with the Marquis de Tremouille, had men, and its still prouder array of lovely women whose just begun a similar conversation with Giustiniano as personal graces and charms baffle description, while to the Italian mode of manning, hooding, and reclaimthey invite it. Pleasant were the sounds that accom- ing a falcon, as practised by Messer Francesco Sforpanied the progress of the train: the jocund laugh, the zino Vicentino, when he caught sight of the Conde de musical voices of women, the jingling of bridles, the Gondomar, standing where we left him at the side of snorting and trampling of steeds, the baying of hounds, the avenue, on which he came to a sudden halt, and the shouts of the varlets, and the winding of horns. the whole cavalcade stopped at the same time.

But having, as yet, omitted the principal figure, we "Salud! Conde magnifico!" exclaimed King James, must hasten to describe him by whom the party was as the Spaniard advanced to make his obeisance to headed. The King, then, was mounted on a superb him; "how is it that we find you standing under the milk-white steed, with wide-flowing mane and tail, shade of the tree friendly to the vine—amicta vitibus and of the easiest and gentlest pace. Its color wasulmi, as Ovid hath it? Is it that yon blooming Chloe," he set off by its red chanfrein, its nodding crest of red continued, leering significantly at Gillian, "hath more Very different was Lady Roos's conduct. This un- feathers, its broad poitrinal with red tassels, and its attraction for you than our court dames! Troth! happy lady, whom we have already mentioned as the saddle with red housings. Though devoted to the the quean is not ill-favored; but ye ha' lost a gude daughter of Sir Thomas Lake, Secretary of State, had chase, as we have shown, James was but an indiffe- day's sport, Count, forbye ither losses which we sall the misfortune to be sincerely attached to her hand-rent horseman; and his safety in the saddle was as- na particularize. We hae had a noble flight at the some but profligate husband, whose neglect and sured by such high-bolstered bows in front and at the heron, and anither just as guid after the bustard. frequent irregularities she had pardoned, until the God's santy! the run the lang-leggit loon gave us. utter estrangement, occasioned by his passion for the Lady Exeter, on her braw Spanish barb-we ken Countess of Exeter, filled her with such trouble, that, whose gift it is-was the only one able to keep with overpowered at length by anguish, she complained to us; and it was her leddyship's ain peregrine falcon her mother Lady Lake, an ambitious and imperious that checked the fleeing carle at last. By our faith

back, that it seemed next to impossible he could be
shaken out of them. Yet, in spite of all these pre-
cautions, accidents had befallen him. On one occa-
sion, Sir Symonds D'Ewen relates that he was thrown
headlong into a pond; and on another, we learn from

the Countess understands the gentle science weel. propose-that is, if I have my grandsire's consent to
She cared not to soil her dainty gloves by rewarding it.'
her hawk with a soppa, as his excellency Giustiniano
would term it, of the bustard's heart, bluid, and brains.
But wha hae ye gotten wi' ye?" he added, for the first
time noticing Jocelyn.

"A young gentleman in whom I am much interested, and whom I would crave permission to present to your Majesty," replied De Gondomar.

Saul of our body, Count, the permission is readily granted," replied James, evidently much pleased with the young man's appearance. "Ye shall bring him to us in the privy-chamber before we gang to supper, and moreover ye shall hae full licence to advance what you please in his behoof. He is a weel-grown, weel-favored laddie, almost as much sae as our ain dear dog Steenie; but we wad say to him, in the words of the Roman bard,

'O formose puer, nimium ne crede colori !' Gude pairts are better than gude looks; not that the latter are to be undervalued, but baith should exist in the same person. We shall soon discover whether the young man hath been weel nurtured, and if all correspond we shall not refuse him the light of our countenance."

"I tender your Majesty thanks for the favor you have conferred upon him," replied De Gondomar.

66

But ye have not yet tauld us the youth's name, Count," said the King.

clared."

Fail

"And the good man, I am sure, has your welfare too much at heart to withhold it," the Countess replied. "But follow me to the palace, and we will confer further upon the matter. Inquire for the Countess of Exeter's apartments." And with another gracious smile, she rejoined the cavalcade, leaving Lord Roos behind. He thanked her with a look for her complaisance.

"Oh, Gillian, I am sure ill will come of this," Dick Taverner exclaimed.

66

"Wherefore should it?" she rejoined, almost beside
herself with delight at the brilliant prospect suddenly
opened before her. 'My fortune is made."
"You are right, my pretty damsel, it is," Lord Roos
remarked. Fail not to do as the Countess has direct-
ed you, and I will answer for the rest."

"You hear what the kind young nobleman says,
grandsire?" Gillian whispered in his ear. "You can-
not doubt his assurance?"

"I hear it all," old Greenford replied; "but I know
not what to think. I suppose we must go to the
palace."
"To be sure we must." Gillian cried; "I will go
there alone, if you will not go with me."
Satisfied with what he had heard, Lord Roos moved
away, nodding approval at Gillian.

The cavalcade, as we have said, was once more in
motion, but before it had proceeded far, it was again
most unexpectedly brought to a halt.

The Transplanted Rose.

IN a beautiful recess, formed by the interwreathed branches of a thick wood, there once bloomed together a company of flowers. Although they were of several kinds, they lived in great friendship with each other, and, as they had burst forth in their sylvan retreat, in the spring, they were promised by the aged trees around a long and most happy existence. Nothing could be more delightful than the summer days and nights which they spent in each other's society. There was no envy, no jealousy, no pride-those dreadful plagues of the fair flowers of the human race-and they were luckily ignorant of any degrading luxury and wasting dissipation to sap their strength, steal the fine hues from their fresh and tender leaves, or to bend them out of their exquisite ease and graceful simplicity which they inherit from nature. The loveliest belle, while she envied their wonderful beauty, might have more justly envied their quiet repose and cheerfulness. The breeze came to them with an equal love, and stirred them gently; the dew fell silently from heaven, and freshened their opening bloom; the sun kissed them, and ripened every charming feature, and the golden bee hummed around them in the mellow afternoons; and when the rain and storm arose they remained sheltered by the strong arm of a giant vine, which they had long cheered with their radiant glances, and which, in return, bent over and guarded them to the full extent of his power.

There is a glory about flowers which always touches me. They are types of girlish innocence. Every one who looks at them feels that, if they have any consciousness, they must be happy. They bear upon them such an unequivocal impress of supernatural care and love. They are so clearly nature's pride-her favorites: the freshest-the most perfect of her "Who art thou, fellow and what wouldst thou?" creations. Who that knows the world-its dark and demanded James, who had checked his horse with such awful tempests-its gloomy calms-its fierceness-its suddenness as almost to throw himself out of his high-hatreds-its anguish its disease-who would not be bolstered saddle. a flower-ignorant of things, to open and breathe a grateful joy under the glory of a summer sky?

"Your Majesty, I trust, will not think I make a mystery where none is needed, if I say that my Suddenly stepping from behind a large tree which protegé claims your gracious permission to preserve, had concealed him from view, a man in military habifor the moment, his incognito," De Gondomar replied. liments, with grizzled hair and beard, and an exceed"When I present him, of course his name will be de-ingly resolute and stern cast of countenance, planted himself directly in the monarch's path, and extend"Be it as you will, Count," James replied. "We ing his hand towards him, exclaimed, in a loud ken fu' weel ye hae gude reason for a' ye do. voice:— not in your attendance on us at the time appointed." As De Gondomar with a profound obeisance drew back, the King put his steed in motion. General attention having been thus called to Jocelyn, all eyes were turned towards him, his appearance and attire were criticised, and much speculation ensued as to what could be the Spanish Ambassador's motive for undertaking the presentation.

Meanwhile, Lord Roos had taken advantage of the brief halt of the hunting party to approach the Countess of Exeter, and pointing out Gillian to her, inquired in a low tone, and in a few words, to which, however, his looks imparted significance, whether she would take the pretty damsel into her service as tire-woman or handmaiden? The Countess seemed surprised at the request, and, after glancing at the Beauty of Tottenham, was about to refuse it, when Lord Roos urged in a whisper

""Tis for De Gondomar I ask the favor." "In that case I readily assent," the Countess replied. "I will go speak to the damsel at once, if you desire it. How pretty she is! No wonder his inflammable Excellency should be smitten by her."

And detaching her barb, as she spoke, from the cavalcade, she moved towards Gillian, accompanied by Lord Roos. The pretty damsel was covered with fresh confusion at the great lady's approach; and was, indeed, so greatly alarmed, that she might have taken to her heels, if she had been on the ground, and not on the pillion behind her grandsire.

"Stand! O King!"

"I have a message to deliver to thee from Heaven," replied Hugh Calveley.

"Aha!" exclaimed James, recovering in some degree, for he thought he had a madman to deal with. "What may thy message be?"

And willing to gain a character for courage, though it was wholly foreign to his nature, he motioned those around him to keep back.

66

"Thy message, fellow !" he repeated.

"Hear, then, what heaven saith to thee," the Puritan replied. "Have I not brought thee out of a land of famine into a land of plenty? Thou oughtest, therefore, to have judged my people righteously But thou hast perverted justice, and not relieved the oppressed. Therefore, unless thou repent, I will rend thy kingdom from thee, and from thy posterity after thee! Thus saith the Lord, whose messenger I am."

To be continued in the November number.

One day there came a lord, and he paused as he gazed on them. He admired all, but most he admired a tall and superb rose that spread out its halfuncurling leaves with a simple feeling of delight.

"I will have that flower," he said, "for myself. It shall be forthwith transplanted. It will be the surprise and delight of the great and lovely. It will excel every other."

And so he went away for his gardener.

The tall rose had listened with new feelings. Strange thoughts of tumultuous pleasures thronged upon her. She nodded her beauteous head, and rejoiced.

"Dear rose," said a little blue violet that peeped out beneath, "you had better be where you are, in my mind. I never heard of any good coming from transplanting such tender creatures as you from their natural homes."

Saucy and dull violet," replied the queen of all the flowers, "thou mayest remain, but I am inspired with a new existence. I wonder that I never before knew what it was to be admired, or how much I excelled all of you. It is a delicious sensation-I am the happiest of all flowers."

She was interrupted by the gardener, who dug away the earth around her, and carried her to the palace of

his master.

LOVE.-Do we imagine, when we open some new treatise on love, that the author has discovered a fresh vein, and mined more deeply than all former adventurers? Not at all: we know very well that the little "Be not abashed, my pretty maiden," the Countess expressions, all bewitching sounds; and the utmost god has already usurped all beautiful epithets, all soft said, in a kind and encouraging tone; "there is noth- we expect from the skill of the writer is, that he has ing to be afraid of. Aware that I am in want of a thrown all these together, so as to produce a new damsel like yourself, to tire my hair and attend upon picture. Love is immortal, and does not grow For a few hours she was intoxicated with delight. me, Lord Roos has drawn my attention to you; and if wrinkled because we and our expressions fade. His Everybody praised her. She wondered that she had I may trust to appearances as I think I may," she heart is still as joyous and his foot as light as when been so long ignorant of her merits, and how gratifyadded, with a very flattering and persuasive smile, "in he trod the green knolls of Paradise with Eve. He ing it is to be praised; but in a little time she was your case—you are the very person to suit me, provided will be young when he sits upon the grave of the neglected her color faded-her fresh leaves grew dry you are willing to enter my service. I am the Countess thousandth generation of our posterity, listening to the beating of his own heart, or sporting with his butterfly consort, as childishly as if he were no older than the daisy under his foot. His empire is a theme of which to come quivering and gasping to the lips for utterthe tongue never grows weary, or utters all that seems ance. We think, more than we ever spoke, of love; erotic volume, it is to see whether the author has emand if we have a curiosity when we first touch some bodied our unutterable feelings, or divulged what we have never dared.

of Exeter."

"A Countess!" exclaimed Gillian. "Do you hear that, grandsire! The beautiful lady is a countess.

What an honor it would be to serve her!"

"It might be," the old man replied, with hesitation, and in a whisper; "yet I do not exactly like the manner of it."

"Don't accept the offer, Gillian. Don't go," said Dick Taverner, whose breast was full of uneasiness. "Your answer, my pretty maiden," the Countess said, with a winning smile.

"I am much beholden to you, my lady," Gillian replied, "and it will delight me to serve you as you

Rash anger is heart murder.

and withered-she hung her head—all her charms disappeared. The lord took her and cast her into the road, and, as she was leaving her brief residence, she met the gardener with another rose all dripping with dew, and blushing with pleasure.

"Alas!" she said, as she was dying, "alas for my sweet and simple home. May all lovely flowers take beauties in the glare of public notice, and leave them, warning by me, and shrink from the hand that would drag them from their happy seclusion to exhibit their

like me, afterwards to perish unnoticed."

This is a fable, and contains a lesson which many a village maiden may read both to her profit and preservation.

last night's dew. It looked as like a rainy day as pos- two little girls, and of Lissette, our quiet German maiden, who was busy, under my superintendence, in arranging sandwiches, &c., in a large basket, and who, though she could not comprehend a word spoken, enjoyed heartily all Fred's grimaces.

"And where, oh Daniel, wisest of men! didst thou gain thine exceeding great wisdom?" exclaimed a mock heroic voice from above. At this we all looked up, and saw from an upper window a glimmer of white shirt sleeves, and still whiter teeth, contrasting with a "Wine! don't mention such a thing," said the Dr. dark face, and a mop of the wildest, roughest, black gruffly, "your are crazy enough without putting that hair. It was cousin Fred, who in this striking disha- | fire into your veins, Fred." bille leaned on his window sill, and leisurely surveyed the whole party below.

My cousin, who knew well that opposition to wine and spirits was one of my uncle's strong points, and that his mother only introduced a bottle now and then into the house for medicinal purposes (including of course, pudding sauce and other anti-dyspeptics) screwed his face down to a look of profound gravity and said, "then, mother, if you please, I'll take another cup of coffee instead."

"Why, my dear," said my aunt, looking with a perplexed air into the coffee-pot, "I don't understand how it is that we are so short of coffee this morning. Really if I keep a cup for Mr. Appleton—————" 66 suppose we "Where is Appleton ?" interrupted my uncle, looktake breakfast, and after that things may look brighter. ing suddenly up. Why doesn't he come to breakCome, Mr. Appleton! come, girls!"

"Poor Oliver! no wonder you were out of sorts this morning. Appleton has cruelly cut you out." Oliver, with an indignant blush protested against taking the least interest in Miss Lucy.

"Fred! Fred! exclaimed my uncle, pray don't put such folly into that child's head," (another indignant grunt of disapproval from poor Oliver,) "but this is bad, very bad," he continued, shaking his head gravely. "To go courting without any breakfast. Depend upon it no good will come of it."

"He isn't quite so soft as all that, father," said Oliver. "Appleton knows how to take care of himself. I saw him in the kitchen just now putting into the ham and coffee extensively."

"That accounts for it!" exclaimed the Dr., looking at the ham bone. "Do you know, my dear Sarah, I could not imagine what had become of the choicest slices of the ham. I began to think that our Dutch girls must have surprising appetites. Well, well, I am very glad Dick has looked after himself."

"Good," said Fred, laughing. "Mother, I suppose that now I may have another cup of coffee, and do give Oliver one to console him. Poor Oliver! I really feel for him."

"Most haste, worst speed, dear coz," retorted he, sipping the last drops of his coffee cosily. "Have a little patience, and we will see who comes out victor." Hurrah folks! now for the blackberries!

conclude the bargain; but my cousin, with his usual
carelessness, and sure, moreover, of his father's new
buggy and the fair Lucy for a companion, had post-
poned the whole matter until the last moment, and to-
day there was no carriage forthcoming. Jim, our
colored man, had been busy all the morning scouring
and beautifying our ancient barouche. But, alas! it
was no go! The old thing had decidedly seen its best
days, and cut but a sorry figure. To add to the chap-
ter of misfortunes, our horse had lamed his foot last
night, and we were compelled to borrow old Bess-a
poor, forlorn creature, with one eye, the property of a
Dutchman living near-who had for some weeks past
been recreating herself by gambolling with her young
colt in a large pasture-ground on the other side of the
road.

Cousin Fred's vanity was sorely wounded, his mood
by no means of the pleasantest, and his amiability was
not increased by the sight of Richard Appleton in the
new buggy, his handsome face radiant with delight,
and our pretty friend Lucy seated by his side, looking
charming, as she greeted us with a bright "good
morning!"

"Come on, Jim! How long you are!" he cried, "Just too late, cousin Fred," whispered I, as I impatiently, as the poor fellow meekly led old Bess to passed out of the breakfast room. the front of the house. "Oliver, for heaven's sake, shut that gate, and don't let the colt out." Oliver hastily ran to the gate that led to the pasture, just in time to prevent the egress of young Bess, who pleaded hard to be allowed to accompany her beloved parent. "Now come, Maggie! Clara! there's no time to be lost. How slow you girls are! Out of the way, Blinky!" he added, impatiently, to the dog, who was running round and round, pushing his nose everywhere, and speculating sagely on matters and things.

As the clock in Dr. Bell's study struck eight that morning, the clouds, driven by a fresh warm wind, had scattered to the northward, and the sun shone out in a clear sky. All B― rejoiced, for all B—— was going to join the pic-nic, and it was universally agreed that the rain could not possibly have penetrated the woods, and would improve the roads by laying the dust.

At precisely a quarter before nine a long string of vehicles might have been seen occupying the road in front of the Doctor's mansion. There was Bill Jarvis, our young lawyer, driving a strange lady in gorgeous trimmings of a bright orange color. Who could she be? A New Yorker on a visit West. All eyes were intently fixed on her--for a New Yorker is considered with us as being of necessity one of the Upper Ten. Happy Bill to be able to appropriate to himself so much magnificence! Then there were the Ss and Fs in their family carriages, and Miss Boulderwho, though neither very young, very pretty, nor very rich, was a universal favorite-driving her little sister Letty in their Harrison, with a posse of young school girls, in short dresses, pants, and sun-bonnets-full of fun and frolic.

But the pride of the party was a curious vehicle of a nondescript kind, which Fred immediately christened the menagerie. It was a long wooden cart, of a bright blue color, placed upon wheels and springs that had once belonged to a conveyance of a far more aristocratic description, the whole surmounted, for purposes of shade, by an extempore tent of coarse canvass, that greatly heightened its artistic effect. Into this extraordinary, but commodious caravan, all the wilder and more exuberant spirits of B- - had collected, headed by Mr. Chirp and Mr. Bird, two dapper little men, proprietors of extensive voices, and supposed to possess uncommon musical genius.

Cousin Fred was destined to pay dear to-day for his habits of procrastination. The Doctor had been negotiating for a new carriage, and, being much occupied, had only two days ago appointed Fred his agent to

Blinky, who took this as encouragement, became more demonstrative; he sprang up on Fred, and when repulsed, darted at Bess's legs, and whirled round and round in so wild a manner, that the poor beast, though the gentlest creature in the world, began to back violently.

"Will no one call the dog off?" shouted Fred, in hopeless distraction.

"Here, Blinky! Blinky! Blinky!" called Doctor and Mrs. Bell in bass and treble concert from the front door; but Blinky heeded them not.

rather more of a family party than is exactly agreeable, at any rate, but to have this colt and Blinky addedwhy, we shall be the laughing stock of the neighborhood!"

He sprang from the barouche, throwing me the reins. Jim let go the horse's head, and followed. Dr. Bell emerged from the garden, Oliver left his useless post at the gate, and the whole family, with the excited Blinky at their heels, rushed upon the unoffending colt, and finally, after various doublings to and fro, succeeded in capturing and fastening the creature up securely. Our success was greeted with a round of applause, and the remorseless menagerie, heedless of Fred's wounded feelings, on his return, struck up" See, the Conquering Hero comes!"

"This is outrageous," exclaimed Fred, springing into the carriage. "Pray, let us start at once. Which way, Mr. S?" he shouted, to the leader of the train.

"What says Oliver?" was the response. "He knows where the berries are finest."

66

To Miller's Farm,” replied Oliver, in a tone of importance, as he mounted his little pony and prepared to start at a brisk trot.

"To Miller's Farm! why that's a mile beyond the camp-ground. Surely there are blackberry patches nearer than that."

"Go where you please," shouted Oliver from the distance; "I shall go to the Farm-the blackberries are prodigious, and there is a good spring of water."

That settled the question-a spring of water is not so easily met with. We proceeded towards the farm. And now we hoped to get a little quiet, but some freak had taken possession of our usually peaceful Maggie. She could not sit still a moment, but kept fidgetting up and down.

"What is the matter, Maggie ?" said Clara, reproachfully. You will certainly push me out of the carriage."

"I can't put my feet down," cried poor Maggie, "this thing is so in my way."

I looked down in horror, fearing lest the thing thus trampled under foot must be my carefully packed provision basket. Woe to the eatables if it were; but, to my astonishment, I discovered my new side-saddle pushed away under the seat, the pummel protruding in Maggie's way.

The matter was growing desperate. Bess plunged and kicked, and could hardly be kept in bounds by "Who under the sun -," I began, indignantly, Jim, who held her by the head. Maggie and Clara but the comical expression of Fred's countenance screamed and entreated to be taken out. Fred mut-stopped me. tered something very like a curse, and vigorously applied his whip to Blinky, who careered round the barouche as if he enjoyed the confusion.

Oliver began to whistle. At this the dog sprang towards his master, but hesitatingly, as if entreating leave to go, and when near him, evaded his grasp, and again retreated towards the barouche.

"Come here, sir!" shouted Oliver angrily, and stooping down to seize him with one hand, slip went the gate. Young Bess, who had not ceased to protrude her nose through the aperture, seized the chance, darted out, and, rushing towards her mother, the affectionate pair rubbed noses, and whinnied after the most approved manner among horses.

At this demonstration, a shout of irrepressible laughter rang along the whole line of carriages, every individual in which, having nothing better to do, had for the last few minutes been watching our proceedings with intense interest.

"This is really too domestic," exclaimed Fred, his white teeth glistening in spite of his mortification, at the absurdity of the whole affair. "We are

"Never mind, cousin Mary," said he, demurely. "I'll take good care of it, and put it safely out of Maggie's way. It was very careless in Jim to leave it here."

"How now, Fred!" whispered I, laughing.

"My well beloved and trusty cousin," returned he, "it is as well to have two strings to one's bow, you know."

"Beware of having too many irons in the fire," retorted I; "and oh, Fred! incorrigibly lazy Fred! beware of being just too late!"

"Better late than never," replied he, gaily-for Fred and I were wont to pelt each other with proverbs, like two children snow-balling-"remember, cousin Mary, All's well that ends well.'"

All lovers of fine blackberries must certainly visit Miller's Farm. The woods follow for some miles the windings of a little creek, and within a few rods of the white farm-house which stands so prettily on a rising ground, in the midst of its large garden and cornfields, lies an immense blackberry patch, extending

I wish I could describe my friend Lucy, but I fear words would not do her justice. She is neither as pretty, as lively, nor as rich as Annie S, the belle She has not the art of dress, the style of of B— manner, or even the charm of novelty that distinguish the owner of the orange ribbons; yet Lucy, without effort, has more lovers than either of them. Let me try to picture her as she sits under the maple. A slender, child-like figure, with a simple grace in every movement. A pale, fair, oval face, smiling blue eyes, and hair of a quiet brown, overshadowing her face. in natural curls; but the chief attraction is something altogether indescribable-an expression of bright serenity that inspires you with confidence, for it gives assurance of a pure, self-sufficing nature. Lucy is perfectly gentle and sweet in voice and manner, yet independent in action beyond most people. A spirit that is calm, unclouded, and self-centred, always becomes a magnet to attract others. This was the charm that so strongly influenced the nervous and sensitive Dick Appleton and my lively and mercurial cousin.

But the water!--what was to be done without water? "Suppose we all go in quest of some," said Lucy. "We are terribly thirsty."