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'W 1 / \ Ainnr In l^nndon. I dun't know what well do. Jim ; Ibe iraiu'a a 0()iiiiD({ ttmt. I haven't K"t 110 uiuu«y, and it's Iwolvo o'clock aud pattt. Let's ^it down iu a dcorway, thu brHt ats wo can tot', Wecau maybe gut to sleep theru. if the "copper' lot ua b«. Here, come a little closer, Jim, yoare yoiniKt-st, d'yw nee. And the miu won't g(»t bo nt-ar vou if you ubeltor bubmd me ; ruttho niatcbeK in that coruur. lad, and thun they wou'tgct wot. There mi^ht bu Momo uovo;rcouie alouM as waatb to buy out) yot. Does tbe rain <omo nif,'b you tbcriv Jim ? It doutiii I .' Tbut H all nj;bt. I wish wo )iad a crust of bruad to eat tblB rold. wot uinbi; I don't caro much about mystdf, but I unmt k(;*'i» you alivt!. Ana if 1 can no without five. it ten. you caut at imly D'yenco that star up tbore. Jim, a-BhiniiiK in tbo aky â- ' 1 wondur what the puuplo docH aH iivo^ up thuru HO bi^li D'yo think our mother wuut up thci'' to live inHide a Hiar .' I Wihh ^v could Ko too, lad, but it lo<(ks so far. I'm afraid well not get thrru,Jini ; but thuru, we 8C»ir< fly kii'iw ! Tom, what lived in H.von DiaU, ditd not very luiiK »*((>, And hif t*aid. when he wiis dying, that he saw a plai-t'Hll light. And hi-ard viu singing, and saw fulk^ all druhSt-d in Knowy white. youvhaiids art- : poor litth- Jim -ah, wliatl â€" Do you f<*t'l the cold a deal, Jill jutit hktf iuail, Anil Htiir why Jiiu b« ihii't dead 'â- ' Ob. Jiin, it can I bw -nay, he « gonoâ€" Jim's K**en hiH IttJit w*'t day, Aud bK Houl H gfino Hying upwahl to ttie h tar- light far away. ~Th€ (Jitirer. The Htul FaU- of CoiuilInK Nick. Have you i-Vi-r lnuird tbo t.-nibl.. tab- Of Nicholab I'urkiiiH I'(ipi>itigah- W'tio f..nntrd tiiiiiM!lI to death '.' lb began by e..uiiting railrna<l tn-K, And tiit-n ho fell to cotintmg rtifn, I'm sure It ihn t any MurpriMi That lie tlnaily loHt biti brt^atb. \ prouiiKiug boy was httbt Nick. Hut the n.uiiting fever iiiudc him nick ; Ive Jieard uf it belor«. When he took a ntep ho counttui that. Hi' eouuteil thu purriu« of tli« cat, Aud t-ouiited the iiu-heH iiu-aHiired Mat Of everything \iv aaw. \Vh«'n he tried to play ho had to stop. For he couldn t koep up tbo count, und hop Ak faht as (ith»'r ltl.)^. U h liard to run and ((Mint your utridoH, .\nd ii.unt tbe other boyH" bcHirleH ; Anil counting the pu-keth on Hleigh-rideH Kob.-< tileighin^ of Its joyH. At tivory meal lie counted each into. Which Kndl> impaired biH appetite. A'ld made Inui very thin. He counted each cry the bal»y gavi-, \\ ben be went to sail. h»- iount«-d each wbvu, He counted X\m' snorch of liis brother Dave .\nd the lutir*' on liiH grauduiu h « bin. It'H a pitiful tuleaiid \ri i( H truo; And that t-ounting bi>y uaa always bbie. I nev< r saw iiiiaftmib-. It'H all vers well t<» eonnt yoiir caiih . Hut counting the wuiks ot a hiend h eyehisli Or the number of hitcH in a idate of bu»tb Im really not worth whiU<. SIR HUGH'S LOVES. don shuddered, " I heard mother tell Fern all tkbout it out- ni^ht when they thought 1 was asUpp- only I not Bleopy and lost half; but I Haid to uiyoelf, ' 1 Bhall )jo and tell yrandpipa that poor mother is very miser- able and unhappy, and that he must come and take care of her.' " " There, there, you have said your leBson very prettily," observed Mr. IIuutiuKdon with a sneer. " (Jliildrenareapt parrot.^ ;" but Erie saw that his sneer was forced, and that he sat down liko an old man, and he said, earnoKtly : ' 'Oh, sir, do not think so badly of your daughter. She haiJ not sent the child on this errand. I would stake my life on it." " And how lonjj liave you taken upon yourself to defend my dauHhler, Mrs. Trafford '.'" asked his uncle coldly. Krie almost repented of his generous inipluso when he heard that hard relentless voice. 'J'hey hail not noticed their V'sitor, and Haby. at the other end of the threat room, lost much of what was passinx, he was so absorbed with his own bitter disappoint- ment. .\s Erie was silent a muuient, Mr. Uuiitin^jdou re[)eated his cjuestion. " Since he knew I had a pretty sister," replied I'ercy, carelessly. Krle turned round and their eyes met, but Percy's fell before that glance of utter contempt ; Mr. Uuntin({don intercepted the look between the younj; men. " I was not H|X!akin)4 to you, Percy," he observed, curtly ; ' I should have thou(iht it was your place to take your mother's p.irt, but you choose to be silent. Well, it is no affair of mine. Krle, will you be good enough to answer nie a question or two. and then I will trouble you tosend the child home. How often have you visited at my daughter's house .'" " 1 can hardly answer that r|ue8tion, sir; 1 have been several time*." '• l)id I'ercy take you ?" " lu the first instance, yes ; but I have been there alone to<^i," for Erie's truthful nature scorned subterfuge. The crisis he had dreaded had come on him at last ; but I'ercy should not tsee that he was afraiu lie mi^ht be weak anil vacilltitin(>, but ho was a gentleman, and a lie was abhorrent to him. I'ercy's innuendo nii^ht work deadly mischief, but all the same he would not slieltur himself liehind a falsehoo<l. Mr. Huntingdon 'shard look involuntarily softened. This show of manliness on his nephew's part pleased him. •• Of course you went there knowing that I should disapprove of »uch visits. Tell nic, is this Fern of whom my grandson speaks so very attractive? " She is very pretty." " That is all I want to know. Now will >ou order the (carriage to take the child home? No, stop, I think HOilger had Init- ter fetch a cab. " But kt this ]>oiiit FlutT began to cry. " (Jli, I am so tired and hungry," she sobbeii," " and all those dreadful bones in my legs, anil the crier lot come yet. What is the good of a grandpapa if he has no cakes and things, and on my birthday too! " .Mr Huntingdon smiled grimly. â- ' \ cry well, order the child some refrefh - nient, Krle. .\fti:r all she is but a starved bit of a thing ; see ulie has what children like l>e»t. I'ercy, come with me a moment, I want to speak to )ou." " (Jli. thank y<ui, grandpapa " (•xclHimed Flut). cheering up at this ; and as the door closed on Mr. HuntiiiKdoii, Krle knelt down KlaiT did not wait for his answer ; she chattered on very much at Inr ease. " Mother and Fern only think I am tak- ing a walk, hut I always meant to come and see grandpapa on my birthday. I should think lie ought to Ix' very glad to Be*' me; aud if he is not," here hur lip i *y *'>« uhild, and wipod «ti« K»rH truin the •luivore.! a lit»l», '• I should tell hioi he is ' *"«'• ••*'"»> ''"'•â-  f»™ "'*' had brought such very naughty to live in this beautiful lioiise 1 trouble to hiin. while pixir mother is so |)Oor, and goes out | .\nd the li.art of FlulT whs glad within teaching." Hut, as -he spoke, the door j '"•'". ''"• "I'V brought her fruit and bad o|MMied softly, and a tall grey haired >»'«â- '' »"'' "«<'<'' "'"" on a gold siiUer, so man, with a thin erect ligure, walked slowly | «''»' "he feasted like a kinii's daughter, or into the room, leaning on Erie's arm, while, '''<*^ ""^ '''â- "'<:'"« 1'"^'" lierself; and Krle I'ercy followed liim. FliilT gave a little exclamatinn at the light of thu two young men, and then ran towards .Mr. Huntingdon, her broiul- brimmed hat falling on her neck, and her dark eyes all aglow with excitement. " I have come to see you, grandpapa," â- he aaid, holding out her hand with the air of a little princess ; and then, as he did not take it, she continued rather piteoiisly, " fileasv, dear gramlpapa, don't bo angry with me. for I have come all this way of my own aooord, and 1 am so tired and hungry." If a thunderbolt had fallen in the midst of that stately room it could not have created a greater sensation. Erie (lushed and looked unconifortablo, a dark frown crossed her brother's face ; Mr. Huntingdon's was inscrutable as usual, only a grey tint seemed to spread over liis features, anil there was a sli){ht trembling in the hand that held Erie's arm. Fluff looked from one to the other, and then she tou< hud Erie coaxingly. " IJo ask grandpapa to lie kind to me, Mr. Erie," sjie pleaded. " I'ercy is always orosg, but you have been so good to me and Fern." Hut a stern voice interrupted her. " Do yon know this child, Erie ? .she seems to recognixe you." " Yes, sir," atammored Erie, losing color now as fast as ho had gained it ; liis embarrassment was not lessened by thRlonk on I'ercy's face. 1 have seen her when I have lieen with I'ercy. She is Florence Traflord, Mrs. Trafford's youngest child, and I expect what she says is quite true, and that she has come of her own aci.ord, though I have no idea how she found lirr way here." " How should you, Mr. Erie," returned Fluff, nestliuK up to her favorite, " when I never told you a word about it, or any of them either ? why, bless me. the stupidest of all those stupid owls in the /oolngical Oardciis, that we laughed at somiich, knew more about it than you did. Oh, yon need not frown, I'ercy, you do not lomoliulf so often to sen poor mother as Mr. Erie does, and ho is far kinder to I'ern. " " I think you had better hold your tongue. Fluff." replied her brother ; but he evidently enjoyed the sight of i'^rlu's dis comliture. " I don't see why you are to be troubled with this sort of scene," he oon'J tinned, addressing Mr. Huntingdon, who was eyeing l''liiff gloomily all this time. " If you wish it I will ring for Roger to take her home." " No, no, let her bo for a moiiient." ho replied, (juickly ; and FliifT who had looked terrihnd at I'ercy's proposition, came closer and rubbed her curls delightedly ngaiiiht his coatsleeve. " Thnt's right, grandpapa. I have not gpoken to you yet, have I ? and I have so much to say, I was that little baby you know whom mother carried through the snow that night. " Yes," as Mr. Hunting- sat by and watched hi'r all the time, though ' he looked rather grave and unhappy , FlutT i thought. HoUi of them were rather startled when â-  Mr. Ferrers groiH-d his way towards them. He had been hiilden by the curtain, ard Krle had not noticed him. I" iNIr. Erie, if you will allow me, I should like to take the child home. ' '• Of course," rousing himself, and look- 1 ing a little liewildered, " we were both to have gone this evening. I had orderrd the brougham. Iiiit I am afraid now that 1 must ask you to excuse me. There arc circum- stances and," here Erie paused and bit his lip. '• There is no need for you to go," returned Uaby, sorrowfully ; " the bird has tlown. This child," putting his baud lightly on Fluff's curl) head, " told me before you came in that Crystal had ijone to Ainerii a she started this morning." "To America?" exclaimed Krle, in an incredulous voice. ' Yi'S, but she has told me no particulars. It is hard, very hard, is it not? I lind one dues not get used to >lisapix)intment. It is a heavy blow to n y faith. I thought that to night we ahapld certainly have met." " I am awfully sorry, Mr. Ferrers, I am indeed. I wish I could have come with you." " You could not liolp me. I will take the child home, anil talk to those kind friends who have sheltered Crystal; at least I shall hear about her and know her future move- ments." " I think I hear the cab, Mr. Ferrers, and Flutf is fast asleep." " We will not wake her, iioor little thing," returned Uaby, lifting her upas he spoke. I''lutT grunted uontentedly as her head dropped on his broad shoulder. Erie watcheil them as Uoger guided them to the cab. How bo longed to accompany them. The next moment he turned with a start, as his uncle's slow footstep paused beside him. " I''.rle," ho aaid, " look at this," and he held out a costly ring, a half hoop of diamonds. " 1 have hoard all I wish from I'ercy. His sense of honor is none of the tinest, but ho is useful to me. You and 1 need not heat ourselves in a perfectly nao- less disi ussion. Miss Selby has a right to expect this ring. You are treating her very shabbily, Erie. Come to me to-morrow and tell iiie you have placed it on her linger." â- â€¢ And if I refuse ?" Erie's pale lips could hardly frame tbe i|UC8tion. Mr. Hiintingiioii smiled ironically. • 1 do not think jou will iofiis(% ICrlo. You are too much a gentleman to treat a woman badly. All the world is saying you and Miss Selby are engaged. You can Imrdly allow a girl to be talked about." " But if I prefer another ?" Btanimeied Krle. "Tut. tut, boy, you will aooii get over your fancy," returned Mr. Huntingdon, impatiently. " Most young men have half- a-dozen flirtations before they settle down. I Buppise I need not tell you that i strictly prohibit any visits to Mrs. Tratford for the future. If you infringe this rule it will be at your own risk;" and thou he continued more earnestlyâ€" " Erie, I am determined you shall not disapiwint me. Y'ou aro my adopted son, ami, I trust, my future heir. I have a right to count on your obedience. Come to mo tomorrow, and tell mo yon and .Miss Selliy are engaged, and all will lie well between lis." Then, pressing bis shoulder gently, and in a voice no one had heard since his daughter's loss â€" " I am an old man, and my life has not been a happy one. Do not let me feel that you have dis ap[X)inted me too." • CHAPTER XXVIII. 'â-  I W.4NT HIM so." No nhiiile has ooine between Thee anit tliu tiini ; Like some loii^jctilldtHh dream 'I'hy life hnn run ; hot now tile Hlreuin has reached A dark ili-ep sea. .\iiii siirruw.iliin aud crowned. Is waiting tht-u. A'lelilide Annp Pr<x-ti>r, Fluff woke up before they reached their destination, very much refreshed by her brief nap. When the cab stopped before the side door of Mrs. Wat- kins', and she caught sight of Fern standing on the threshold, as though she had been waiting there some time, she gave a little cry, and literally jumped iutu her sister'i arms. "Oh, Fluff, Fluff! what docs this mean?" exclaimed poor Fern, who had passed a most miserable afternoon, picturing FlutT being borne in a policeman's arma to the nearest hospital ; but Fluff silenced her by an embrace so vehement that it nearly produced strangulation. " It is all right. Fern, so don't scold me. Graiidpa[>a was not so very angry â€" ttleast, only just at first ; but he sent me in the bcautif ullest supper, such nice things on a big gold plate - really gold you know, like I'rincess Dove's ; and Mr. Erie was there, aud I'ercy â€" and oh ! I forgot the poor man in the jab. who is blind â€" <|uite blind, but ho is very nice too." " Will you let me explain about your little sister. Miss Trafford," said Uaby in his pleasant voice ; and ''ern, turning in t some surprise, saw a very tall man in { clerical dress standing l)egide her, as she I afterwards expressed it to her mother, I " with the very iiioest face she had ever I seen." "I do not know if vou have ever heard my name , I am Mr. F'errers, and your friend Miss I>aveni>ort, asslie calls herself, is my sister s cousin." " Oh yes, I know," and Fern's voice grew pitiful all at oiu^o; "and you have come just as (Crystal has left is; did Florence tell you? Oh, I ain so sorry, so very sorry." "Yes, the child told me; but there is niiiidi that I want to ask you. May I come in ? the cab will wait for me." And then, as Fern gutfrd him up the narrow stair- CBse she told him that her mother was out â€" an ev»nin((jBlasd had detained her ; and she had beeW thankful that this had been the case, and that she should have been spared the anxiety about Fluff. Mrs. Wat- kins' Itoy was si oiiring the iieiKliborhixKl, making iiii|uiries of every one he met; and she had made n|i her mind to i,end for her mother when yho cab drove up. i "And sh*! really found her Way to Bel- grave House," iihked Fern, in a voice bet\ve*:n laiighint; ami crying; " oh, what will iiiolher say," and she listened with eat;< riiess to Mr. I errors account of bow the child had H with Mr, lluiiiing Kaby himself had Im'ou much niystiQed I'.e had known nothing of his host's past history; be Imd thought that the child was only paying an impromptu visit until she nieiitioned her name. Krle had told liiiii that Mrs. Trafford was Mr. Huntingdon's daughter, and that he bad never seen her since her marriage. This clue guided him to the meaning of the sternness in Mr. Huntingdon's voice; but he had hardly understoiHl in what way Krle was impli- cated, or why the child should receive so little notiro from her brother. When Rally had liniabed his account, which was annotated in a rambling and far from lucid manner by Fluff, Fern sent the child away to change her frock and make herself tidy, and whispered in her ear that she might stay with Mrs. Wat- kins for a little ; and when FliilT had left them she Is'gan to speak of Crystal, and to answer the many i|UestionB he put to her without stint or reaerve ; she even told that (Crystal had left them on account of Percy's mad infatuation. " It was very wrong ot I'ercy to take grown quite thin from fretting, she tries not to lot us see it." " Has she told you about herself?" he asked, iu a very low voice. " Yes, and it is that that makes her bo unhappy. Oh, she told me all about it, and I thought she would never, never stop cry- ingâ€" it preys upon her mind, and her remorse will not let her be happy ; she seems to dreml even forgiveness. â-  I Ko Imi k to him when I have blighted his life, and darkened bis days?' oh! you should have heard the despair in her voice when she said that, Mr. Ferrers," and here Fern's sweet tones trembled. " Mother and I sometimes think it will kill her in time, unless she has help and comfort." " Do not fear. Miss Trafford, she shall have both soon ; it will not be long before I lind her." " But she is in America â€" at least she is on her way there." " There aro other steamers than the one in which she has crossetl," returned Haby. with a smile. " I suppose she means to write to you ?" â- ' Oh yes, she will write from every place â€" she has promised me long letters, and of course Mrs. Norton will hear from Miss C!ampion ; do you really mean to follow her, Mr. Ferrers ?" "Yes, to the world's end if it be necessary. I have a strong will, and even blindness will not hinder me. Tell me how did she seem last night ; did she leave cheerfully? " " Well, no, C'rystal puzzled us last night," returned Fern, iiuickly ; she went out to bid good-bye to her pupils, and Percy way- laid her as usual, but she got rid of him somehow but she was out a long time, and she would not give us any reason ; but when she came back her eyes were swollen, and she had a dreadful headache, and yet she said I'ercy had nothing to do with it." A sudden, wild idea flashed into Raby's mind. " How was she dressed. Miss Traffordâ€" I moan what colored gown did she wear?" Fern seemed surprised at the question. " Oh, her old brown gown â€" she was all in brown, I think ;" but she did not under- stand why Jlr. Ferrers seemed so strangely agitated at her answer. 'â- The tall young lady in brown, who seemed to notice you wanted help;" he remembered the words of Miss Merriman. (lood Heavens I it must have been she ; it must have been her little hand that guided him HO gently ; oh, his miserable blindness. Of course she had seen this Percy Trafford, and be had told her all about the guest they expected, and she had come to the station just to see him once again. But he would not s|)eak of this to Fern ; his darling's secret should be kept by him ; he would hide these sweet proofs of her love and devotion in big own breast. Fern wondere<i why the miserable harassed look loft his face. He looked quite youngâ€" a different man â€" as ho bade her good-bye; his shoulders were no longer stooping, his head was erect. " Cood-bye, Miss Traflford," he said. " I shall como and see you and your mother again before I leave. I shall go back to Sandyolilfe next week, and set my house in order, and talk to my sister. I do not doubt for a moment that she will offer to accom- pany me. I shall not come back until I bring Crystal with me." And Fern quite believed hiai. I There were restless sleepers that night in Helgrave House. Uaby was revolving his plans and wondering what Margaret would say : and on the other side of the wall Erie tossed wakeful and wretched, knowing that .â- .•osVellhinl. and'of her meeting I '"", '"'''^.^as se"'"'! »'"• »'"»' ''Evelyn Solby hiiitiiigilon. and not I'ern 1 rafford was to bo his future wife. .And now, as he lay in the darkness he told himself that in spite of her goodness land besiity he could never love her as ho loved I'ern. He knew at the niomont he ' asked lier to marry him, and when she I put her hand in his and told him frankly that he had long won her heart. " You are too much a gentleman to treat a woman badly, " Mr. Huntingdon had said to him Well knowing the softness of Krle's nature ; and yet, was he not treating Fern badly ? He had thonght ever it all until his head was dizzy; but his ooiiaoience had told him that his sin against Fern had been light in comparison with that against Evelyn. What were those few even- ings in Benlah Place compared to the hours ho had passed in Evelyn's society ? He had been in Lady Ma travers train for months ; he had suffered her to treat him as a son of the house. Ho had ridden with Evelyn in the Row : she had been his favorite partner in the ballroom. When advantage of her unprotected situation, and they had gone to the opera, Krle had been I am sure she went to put a stop to it, and because it was so awkward for us. Crystal is not liko other girls she does not care for admiration ; people turn round and Kx)k after her in the street because she is so beautiful, but she never seems to notice it." No ; you are right," he returned, with evident emotion. As Fern spoke, a scene rose to his memory â€" a fresh young voice behind his chair seemed to whisiier in his ear, " Oh king, live for ever!" and there she stood, his dark eyed Esther in her girl- ish loveliness, her white neck and arms gloaming through lace, a ruby pendant on the slender round throat, the small head looking so queoiily with its coils of smooth black hair ; and lie had turned coldly from her, and she never knew that his was the soul of a lover. "No; you are right," he answered, gently ; " she was as guileless and innocent as a child" Fern looked at him wistfully ; all her heart seemed to go out to this sad, noble looking man. Crystal had not said too much in his praise ; but ho looked older than she had imagined -for pain and the knowloilge of his shorn and wasted powers had aged him, and there was certainly no youth in bis aspect. " Oh," she said, eagerly, for she longed to say something that would comfort him, 1 think siinielirnes that there is no one bo good as (Crystal wu have all grown to love her so. She has such high-spirited, troublo- Bome pupils ; but she is so patient with them. When they are ill, she nurses thom, and she has inoro iiilluenco over them than the mother ; and she is always so kind and their escort. It was perfectly true, as Mr. Huntingdon said, that she had a right to expect an offer from him ; their names had long been coupled together, and Erie's weakness and love of pretty faces had drawn the net round him. And there were other considerations that moved him â€" his dread of poverty ; the luxurious habits that had become a second nature ; and, above all, reluctance to disappoint the old man w ho, in his own way, had been good to him. Erie knew that in spite of his hard- ness and severity his uncle clung to him as the Benjamin of his old age. No, he could not help himself, he thought, bitterly. And yet how dreary the prospect seemed. He had given up the lirat young love of his life ; and now the barren splendors of Belgrave House seemed to oppress him â€" the walls closed round him liko the walla of a prigon. .\iid yet other men would envy him, and wonder at his luck. Evelyn had many admirers -many a one nobly born and nobly gifted would grudge him his prize ; though he knew, and hated himaolf for the knowledge, that they envied him in vain. Erie found it difficult to play his part well ; but his young /iam« was too unsiis- jiecting in her happineas to guess at her lover's secret trouble. His slight gravity spoke well for him, shethought; moat likely a greater sense of the responsibility oppressed him. Bhe was.too mueli in love hitrselt to notice hbw oft-en he relapsed into sl'cace. Ijvery one thonght him a moat do/oted lo^; he was always at his postâ€" alvays tbouglitfiil, and no one over sees her cross, rjndy to elK^nrt them to piotlire galleries She is angry with I'ercy sometimes ; but a id tlinver hIiows, or to stand seiitiutl at then lii^ deBta\cs it ; and she will not take th.i hack of Eaily Malt is vers' box. His any pleasure, but all she thinks about is to ' ur.ole'a generosity enabled him to load his do liitlo kiiidnesBes for people; and betrothed with gifts. Evelyn used toremon- I though she is so unhappy that slie has gttate with him for his lavishness, not ' knowingthat Mr. Huntingdon had prompted the gift. • Of course I love you to bring me things," she would say, lookiug up iu his face with her clear candid eyes ; •' but indeed, dear lirle, I do not need go many proofs of your affection." " I feel as though I should never do enough for you, Eva," he answered, hur- riedly ; " you must not refuse to let me give you things. I am always thinking how I am to please you ;" and as he clasped the diamond bracelet on the slender wrist, ho suddenly remembered what a pretty hand Fern had, so white and dimpled, and a vivid longing came over him, turning him nearly sick with pain, to see that sweet fnco again, and to hear from those frank beautiful lip.s that she was glad to see him ; but he never yielded to the temp- tation. l)n the contrary, he had put all such visits out of his power ; for he had written to Mrs. Trafford within a few days of his engagement, telling her that his uncle had interdicted them, and that he dare not risk his displeasure, deeply as he regretted such a bri.ak in their intercourse ; and bo told her that he and Miss Selby were engaged and would probably be married in the autumn ; and then he sent his kind remem- brances to her daughter. Mrs. Trafford thought it a very manly and straightforward letter. He had not acted so very badly after all, she thought ; her father's strong will had evidently coerced him, and she knew how strong that will could be. He had meant no harm ; he had only said pleasant things because i'u was his nature to say them ; if only it had not gone very deep with Fern. " I have had a letter from Mr. Erie, my darling,' she said, quietly, as she noticed that the girl had turned a little paler, as though she had recognized the handwriting; but she had not spoken,only bent lower over her work. iTo be continued.) Lively Canadian llun*«s. An English paper gives the following account of an occurrence mentioned iu our sfiecial cables: On Wednesday afternoon an extraordinary scene occurred at ^Vool- wich. Between MO and 10 Canadian horses arrived at the T Pier, Royal Arsenal, in the steamship Thorndale, from Montreal, to be broken in for military purposes. They had been a fortnight on board in stable fittings, and the scene on arrival at the arsenal being evidently different to any- thing they had previously experienced they became friglitenod and uncontrollable. Forty horse artillerymen had been sent down from the barracks for the purpose of leading them to the remount establishment, Woolwich Common, but they could do nothing with them. One of the animals jumped overboard from the vessel and alighted on the pier, causing a panic to seize the whole herd. The infuriated animals broke loose and galloped about the arsenal in the wildest manner. They were ultimately driven to the main gates, where they were stopped. Another at- tempt was made to capture them ; but they kicked and resisted with all their strength, and the attempt had to be aban- doned. Passing through the arsenal gates the horsea rushed into tbe streets, where it was feared they would create a general panic. With some determination and presence of mind, the artillerymen tuada an attempt, which happily succeeded, to turn the alTrighted animals into the road loading towards the barracks, and thus conlinod them to one thoroughfare, limit- ing the terror of the foot passengers to the one street. On reaching Woolwich com- mon (a square mile of grass land) they Wore allowed to gallop, and thty gradually tamed down. .\ sufficient force of artillery- inen turned out, and they were ultimately secured and taken to the Remount, from whenc« they will in the course of a few weeks be turned out perfectly docile and tractable. .Oooil Cailtte for Alarm. Occasionally the servant has really reason to find fault. A man appeared at an intelligence office the other day and engaged a girl for general housework. " Have you any children ?" asked the maid before she closed the bargain. " Only a few," he replied, and she took this to mean two or three. She arrived at the house just at breakfast time the next morning and was surprised to see nine little ones tiling into the dining-room. " Are there any more ?" she gasped. " Well, yes," answered the proud father, " there are the twins, who cannot walk yet, and the baby." The girl did not stop to unpack her trunk. Dlsestalillithnient In Wales. (;hiirch disestablishment in Wales is foreseen by many of the strong friends of the Establishment. Bishop Brumby told the (Ihurch conference a few days ago that he could see the wave of disestablishment coming nearer and nearer to the shore, and he added, " If the Church has maintained her hold on only 2;) per cent, of the ixipu- lation she has no claim to 7.5 per cent, of the endowments." This sentiment was not applauded. Mr. SainpHnn Coucluileil to Go. " If I were to tell you, Miss Smith," he .said, in a low, earnest tone, " that I am about to start on a long journey, even across the sea, and that it may be months, aud possibly years, ere I return, what would you say ?" If the girl drooped it wasn't perceptible. "I would say, Mr. Sampson," she replied, " Ta, ta. ' Ilarpir's lUizar. Good FlshlnK. " I've just returned from a fishing excur- sion in the Adirondaoks. 1 had a lovely time 1" " You had good luck, then ?" " Oh my, yes. I caught a Chicago millionaire !" â€" Life. Wild Kioe for Manitoba. Mr. .lohii Ounn, who has a stock and dairy farm near tlonor Station, has suc- ceeded in growing wild rice, the seed of which was taken up from Ontario. Some do not know that a tablcspoonfi]] of baking soda in a quart of boiling water, thrown into the aiiik and left to run out, is a disinfectant ; and the same put into a pork barrel and thoroughly washed round it will cleanse it and make it as sweet as when new. i â- -> W-