had whispered that it was for the removal of a genteel malady, called in common parlance 'the gout;' and of which he had so long been in possession that he might fairly be said to own it; and when others had it, they had borrowed it.

The first appearance of Mr. LINTOT in public was not highly imposing. He was short and thick-set, and his countenance was entirely concealed by the voluminous folds of a red woollen comforter. His outer garment reached nearly to the ground, and left nothing visible but a pair of large worsted socks, which as they ambled slowly and gingerly along, gave plausibility to the report to which I have alluded. He had a gold-headed cane in his hand, and though he carried it in rather a degagée style in level places, yet the conclusion forced itself irresistibly upon the mind that it was employed as much for service as for show.

Never had Mrs. Simmons been so popular! What throngs of visitors, and what urgent entreaties that her guest should be 'sociable!" But the good lady had her own plans, and the first bright morning saw her and her brother moving slowly over to see the Bensons. Nor had Mrs. Benson ever appeared so engaging. Her usual vinegar aspect was softened down to a little pleasant lemonade, an agreeable acid just thrown in to temper the cloying sweetness; and 'dear Alice' was called; and one glance did its work, for from that hour the socks walked regularly in the same direction, and always stopped in for a rest at the Bensons. And then his tastes were so simple, so easily satisfied! None of your foreign nick-nacks, your olives, your sardines, for him; nothing but the simple produce of the orchard for his money! Ah! Mrs. BENSON, control your feelings!

Things began to look rather suspicious touching their visitor; and though poor dear Mr. Benson insisted that his cupidity was excited by a certain corner-lot of which he was the owner, and that he would soon be in treaty for it, his more discriminating partner saw all how it was, as round as a ring. Nor was it long before she gave him an opportunity to reveal his feelings, and the result showed the correctness of her conclusions. In language characteristic, and without circumlocution, he intimated his admiration of her niece and his wish to instal her as future mistress of his establishment. But Mrs. Benson was too good a diplomatist to yield at the outset. She felt her power, and made the most searching inquiries; but he answered without flinching, and up to the mark. In the matter of age, he called himself fifty; but when he hastily added the saving clause that he was worth twice as many thousands as he had years, her only regret was that he had not reached the grand climacteric. She enlarged upon the beauty of Alice and the number and importance of her admirers, and so worked upon his fears that in the generosity of his heart he offered to settle upon her half his fortune. This was the point to which she had been constantly aiming; and bidding him on his departure be of good courage, sought presence of her niece.

the

If the offer of Mr. Lintot was made without any great outlay of

sentiment, it lost none of its directness in passing through the lips. of his agent; and hard must have been the heart that could have witnessed without emotion the cold shudder and compressed lips of Alice as she listened to her relative. Indifferent to the pain she caused, so she but gained her point, she urged her acceptance of the proposal in the most unqualified terms; and as she saw the agitation of her victim, hesitated not to intimate that if she wilfully threw away ease and independence, she should consider herself absolved from farther care of her; and that henceforth Charles, in despite of his delicate health, must earn his bread as an artisan.

Alice had listened with a tearless eye and bursting heart; but when she thought of this darling brother, with all his noble aspirations and high imaginings, chained to the work-shop, her resolve was shaken, and bitter thoughts flashed wildly through her brain. What should she do? There it stood, and it met her at every turn: school-keeping, matrimony, or starvation! The first she had tried, and the other two could scarcely be worse.

To whom could she

go? Alas! there were none in the wide, wide world to aid her; and bewildered and perplexed, it can be no matter of surprise that she so far listened to the importunities of her aunt as to consent to see the sister of her wooer.

This interview was far less painful than the preceding one. Mrs. Simmons dwelt with all a sister's pride upon the many noble and ingenuous traits of her brother's character; his unbounded liberality, his goodness of temper, (not a word of his malady ;) and though she touched lightly and with a woman's tact upon the disparity of their years, yet it was so shaded and mingled in with the advantages that she could bestow upon her youthful brother, that Alice was persuaded into a tacit acquiescence. But it was not without a conflict. It was true she was fancy-free,' for no serious preference had ever been awakened in her bosom; still there had been a bright dream of some young and gifted spirit, upon whom she would gladly lavish the rich treasure of her affections. And this she must forego; and not daring to trust herself with her own thoughts, she prepared to meet her wealthy suitor.

The evening set in cold and stormy on which Mr. Lintot was to hear his sentence from her own lips. Like others similarly circumstanced, she had often sought her mirror; but it was only to see if her tell-tale eyes too plainly revealed the tumult within. By a liberal distribution of threats and promises, the more noisy members of the family were constrained to a temporary absence; and it was a proud moment for Mrs. Benson when she found every thing in train and her guest fairly seated at her own hearth-stone. Twice was Alice called before she answered to the summons; and well was it that the failing vision of Mr. Lintot spared him the start which his appearance occasioned. It could not be said even by the most lenient to be particularly engaging. Fearful of making a change in his mortal habiliments on such an inclement night, he had turned out in his usual pepper-and-salt toggery; and as he sat, his giant limbs affectionately crossing each other, it was suggestive

of any thing but youthful grace and lightness. Wistfully had he surveyed his pedal extremities, and fain would he have endued them in more fitting guise; but human suffering was not to be trifled with, and with a sigh he plunged them into their usual roomy receptacles. Above them lay the rolls of a pied yarn stocking, as if they had slipped from their moorings to secure a good look-out on an occasion so tenderly interesting to their wearer. That this last-named habiliment is highly recessary for propriety, not to say comfort, far be it from me to deny; still it is not poetic, and I would defy the most sentimental to invest,' as one may say, a real blue yarn-stocking, and retain any very romantic associations connected with the owner. But a truce with such untimeous remarks, so little in unison with the scene; but I dare proceed no farther with the interview, for ignorant as I am of such affairs, and brimful of envy, I might unwittingly shock the feelings of the amiable reader.

The report is soon rife in the land that the portionless orphan has secured the hand of the rich widower, coupled with the epithets of selfishness and successful artifice. Let us enter her little chamber. Does that look like triumph and gratified ambition, as with clasped hands and blanched cheek she surveys her wedding paraphernalia? And the bridal hour arrived; and pale and fair as a young Diana, she was placed by the side of her venerable betrothed; and though the hand that rested in his was of the hue and feeling of marble, the fitting words were spoken and the sacrifice completed.

A distinguished writer, whose works, to the disgrace of the present generation, are now seldom looked into, very truly remarks: There is nothing so interesting as an old man, unless it may be a young one.' Doubtless our heroine found it so; and never was there a more devoted or forbearing partner. She listened with exemplary patience and fortitude to his 'twice-told tales,' never knowingly trod on his gouty extremities, (I would, and have driven the disease to a more central position ;) and never, never once jogged his elbow as, standing braced up and Colossus-like before the glass, he was engaged in that most delicate and ticklish operation of shaving. A modern writer, in descanting upon the pleasures of courtship and wooing, intimates that it is one of the privileges of the lady to play with the tangles of her lover's hair!' If such a custom is prevalent, I have nothing to say, being a spinster; but I am free to confess that in reflecting upon the crops of the sex in general, the temptation does not strike me as one that with ordinary strength of mind could not be resisted; but I may be mistaken. If it is a privilege, Alice had it in perfection; for it was her daily task to cue up the sparse silver locks of her liege lord, and fasten them upon his crown with a comb; and though occasionally his face lost some of its placidity while under her hands, and the startling interjection, By George!' was wrung from his reluctant lips, yet we trust that the recording angel who flew up to heaven's chancery with the oath,' dealt as kindly by him as he did by My Uncle Toby,' when similarly overtaken.

6

But these pious duties were of short duration; for not all the as

siduities of a nurse so tender and true could long ward off the fatal blow. His old complaint (every body has some old complaint,') returned with redoubled violence; and though medical talent and skill were earnestly invoked, it was all vain.

And now behold her a young and blooming widow, the cynosure of all eyes, the 'observed of all observers.' She was no longer that unhappy creature, a neglected female. Proposals of marriage came in every form, from the plain man of business, who unequivocally expressed his willingness to place himself at the head of her affairs, to the refined and elegant scholar, who in more fitting language ' indicated his views;' and surprised and grieved at her contumacy, wept salt, salt tears because he could not finger her property. If the father of a family had sustained a touching bereavement it was foolish to lament it, for here was one younger and fairer, who would doubtless rejoice at the opportunity to enter upon the maternal duties. And for the young and gentle youth, unable to meet his liabilities,' and unwilling to labor, here was a resource ! Walk up, gentlemen-walk up!

But gracefully and firmly she declined them all. Not that she had any objection to man in the abstract; on the contrary, she thought him a most useful and respectable part of the human family, and wished him well; but she was sufficient of herself for herself, and would fain be left in quiet.

And she was happy; happy in the unrestrained freedom of her own will, and in the unfettered power of doing good. Endowed with an ample fortune, and unincumbered with the ordinary cares of her sex, it was her delight to gather about her all that is elegant and refined in life, and in contributing to the happiness of others.

Thus occupied in the active duties of life, and filled with goodwill to her fellow beings, she felt no loneliness of heart, and had little sympathy with unreal troubles. Nor was she without a legitimate object of interest; for in the training and education of her youthful brother she found a never-failing solace. repay it; for though years brought to him, as to and pursuits, yet the sacrifices and affection of were never forgotten.

a

And well did he others, other ties sister so devoted

My tale is finished and my case made out. From it may be learned that happiness is not confined solely to the wedded, but that a woman may be reasonably happy without possessing that inestimable treasure-a husband.

ΤΟ THE MAN OF THE WORLD.

AN EPIGRAM.

If you are wise, just use your friend
Like a cigar, I say;

Suck him as long as you can draw,

Then throw the wretch away!

J. H. R.

WOULD thou wert near me, ELLA!

The night is grand and gloomy, no stars are in the sky,

But the giant storm is passing, in might and majesty;

No pale moonlight beams through the night, but the giant storm is there,
And his black steed's mane is dripping rain, as he paws the upper air;
And all his train are dripping rain that follow through the air:

Would thou wert near!

II.

Would thou wert near me, ELLA!

The tall oaks bending stately, accept the gauntlet cast;

The shock is past; and naked all they stand before the blast!

Their helms and greaves of autumn leaves around disjointed lie,

And heard are groans and bitter moans, with the victor storm's rude cry;
And naught but groans and bitter moans are heard with the storm's rude cry;
Would thou wert near!

III.

Would thou wert near me, ELLA!

In gazing from my casement into the wild black night,

By the fitful and uncertain gleam of my dim chamber light,

I hear wild voices near me, as of demons in the air,

And there I see each naked tree, float round me every where ;
But dimly see the forest tree upsurging every where:

Would thou wert near!

IV.

Would thou wert near me, ELLA!

'Tis like the angry ocean contending with the storms;

I hear the thundering billows, I see their mighty forms;

With rudest shocks upon the rocks they dash in fierce array,

And I hear the toll of fog-bells roll, that warn from far away;

The mournful knell which the fog-bells tell of the breakers far away:
Would thou wert near!

V.

Would thou wert near me, ELLA!

For Life is such a tempest, as giant-like and drear,

Of ever-changing passions which strive against us here;

Of doubts and tears, and trembling fears, that bow the proud heart low;
Oft the beacon-light is dimmed by night; we see not where we go;

The guiding lamp, quenched by the damp of storms that round us flow:
Would thou wert near!

VI.

Would thou wert near me, ELLA!

Then thou should'st tell me sweetly of gentle love and ruth,
And of the magic needle, that ever points at truth;

Of the beacon-light that burns by night with never lessened ray,
Fog-bells that roll to the storm-tossed soul their warning far away;
Of bell-notes clear that whisper near of the breakers far away:

Cambridge, Mass., 1846.

Would thou wert near!

8. A. 8.