ceeded to the property of a lady with whom she lived as companion, and whose ear she had poisoned against her relatives. She did not deny her brother-that would have been contrary to her principles; but she made him feel that he was dependent on her alms-insulted him before her servantstook one of his daughters, whom she degraded by menial employments—and had the satisfaction at last of seeing him sink broken-hearted into a premature grave. But her charity did not end with his life. No! she was too Christian to forget the ties of blood. She retained the girl, that she might not, as she published abroad, be contaminated by the bad example of her mother. The child had a high spirit. Mrs. Priscilla resolved to break it, and to make her a shining example of grace. She succeeded, as the miser succeeded in feeding his horse on an oat a day. That mysterious connection which subsists between the spirit and the life of a child, could not be separated even by Mrs. Priscilla's skill. When the girl's spirit was effectually broken by her aunt's remorseless discipline, she withered and died. The calamity affected Mrs. Priscilla a good deal; for she doubted whether the

work of grace had been accomplished, and she reproached herself for having been too lenient in her dealings with the girl's rebellious

nature.

When this exemplary lady was informed by Mr. Laneton of his intention respecting Miss Haughton, she immediately regarded it as an inspiration of Satan, and prepared for resistance with the spirit of a martyr. She stoutly refused to write the invitation he desired, and declared she would rather quit his house-which, with her departure, she knew would be as doomed as ever was Sodom or Gomorrah of old—on that very instant.

"So be it!" said Mr. Laneton, now thoroughly provoked. "When the servant answers the bell, order your desk to be brought you, or the carriage to be ready for your departure at ten to-morrow. The freakish disposition of Una may excuse her silly refusal, but your obstinacy I will not tolerate."

So Una had refused! Before those words were uttered, Mrs. Priscilla had prepared herself for the last extreme of persecution, and was inwardly reciting a hymn on Daniel in the lion's den. But the disobedience of a daughter to her father's mandate

struck her as so shocking as to move her compassion. When the footman appeared, Mrs. Priscilla said quietly—

"Bring me my desk from the blue drawing-room."

A note, as kind and flattering as Mr. Laneton could desire, was written and despatched. The invitation was accepted, but when Miss Haughton arrived Una was too unwell to leave her room.

The brilliant, masculine Miss Haughton, cared for Una no more than for an insect beneath her foot. She despised her as a wayward fool, and in private even ventured to hint a doubt to Mr. Laneton of her perfect sanity. But she had too much spirit to remain the guest of the puritanical Mrs. Heartsbane, and took her departure the day after her arrival.

Mr. Laneton conceived for his daughter, from that time, a feeling akin to bitter resentment. The fool will be the plague of my life, he thought, unless I can marry her speedily. It must, and shall be done; and then, in the bustle of marriage settlements, I do not doubt being able to tie up her fortune by settling it absolutely on her heirs. One thing I am resolved on at any rate,

that she shall never touch a shilling of the principal.

What would he have thought had some one of those "spirits that walk the earth," raised up for a moment the veil which hangs over futurity?

CHAPTER XIX.

We contemplate with anxiety the outward troubles and vicissitudes of human life; but what should we feel if we could behold the inward vicissitudes, the troubles of the human soul?-if we could see how many dangers, snares, enemies, combats, victories, and defeats can be crowded into a day-an hour? Victory is impossible, and defeat certain, if man has not a just conception and a profound feeling of his dangers, his weaknesses, and his need of assistance.-GUIZOT.

No one was more hearty in congratulating Florian on his " escape" than Freeborn. He had considered himself completely beaten when his friend, in spite of all his remonstrances and reasonings, backed by jest and sarcasm, persisted in accepting Lord Glarvale's invitation. In reckoning up the misfortunes of his life, he found they were all due to manœuvring maminas. They had robbed him, one by one, of all his best friends. True, some good houses were still open to him; but, what was of more consequence, the purses of their owners were closed. There were plenty of persons ready