getting of it takes away our health? A nation poor but strong is a better and happier nation than one which is weak and rich.

Impressed with these ideas, gladly would I have tried, if I could find no milder remedy, even to drive away this pernicious manufacture from our soil altogether. I would have said: "Let our mills perish sooner than our nation; let other countries take the trade if they will-I wish them joy of it; it has done us harm enough already." But my time was short; while the interests involved were so vast that even Richard Strongways shrank from the task. He leaves it to the statesmen of the future with his best compliments.

I contented myself, therefore, with walling off Lancashire from the rest of the empire (I found a twenty-foot wall sufficient), and restricting as much as possible the communication and marriage of the inhabitants with the people of other counties. I hoped in this way to prevent, at least in some measure, their alarming physical degeneracy from spreading.

Against other injurious trades, however, I took stronger measures. Some I put down altogether; and in others, such as match-making (not the kind of match-making dear to the feminine mind, but the matches Mr. Lowe managed to set in a blaze), in these I forbade the employment of any person except those who were crippled, blind, or deformed-for I considered the lives of such persons of little national value, and, if they could earn a trifle to support themselves, why, it was so much the better.

What became then of the poor fellows thus thrown out of employment? I shipped them off to the Colonies at once, sir, with their wives and families, that there might be no useless burden on the nation. I saw scores of government vessels lying idle, and I employed them for the purpose, without the voyage costing the emigrants or the nation a penny. I took the same course with the street Arabs, flunkies, toadies, and all persons that had neither means nor work. Oh, London was wonderfully cleared, I can tell you. But I provided land for them in the colonies, and made men of them.

"But did you do nothing for us, then, Captain Strongways?" says a gentler voice. My dear madam, how could you think I should forget you? No I considered your rights' and sympathised with your claims.' I even found out a new profession for you, one which I believe you have not yet aspired to-guess what it was-ah, you give it up? Well, I made a Decree that for the future at least half the Clergy should be women.

"Oh, thank you, Captain Strongways."

Yes, what man can soothe, or encourage, or persuade people to virtue, as you can? Don't tell me. Besides, every one says there is no getting gentlemen to attend church now-a-days; but think how they will flock to hear a pretty lady-curate preach her first sermon. Indeed, madam, I consider this the very wisest of all my wise

measures. But, ah me! you should have heard what the Record and Guardian said about it-and the fashionable curates-and as for the bishop of, well, I'll not mention names-but really, madam, I have heard that he positively swore at me. He did indeed.

It was the last morning of my reign. At noon my power was to end my popularity was over long since. "By Jove, how glad I am! I would not be dictator another six months for any money," I thought as I lighted my cigar after breakfast.

"Your excellency," said a hurried messenger coming in; that was the bore of it-one could never have a quiet puff at one's cigar, or mix oneself a little toddy, without some infernal fellow bringing one a telegram, or a most important bit of business just at that very moment of all others.

"Well?" I asked.

"Your excellency, seven ship-loads of the men you were sending to Australia have refused to embark, have seized arms and are marching on the palace. Half London has joined them, shouting, 'Down with the Dictator-tear him to pieces.' They will be here in half an hour-your excellency must fly at once."

“Oh, no; I shall remain dictator till twelve," said I; so I telegraphed to the Horse-Guards, and had 5000 or 6000 troops drawn up in front of the palace before the mob arrived.

"Your orders are simple-take care that you execute them to the letter," I said to the general in command. "If any individual enters the palace grounds without permission, shoot him; if a crowd comes in, mow them down with grape. We will have no Communist triumph while Richard Strongways is in office."

When the mob saw the troops and had heard my orders, they yelled-but stopped.

So I occupied the rest of the morning in signing the last papers, and watching the mob from the balcony, as I strolled about and smoked. What hundreds of thousands there were! And how they groaned and shook their fists when they saw me! "Traitor to the people!" "Bought by the Yankees!" "You've ruined our trade." Emigration-monger," "hypocrite," "tyrant," "slave!"—these were the least coarse of the terms in which they addressed me. I consoled myself with quoting to myself Horace's "Justum et tenacem propositi virum "—and laughed and waved my hand to them when they grew a little more violent than usual.

As the last stroke of twelve thundered from the great clock-tower at Westminster, I ordered the troops to shoulder arms and march off, leaving the way clear for the mob. And as the troops filed out, the

getting of it takes away our health? A nation poor but strong is a better and happier nation than one which is weak and rich.

Impressed with these ideas, gladly would I have tried, if I could find no milder remedy, even to drive away this pernicious manufacture from our soil altogether. I would have said: "Let our mills perish sooner than our nation; let other countries take the trade if they will-I wish them joy of it; it has done us harm enough already." But my time was short; while the interests involved were so vast that even Richard Strongways shrank from the task. He leaves it to the statesmen of the future with his best compliments.

I contented myself, therefore, with walling off Lancashire from the rest of the empire (I found a twenty-foot wall sufficient), and restricting as much as possible the communication and marriage of the inhabitants with the people of other counties. I hoped in this way to prevent, at least in some measure, their alarming physical degeneracy from spreading.

Against other injurious trades, however, I took stronger measures. Some I put down altogether; and in others, such as match-making (not the kind of match-making dear to the feminine mind, but the matches Mr. Lowe managed to set in a blaze), in these I forbade the employment of any person except those who were crippled, blind, or deformed-for I considered the lives of such persons of little national value, and, if they could earn a trifle to support themselves, why, it was so much the better.

What became then of the poor fellows thus thrown out of employment? I shipped them off to the Colonies at once, sir, with their wives and families, that there might be no useless burden on the nation. I saw scores of government vessels lying idle, and I employed them for the purpose, without the voyage costing the emigrants or the nation a penny. I took the same course with the street Arabs, flunkies, toadies, and all persons that had neither means nor work. Oh, London was wonderfully cleared, I can tell you. But I provided land for them in the colonies, and made men of them.

"But did you do nothing for us, then, Captain Strongways ?" says a gentler voice. My dear madam, how could you think I should forget you? No: I considered your 'rights' and sympathised with your claims.' I even found out a new profession for you, one which I believe you have not yet aspired to-guess what it was-ah, you give it up? Well, I made a Decree that for the future at least half the Clergy should be women.

"Oh, thank you, Captain Strongways."

Yes, what man can soothe, or encourage, or persuade people to virtue, as you can? Don't tell me. Besides, every one says there is no getting gentlemen to attend church now-a-days; but think how they will flock to hear a pretty lady-curate preach her first sermon. Indeed, madam, I consider this the very wisest of all my wise

e

CHAPTER XXXIII.

'I wad gie a' my gowd, my bairn,
Sae wad I a' my fee,

For ae blast o' the westlin' wind

To blaw the reek frae thee."

Ir takes a great deal to make some people ill-I suppose so, at least, for the next morning, after lying awake nearly all night, I saw the daylight come in, and I was not ill.

I had wished to be left alone, and had asked to have my windowcurtains undrawn that I might look out as I lay in bed; for, as is so often the case in illness or trouble, I did not like to look at things near at hand.

I did not think very intently about my changed prospects; all sorts of irrelevant matters pushed themselves into the foreground; and my only intervals of calm were when I could watch the slow movements of the clouds over the sky and the quiet southing of the stars. I heard steps about the house all night-openings of outer doors, wheels, and movements of furniture; the place only became quiet about dawn; but this made no difference to me. I did not want to sleep, and yet I felt the profound quiet, during which light came on, resting and sustaining me.

At last there were noises again-the usual sounds of unclosing shutters and knocking at doors; then I began to notice how unchanged everything else was in spite of the change in me. What a commonplace experience and yet we are all surprised by it in our turn, and with it comes the first power to understand how (greatly as some of us may be loved) we shall make no abiding change even in any one human face by our going away.

The snow lay on the frozen trees, glittering and pure in the morning sunshine, and my pulse was beating as usual, and there was the little church tower. This was the wedding-day, and the bridegroom's letter was under the pillow.

VOL. XI.

S 8

"I am glad he is not dead," I whispered to myself; and all my sensations were dull, and the words in which my thoughts shaped themselves were few and moderate. We can spend a great deal of vivid emotion on unimportant matters when the senses are keen and fresh, but let them be exhausted with watching, or waiting, or fear, and how patient and tame we are about the most remarkable and heart-sickening things!

Mrs. Henfrey's little maid came and helped me to dress; she trembled more than I did, and could not speak to me at all. Then Mrs. Henfrey came herself, and brought me down to breakfast. I saw that everything had been restored to its usual state. The evergreens and the plants were gone; the tables were set as they generally stood. I was so quiet that no one could offer any sympathy; I think they were thankful to find that I could behave almost as usual, and I dare say they little supposed that my commonplace cogitations were as much occupied with wonder as to what Mrs. Henfrey would do with the great wedding-breakfast for eighty guests, as with the letter that I had to send to Valentine, and what I should say in it.

Some of the wedding guests were then in the house, though I did not know it till I heard the sound of wheels, and was told, in answer to a question, that the Augustus Mortimers and the John Mortimers were about to drive home; but the confusion of the previous evening I never. heard much about till long afterwards; nor of the rage of "Uncle Augustus," the head of the family; and how John Mortimer and Mr. Brandon sent in all directions to stop the wedding guests; how angry they got with the wedding presents, which kept coming in by the dozen; how Dick à Court (the clergyman who was to perform the ceremony) had to be sent to; and the best man, who was no other than Valentine's old rival, Prentice, had to be met at the station and desired to keep his distance.

All these things I knew nothing about. They had done everything they could to prevent mortification to me,-more indeed than was necessary, for as the great fact had to be borne, the little incidents grouped about it got swallowed up in its more important shadow.

One strange thing, however, happened in spite of all their care : the old footman came to my side at breakfast-time with a waiter in his hand; but just as he said, "With Miss Braithwaite's love, ma'am," and before I had turned, St. George snatched whatever was on the tray, and flung it under the table.

The man retired under a battery of looks from the family; but the present still came to me, falling at my feet. I felt that it was something delicate and soft, and touched it several times with my foot as it lay there. At last I was impelled to stoop and draw it out. It was a bride's bouquet, made of white camelias, and tied with satin ribbon.