and the meddlesome old woman, whose husband is in the same category; for prices, victuals and accommodations were each under the fashionable standard. And here Louisa arrived, in the middle of summer. At that time the boarding-houses in B- do not overflow with customers, and she was received with some charity, inasmuch as she did not come at an inconvenient season.

The aunt was a thin, care-worn looking body, with two or three children, and a great many anxieties. Oh, the devotees of mammon! how hard they work! how bitterly they fare! Her ignorance of the world, and the sense of her own daring, gave Louisa a feeling of uneasiness, which this lady's manner was not calculated, entirely to remove; nevertheless, with the help of a very acute understanding, she contrived to be somewhat at home. Tea was ready, soon after her arrival. Seated for the first time, in the company of those she considered her superiors at least in the knowledge of etiquette, she was silent and observing; being far too good a general, to parade her ignorance by pretending to manners, she only guessed at.

After tea she went not into the parlor, she glanced at that in passing; but into her aunt's private room. This was not cunning; but a sort of sense of right. She had come to visit her aunt, and she wanted her favor. To win it, she began with an indefinite intention of doing her a kindness; or in other words, a simple wish to make herself useful. In her aunt's room, she found the children. There was a boy somewhat younger than herself, puzzling over a lesson; two very cross little girls teasing him; and a pile of sheets and pillow cases to be made. She sat down in a rocking chair; took the youngest child in her arms, and played with it, and sang to it, and very soon attracted the attention of the elder girl; and the boy was left to pursue his studies unmolested. So that in a short time she had at least made peace where there was usually war. The youngest child fell asleep; she laid it on a lounge, and the second one claimed its place. By this time Mrs. Moskey came in with a servant to put the children to bed; and she expressed her gratification at finding them so quiet. Louisa parted with her other cousin; and seeing her aunt commence sewing on the sheets, she volunteered her assistance there, which was readily accepted. Mrs. M. declaring 'she was in a prodigious hurry to get them done, as she had a great deal to do, which she wished to accomplish before the house should be again crowded with boarders. She had hired Mrs. Slowman at two dollars a week, but it appeared to her she would never finish any thing.' So Louisa passed the remainder of the evening in helping to bring up the arrears of Mrs. Slowman; and in listening to the tune of her aunt's troubles; which latter consisted in running the scale up and down from the lowest to the highest note through every pitch and tone and variation of domestic grievances in the shape of servants. She really felt a sympathy for her aunt, and a desire to relieve some of these sad trials.

The next morning she was up early as was her wont; and if nothing else had influenced her, ennui, at the loss of her usual occupations would have caused her to wish for employment. Persons of good health and strong minds are seldom disposed to idleness; and when to

ment.

these are added the habit of industry, the former becomes a punishShe followed her aunt around with cheerful smiles, ready wit and helping hands. With perfect sincerity she praised the breakfast. Boarding-house keepers are particularly vulnerable on the score of their tables and housekeeping; and although this was doubtless gross flattery in fact; yet indeed the table stood fair in comparison with the washer-woman's; and it was received in good faith, because Mrs. M. persuaded herself to believe it, and desired that others should do the same. Thus did Louisa acquire good opinions; and thus she went on. She assisted at making the pies; she lent a hand at the desserts; she helped to nurse the children, manufacture the clothes, and renovate the finery. Not that she was an adept at all these things, far from it; but she learned from occasion; and with her good heart and fine natural abilities, she began to take such an interest in the assistance she gave, that she was in some danger of forgetting her principal object.

Meantime Aunt Moskey was not unmindful of the value of her visitor. Selfishness always renders people short-sighted; and she began to study how she should retain her; she thought of offering her wages.

Feeling rich in unpaid-for services, she hauled out her old garments for new uses; and from among the surplus, she gave Louisa a white muslin, which had been a very pretty dress; and which, in new hands, became one again; a yard or two of blue ribbon, and these things were received with such girlish delight, that she added to them some other finery. All persons are delighted with gratitude, there is no more certain indication of a noble nature, than the ability to receive a small favor gracefully. It is true the gifts were very trifling; especially when compared with the services rendered and the obligation incurred. But Mrs. Moskey was poor; at least she thought herself so, although well established in a good and lucrative calling. I call it lucrative; it is true a fortune would not accrue from it in a very short time; but to one boarder who cheated her, she had ten who paid well; and I think if it were essential to this story, I could show that if she had husbanded her resources properly, and rated her necessities reasonably, she would have made a very comfortable living. But her habit of mind was to set herself in comparison with every person above her in the scale of wealth, self-indulgence, and worldly distinction; and 'forgetting those things which were behind, to press toward the mark of the high calling' of earthly greatness. Beside she was bilious, and that made her indolent and irritable, indolent, selfish, and would-be fashionable; here was an ocean of wants to which the income of a paltry boarding-house, was not a bucketful. I do not wonder she thought herself poor. But although it is true, that I have not painted Mrs. Moskey very loveable, still, there are much worse people than her in the world. There are those who would have thought the utmost a poor girl in Louisa's situation could have done, would not have entitled her to their good graces. She felt mean at the gifts she offered; but their value was so magnified by the skill exercised in making use of them, that she was restored by it to her own good opinion. It never occurred to her that one principal cause of Louisa's gratitude was the friendly feeling which the gifts

evinced. There are those who value a present only for its intrinsic worth these are hard to satisfy; and there are those who take largely into account the feeling which prompts the giver. Oh! what a world of difference lies between these considerations !

It is not in the nature of feeling to stand still, whether for good or evil; and Mrs. Moskey began to plan other favors for her niece, which should not cost her an outlay of money. She had the usual knowledge of the prevailing fashion possessed by a dweller in a large city; and Louisa was neither blind nor stupid. So under their combined efforts the white muslin, the blue ribbon, and Louisa, were converted into quite a distinguished-looking young lady. The latter was pretty, healthy and cheerful; she had a good figure, a good heart, good sense and a good education: these were her advantages. Boarding-house keepers are, from the nature of their occupation, very apt to be match-makers; opportunity continually furnishing them with temptation; and the aunt began to study what old characters of her acquaintance, having money, could be tempted by these goods, against the odds of low-born poverty, to marry her niece.

The eldest of the two little girls was taking her first lessons on the piano; and Louisa, from sitting by her and taking notice, soon began to acquire an insight into the science of music; and often would pass a twilight, or an hour when the parlor was otherwise deserted, putting in practice her picked up-knowledge.

CHAPTER SECOND.

I HAD finished my collegiate course, and was about to commence the study of the law under a celebrated counsellor at B and for a comfortable (I believe the word means cheap I know fashionable means dear) boarding-house had been recommended to Mrs. Moskey's. Behold me, green and aspiring, sent into the parlor to await the mistress of the house. The piano suddenly stopped as I entered, and a young woman arose from it hastily, and in charming confusion, and my lost Pleiad stood before me. It was but for an instant, for she left the room immediately. I made no difficulty of my terms with Mrs. M. I could not tell whether I had consented to occupy the garret or the cellar, much less the price. I was ambitious; I had my way to make in the world. What knowledge I had will be seen by the use I made of it. My head now became entirely filled with this girl.

The white dress and blue ribbon did their full amount of work with me. I took my seat beside her, whenever and wherever she appeared. I walked with her; I talked with her. She was very intelligent, and had a great deal of harmless drollery, which rendered her exceedingly fascinating. She who had nothing to boast of in family or fortune, and was too conscientious to lie, was consequently never egotistical. Her hands, although by no means bad-looking, she was conscious had seen hard work, and she never displayed them; either smoothing down the sides of her hair, or playing with her mouth, or in, as it were habitually, running over the keys of Imagination's piano. What won

der I thought her a high bred lady? How often have I admired the simplicity of her dress; its freedom from tinsel and ornament, which taste indeed had arranged, but I guessed not that poverty had prescribed. I had no distinct intention of marrying immediately; but I was daily getting more and more in love, and I did not conceal it. Indeed, my jealousy broke over all bounds if she appeared to take pleasure in the society of any other person than myself.

This state of things did not at all please Mrs. Moskey. It deranged her plans entirely.

6

The family is very respectable, and he is as proud as Lucifer,' she would say. Beside, he is so handsome and so talented,' (so she was pleased to say of me,) he could marry any girl in B. He would not look at you if he knew your mother worked for her living. If ever Fred. Clacket marries, he will marry for money.'

Louisa nearly choked when these and like inuendoes were thrown out. At last one evening her aunt took her into her room purposely to lay the case in all its bearings before her. After a proper exordium, she continued:

There is old Captain Smalet would marry you in a moment. There is Quandary; what if he is dowdy! He says you are just the girl he would like to have. And there is Riquets; he drives his carriage and has a beautiful country-seat. Don't spoil your chance in this way.'

'The old curmudgeons!' exclaimed Louisa, 'I would not marry one of them if I could combine the advantages of all. Who would care to ride in a carriage, if they must have old Riquets always beside them? They say he was a tailor, and a good one too, both for cut and price:

"THAT talent answers various ends, is proved at any rate,
The tailor who can make a man can make a vast estate.'

As for Smalet, his first wife had to carry the bellows to bed to inflate his lungs whenever he had an attack of asthma, for fear the dear old soul might die before the doctor could get to him. No, no, aunt! if I work that hard it shall be for something to gratify my eyes at least :

"WHEN I assume a matron's cares for such old daddy's healths,
Then wealth must borrow Cupid's wings, and Cupid fly on Wealth's.'

Rhyme is not reason,' interrupted, Mrs. Moskey.

'Don't you like that?' said Louisa; 'well that is not very good. I'll try again. But though she spoke banteringly, she sighed bitterly: 'Ah me:'

"SINCE Wealth has wings, and love as well,

And even both may fly,

And taste is apt to stay a spell,

I'll try and please my eye.'

Why child you are crazy, to go on as you do!' again broke in her aunt. 'You are ruining yourself, and all I have done for you is thrown away.'

And here she became so zealous, that she began to threaten; darkly and distantly indeed, just to infuse a slight suspicion into Louisa's mind, that if she did not conduct herself more circumspectly with regard to her lover, she would blow her sky-high in his estimation by telling him

her whole history. To these insinuations Louisa replied humorously: 'Aunt, I'll tell you what:

'I'D rather wash a hundred years to earn a single groat,

Than blow the bellows once a week down Daddy Small-clothes' throat.'

Good night!' It was late, and she went to her own room, weary, disgusted and wretched. What a change was wrought in her! What was station to her now, if it could not be enjoyed with him she loved? She sat down and reflected on what had been said to her. Neither was it the first time she had so reflected; but such thoughts were painful, and first love is a bright intoxication, an infatuation, a madness! Now, conscience bade her look her own conduct in the face. Was she not tacitly deceiving her lover? And then her mother and her brother came before her, and fancy painted all that money could do for them; but there arose the heart-sickening prospect of marrying! Bah! Have I not hands? Do I not know how? Is there not work enough to be done? My mother! my brother! there is nothing in this world for me, but I am for you. Oh! how gladly, how eagerly will I work; but not for you, no, not even for you, will I make myself a legal mistress. Not for you, will I insult the holy altar, standing before it to vow a lie to promise to love and honor where no love, no honor can exist. No! no! no!'

The last words were uttered aloud and resolutely; and as she uttered them, she arose from the statue-like position in which she had been sitting. Determination gave relief to her feelings, and she went to bed, but not to sleep. There was no sleep for her; she could not rest. Thought was torture. Starting up with strong and sudden resolution, she seized her trunk, gathered together her clothes, packed them into it, and dressed herself for travelling. Then taking her lamp, she returned to her aunt's room. That room, which she had left so short a time before, was now silent, save from the deep breathing of the sleeper. Yes, she could sleep. She had filled the heart of another with remorse and bitter anxiety; she had bereft it of the power of rest or peace; and this purely and avowedly for worldly reasons, and then laid down to sleep, saying: 'I have done my duty.' Oh, human beings! who among us, know their duty? This woman really believed she was studying her niece's best interests.

Louisa sat down at her aunt's writing desk and wrote the following

note :

'MY FRIEND: Imperious duty calls me suddenly to return to my beloved home. As the cars will leave very early this morning, I shall not see you again, and I cannot resist the temptation of saying: 'Good-by!' Yours,

but

LOUISA.'

She closed and directed it, saying to herself: 'I ought not to do this: -I cannot help it.'

With some trepidation she went and placed it in the glass where invitations were usually left, then returning to her aunt's room, she awoke her. The latter was greatly surprised; but Louisa stopped her exclamations, saying: 'My dear aunt, I have thought all night of what you have said: my resolution is taken. It is useless to talk to me: I