a divinity student and as a natural consequence be had ceased to make himself remarkable by discussing no other topic than a religious one or to look upon the tendency of general conversation in a mixed company as a proof how much vital was disappearing from the world instead of never permitting the muscles of his face to beyond such a serious smile as was sufficient to a well brushed set of teeth and a horror of profane mirth he could now laugh out from the heart like a a record or thb or man he had given up the custom of discussing with pious old ladies and their daughters or the comparative merits of the most popular and of his own to the utter condemnation of all others the white hand the still handkerchief and the gilt bible well dog so as to the faithful text hunter were no longer with that grave air of sincerity which though real is on the other hand too frequently assumed under any circumstances this sober of seriousness in mixed company is to say the least of it offensive to good taste as well as to the interests of true religion which never hangs out a black flag to tell the world where she is to be found as well as the colours she is known by at all events the change that i have mentioned in was quite obvious to all who had known him he was now a stout fine looking young man with an open and handsome countenance tinged into the brown hues of robust health by activity and employment he also contracted what i may term a courteous of manner by which it was easy to see how readily the wealthy farmer and the man of education may meet in the same person and form a model of gentlemanly ease and independence which it would be well to see more frequently by the class to which he belonged it was very natural under these circumstances that a young man at s period of life should begin to feel the inconvenience of not having some person to manage the domestic arrangements of his house and to bestow that happiness which can never be in by a solitary heart added to this the natural of an affectionate disposition determined him with as little delay as possible to marry nor was it difficult for a highly educated j handsome young fellow as he and very independent besides in his circumstances to select a suitable companion from among classes even higher thb parents trial than that in which he moved with equal good sense and good feeling he paid his addresses in a quarter where both prudence and affection justified his choice jane was a lovely and accomplished girl somewhat in her manner as almost every girl possessing tender and profound feeling is she was not one of those who parade their accomplishments before society or who take delight in them upon the attention of both strangers and friends until their exhibition becomes not merely common place but painful on the contrary she might be passed by as one of those who appear to be bom only to fill a place in the crowd were it not that her beauty was by no means of that description which could be overlooked to a eye her silence and modesty instead of being the result of were soon discovered to proceed firom observation and reflection indeed the slightest opportunity of conversation disclosed the reluctant of a mind far beyond the common order and a taste equally cultivated and just she was the only daughter but not the only child of a captain who a long and not life had retired on full pay and an honourable some reluctance was certainly manifested by himself and his family against the proposed alliance but s manners good sense and circumstances were really so that it was deemed more advisable to unite them than to sacrifice miss s happiness to that parade and wealth could neither purchase nor restore it s union with her was indeed a happy one the residence to which he brought her was every way suitable both to their taste and education it was situated on the brow of a small hill which swept easily down to a very sweet lake that lay a few hundred below it and whose green margin contrasted beautifully with the summer of its waters behind it rose a sweep of fine old a of thb or timber by a and in every direction the eye was gratified by a rich in cultivation and luxuriant scenery about a quarter of a mile to the left from among the in which it was rose the spire of the parish church and a little to the right of that could be seen through a natural vista in the trees the white and modest house of the directly opposite a rustic bridge quite in character with the scenery a quiet stream whose waters as the light of the sun fell upon them from different quarters of the heavens altogether it would be difficult to find a summer landscape on which lay a spirit of greater tranquillity and beauty in this sweet spot with all of rational enjoyment which ufe can to persons of regulated and his wife passed for a few years a calm and serene existence three girls had blessed their and as the children were l it is almost unnecessary to say that their fond parents absolutely them now however commenced that secret yearning of the heart which under such is naturally felt from the absence of a son their attachment to each other was in no degree diminished but on the contrary softened into a of greater tenderness by the three beautiful of their love notwithstanding all this their affection tender as it unquestionably was gradually became by a latent melancholy which each endeavoured to conceal from the other many 