Year: 1868

training which was 10 fit me for my

 important position in the future. Nc

 pains were spared to induct me com

 pletely into the mysteries of conner

 cial science; but my adaptive father

 was shrewd man of the world anc

 knew full well that youth was the timt

 for enjoyment. I was, therefore, by

 no means closely confined during ths

 first years of my probation, Mir. Will mer justly arguing that my love fol

 business must be gradually imbibed that might never consider it irksomC

 through the memory of any hardship

 in my apprenticeship. Accordingly

 shared freely in the pleasures of those youths of my own age whom he per.

 mitted mo to know, his only censor.

 ship consisting in the choice of worthy companions for me, and my allowance in money was more liberal than that oi any of my young friends.

 Those were halcyon days indeed, and until attained the age of eighteen never knew care. At that age was fulfilling his utmost wishes; had never done a wrong wilfully; was steadily acquiring a taste for mercan tile life and became strictly attentive to its duties; and, as have said, I loved and revercnced him beyond all the world. There seemed to be no single cloud upon the bright horizon of my life and could I have chosen my own lot ere I was born, knowing and feeling what I did then, would not have chosen differently. But the dark days were swiftly coming nevertheless, and I must turn from tho only pleasant retrospection in my life to chronicle l their advent.

 How and when first met Arthur de Chargny is briefly related. It was on the occasion of the celebration of my nineteenth birthday. l had been din- ing at my unele's country-house, and, when returning 10 the city at night, my horse took fright at passing wag- on. Taking the bit between his teeth he dashed furiously down a steep hill at tho foot of which ran a mountain torrent, swift, deep and impassablel l gave myself up for lost and shut my eyes to meet my death blindly. The 1 frantic steed rushed on; there was q sudden check 10 his career, violent shock to myself. and loud shout ring ing in my bewildered ear. When re- eeinsd my seli-nnSsession l found my self lying on the bank of the furious torrent. and bending over me l saw by the light of a small lantern which i he held iii his hand, the man who had saved mo from cruel death. Saved me. alas from mortal peril only to condemn me to immortal torment,

 I never knew exactly how he had preserved ma; tho simple fact was enough. and from that moment vow ed to him an eternal friendship. That it was oonc with no little peril 10 him self was manifest in a broken arm, which hung helpless at his side, and i the thUtlS itu boNl Vl ny 9tNcu, hHi'H had plunged to its death upon the rocks ill the bed ot the stream. Recovering myself almost immediately became ! his assistant, and in due time we reached a roadside tavern where the l services of surgeon were obtained and his injured arm was set.

 l ] had now a6sopportunity of observ- ing the personal appearance of him who had thus rescued me from de- struction, and found much to com mend both in that and his manner. II e was evidently gentleman, plainly but richly dressed, and having about him that air of savior-yivre which denotes birth and high breeding His person l was of the middle height, well-tofmed land graceful, though possessing great strength. His hair and military whis- kers were coal black, his eyes of the same hue and of piercing brilliancy, while the rest of his features were per fectly regular and striking. He was, in fact, a very hanCsome man, in the prime of life, and in every way calcu- lated to please. His most singular and impressive attribute, however, was the wonderful variety of expression of which his face was capable, and 1 am at loss either to describe this charac- ! teristic or.to explain it's extraordinary influence upon myself,

 l In ordinary moods this expression was one of gentle seriousness; he might then have been deemed phi lanthropist wnose only care was the welfare of his felow-men. In his | hours of love and tenderness his face became that of seraph; his soft glan ces intoxicated; his smile was ravish- ling, and his whole aspect potent spell to fascinate and enthrall the ob- ject of his regard. When rage famed upward from his fiery heart, oh, heav- \ en! what a transformation! still grandly beautiful, his countcnance be- came the epitome of wrath. Light nings flashed from his glowing eyes, his delicate lips were the seat of a scorn unutterablc, and his lofty brow l the throne ofa frown as majestic and < ominous as that of love himself. None | who incurred his anger ever forgot that baletul look, and few had the courage to withstand it.

 But though these sentences may seem exaggerated rather to depict the attributes of a god than . man-there was one other expression that he often