Year: 1861

good acton. L have sewing enough myself
that | wish to get done to employ her three
months"


! We'll, Percy, since you are so Garnet for
her to remain, ii you will promise to make your
visit to your friend Northcote, will take her
week or two upon trial, though | should not
be surprised If she should know no more about
hemmiug than you do"
Mrs. Leonard returned and resumed the
seat she had left


think you told me your name was Mary
Lewiston" said she TO the girl, who sat weep
ing and trembling.


Il did"


=" As my nephew thinks of leaving town to-
morrow, to he gone some time, and, as | shall
be rather lonely, | have concluded to let you
remain week or two upon tcial"
! Yonr words are Thousand times better
! than life to me" she said
If you remain there are several conditions
which you must promise to comply with"
" will comply with any condition that you
wish. All | ask is that you will suffer me to
stay"


| The Grst condition is that you must, un-
der no pretex whatever leave the house except
to attend church on the Sabbath, and then it
must be in company with some person | shalt
provide to go with you"


That will suit me exacty-I do not wish
to go out ~


! Another is, that you mast not attempt to
hold any correspondence With yeur old sssoci-
ateS"


| There is not person on earth with whom
| wish to hold any correspondence.
! The third and last condition is that if any
! lOf rO1J III
to see them"


"A Il that you require, should have per
formed voluntarily"
| "WeI, then, you had better take off your
cloak aud hood, for the room is rather warm
to require such warm garments


She withdrew to the opposite side of the
apartment, and Percy observed that at the
moment she removed her hood, she tore
wreath Of fowers from her hair, and crushed
it ia her hand, which soon afterwards, when
she imagined she was not noticed, she threw
it into the fire


When dvested of her cloak and hood, with
her rich dress exactly fitted to her form, and
her bright golden hair enwoven with pearls,
Mrs. Leonard could not help confesSing to her
self that she had never seen female so per-
fectly beautiful. If the admiration of Percy
was graduated on a lower scale, bis counte-
nance was no true index of his mind, and the
idea of his proposed visit into the country be-
gan to grow exceedingly distasteful to him.
The next morning at the breakfast table
Miss Lewiston appeared in a calico morning
dress, which Mrs. Leonard had provided for
her, with hair, which was plainly parted on
her forehead, compressed into one heavy rich
braid, which shoue with a luStre nearly equal
to the small golden comb which confined it
| to the back part of her head Her demean-
or was modest almost to bashfulness her color
varying with every motion, from the Dalest
hue OF the blush rose, to that which dyes the
leaves nearest its heart Mrs. Leonard was
at loss whether to attribute this ftful vary
ing OF her complexion to modesty or guilt. bat
Percy, who had great deal of chivaIry about
/ him. would not have hesitated. hand it been
the custom in those degenerate davs to break
lance with the bravcSt man in the country.
ia vindicaton of her Innocence.


Have you sent to secure q seat in the
stage ?" inquired his aunt, as they rose from
tbs table


1t is not time yet"


You are mistaken, Percy-it lacks but
fifteen minutes of the time"


You are right, I believe, he replied look
lag at bis watch, but never mind, if am to
late can just as we'll 90 tomorrow"
THAT will never do" said his aunt, with a
look and tone of severity, "if you miss the
| stage, | will lend you my carriage"


Well, aunt, since you are so earnest to get
rid of me, will send a servant to tell the
driver to call for me-"
No, it is too late to trust to servants-go
nd f,r (,


Just as you say-I am all obedient but if
my exile prove too tedious, | shall return be
fore the expiration Of the time | mentioned"


" Not without writing first, replied bis rel
ative


" To be sure-I shall give you warning"


Having said this, he shook hands warmly
with his aunt, and bowed with an air of pro-
found respect to Miss Lewiston, left the ap-
partment.


Mrs Leonard thinking, it not best to task
the skill Of her needle woman too severely at
first, gave her cambria handkerchief to hem,
which being done with DeatnesS and dispatch,
she ventIred to trust her with a pair of linen
wristbands, for Percy, which, according to
the old fashion, when women probably found
it difficult to fill up all their time, were to be
stitched twice across each toSembrace just two
threads. She had finished one entirely to Mrs
Leonard's satisfaction when the doorbell rang
Mss Lewiston gave nevouS start, and rising
from her chair requested Mrs LeonarFS leave
TO retire to her own apartment. The person
who rang proved to be Mrs Reding, lady of
whom Mrs. Leonard was intimately acuuant-
ed, and to whom she determined to mention
the case of her new seamStresS, and ask her ad
vice relative to the proprety ofpermitting her
to remain. But Mrs Reding had something