Year: 1877

Nothing, my love, but your good
wishes and sympathy, L believe, but
stay, there is a thing that you can do
You can ask your father to let our poor
fellows have the shelter of his summer
house, which commands the rear of the
Vaughan house. 1t will be q serious
service to them these bitter nights


Certainly" answered Helen, cheer
fully, "you can have the key to the lit
tie gate that opens upon your grounds,
that was made for the accommodation of
Miss Vaughan and myself; and as the
fence is an open one, they can keep
watch as well in the summer-house as in
the yard"


Thank you,' he replied, that will
be doing us good service. l hope" he
continued, after a short pause, that
you will pardon me for not telling you
all this, this morning. But, in truth, L
never thought of it once. Itwas hardly
fair, as you did not have all the facts of
my case before you. But it is not too
late, you know, now to change your
mind"


" You do not think that this, or any
thing else that you could do, would
make any difference in my love for you,
Charles, said Helen, looking up in his
face. " L know you do not"


4" Indeed, do not, dearest" he re-
Piled and as he spoke he leaned his lips
so near her cheek, that L should have
thought that they must have touched,
had not known that it would have
been improper.


g But here we are at the Royal Tav-
ern," he exclaimed, as they drove into
Dock Square, and drew up at the inn
where it was proposed to close their ex-
petition. Now clear your brow, and
repair your eyes, lest the gossips put
things, and people too, together"


There is time of life when three
days seem to be an all-sufficient eternity
and my Helen was happily not past
that blessed period. So she soon dis
missed the unpleasant tiding she had
just heard from her mind, and endeav-
ored to mingle in the gaieties of the
Royal Tavern. The scene was not a
very magnificent one, to be sure, but tire
company was as gay as if it had been a
royal palace. The mulled wine was
beyond praise. The floor of the large
parlor was swept, and noble fire diff
fused light and heat through the room.
They had not a regimental band, ,as they
had the night before, but the fiddle of a
musical negro, belonging to the house,
was sufficient to set them all dancing
and flirting. And what could his maj
esty's own band itself do more? At q
proper time an excellent supper was
served in the dining-room-none of your
perpendicular abominations-bu good
regular, sit-down supper, all hot from
the spit, and served, if not with metro
politan magnifcence, yet at least with
provincial plenty. Ample justice was
done to the viands-and the port wine
and the everlasting punch were not neg
lected. After the sacred rage of hunger
was appeased, the company returned to
the great parlor, and resumed their
gaieties, which were protracted until a
late hour. Such were some of the
schemes to which the beleagured inhab-
itants of the town resorted to speed
away some of their weary hours. And
very good schemes they were, in my
opinion.


/ do not know how it was, but the
garrison gossips, of whom Ingram had
warned Helen, remarked that he was
not as devoted to her as usual. From
this the they augured, with the sagacity
of their tribe, that he was inclined to be
off from the filtration. Now I formed a
directly opposite opinion from the cir
cumstance. y am too old bird to be
cha6ed in this way. know, however,
that the young lovers compared notes OF
what they heard and overheard on the
subject, as they drove home, and that
they were entirely satisfied with the sue
cess of the enemy. What could have
made them dissatisfied with it
On arriving at his quarters, Ingram
found every thing ready, but no ghost
| as yet. DIR. Holcombe, who much pre-
, ferred comfortable armchair, pipe
and tankard of punch, over against q
rousing fire, to all the sleighing parties
that ever manufactured pleasure out OF
cold and discomfort, had volunteered to
mount guard for the first evening in the
room, He protested, however, that al
, had been quiet, and not so much Of q