a blessing it is, Colonel Dermont," she continued, "that Julia Drummond is so plain! Don't you observe how constantly they are together? And if she were at all welllooking, or particularly striking in any way, I should be frightened to death lest he should take it into his head to fall in love with her. But, thank goodness, there is no danger of that !"

"It is quite as well, perhaps, that Julia should be plain as handsome," replied the colonel," because it sets your mind, and it may be my own too, at rest upon that matter. But, between ourselves, wife, Alfred is not a young man to throw his heart away upon any girl who had nothing better to distinguish her than a pretty face. Alfred has an immense deal of proper pride, and you may take my word for it, that he will never dream of making any matrimonial connection that will not satisfy us in every way. I would trust his judgment in all ways beyours or mine."

fore

"I think so, too, colonel. If ever there

was a perfect human being upon the earth, it is our Alfred!" and as she pronounced these truly maternal words, Mrs. Dermont propelled her husband's footsteps as gently and as effectually, as she had before restrained them, and, in a few minutes, they stood beside their son, with their four fond eyes fixed earnestly upon him.

"We have followed you to your literary retreat, Alfred, in order to consult you about a little party that your mother is proposing to give," said Colonel Dermont, laying his hand caressingly on the young man's shoulder. "Will you consent to put your book down for a little while to listen to us?"

Here, Julia! take the book, I have had quite enough of it," replied the young man, putting the novel, with which he had been beguiling the sultry morning, into the hands of his young companion. "Now then, maʼam,” addressing his mother, "what is it you have got to say?"

" Do

you think you could make room for

us, Alfred? For it is really too hot for any body to stand."

The young man immediately changed his recumbent attitude for one that occupied one-third of the seat, instead of the whole of it, and his father and mother placed themselves beside him, Julia still retaining her standing position in front.

Nothing, however, could be further from the heart of either the colonel or his lady, than any unkind, or even uncivil feeling towards their young ward; but this sort of negligence towards her was become so habitual, as to render it almost impossible that they should treat her otherwise than as a mere child, towards whom any thing in the least degree approaching ceremony would be absolutely ridiculous.

There were many moments in which the young Alfred appeared to be under the influence of the same sort of feeling; but, nevertheless, the truth was, that he was begin-. ning to be annoyed sometimes, if any one, besides himself, treated her too cavalierly;

and, on the present occasion, perceiving that there was no room for her on the bench, he quietly got up, and with a slow, deliberate, and rather languid-seeming step, walked the distance of about a hundred yards to a tree, under which there was a moveable mushroom seat, and passing a finger through the aperture at the top of it, conveyed it, with the same lagging step, to the spot where the group was assembled. He then replaced himself on the bench, and having done so, put down the stool which still hung suspended on his finger, exactly in front of himself, making a silent sign to Julia, that she was to take possession of it. She did so with a short bright glance of gratitude towards her sublime friend; while Mrs. Dermont said, with a smile, " upon my word, Miss Julia, I think you are highly honoured." A slight frown, the very slightest in the world, passed over the brow of Alfred, and then he said-" Well, ma'am, what is it you have got to tell me ?"

แ "Why, Alfred," replied his mother, "you

see, my dear, that the weather is most beautifully fine, and I have been thinking that, by way of making a little variety, and trying something new in the manner of receiving our neighbours, we might, if you like it, my dear, give something of a dance upon the lawn-something in the way of a public breakfast, you know. What do you say to it, Alfred ?"

"Oh dear, ma'am, I have no objection whatever-provided you can get together people enough. But our lawns are very large, remember, and it will be a very forlorn-looking business if the groups are too thinly scattered.-Should you like it, Julia?"

Both colonel and Mrs. Dermont felt this question to be rather an idle interruption in the discussion of so interesting a subject; but as it came from Alfred, they of course paused till the answer was given; and this did not take long, for Julia replied with great glee, and without pausing for a minute. "Like it? To be sure I should! should think it would be the most beautiful

I