to Mentone. Soon after his arrival there he was seized with an attack of acute bronchitis, to which, on Sunday morning, the 20th November, he succumbed. His remains were brought over to England, and were interred on the following Saturday in the Abney Park Cemetery, in the presence of a large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends, the majority of whom, after the interment, adjourned to the Abney Park Chapel, where most touching addresses were delivered by his old friends, Mr. Henry Richard, M.P., Mr. Puleston, M.P., Mr. McCullagh Torrens, M.P., Mr. Thomas Gee, and Mr. Michael Young. The meeting was brought to a close with the singing of the old Welsh hymn, Bydd myrdd o ryfeddodau, &c.,

which was given out by the Ven. Archdeacon Griffiths, who, being one of Sir Hugh's dearest and best friends, had officiated at the grave.

Little need be added to what has already been written in illustration of the character of the noble-minded patriot his country has lost, and whose memory his countrymen will ever fondly cherish. He was a man of the highest integrity, of transparent purity of thought and deed, and of the deepest earnestness and piety. He was endowed with great force of character, and with a really marvellous capacity for work. As one out of many proofs of his ceaseless assiduity and his extraordinary faculty for work which suggest themselves to me, I may state that in September 1880, Mr. Owen, who was then in his 76th year, Mr. Lewis Morris, Mr. Howel Thomas, Mr. W. E. Davies and myself were proceeding together by the evening express from Paddington to Shrewsbury, where a meeting was to be held the following morning in connection with the National Eisteddfod Association. While the rest of the company were endeavouring to beguile the tedious journey with talk, Mr. Owen spent them to a better purpose, in drawing up in pencil a complete set of the resolutions which, in his opinion, should be submitted to the meeting the following day. As these resolutions related to the rules of 'the Association, and were supplemented with a brief outline of the history of the movement which led to the formation of the Association, they occupied ten pages of note paper, closely written. This manuscript now lies before me, and is written with extraordinary clearness and firmness.

Sir Hugh was never seen to greater advantage, perhaps, than when he was at his own house, surrounded by the members of his happy family. There was an ineffable charm in the loving and trustful union which subsisted between him, his wife, and his children. They lived the ideal Christian life-a life of unbroken peace, of happiness, and of joy.

One of the most striking features of his character was his remarkable power of winning the esteem and affection of those

with whom he was brought in contact in private and public life. In the large circle of friends who now mourn his loss will be found men and women of every shade of political and religious creed, and of every social grade. Creeds and grades vanished in the presence of one whose bearing, at all times and under all circumstances, was that of a perfect Christian gentleman. It is more than possible that there are a few of his fellow-countrymen who cared little for him. These knew him not; for to know him was to love him.

"O strong soul, by what shore

Tarriest thou now? For that force,
Surely, has not been left in vain !
Somewhere, surely, afar,

In the sounding labour-house vast
Of being, is practised that strength,
Zealous, beneficent, firm!
Yes, in some far-shining sphere,
Conscious or not of the past,
Still thou performest the word

Of the Spirit in whom thou dost live-
Prompt, unwearied, as here!
Still thou upraisest with zeal
The humble good from the ground,
Sternly repressest the bad!
Still like a trumpet, dost rouse
Those who with half-open eyes
Tread the border-land dim,
"Twixt vice and virtue; reviv'st,
Succourest :-this was thy work,
This was thy life upon earth."

T. MARCHANT WILLIAMS.

OF HIGH DEGREE.

BY CHARLES GIBBON, AUTHOR OF "ROBIN GRAY," "A HEART'S PROBLEM," "IN HONOUR BOUND," "QUEEN OF THE MEADOW," "THE BRAES OF YARROW," &c., &c.

CHAPTER IX.-HIS HOPE.

But Mrs. Meredith did not understand what substantial food hope is for lovers. They can exist upon it alone for periods ranging from five minutes to five years. The length of the period is regulated by the graduation of the degrees of imaginary and real liking of which the love is compounded. Only true love attains the longer period, and then other considerations must be taken into account: chief amongst these is the one that the hope-nourishment must be used by both sides. When that is the case, then the more opposition is brought to bear against the love the more sustaining does the food prove.

Stephen was well supplied with the nourishing food called hope; he had such a stock that he could stand a siege of twelve years instead of twelve months. But there was just that one small mouse in the granary-she had said she would come back if he proved true! That implies a doubt of him, and so he knew in a vague way that she could not be sustained by the boundless hope which kept him up.

If he proved true!

What a foolish suggestion for her to make-what an unworthy doubt-this came with a touch of pain-what a cruel thing for her to say!

But she had been much troubled in her mind during the last few months, poor girl. She loved him, he was sure of that. She had said she would come back, and Ruth never broke a promise.

That was enough for him-it ought to be enough and he had his part to do in order to make her glad to come. He had to buckle to his work manfully and clear his feet of all difficulties which hampered them. That could be done; no man who is really willing to work can be overcome by Fortune. He boldly accepts her worst buffets and then cries:

"You have done your worst for that bout. Now I am ready to begin again.”

And he begins again and conquers.

That was Stephen's theory of life. He had need of the hardihood which such a theory implies, for when he went into his affairs and the legacy of debt which had been left him, he found things more involved than he, in his worst fits of depression, had thought they were. In some of these fits, indeed, the faith in his own theory was severely tested; for it seemed to require a greater power of endurance than he possessed to keep matters straight at Derewood Grange.

At such times he was grateful for the soothing presence of Dahlia. She did not in any way obtrude her sympathy upon him; but, somehow, she seemed to be always suggesting the cheery words:

"Courage!

You will overcome all these worries. You will do it for Ruth's sake."

That was really helpful to the man; and he found himself taking more interest in the future of this girl than at one time he thought possible. The fact was that his sense of relief in finding that she was aware of his feelings for Ruth, and appreciated them, gave him much delight. His mother and sisters might speculate as much as they pleased about uniting him to Dahlia against his will, as long as Dahlia herself had no idea of that kind, and was his true friend and Ruth's.

So much he expressed to Mr. Bassnett when he saw him about his affairs in accordance with the last instructions of his cousin. Mr. Bassnett, of course, made a formal appointment in a note signed in the name of the firm, because in all business transactions Mr. Bassnett was most particular to observe the strictest formality even with his private friends-it saved so many misunderstandings, and at once removed any impression a client might have that friendly feelings could affect his judgment of the case in hand.

He could not prevent a friend from referring to matters which were not directly connected with business, but he seldom pronounced an opinion on such subjects: and yet he always left the impression of having given you the best possible advice which a man of experience and your friend could offer under the circumstances.

In the present instance he examined Stephen's face carefully, and there was a peculiar smile on his own as he did so.

"Yes, I always thought Miss Whitcombe a bright, clever sort of girl," he said as he watched Stephen; "and if all goes well she will have a comfortable little fortune to bring to the man who marries her. At present I think all will go well."

There was a significance in the intonation of the last sentence which Stephen did not observe.

"I sincerely hope it will," was his earnest observation. “I think she deserves that all should go well with her."

"I am sure it will if you like to help her," said the lawyer, laughingly.

"And I am sure that I shall be ready to do anything in my power to help her," was Stephen's innocent response. "From the way you speak, Bassnett, it seems as if you knew some way in which I could help her. Should that be the case, tell me,

there cannot be many more willing to do it."

for

"Oh, I have no doubt you will find out the way when the occasion arises. Meanwhile, we must go to your own business."

"I beg your pardon, Bassnett, I ought to know your ways by this time, and here have I been chattering about things which we ought to have discussed at home. Well, the affairs are bad: Dottridge said he had made arrangements to tide me over the present mess, and you would explain, as he is forbidden to enter into details himself."

"Well, luckily, there is at this moment nothing very harassing for you to hear or me to explain. Your last speculations involved a clear loss of three thousand. That is not a big sum to look at in figures, but it is not easy to find when you want it. I have known men of much more considerable property than you possess men of ancient title and family, who have had to go through the court for a sum like that. Of course, it only represents the last straw."

"And the last straw would break me but for Dottridge."

66

Exactly; his instructions are that all your present engagements are to be met, and that for one year you are to be allowed to act as freely as if Derewood did not owe any man a penny." "Ah, he knows that one year will suffice to set me on my feet." "I did not ask him what he knew," said the lawyer, complacently, "or why he acted as he is doing. He is a strange man, placed in a very peculiar position, and I must say between ourselves that he is acting very well for all parties. But he means to be a little hard on you."

"In what way ?"

"At the end of the year he says you must be prepared to meet your engagements yourself. Of course, if he is alive that will not be of much consequence, but you know his condition

and

"Why, in this Dottridge gives me the strongest proof of his