in comparison with what the law had laid fast | disappointed; she had accepted in full his renunhold on. ciation of their acquaintanceship, but she had Then John Checkley looked around him. It gone no further; she had not fulfilled his bitter was easy to estimate his resources. He had prediction, "that she would marry into the next relatives; but through them nothing could be marching-regiment, to do away with all rememgained without delay, perhaps not more even brance of her courtship with a carrier." Two with it; and he could not afford time for the years from their parting interview passed by, and trial. He put that chance out of sight. In fact, such a marriage, if not any marriage, was secmhe possessed nothing but these carts and horses: ingly as far as ever from her prospects. he could count on no other reality for support of his orphan brothers. On these, then, he was to speculate. At the close of that time an accountantship in the Fountainstown Bank became vacant. The manager, a stranger in the town, who had taken a fancy to John Checkley's mode of doing his own business, offered him the place. The twins then conducted the home-business during bank-hours, still, by a little management, not omitting a fair share of school-duty; and the eldest brother's salary was added to the common stock. After six months more, there came another change. John Checkley quitted Fountainstown, for, report said, a situation of more ease and trust in England. One of the twins succeeded to the place in the bank. "The interest in Mr. John Checkley's store, a large quantity of coals, a When he had quitted the presence of Miss Delmege, he returned to his own home, only to yield it up to strangers. He gave up his accounts with his lands to a receiver, and then resolutely turned his back upon Monally, and, so far as was possible, on all associated with it. He took lodgings for his brothers and himself, and by the week's end had disrated himself from the genteel company of a ten-miles-wide circuit around Fountainstown by means of advertisement, that "John Checkley, carrier, solicited public custom for the conveyance of goods, etc." By being his own "guide," he would himself have all the prof-number of horses, cars, etc.," were "cried" and it of his undertaking; and he had no desire to avoid that office. His pride was of that proudest sort—that when down, will second circumstance in sinking itself further; and, progress being the law of events, strikes the bottom to make sure of an uprise. From Fountainstown to the next seaport, twenty miles distant, carriage paid ten shillings the ton. He could accomplish the journey twice in six days, and thus average at the outset £2 5s. per week-£117 a year. And when his horses were fed and stabled, there would still remain sufficient for a young man and two boys to live on. sold, and the proceeds lodged for the second of the twins, who earnestly desired to attain a profession hereditary in the family. The lad himself departed with full light heart to enter on his new pursuit. The twin accountant soon followed in his eldest brother's steps to England, and a higher post; and the Checkleys were lost sight of in Fountainstown for a time; seldom even named, except that, at the club-meets, if the fox ran toward Monally, some passer-by conjectured that, when the debts were cleared off-yet a distant prospect-some member of the family would repossess the old place. John Checkley returned as manager long before any body looked to see him back. His thorough knowledge of the complicated relationships and connections of the neighboring gentry was of no small commercial value in troubled and changeful times: it secured him the place of his now superannuated friend. It happened to be at the same season, and nearly at the very hour, that saw him part with Jane Delmege some sum town; but he felt this forenoon much finer than that well-remembered one, which had left a chill upon his recollections. His heart opened to the old places, and the old people too—“the neighbors." Coals were the steadiest article of import; to these, after a trial, he confined himself; and "John Checkley solicited the public of Fountainstown to try his coals." Of his former associates, some dealt with him for their own convenience; others gave him their custom through good nature; and others, again, patronized him through impertinence. The money of all went into the same purse, and that purse was filling; John Checkley was prospering beyond his hopes.mers gone, that he now re-entered FountainsNot a few of his old companions met him almost as familiarly as ever-when they saw him; for his frieze-coat and felt-hat could easily pass unobserved as his; and the distance from the footway to the middle of the street, where he walked after his cars, might as well be miles as inches to those who did not chance to look across. He had had, too, invitations to some parties of bachelors; but steady and good-humored refusals following each, they ceased. The feeling that dictated them was neither gratified nor offended: it died away quietly, like most good easy things. The relation that he himself had prescribed existed unvaried between him and Miss Delmege. They avoided each other so cautiously, that accident had all the credit of keeping them from meeting. If reliance on her sympathy had had any part in his motives or expectations, he was That Miss Delmege was still single, was a fact that made itself known to him, unasked, during the first hour's exercise of his new duties. Mr. Delmege had engaged in milling; and to spare the time of a confidential clerk, and avoid the risk of trusting other parties, Jane sometimes walked to the bank, to lodge or draw any considerable sum. Here her old lover encountered her. Hearing her name called out, he turned round, and found her standing before him. Her hand was extended with a check; but he could not do less, for old acquaintance sake, than offer to take both together. "You've returned here," observed she, with some embarrassment of manner. "Yes" he refrained from adding, "as manager." She could perceive that fact and continued: "And I am not sorry to find myself once more at home." Some indifferent remarks followed reciprocal inquiries for Mr. and Mrs. Delmege, and the twins. His years of absence lay, bridge-like, between their past and present: it was ground on which both stood at ease. "May I thank you to look at that," said the lady at length, glancing at the check, "I am rather in haste." “Certainly; excuse my detaining you so long," replied the gentleman, as he took up the fluttering bit of paper. Then adding: "One moment; pray pardon me; I am still new here," he moved toward his own office, reaching, as he passed, the check to an accountant. Miss Delmege saw, or thought she saw, his countenance changing, meantime, to the official dubiousness of "account overdrawn?" It was with a proud swell of the heart she felt she had come to claim money, not to ask credit. She could expect no tender remembrance of the past from the young manager, and she looked for none in transacting business with him. And yet she misjudged somewhat the feelings and motives that she canvassed; they leaned over the counter far more than she supposed. Never had John Checkley been so little disposed to quarrel with her conduct as at the moment when she was questioning herself of its necessity, or even its dignity. He had condemned her weakness before he had had opportunity to estimate his own. It was with a thrill of the heart he remembered that his old avowal was to that hour unretracted and unrejected that he was, in fact, her suitor still, if he desired to appear in that relation. It was this returning love, that had swept across her path and ebbed away with changing circumstances years before, which now said to itself: "It might perhaps serve her better than in aiding her father's projects if " Here a great letter D cut short suppositions. A fair balance in the book before him, showed that the Delmeges in nowise needed friendly aid. They were yet well to doremarkably well for these overwhelming times. The paying of the customary parting compliments was all needed at his hands just then; and he returned, feeling himself a little put aback, though why he would have found it hard to say. While the teller and Miss Delmege counted and recounted the money, he filled up the time for himself with a vague and rather careless expression of "having purposed to inquire for Mrs. Delmege as soon as business would permit." Whether it was, that through the obviously increased coldness of his manner, Miss Delmege saw something of what really had been passing through his mind, or that she was prompted by the habit of hospitality, she thought proper to reply, that mamma would be very happy to see him. They parted: the lady to go home, and make a very observable miscount in her transfer of cash received; the gentleman to go through his books with a brain not altogether clear. Through debits and credits flitted many strange items. Hopes, fears, doubts, took place of pounds, shillings, and pence; ranging themselves down the double columns, mingling and changing, till at length the manager brought them to a check. "Why not to-day?" said he, shutting up the book. "It is not I who should be backward, if she is willing to recall old times; and if not, the sooner I know her mind the better for my own." This settled, he was able to give all his attention, if not quite all his heart, to the interests of the worthy governor and directors to whom he was indebted for the means to press his own just then. This very thought was enough to make a hopeful lover a zealous, earnest man of business; and the new manager gained the top of the wheel in the rapid revolution of genteel opinion that day in Fountainstown. Long-headed vicechairmen of poor-law boards, starched J. P.s, and affronted forty-fifth cousins affiliated with as kindred genius, or hailed as the triumphant and irrepressible aspiring of thorough breeding, what the manager set down to a simple, honest instinct, favoring circumstances, and perhaps one little incident that he would not return on to analyze. The county club talked of the height of his forehead; he in his inmost soul thanked Providence. When the clock struck three, he sprang, like a school-boy, from his seat, oversaw the closing ar rangements, and hurried away once more to the old house in Spring Lane. Jane The ladies were at home. Checkley began something to the younger of "fears he might be even more occupied the next days," but her mother's welcome and inquiries cut short an explanation that was not much needed. scarcely spoke. Mrs. Delmege invited him “to stay, without ceremony, for the day, believing that he was free from home engagements," He confirmed her suppositions; then paused, and looked at Jane. Jane looked out of the window; she remembered he was now manager. He, too, remembered the same fact, and it prompted acceptance of the invitation, even though she would not second it. He laid by his hat, and with it the remnant of constraint that had hung round him previously. Conversation was resumed and kept up between him and the elder lady; the younger sat in the window, listening or thinking, as might be-Checkley wondered which. Yet when, on the entrance of a second guest to Mrs. Delmege, an opportunity of ascertaining offered, he would not use it. Mr. Delmege was expected home to dine; and the manager desired to make sure that, taking one thing with another, he would be acceptable as a son-in-law. He was not wholly sanguine of the result. For himself, he had attained a full sense of the nobility of labor;' and could look with ease-without envy or contempt-on those who had not had opportunity to make a like acquisition. He could make ample allowance for the sway of feelings that, save on one point only, could no longer give him trouble. His apprehensions of | ger frankly. "If you had made me at all less Mr. Delmege arrived in due time. His welcome to ❝our new manager and old acquaintance, my dear," was both hearty and discriminativehe was just the man to make his feelings felt. The manager was made to make himself at home. He might have forgotten there was such a thing as coal in creation, had he not been keeping it determinedly before his mind's eye all that livelong summer afternoon. "Take your wine, Checkley. Here's your good health, and further promotion!" cried his host, when the ladies had passed away to the drawing-room. Delmege a partner's right in the honors and One month after, John Checkley gave Jane emoluments of the "Bank-house." Across the river, in the distance, lies Monally, its old trees and gray walls fair in the sunshine of a pleasure yet to come. Christians and Mohammedans, when children THE BETROTHED CHILDREN. X is not uncommon in Egypt, both among of opposite sexes are born to friends near about the same time, for the parents to betroth them, either by a verbal promise or by binding ceremonies. From that time forth they are looked upon by all the world as belonging to one another, almarriage-brokers, the professional match-makers most as part of the same being; and the female of the East, never feel any interest in the beauty of the girl or the accomplishments of the boy. The maiden, however, is esteemed to be especially As a most natural apropos to his acknowledg-fortunate. The probabilities of the future are in ments, came an avowal of the young manager's "entire satisfaction in his present place, if, only, the position he had some time held in Fountainstown, formed no bar to his pressing an old, unchanged attachment to Miss Delmege—” her favor. At any rate, she is protected from the "Not a bit of it," answered her father, interrupting him. Am I not dabbling in trade my-left. self now? A miller may shake hands with a collier any day. Jesting apart, my dear Check-versation of Zacharias and Mathias, two LevanIdeas of this kind formed the staple of the conley, that thorough-bred idleness we Irish gentry used to pique ourselves upon, is fast becoming obsolete may all our woes go with it! If Jane be pleased, as I have very little doubt she will be, I know no one in whose hands I should hold her happiness more safe. I know, my dear fellow, and feel how handsomely you acted toward my family, at a time when Jane's little fortune would have been a matter of some moment to you." John Checkley sprang up stairs three steps at a time. The two elder ladies looked round in surprise to see a gentleman so soon in the drawing-room; Jane kept gazing straight before her, till, at a whisper of "Will you allow me to speak one moment with you there?" she rose and walked with him to the window. "Do you remember, Jane," said he, "the last time we stood here together?" "It was not here-it was down stairs," she replied with a blush and half smile. "True: so it was indeed. That is a favorable omen. Will you reconsider now what I said to you then? On my side, all is the same. your hand then without hope or wish to keep it: I took there is mine now; will you take it?'tis a hand with a heart in it." "I did not expect you would ever think of me again," said Jane ingenuously. "Do you suppose I ever ceased to think of you?" "Not quite, perhaps. I did not deserve remembrance from you." "I am not sure of that," said the young mana tine merchants established in Cairo, when they resolved, as they smoked a friendly pipe together, that Yazir, who had been born about a year previously, and Lulu, who was then only a month old, should in process of time be united. The proposal came from Zacharias, the father of the boy. He was a widower, and could therefore venture to form an energetic resolution, and carry it into effect, without crossing his threshold in companion's eloquence persuaded him into giving the interval. Mathias was not so free; but his a sacred promise in the name of Lulu, the Pearl. It is true that in his own mind he said, "If my wife has any reason to urge against this, and abuses me, I can retract and lay the sin of falsehood at her door." of his courtyard was shut, and it was only by "Verily, O my lord," said his wife, looking resemble thee." occupied with other thoughts. beautiful children; but few are destined, like ours, to be won in marriage by a prince-a ruler of many lands and of much people." Mathias glanced from his wife to the ill-looking woman, and from the ill-looking woman to his child, and back again to his wife; and, being of confined intellect, remained puzzled. "Thou must learn," quoth the mother, "that this woman is one who knows things, who can dive into the mysteries of the past and of the future, who can see what is invisible, and sound what is fathomless." weakness in so straightforward a manner. Weak people never can do such a thing; otherwise, indeed, they would be strong. "Zacharias," said he, entering his friend's warehouse, "I come to repeat my promise, and hear you repeat yours; but I have remembered a foolish prophecy that I once heard, namely, that if ever I betrothed a child before the age of ten years it would surely die. This is nonsense; but were my wife to learn what has happened she would be unhappy. Let us agree, therefore, to keep it to ourselves; or, if thou hast mentioned to any body already, thou must deny it. I ask this for the sake of our friendship." The merchant made a sort of courtesy of re-it spect toward the learned lady; but an ironical suppleness about his knees displeased her. Zacharias looked very hard at his friend; and, seeing him blush, suspected that he was not telling the truth. However, not having attached much importance to the betrothal, and being oc "Yes, unbeliever," she exclaimed, "all these things and much more am I able to accomplish; and I have foreseen that the child Lulu will, within fifteen summers, become the wife of a pow-cupied with matters of business, he easily agreed erful sultan." "Then what shall I say to my friend Zacharias, to whose son Yazir I have this day betrothed her?" The ambitious mother became pale with rage; and, not having the prudence of her Western sisters, did not content herself with uttering sharp words, that pierce so deep and sting so sharply, but took off her slipper, and threw it in Mathias's face. Then she began using all the descriptive epithets that were disparaging with which her memory was stored; so that the young slave girl, who had only just come from the uncivilized parts of Africa, opened her mouth so wide that she might almost have swallowed the object of dispute. Perhaps because she thought she would do it, the mother seized Lulu, and, running to a well in the corner of the courtyard, held her babe over it, and declared that if Mathias did not promise instantly to go, quarrel with his friend, and break off the arrangement- Her gestures expressed the consequence. The worthy man promised any thing. to what was required of him. Mathias went away delighted, saying to himself, "In ten years who knows what may happen? Perhaps my wife may be in Paradise ?" Time passed away, and every year the Pearl became more beautiful; so that when she had reached the age of nine, already the marriagebrokers, from whom the betrothal had been kept a secret, began to come to the house and compliment the mother, and suggest that foresight was a great virtue, and that it would be well to look round for a good match. They had seen the child at the bath, and had turned the heads of five old gentlemen, three wealthy merchants, and a good many youths, with descriptions of her charms. In three years more, they said, she would be worthy to be the bride of a prince. When they repeated these compliments to the mother, that ambitious woman smiled proudly. They were not accustomed to this, and redoubled their efforts to open negotiations. One of them especially came almost every day on behalf of Sidi Yusuf, who was said to be the richest, and was certainly the oldest, merchant in all Egypt. But all was in vain. The wife of Mathias waited patiently for the appearance of a prince. He was quite right, say those who tell this story, to get the child out of the angry mother's hands at any cost; for, although at first there was only a threat, there is no knowing how far Meanwhile, Yazir also grew, and became the she might have been provoked by contradiction. pride of his parent. Before he was ten years of A tolerable number of "I will's" and "You age he could read like an Effendi, and was capashant's" rapidly interchanged (for they are ex-ble in accounts. One day in the bazaar, during pressions as current in Arabic as in English), may the absence of his father, he concluded a bargain irritate a passionate woman to murder. But when for a bale of goods as if he had been a merchant Zara had taken the child out of reach, up-stairs, all his life. The excellent Zacharias was never and was stilling its cries by putting her great black weary of boasting of Yazir's cleverness and thumb in its mouth, why did not Mathias seize a beauty. He still remained desirous of uniting stout palm branch, and administer a little whole-him to the daughter of his friend; and, when he some correction? That is what the narrators want to know; because, if he had, a great deal of misfortune might have been averted. heard much talk of Lulu's perfections among his fellow-merchants, some of whom openly, and others secretly, had determined to ask her in marriage, he smiled to think how certain their disappointment was. Occasionally he reminded Mathias on the subject, to that worthy man's extreme annoyance; for there was no sign that the mother of the Pearl had for the present any longing to be admitted into Paradise, and no hope that the com As it was, Mathias went another way to work. He approached his wife, and fondled her, and repeated his promise, and took a great many unnecessary oaths, in hearing of the ill-looking woman, and went out again to find Zacharias, at first with the resolution of explaining the whole matter to him, and begging his indulgence. How-ing prince would be forgotten. ever, he could not make up his mind to admit his When the ten years were fulfilled, Zacharias, taking his son by the hand, went to Mathias, and said before witnesses, "There is no longer need of concealment. It is fitting that the ceremony of betrothal between my boy and thy daughter should now publicly take place." this is not quite true; for many mishaps are the consequences of our own bad passions, which have their origin within and not without. The Orientals firmly believe that all disasters that have merely external causes are compensated even in this life. belief. The by-standers opened their eyes till they became as round as the eyes of owls; and exclaim- The two merchants did not trouble themselves ed" Yeh!" in token of astonishment. Mathias much about what the old man in the white beard stammered, and turned red and pale, and twitch- said. They were both angry, although the child's ed his cloak with his hands. There was no es- words put a stop to further conflict. Zacharias caping. So, making up his mind to be courageous, went away resolved to look out for a bride for his he frankly confessed that his wife would not be son, if possible, fifty times more beautiful than troth Lulu to any one, because she destined her Lulu; and Mathias returned home to quarrel to be the bride of a prince. When he had told with his wife, and then to humble himself before all, the auditors laughed heartily from various her. Age had rendered her more fierce than causes. Some of them had been paying a mar-ever, and more confirmed in her superstitious riage broker for years, to plead their cause with the mother of Lulu, and they laughed to hide their vexation. Others were delighted to observe the angry face of Zacharias, and the deprecating posture of Mathias: and all were amused at the idea of a Christian prince coming from some unknown kingdom in search of this Pearl. The fact is, as they knew, that there is no princely family existing whose theological tenets do not distinctly differ from those of their people; so that, as they could not conceive the possibility of Lulu taking a husband from another race, the whole affair appeared to them infinitely comic. These Levantines intermarry until it is a wonder they retain any respectable qualities, mental or physical. A good sturdy quarrel, perhaps a little beardpulling, seemed likely to take place; but suddenly Yazir, who, though only eleven years of age, fancied he had some right to an opinion in this matter, stepped boldly forward and said, "O my father, what is there in this Lulu that we should be unhappy on her account? Let her wait until her prince comes to ask for her. Perhaps the sun may one day rise and shine upon her in beggar's rags. Then she will fall at my feet, and ask me to have pity on her." "And then-what then?" said an old man with a long white beard, who had watched the scene with interest. "I will say, 'Sister, thy misfortune is not thy fault.' I will clothe her, and feed her; and perhaps God may reward me." Few noticed these childish words, except as an evidence of amiability; but they served to prevent any further dispute between Mathias and Zasharias. The old man with the white beard patted the boy on the head, and muttered a prediction of good fortune. In the East the words of the aged are believed to be prophetic. The verge of the grave is there regarded as the verge of all future time-the point at which the mists of life begin to thin away, and let in the beams of eternity. All the by-standers, therefore, were satisfied that whether Yazir ultimately possessed the Pearl or not, he was destined to happiness. As the prediction was founded on an evidence of goodness, perhaps this confidence of theirs was not altogether ill-founded. It is a common thing to say that the strokes of ill-fortune fall with impartiality upon the evil and the virtuous. But Retribution, however, soon came. Not many days afterward, news was brought to Mathias, that a caravan which he had dispatched to Syria laden with precious merchandize, had been attacked by the Bedouins, and robbed. This was a heavy blow, for he had not only embarked all his disposable capital in the venture, but had borrowed money to speculate on a grand scale. It is true that he expected one or two more caravans to return about this time; their arrival would have enabled him to meet all the demands that would be made upon him. But no news of them came; and Mathias began to fear that Providence had determined to punish him by utter ruin. At another time he would have gone to his friend Zacharias, certain of assistance; but now he knew that he would be repulsed with derision. The news of his disaster spread through the city; and the shroffs or bankers who had lent money to him began to press for payment. He begged them to wait until the arrival of his caravan from Soudan, which was expected every day; but the more he prayed for time, the more fierce they grew, and menaced at last to cite him before the Shah Bander, and send him to prison. That was an uncomfortable season for the wife of Mathias. Even had he been unable to trace his misfortune to her, it is probable that she would have still borne the chief brunt of his ill-humor. We often profess to envy women because they are exempt from all pecuniary cares; but in truth there is not a loss nor a disappointment of any kind which men suffer, that does not embitter some hour of family life. When the Eastern merchant has failed in a speculation he generally finds the meat ill done, and the house out of order. Mathias felt that he could reproach his wife without injustice; and of course he made the most of the opportunity. The poor woman's sin after all, was merely misplaced anxiety for her daughter's welfare; but this had led her to disregard her husband's honor, to diminish his respect, to separate him from his friends, and to endanger the fortune of Lulu herself-for the little girl had been brought up with ambitious notions. Already she began to talk with contempt of her companions, and even of her parents, saying, “I am born to be a princess, and this is sufficient for the happiness of all those who belong to me. It |