had received an invitation, and the dinner | back to the engine and next to the door. As occurring on the evening in question, I had that is considered the ladies' seat, I offered been asked to accompany him. The party it to her; she, however, very graciously dewas a numerous one, and as the meal ap-clined it, and took the corner opposite, sayproached its termination, and was about to ing, in a very agreeable voice, that she liked subside into the dessert, the conversation to feel the breeze on her cheek. The next became general. I should here mention that few minutes were occupied in locating hermy hearing is defective; at some times more self. There was the cloak to be spread under so than at others, and on this particular her, the skirts of the dress to be arranged, evening I was extra deaf-so much so, that the gloves to be tightened, and such other the conversation only reached me in the form trifling arrangements of plumage as ladies of a continued din. At one instant, how- are wont to make before settling themselves ever, I heard a word distinctly pronounced, comfortably at church or elsewhere, the last though it was uttered by a person at a con- and most important being the placing back siderable distance from me, and that word over her hat the veil that concealed her feawas-Kirkbeck. In the business of the tures. I could then see that the lady was London season I had forgotten all about the young, certainly not more than two or three visitors of the spring, who had left their card and twenty; but being moderately tall, without the address. The word reaching me rather robust in make, and decided in exunder such circumstances, arrested my at- pression, she might have been two or three tention, and immediately recalled the trans- years younger. I suppose that her comaction to my remembrance. On the first plexion would be termed a medium one; opportunity that offered, I asked a person her hair being of a bright brown, or auburn, whom I was conversing with if a family of while her eyes and rather decidedly marked the name in question was resident in the eyebrows were nearly black. The color of neighborhood. I was told, in reply, that a her cheek was of that pale transparent hue Mr. Kirkbeck lived at A- at the farther that sets off to such advantage large expresend of the county. The next morning I sive eyes, and an equable firm expression of wrote to this person, saying that I believed mouth. On the whole, the ensemble was he called at my studio in the spring, and had rather handsome than beautiful, her expresmade an arrangement with me, which I was sion having that agreeable depth and harprevented fulfilling by there being no ad- mony about it that rendered her face and dress on his card; furthermore, that I should features, though not strictly regular, infishortly be in his neighborhood on my return nitely more attractive than if they had been from the north, but should I be mistaken in modelled upon the strictest rules of symaddressing him, I begged he would not metry. trouble himself to reply to my note. I gave as my address, The Post-office, York. On applying there three days afterwards, I received a note from Mr. Kirkbeck, stating that he was very glad he had heard from me, and that if I would call on my return, he would arrange about the pictures; he also told me to write a day before I proposed coming, that he might not otherwise engage himself. It was ultimately arranged that I should go to his house the succeeding Saturday, stay till Monday morning, transact afterwards what matters I had to attend to in London, and return in a fortnight to execute the commissions.

"The day having arrived for my visit, directly after breakfast I took my place in the morning train from York to London. The train would stop at Doncaster, and after that at Retford junction, where I should have to get out in order to take the line through Lincoln to A. The day was cold, wet, foggy, and in every way as disagreeable as I have ever known a day to be in an English October. The carriage in which I was seated had no other occupant than myself, but at Doncaster a lady got in. My place was

"It is no small advantage on a wet day and a dull long journey to have an agreeable companion, one who can converse, and whose conversation has sufficient substance in it to make one forget the length and the dreariness of the journey. In this respect I had no deficiency to complain of, the lady being decidedly and agreeably conversational. When she had settled herself to her satisfaction, she asked to be allowed to look at my Bradshaw, and not being a proficient in that difficult work, she requested my aid in ascertaining at what time the train passed through Retford again on its way back from London to York. The conversation turned afterwards on general topics, and, somewhat to my surprise, she led it into such particular subjects as I might be supposed to be more especially familiar with; indeed, I could not avoid remarking that her entire manner, while it was any thing but forward, was that of one who had either known me personally or by report. There was in her manner a kind of confidential reliance when she listened to me that is not usually accorded to a stranger, and sometimes she actually seemed to refer to different circum

to the composure and self-possession of that ity of getting a letter to Leicester before same young lady when she is either betrothed Monday morning, as the luggage office would or has recently become a matron. She asked be closed there on the Sunday; consequently, me whether I had made any attempt at a I could in no case expect the arrival of the likeness of her. I was obliged to confess pictures before the succeeding Tuesday or that I had not. She regretted it much, as Wednesday. The loss of three days would she wished one for her father. She had be a serious one; therefore, to avoid it, I brought an engraving (a portrait of Lady suggested to my host that I should leave M. A.) with her that she thought would as-immediately to transact some business in sist me. It was like the one she had asked South Staffordshire, as I should be obliged my opinion upon at the house in Lincoln- to attend to it before my return to town, and shire. It had always been considered very if I could see about it in the vacant interval like her, and she would leave it with me. thus thrown upon my hands, it would be Then (putting her hand impressively on my saving me the same amount of time after arm) she added, 'She really would be most my visit to his house was concluded. This thankful and grateful to me if I would do it' arrangement meeting with his ready assent, (and, if I recollect rightly, she added), as I hastened to the Atherstone station on the much depended on it.' Seeing she was so Trent Valley Railway. By reference to Bradmuch in earnest, I took up my sketch-book, shaw, I found that my route lay through and by the dim light that was still remain- L where I was to change carriages to ing began to make a rapid pencil sketch of S- in Staffordshire. I was just in time her. On observing my doing so however, for the train that would put me down at instead of giving me what assistance she was L- at eight in the evening, and a train able, she turned away under pretence of was announced to start from L- - for S looking at the pictures around the room, occasionally passing from one to another so as to enable me to catch a momentary glimpse of her features. In this manner I made two hurried but rather expressive sketches of her, which being all that the declining light would allow me to do, I shut my book, and she prepared to leave. This time, instead of the usualGood-morning,' she wished me an impressively pronounced Good-by,' firmly holding rather than shaking my hand while she said it. I accompanied her to the door, outside of which she seemed rather to fade into the darkness than to pass through it. But I refer this impression to my own fancy.

at ten minutes after eight, answering, as I concluded, to the train in which I was about to travel. I therefore saw no reason to doubt but that I should get to my journey's end the same night; but on my arriving at L- I found my plans entirely frustrated. The train arrived punctually, and I got out intending to wait on the platform for the arrival of the carriages for the other line. I found, however, that though the two lines crossed at L, they did not communicate with each other, the L-station on the Trent Valley line being on one side of the town, and the L- station on the South Staffordshire line on the other. I also found that there was not time to get to the other station so as to catch the train the same evening; indeed, the train had just that moment passed on a lower level beneath my feet, and to get to the other side of the town, where it would stop for two minutes only, was out of the question. There was, therefore, nothing for it but to put up at the Swan Hotel for the night. I have an especial disSoon after this occurred I had to fulfil an like to passing an evening at an hotel in a engagement at a house near Bosworth Field, country town. Dinner at such places I never in Leicestershire. I left town on a Friday, take, as I had rather go without than have having sent some pictures, that were too such as I am likely to get. Books are never large to take with me, by the luggage train to be had, the country newspapers do not a week previously, in order that they might interest me. The Times I have spelt through be at the house on my arrival, and occasion on my journey. The society I am likely to me no loss of time in waiting for them. On meet have few ideas in common with myself. getting to the house, however, I found that Under such circumstances, I usually resort they had not been heard of, and on inquir- to a meat tea to while away the time, and ing at the station, it was stated that a case when that is over, occupy myself in writing similar to the one I described had passed letters. through and gone on to Leicester, where it "This was the first time I had been in probably still was. It being Friday, and past L, and while waiting for the tea it octhe hour for the post, there was no possibil-curred to me how, on two occasions within

"I immediately inquired of the servant why she had not announced the visitor to me. She stated that she was not aware there had been one, and that any one who had entered must have done so when she had left the street door open about half an hour previously, while she went across the road for a moment.

the past six months, I had been on the point of coming to that very place, at one time to execute a small commission for an old acquaintance, resident there, and another, to get the materials for a picture I proposed painting of an incident in the early life of Dr. Johnson. I should have come on each of these occasions had not other arrangements diverted my purpose and caused me to postpone the journey indefinitely. The thought, however, would occur to me, How strange! Here I am at L, by no intention of my own, though I have twice tried to get here and been balked.' When I had done tea, I thought I might as well write to an acquaintance I had known some years previously, and who lived in the Cathedralclose, asking him to come and pass an hour or two with me. Accordingly, I rang for the waitress and asked :

"Does Mr. Lute live in Lichfield ?' "Yes, sir.'

"Cathedral-close ?" "Yes, sir.'

"Can I send a note to him?' "Yes, sir."

"I wrote the note, saying where I was, and asking if he would come for an hour or two and talk over old matters. The note was taken, in about twenty minutes a person of gentlemanly appearance, and what might be termed the advanced middle age, entered the room with my note in his hand, saying that I had sent him a letter, he presumed, by mistake, as he did not know my name. Seeing instantly that he was not the person I intended to write to, I apologized, and asked whether there was not another Mr. Lute living in L- ?

pens that you are the very person I most wished to see. You are a painter, and I want you to paint a portrait of my daughter; can you come to my house immediately for the purpose?'

"I was rather surprised at finding myself known by him, and the turn matters had taken being so entirely unexpected, I did not at the moment feel inclined to undertake the business; I therefore explained how I was situate, stating that I had only the next day and Monday at my disposal. He, however, pressed me so earnestly, that I arranged to do what I could for him in those two days, and having put up my baggage, and arranged other matters, I accompanied him to his house. During the walk home he scarcely spoke a word, but his taciturnity seemed only a continuance of his quiet composure at the inn. On our arrival he introduced me to his daughter Maria, and then left the room. Maria Lute was a fair and a decidedly handsome girl of about fifteen; her manner was, however, in advance of her years, and evinced that self-possession, and, in the favorable sense of the term, that womanliness, that is only seen at such an early age in girls that have been left motherless, or from other causes thrown much on their own resources.

"She had evidently not been informed of the purpose of my coming, and only knew that I was to stay there for the night; she therefore excused herself for a few moments, that she might give the requisite directions to the servants as to preparing my room. When she returned, she told me that I should not see her father again that evening, the state of his health having obliged him to retire for the night; but she hoped I should be able to see him some time on the morrow. In the mean time, she hoped I would make myself quite at home, and call for any thing I wanted. She, herself, was sitting in the drawing-room, but perhaps I should like to smoke and take something; if so, there was a fire in the housekeeper's room, and she would come and sit with me, as she expected the medical attendant every minute, and he would probably stay to smoke, and take something. As the little lady seemed to recommend this course, I readily complied. "The stranger was right, and in my sur-I did not smoke or take any thing, but sat prise I exclaimed:

"No, there was none other.' "Certainly,' I rejoined, my friend must have given me his right address, for I had written to him on other occasions here. He was a fair young man, he succeeded to an estate in consequence of his uncle having been killed while hunting with the Quorn hounds, and he married about two years since a lady of the name of Fairbairn.'

"The stranger very composedly replied: 'You are speaking of Mr. Clyne; he did live in the Cathedral-close, but he has now gone away.'

down by the fire, when she immediately joined me. She conversed well and readily, and with a command of language singular in a person so young. Without being disagreeably inquisitive, or putting any question to me, she seemed desirous of learning the business that had brought me to the house. I told her that her father wished me to paint either her portrait or that of a sis"There is no need of apology; it hap- ter of hers, if she had one.

"Oh dear, to be sure, that is the name; what could have made me address you instead? I really beg your pardon; my writing to you, and unconsciously guessing your name, is one of the most extraordinary and unaccountable things I ever did. Pray pardon me.'

"He continued very quietly,