trying to conceal her disgust for Henry's sake, who had just then entered the room. "She has promised me never to cry any more; so give her a kiss, and let us be gone.

The high-bred mother slightly touched the cheek of her sleeping babe, extended her finger to her sister-in-law, and carelessly bidding them goodbye, returned to her pillow and her pugs.

Henry accompanied Mrs. Douglas to the carriage, and before they parted, he promised his brother to ride over to Lochmarlie in a few days. He said nothing of his child, but his glistening eye, and the warm pressure of his hand spoke volumes to the kind heart of his brother; who assured him that Alice would be very good to his little girl, and that he was sure she would get quite well when she got a nurse. The carriage drove off, and Henry, with a heavy spirit, returned to the house to listen to his father's lectures, his aunt's ejaculations, and his wife's murmurs.

CHAPTER XIX

"We may boldly spend upon the hope of what Is to come in."-Henry IV.

THE

HE birth of twin daughters awakened the young father to a still stronger sense of the total dependence and extreme helplessness of his condition. Yet how to remedy it he knew not: to accept of his father's proposal was out of the question, and it was equally impossible for him, were he ever so inclined, to remain much longer a burden on the narrow income of the Laird of Glenfern. One alternative only remained, which was to address the friend and patron of his youth, General Cameron; and to him he therefore wrote, describing all the misery of his situation, and imploring his forgiveness and assistance. "The old General's passion must have cooled by this time," thought he to himself, as he sealed the letter," and, as he has often overlooked former scrapes, I think, after all, he will help me out of this greatest one of all."

For once Henry was not mistaken. He received an answer to his letter, in which the General after execrating his folly in marrying a lady of quality; swearing at the birth of his twin daughters; and giving him some wholesome counsel as to his future mode of life; concluded by informing him that he had got him reinstated in his former rank

in the army; that he should settle seven hundred per annum on him, till he saw how matters were conducted, and, in the meantime enclosed a draught for four hundred pounds, to open the campaign.

Though this was not, according to Henry's notions, "coming down handsomely," still it was better than not coming down at all, and with a mixture of delight and disappointment, he flew to communicate the tidings to Lady Juliana.

"Seven hundred pounds a year! "exclaimed she, in raptures: "heavens! what a quantity of money! why we shall be quite rich, and I shall have such a beautiful house, and such pretty carriages, and give such parties, and buy so many fine things. Oh dear, how happy I shall be ! "You know little of money, Julia, if you think seven hundred pounds will do all that," replied her husband gravely. "I hardly think we can afford a house in town; but we may have a pretty cottage at Richmond or Twickenham, and I can keep a curricle, and drive you about, you know; and we may give famous good dinners."

A dispute here ensued; her Ladyship hated cottages, and curricles, and good dinners, as much as her husband despised fancy balls, opera boxes, and chariots.

The fact was, that the one knew very nearly as much of the real value of money as the other, and Henry's sober scheme was just about as practicable as his wife's extragavant one.

Brought up in the luxurious profusion of a great house; accustomed to issue her orders, and have them obeyed, Lady Juliana, at the time she married, was in the most blissful state of ignorance respecting the value of pounds, shillings, and pence.

Her

maid took care to have her wardrobe supplied with all things needful; and when she wanted a new dress or a fashionable jewel, it was only driving to Madame D.'s or Mr. Y.'s, and desiring the article to be sent to herself, while the bill went to her papa.

From never seeing money in its own vulgar form, Lady Juliana had learned to consider it as a mere nominal thing; while on the other hand, her husband, from seeing too much of it, had formed almost equally erroneous ideas of its powers. By the mistaken kindness of General Cameron, he had been indulged in all the fashionable follies of the day, and allowed to use his patron's ample fortune as if it had already been his own; nor was it until he found himself a prisoner at Glenfern from want of money, that he had ever attached the smallest importance to it. In short, both the husband and wife had been accustomed to look upon it in the same light as the air they breathed. They knew it essential to life, and concluded that it would come some way or other; either from the east or west, north or south. As for the vulgar concerns of meat and drink, servants' wages, taxes, and so forth, they never found a place in the calculations of either. Birth-day dresses, fêtes, operas, equipages, and state liveries whirled in rapid succession through Lady Juliana's brain, while clubs, curricles, horses, and claret took possession of her husband's mind.

However much they differed in the proposed modes of showing off in London, both agreed perfectly in the necessity of going there, and Henry therefore hastened to inform his father of the change in his circumstances, and apprize him of his

intention of immediately joining his regiment, the

Guards.

"Seven hunder pound a year!" exclaimed the old gentleman; "seven hunder pound! Oo what can ye mak' o' a' that siller? Ye'll surely lay by the half o't to tocher your bairns.-Seven hunder pound a year for doing naething!"

Miss Jacky was afraid unless they got some person of sense (which would not be an easy matter), to take the management of it, it would perhaps be found little enough in the long run.

Miss Grizzy declared it was a very handsome income, nobody could dispute that; at the same time, everybody must allow, that the money could. not have been better bestowed.

Miss Nicky observed, "there was a great deal of good eating and drinking in seven hundred a year, if people knew how to manage it."

All was bustle and preparation throughout Glenfern Castle, and the young ladies' goodnatured activity and muscular powers were again in requisition to collect the wardrobe, and pack the trunks, imperial, etc., of their noble sister.

Glenfern remarked, "that fules war fond o' flitting, for they seemed glad to leave the good quarters they were in.”

Miss Grizzy declared, there was a great excuse for their being glad, poor things! young people were always so fond of a change; at the same time, nobody could deny but that it would have been quite natural for them to feel sorry too.

Miss Jacky was astonished how any person's mind could be so callous as to think of leaving Glenfern without emotion.

Miss Nicky wondered what was to become of