rigour, and make you happy and comfortable. Consider this as your future home! My sisters and myself will be as mothers to you; and see these charming young creatures," dragging forward two tall frightened girls, with sandy hair, and great purple arms; "thank Providence for having blest you with such sisters!” "Don't speak too much, Jacky, to our dear niece at present," said Miss Grizzy; "I think one of Lady Maclaughlan's composing draughts would be the best thing for her." "Composing draughts at this time of day !" cried Miss Nicky; "I should think a little good broth a much wiser thing. There are some excellent family broth making below, and I'll desire Tibby to bring a few."

you

"Will take a little soup, love? asked Douglas. His lady assented; and Miss Nicky vanished, but quickly re-entered, followed by Tibby, carrying a huge bowl of coarse Scotch broth, swimming with leeks, greens, and grease. Lady Juliana attempted to taste it; but her delicate palate revolted at the homely fare; and she gave up the attempt, in spite of Miss Nicky's earnest entreaties to take a few more of these excellent family broth.

"I should think," said Henry, as he vainly attempted to stir it round, "that a little wine would be more to the purpose than this stuff.”

The aunts looked at each other; and, withdrawing to a corner, a whispering consultation took place, in which Lady Maclaughlan's opinion, "birch, balm, currant, heating, cooling, running risks," etc., etc., transpired. At length the ques

1 [Broth in Scotland is a collective noun, and used in the plural.]

tion was carried; and some tolerable sherry, and a piece of very substantial short-bread were produced.

It was now voted by Miss Jacky, and carried nem. con., that her Ladyship ought to take a little repose till the hour of dinner.

'And don't trouble to dress," continued the considerate aunt, "for we are not very dressy here; and we are to be quite a charming family party, nobody but ourselves; and," turning to her nephew, "your brother and his wife. She is a most superior woman, though she has rather too many of her English prejudices yet to be all we could wish; but I have no doubt, when she has lived a little longer amongst us, she will just become one of ourselves."

"I forget who she was?" said Douglas.

"A grand-daughter of Sir Duncan Malcolm's, a

very old family of the

to the present Earl.

blood, and nearly allied And here they come,"

exclaimed she, on hearing the sound of a carriage; and all rushed out to receive them.

"Let us have a glimpse of this scion from a noble stock," said Lady Juliana, mimicking the accent of the poor spinsters, as she rose and ran to the window.

1

"Good heavens, Henry! do come and behold this equipage;" and she laughed with childish glee, as she pointed to a plain, old-fashioned whiskey, with a large top. A tall handsome young man now alighted, and lifted out a female figure, so enveloped in a cloak, that eyes less penetrating than Lady Juliana's, could not, at a single glance, have discovered her to be a frightful quiz."

"Only conceive the effect of this dashing equi

[Whiskey: a sort of hooded gig.]

page in Bond Street!" continued she, redoubling her mirth at the bright idea; then suddenly stopping, and sighing-" Ah, my pretty vis-à-vis ! 1 I remember the first time I saw you, Henry, I was in it at a review ;" and she sighed still deeper. "True; I was then aide-de-camp to your handsome lover, the Duke of L

"Perhaps I might think him handsome now. People's tastes alter according to circumstances."

"Yours must have undergone a wonderful revolution, if you can find charms in a hunchback of fifty-three."

"He is not a hunchback," returned her Ladyship, warmly; "only a little high-shouldered; but, at any rate, he has the most beautiful place, and the finest house in England."

Douglas saw the storm gathering on the brow of his capricious wife, and clasping her in his arms, "Are you, indeed, so changed, my Julia, that you have forgot the time when you used to declare, you would prefer a desert with your Henry, to a throne with another."

"No, certainly not changed; but—I—I did not very well know then what a desert was; or, at least, I had formed rather a different idea of it."

"What was your idea of a desert? said her husband, laughing; "do tell me, love?"

"Oh! I had fancied it a beautiful place, full of roses and myrtles, and smooth green turf, and murmuring rivulets, and, though very retired, not absolutely out of the world; where one would occasionally see one's friends, and give dejeûners et fêtes champêtres."

"Well, perhaps the time may come, Juliana, 1 [Vis-à-vis a phaeton.]

1

་

when we may realise your Elysian deserts; but at present, you know, I am wholly dependent on my father. I hope to prevail on him to do something for me; and that our stay here will be short; as, you may be sure, the moment I can, I will take you hence. I am sensible it is not a situation for you; but, for my sake, dearest Juliana, bear with it for a while, without betraying your disgust. Will you do this, darling?" and he kissed away the sullen tear that hung on her cheek.

"You know, love, there's nothing in the world I wouldn't do for you," replied she, as she played with her squirrel; "and as you promise our stay shall be short, if I don't die of the horrors, I shall certainly try to make the agreeable. Oh! my cherub!" flying to her pug, who came barking into the room, "where have you been, and where's my darling Psyche, and sweet mackaw? Do, Harry, go and see after the darlings?"

"I must go and see my brother and his wife first. Will you come, love?"

"Oh, not now; I don't feel equal to the encounter; besides, I must dress. But what shall I do; since that vile woman's gone, I can't dress myself. I never did such a thing in my life; and I am sure it's impossible that I can," almost weeping at the hardships she was doomed to experience in making her own toilette.

"Shall I be your Abigail?" asked her husband, smiling at the distress; "methinks it would be no difficult task to deck my Julia."

Oh!

"Dear Harry, will you really dress me? that will be delightful! I shall die with laughing at your awkwardness;" and her beautiful eyes sparkled with childish delight at the idea.

"In the meantime," said Douglas, “I'll send someone to unpack your things; and after I have shook hands with Archie, and been introduced to my new sister, I shall enter on my office."

"Now do, pray, make haste; for I die to see your great hands tying strings, and sticking pins."

Delighted with her gaiety and good humour, he left her caressing her favourites; and finding rather a scarcity of female attendance, he dispatched two of his sisters, to assist his helpless beauty in her arrangements.