the corner, and shall certainly tell Papa that you are ready to become a good girl, whenever he shall please to take you out of it. I shall endeavour to see Douglas and you soon. Yours affectionately, "LINDORE."

66

en

Lady Lindore desires me to say you can have tickets for her ball, if you choose to come masque."

Lady Juliana was delighted with this billet, which she protested was everything that was kind and generous; but the postscript was the part on which she dwelt with the greatest delight, as she repeatedly declared it was a great deal more than she expected. "You see, Harry," said she, as she tossed the note to him, "I was in the right. Papa won't forgive me; but Lindore says he will send me a ticket for the fête; it is vastly attentive of him, for I did not ask it. But I must go disguised, which is monstrous provoking, for I'm afraid nobody will know me."

A dispute here ensued. Henry swore she should not steal into her father's house as long as she was his wife. The lady insisted that she should go to her brother's fête when she was invited; and the altercation ended as altercations commonly do, leaving both parties more wedded to their own opinion than at first.

In the evening Lady Juliana went to a large party; and, as she was passing from one room into another, she was startled by a little paper pellet thrown at her. Turning round to look for the offender, she saw her brother standing at a little distance, smiling at her surprise. This was the

first time she had seen him for two years, and she went up to him with an extended hand, while he gave her a familiar nod, and a "How d'ye do, Julia?" and one finger of his hand, while he turned round to speak to one of his companions. Nothing could be more characteristic of both parties than this fraternal meeting; and, from this time, they were the best friends imaginable.

CHAPTER XXII

"Hélas! où donc chercher ou trouver le bonheur Nulle part tout entier, partout avec mesure!"

VOLTAIRE.

SOME days before the expected fête, Lady Juliana, at the instigation of her adviser, Lady Gerard, resolved upon taking the field against the Duchess of L. Her Grace had issued cards for a concert; and, after mature deliberation, it was decided that her rival should strike out something new, and announce a christening for the same night.

The first intimation Douglas had of the honour intended him by this arrangement, was through the medium of the newspaper, for the husband and wife were now much too fashionable to be at all au fait of each other's schemes. His first emotion was to be extremely surprised; the next to be exceedingly displeased; and the last to be highly gratified at the éclat with which his child was to be made a Christian. True, he had intended requesting the General to act as godfather upon the occasion; but Lady Juliana protested, she would rather the child never should be christened at all (which already seemed nearly to have been the case) than have that cross, vulgar-looking man to stand sponsor. Her Ladyship, however, so far

conceded, that the General was to have the honour

of giving his name to the next, if a boy, for she was now near her second confinement; and with this promise, Henry was satisfied to slight the only being in the world to whom he looked for support to himself and his children. In the utmost delight, the fond mother drove away to consult her confidants upon the name and decorations of the child, whom she had not even looked at for many days. Everything succeeded to admiration. Amid crowds of spectators, in all the pomp of lace and satin, surrounded by princes and peers, and handed from duchesses to countesses, the twin daughter of Henry Douglas, and the heroine of future story, became a Christian by the names of Adelaide Julia.

Some months previous to this event, Lady Juliana had received a letter from Mrs. Douglas informing her of the rapid improvement that had taken place in her little charge, and requesting to know by what name she should have her christened; at the same time gently insinuating her wish, that, in compliance with the custom of the country, and as a compliment due to the family, it should be named after its paternal grandmother.

Lady Juliana glanced over the first line of the letter, then looked at the signature, resolved to read the rest as soon as she should have time to answer it; and, in the meantime, tossed it into a drawer, amongst old visiting cards and unpaid bills.

After vainly waiting for an answer much beyond the accustomed time when children are baptized, Mrs. Douglas could no longer refuse to accede to the desires of the venerable inmates of Glenfern; and about a month before her favoured sister received her more elegant appellations, the neglected twin was baptized by the name of Mary.

Mrs. Douglas' letter had been enclosed in the following one from Miss Grizzy, and as it had not the good fortune to be perused by the person to whom it was addressed, we deem it but justice to the writer to insert it here.

"GLENFERN CASTLE,

July 30th, 17-”

"MY DEAREST NIECE, LADY JULIANA, I am Certain, as indeed we all are, that it will Afford your Ladyship and our dear Nephew the greatest Pleasure to see this letter Franked by our Worthy and Respectable Friend Sir Sampson Maclaughlan, Bart., especially as it is the first he has ever franked; out of compliment to you, as I assure you he admires you excessively, as indeed we all do. At the same Time, you will of course, I am sure, Sympathise with us all in the distress Occasioned by the melancholy Death of our late Most Obliging Member, Duncan M'Dunsmuir, Esquire, of Dhunacrag and Auchnagoil, who you never have had the Pleasure of seeing. What renders his death Particularly distressing, is, that Lady Maclaughlan is of opinion it was entirely owing to eating Raw oysters, and damp feet. This ought to be a warning to all Young people to take care of Wet feet, and Especially eating Raw oysters, which are certainly Highly dangerous, particularly where there is any Tendency to Gout. I hope, my dear Niece, you have got a pair of Stout walking shoes, and that both Henry and you remember to Change your feet1 after Walking. I am told Raw Oysters are much the fashion in London at present; but when this Fatal Event

1

1 [Change your feet, Scotticé for change your shoes.]