Purdie and the coals to do with the break

ing of the tureen?”

"If your leddyship," replied Martha, "will hae a wee thought patience, I will tell you a' the outs and ins about it.”

"For heaven's sake," interrupted Ellinor, go down stairs this moment. I hear the gentlemen coming, and a pretty business it would be were they to catch a dirty cook in the drawing-room; off, off this instant." Martha, too happy to obey this mandate, retreated, consoling herself with the reflection that she could easily say the tureen was cracked before, and so escape the penalty to which she knew she would be doomed --that of replacing the fractured dish with one of equally large dimensions.

"I am quite impatient, Catherine," said Ellinor," till Spencer comes up, that I may question him about this Willoughby, of whom Maria Bertram made such a fuss. I wonder Spencer never spoke of him; but I am resolved he shall not leave this house to-night without telling me his

birth, parentage, and education. HushI think I hear him coming, so now for the grand attack."

"I would advise you not to be too particular in your inquiries,” replied Catherine, "lest Spencer should fancy that he has a rival in this fascinating major."

"I dare say such an idea will never enter his head; but you must lend your assistance to introduce the subject."

"Not I," replied Catherine; "I shall have no hand in the business, for I am certain Spencer will tell Major Willoughby every word that passes."

"That is not at all likely," said Ellinor, as Spencer entered the room.

What is not at all likely?" said he, approaching and seating himself beside her.

"Oh, nothing," replied she gaily, "only Catherine and I have had a little dispute, which has terminated as disputes generally do, for we both believe ourselves to be in the right."

"I should like to hear the argument

pray make me umpire; I assure you, you shall find me a most impartial judge."

"I don't believe," said Ellinor laughing, "that there is such a thing in the world." "How severe you are! but try me only once, and I hope to convince you how erroneously you judge of us poor mortals."

"O, but I never am convinced," replied Ellinor coquettishly; "but never mind our dispute just now. I want to know if there is a Major Willoughby in your regiment, and what kind of man he is?"

"Your first question," said Spencer, "is very easily answered, there is a Major Willoughby in the regiment; and as to the second, I may safely say he is a very fine fellow."

"Oh, a fine fellow! that term admits of so many definitions, that I am as much at a loss as ever to understand his character; pray be a little more minute."

"Well then, he is just the man to please Miss Dundas."

"Indeed," said Ellinor pettishly, not at

all relishing this assertion; "but as unhappily I have never yet seen a man who had that high honour, I can still form no clear opinion of this wonderful major-try again."

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Major Willoughby," again replied Spencer, “combines in a remarkable degree the mildest manners with the strictest principles; he is, indeed, as much esteemed as beloved by all who know him-he is, in short, what a man ought to be, but what I fear very few are."

"He must certainly be quite a paragon," replied Ellinor, "a military phoenix. I presume, too, he is handsome, for I heard a lady speak of him in perfect raptures?"

"He is extremely elegant; but pray may I ask what is the name of the lady on whom Willoughby has made such a deep impression? I confess I have some little curiosity on the subject."

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No, no, that would not be fair," replied she; and Spencer, pleased with her apparent generosity, did not press the point.

Is this all-conquering major a man of birth and fortune?"

"Both," replied Spencer, with laconic grarity, by no means pleased at the interest Willoughby seemed to have excited.

Ellinor, without noticing his altered expression, exclaimed, "He is a fortunate man to unite so many qualifications; I am dying to see him."

"What are you dying for now, Ellinor?" said Charles, who just then entered. “To behold a paragon."

"And pray," added he, turning to Spencer, "where may this paragon be seen ?"

"I did not know," replied Spencer coldly, "that such a man was an uncommon sight in this country.-Miss Lennox has been putting some questions to me relating to Major Willoughby, and when I told her he was a man of principle and honour, she was pleased to denominate him a paragon." "Oh," replied Charles, " you must not mind my flighty sister, we must make her read More on Exaggeration;'-but I have