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will not a benignant Father permit me anticipate the time, when led by the gentle hand of my Emily, I shall visit with augmented delight his holy tabernacle, and rejoice more sweetly in all the mercies of his providence and grace? Does he forbid it? I should hope not-for he giveth us all things richly to enjoy.' But ah! there is a pang at the root of mortal felicity. Cau I be unmindful, that the moments of our union-that nearer and dearer relationwill glide away with equal rapidity, as those have done which have brought us to the borders of the consummation of our tenderest wishes? O Emily! my heart is sad indeed. Farewell. Do not forget me. I need not intreat you to pray for your absent, and unhappy,

ALPHONZO DE M.

EMILY TO ALPHONZO.

At the Glen, June 16th.

YOUR letter arrived just in time to

prevent our feeling uneasy on your account.

Assured that you would be faithful to your promise, we were expecting to hear from you during the whole of yesterday, but were disappointed, owing to some irregularity in the office. But let me banish my anxiety, compensated as it is by the joy of learning, that you have reached the end of your journey in health and safety. Grateful, indeed, is this throbbing heart to that Power which has kept you in peace. May its protection continue thus to attend my Alphonzo!

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How thankful am I that you were prevailed upon by my intreaties to take the second passport! O Alphonzo, use the utmost caution. Dangers beset you on every side. The French are hostile to us at heart, and would gladly insult you; but, in such moments, remember poor Emily's solicitude, and overlook their provocations in pity to her.

The anecdote you related deeply interested us. Unhappy Lucie! I could not read the story of her afflictions without shedding a sympathizing tear. "Should Alphonzo be

thus torn from me!" I thought, and wept: again I thought-"Should Alphonzo be torn from me!" and again a tribute of sorrow fell for Lucie's melancholy fate. But, perhaps, we should not anticipate evil, when a gracious God seems to place us beyond it. A substitute is at all times to be procured, though the expense must necessarily be considerable. Let us rejoice therefore, and accept the boon with gratitude, that you, at least, have the means of avoiding the conscription, if it be the Divine will to prosper your present negotiation. We beg you to bear poor Lucie in remembrance. Do endeavour to obtain her husband's discharge. Though the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel,' shame will occasionally influence, when compassion would be appealed to in vain.

6

In return for your affecting narrative, I shall now tell you a little story with which you will be pleased, unless my hopes greatly deceive me. The morning after you left us, as I was on my way to visit our pious Aline, the old blind woman whom I took you to

see, as you will recollect, one evening, I met a poor creature who appeared to be in great distress. There was a semblance of humility and diffidence in her exterior, which attracted my attention; for you know I am more friendly to the modest and uncomplaining of the children of affliction. She curtsied as she passed me, and I could perceive that she had been weeping. She did not speak, however, and I permitted her to walk on without interruption, expecting, indeed, that she would have addressed me 'with some tale of woe, real or fictitious. Finding that I was mistaken, and my. heart smiting me for having accused her unjustly, I ran back to her, and overtook her as she entered the adjacent hamlet.

Apologizing for my intrusion, for I could not help feeling that I was intruding, so mournfully dignified was her aspect, I said I feared she had some cause for the sorrow I observed depicted in her countenance, and expressed my hope that she would allow me to participate in her grief. Looking at me stedfastly for a moment, as if to scrutinize my

motive for accosting her, she burst into tears, and replied: "It is seldom, young lady, that I have found any one, who would sympathize with the distresses of a poor desolate widow." She then informed me, that she had heard her only son was wounded, and that she was going in search of him. "Aye," said she, meekly raising her eyes, filled with tears, to heaven; "I often dreaded this hour. My poor boy was scarcely able to carry a gun, when they hur ried him to the slaughter, from his wretched mother's arms. But, the will of the Lord be done! If I am bereaved, I am bereaved."

I was so much touched with her unaffect ed story, that I prevailed on her to accom pany me to my father's. We were all deeply interested in her anxiety about her son; and mamma particularly. She was conscious, that she might soon be in a similar situation, and she wept bitterly over the widow's tale. At length mamma told her that she was apprehensive it would be a fruitless errand, as she was unacquainted even with the name of the regiment to which

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