she continued: "This storm of evil passions raged within my heart for two or three days, and then I began to feel submissive. But hope never forsook me; I thought you would recover, though in this opinion I differed from every one else. I well remember the pitying eyes that were often turned upon me, but still I leaned upon my anchor, hope. Well, Henry, you did recover; and on that day, when you were expressing your gratitude to God in such a tone of resignation, I was smitten to the heart when I remembered my own rebelhou, and as my nerves were very weak, I could not command myself in the least. I was obliged, you remember, to go by myself, and try to recover my composure; and when I returned, O, what a sight met my eyes! My darling husband stretched upon the floor, as pale as a corpse! The first thought that struck me was that you had been taken from me in judgment. Till I saw you revive, God only knows how I felt! But I thank my heavenly Father, it is all past; and I trust he has forgiven me."

God

"My dear Emily," said Dr. Heyward, as he stooped down to kiss her cheek, "it was well that hope did not forsake you; you could not then have sustained the weight of care that rested on you. With regard to your rebellious feelings, I think that a morbid sensitiveness, resulting from too great a pressure upon your nervous system, gave too high a coloring to all your thoughts. gives us strength for trials when they come. We cannot tell beforehand how we shall feel in any given case, but I do not fear that my Emily will ever be found unequal to any trial to which she may be called Now here comes old Cæsar from the post-office, let us see what he has brought." Cæsar was remarkably dignified in all his movements. Old age, too, was making some acquaintance with his once active frame, stiffening his limbs, and giving him every now and then a rheumatic twinge; therefore it could not be expected that he should make a rapid descent from his horse, and still preserve the noble bearing which he deemed indispensable. He accordingly dismounted quite leisurely, brushed the loose dust from his coat, and smoothed himself down to his satisfaction; he then proceeded to hitch his horse in a particular spot, after which it was necessary to walk round him to ascertain whether all was right-whether he had brought home his usual number of legs, or whether, by any mistake, he had left his tail behind him. Having completed his survey, he gave two or three significant nods, which seemed to say that all was right, and slowly, with hat in hand, approached the house.

His master and mistress, eager to see what he had brought from the office, had started to meet him; and Emily ran forward, saying: "Well, Daddy Cæsar, any letters?"

"Yer's one letter, missis, an' heap o' papers," answered Cæsar, fumbling in his capacious pocket with one hand, while he still held his hat in the other; "you got nuf readin' for las' you long time, missis."

"What is the matter, Cæsar?" said his master, "you seem to have some difficulty in opening the mail."

"Ef I only bin know wha for do wid my hat, massa," answered Cæsar, "I could get um in a minit." So saying, he deposited his hat upon the ground, though not without evident reluctance ; and after changing its position once or twice, so that the smallest possible portion of it would touch the ground, he proceeded to empty his pockets of their precious contents. Here was a treat indeed. A letter from Charleston informed Mrs. Heyward that her most intimate friend, Anna Pinckney, was coming to pay her a long visit, and papers from all parts of the country promised them a budget of news. There was one indulgence which Dr. Heyward allowed himself freely. He took a great many newspapers. Shut out, as he now was, from the busy world, he had not lost his interest in its affairs; in fact, that interest had rather increased. The editor of one of the city papers too, was his particular friend, and he always sent him such of his exchange papers as he thought would amuse and interest him.

"What a pleasant evening we shall have!" said Mrs. Heyward, "unless you are called out, Henry, which I do hope will not be the case; you are scarcely well enough yet to ride at night, though you think yourself so strong."

66

"I believe I am well enough, my dear," answered Dr. Heyward, though I cheerfully join you in the wish that I may be spared the trial tonight; it would be a great piece of self-denial to leave home when we have such pleasant occupation before us."

"Tell Mom Juno we are ready for tea, Daddy Cæsar," said Mrs. Heyward.

"Yes, mam," answered Cæsar; "Juno bin tell me jis now de tea bin ready for you; so I gwine bring um in right strait off.”

Caesar was literally the man of all work. He was coachman, and footman, and waiting-man, and boot-black, and anything else that the exigency of the times required; and, during his master's illness, he had proved himself an excellent nurse. He was, withal, a model of politeness-a perfect Chesterfield, in his way.

Now just as the good old fellow had stepped out of the kitchen with a large tray of tea-things, who should drive up to the gate but Dr. Parvin, in his bran-new chaise. Dr. and Mrs. Heyward were sitting with their backs to the gate, so that they did not perceive his approach, and they were so deeply engaged in reading the letter from Anna

Pinckney, that they had not heard the sound of the wheels as they rolled silently over the smooth, pine barren. Old Cæsar was about half-way between the house and kitchen, and what to do with his waiter of tea-things, while he could go forward and meet the guest, was a point of some difficulty. To let the Dr. drive through the gate unless he stood there to hold it open, and bid him welcome, was not to be thought of; so he took two or three steps back to the kitchen; then it struck him that he was losing time, and he turned about, and took three steps towards the house; but seeing that the little footman had jumped from behind the chaise, and was actually proceeding to open the gate, in a fit of desperation he placed the waiter on the smooth stump of a huge pine tree, and, forgetting alike his dignity and his rheumatism, he ran quickly forward, and was at the gate before the lazy little urchin had succeeded in raising the ponderous wooden latch.

"Good ebenin, massa, you trice welcome, sir," said old Cæsar, bowing and catching his breath, "hope you bin lef old missis well?"

"Quite well, I thank you, Cæsar," answered the Dr.; "but you are growing young; I declare, you can run like a deer."

Cæsar looked confused, for if there is anything in nature upon which a negro prides himself, it is his age; besides, he did not like to be caught in the undignified act of running; but it had been a case of stern necessity, and he tried to make the best of his misfortune. With many bows and scrapes he accompanied the Dr. to the house, and resigned him to his master.

After shaking hands with Dr. Heyward, and kissing Emily, a privilege he always expected, the Dr. seated himself, and Emily handed him a beautiful foot-stool, on which she softly placed his gouty foot.

"I vow, Emily," said he, "this pretty stool ought to cure my foot; but I am sorry to say it is getting worse and worse; I shall soon have to take to crutches."

"I hope not, Dr.," answered Emily; "I can

tell you what will cure it."

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reformation going on throughout the whole country? Many men, who were entirely lost to themselves and to their families, have been reformed and made useful members of society. In thousands of families, where all was misery, there is now comfort and joy. Many a wife, brokenhearted before, is now rejoicing, because the husband she loved in youth, the father of her children, has become once more what he was when she gave him her warm, confiding heart, and there is joy and gladness throughout the land."

"Whew!" whistled Dr. Parvin, as he beheld Emily's eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "I declare, you are quite eloquent. We'll have a temperance meeting, Emily, and you shall make a speech; and if the young men don't sign the pledge, they ought to be ashamed of themselves. They never could resist such eloquence."

"Now you are quizzing me, Dr.," said Emily, pouting out her pretty lip, "but let me tell you a secret; I would not take aim so much at the young men, as at an old one, whom I love very dearly."

Emily blushed, and looked timidly at her husband, fearing sho had gone too far, but he gave her a smile of approval, and then said to their guest: "Really Dr., I am glad you have come this evening, for I wished to consult you about making some effort for this cause in our own neighborhood. You know there are several families who are suffering everything from the demon of intemperance, and something may be done to relieve their miseries."

Certainly," answered the Dr., "the cause is a good one. Intemperance is undoubtedly the curse of our land, and those who cannot control themselves, but must drink more than is good for them, ought by all means to sign the pledge. Do what you think best, Heyward, I'll back you to the utmost of my power."

Dr. Heyward did not say what he certainly thought, that the man who, of all others, most needed some saving power, was the good Dr. himself; but a joyful hope sprung up in his bosom that he might yield to argument, if he were ap

the Dr.

Emily drew near, and answered in a half whisper," Leave off drinking wine, Dr., I think that would cure you."

"Ah, you saucy rogue!" answered the Dr. ; "now that is just what the old lady at home says; 'leave off drinking wine, leave off drinking wine;' I hear it every day, and twenty times a day; she's been giving you some lessons, I suppose."

"No, Dr., I assure you she has not," replied Mrs. Heyward. "The truth is, I see so much of it in the papers now, that I cannot help thinking about it. Did you know there was a wonderful

far worse than his, where perfect cures had been performed; he had seen well-attested records of the reformation of the most degraded drunkards, and, though somewhat skeptical about the permanence of such cases, the desire to benefit his fellow-men had led him to make the resolution that he would throw himself, heart and soul, into the noble cause, and at least give it a trial. He was rejoiced to find that the Dr would not oppose it.

"O, Dr.," said Mrs. Heyward, as they sat sipping their tea, "I have some news to tell you. We are to have a visit from one of the loveliest girls in Charleston, Auna Pinckney; I am sure

the Dr. "If she 's like other girls, she'll go her own way, after all; but, never mind, if you find anything for me to do, I'm your mau. Just give me a hint, and I'll fix it. Come, Cæsar, have my chaise brought, it is time for me to go.”

So saying, the Dr. hobbled up, and leaning on the arm of Dr. Heyward, after the usual salutations, advanced to his chaise, saying, as he mount ed the step, "I've bought my new chaise just in time; I'll give this new belle many a ride in it, and who knows but I may run off with her my