her

unstained. Still the little wife went on; still sang cheerful song; not quite so briskly though-still got ready dainty dinners; still gathered the choicest flowers to deck the table at tea and supper time; still dressed as carefully; and as tenderly pulled off the heavy boots, and folded the workman's blouse.

For the girl had faith in that which she felt would be, with her, all-powerful-kindness-and the gleam of poetry in her composition disposed her still to serve and love; where thanks even were not her earnings.

Came the day twelvemonth from that on which they had been married. Poor Cary would fain have kept it with some little ceremony or treat. But the only ceremony at which she assisted was that of helping a drunken man to his bed; and the treat, a solitary supper, and a night of tears spent in an armchair by his bedside.

The neighbours took it as an affront that she did not run from one to another of them, proclaiming her tribulations; Cary would have died first.

Secure in her own scheme of happiness, she had given up all other companionship, and rarely exchanged more than a civil word with those in the village. "As if we couldn't see !" said they.

"We're not blind!"

"Going on as if he was as good as good"

"I'd let him see, I would so!"

They viewed it as a species of hypocrisy, that the poor lass should try to wear a smiling face over a troubled soul.

See, now, I telled her she'd please her eye, if she bruised her heart; and I do think she ha' done't." Hinton was a good workman, and had presumed

upon it; being held, indeed, at higher estimate than he was worth, till the arrival of a new man from London, who possessed considerable architectural knowledge, and united great natural taste and ability to experience in the higher fields of his art.

Hinton would not forgive this one his superiority; and he revenged himself for every fresh advance in the new man's popularity by going on the spree; leaving work a week at a time, and drinking as long as he had a penny, or a pennyworth of credit was to be got.

So matters went on; and those in the village who knew pretty well what was the cost of such luxuries, wondered how Cary Hinton managed to keep the house over her head, for they didn't believe she saw the colour of his money very often, and none of the things went out o' th' house."

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Poor Cary! she would have starved sooner than they should: the pretty home she had thought so much of! But she and the pawnbroker's at Stillhaven were, alas! "well acquaint;" and on its shelves reposed all the presents of her kind young mistresses, her few little ornaments, and such dresses as would fetch anything at all, though she still continued to look neat; but she had given up seeming to be happy; she was very pale, and cried a good deal alone.

As she stood at the door, this evening, she was waiting, looking, watching, as she had got used to doing now, when a man came riding by on horseback. She looked up, and knew him,-Mr. Crichton, of the "Bluebottle."

"Ah!" she thought, "it's some of Tom's money now, that keeps him, his horse, and all that. Ah! he

would be none the worse, surely, for wanting such a bit; it would be all the difference to us. I wonder if it would be any good just to speak to ask him not to let Tom have any more? dared."

him, and

I wish I

But the courage was wanting, till, as he was passing her door, Crichton slackened his pace, to look at a fine tree which grew between Hinton's garden and a piece of waste that skirted it. He stopped and inquired of her to which it belonged?

She answered him, and then, screwing up her courage, rushed at once into her grievance; told him how she was waiting up for her husband; how that he was regular enough, and good enough when he did not drink, and-" oh! sir," she went on-“ if you would be so kind as to tell them not to serve him with it. It wouldn't make that difference to you, sir; they say you've got plenty; and it would be every thing to us, -indeed it would, sir!"

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'Why! Mrs. Hinton, I'am surprised at you," was the answer, so coldly given that the girl's heart fluttered as though she had committed crime-“ you must know I cannot send my customers away, any more than another tradesman. If your husband does not use my house, he will go elsewhere."

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No, sir; he's so handy to the Bluebottle' where he works. Ah! sir, if you would but tell him

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Your husband must know his own business best, Mrs. Hinton; I cannot send away my customers. Good evening, ma'am." He lifted his hat, and rode away.

"I might have known it, I might!" cried poor

DANGER.

11

Cary, aloud: "Don't they call him the hard man ?' and now I have made bad worse and yet, oh dear! what can I do? Oh, Tom! Tom! I would not serve you so; I would not, indeed!”

She was weary-weary of serving, watching, hoping, in vain. Every day seemed but to confirm the vice of her husband; every day involved her in some fresh dilemma. She looked back upon her former life; the discipline and confinement of the one part, the indulgence and kindness of the other. Then she remembered all her little plans of happiness, so rudely broken; her head sank upon her hands, and she began to cry.

It was now dark, and in the porch where she sat the shrubs screened the road and gate from view. Suddenly a hand was laid upon her head. She did not start, nor even look up; she had heard no step on the path, but the action was not her husband's.

"Oh! sir, why have you come again ?" she said, through her tears.

"To tell you all I have before, and twenty times as much, my sweet girl, if I can but ease your trouble one instant," said he who stood before her, a handsome fair-haired young man, of appearance and style unexceptionable.

Cary shook her head. "You must not come; indeed, sir, you must not! What would your lady mother say ? Oh! sir, do not come any more."

"You are crying now, my poor girl! What new trouble is there ?"

Sobbing, she told him of her appeal to the publican. The gentleman laughed bitterly" What, move the heart of the Admirable! Oh, no! Even your sweet face would not do that. He loves his hard cash too

well. You must not do so again, dear one.

He is

not worth it; let him go his own way as he will.” She stood up, and wiped her eyes.

"You are not going ?" he asked.

Indeed, Sir Robert, I must; and pray do not come again. I begged of you the other night not to. My husband

"Your husband!" he interrupted, indignantly"that ever you should call that drunken brute husband-"

She moved away- "I can't hear you call him bad names, for he is my husband, and I would give my life to have him sober and happy-I would!" She burst into crying again; and he was at her side, wiping away the tears as they came faster, stealing an arm about her, drawing her head gently to him, with such comfort as she, poor child, could but faintly resist, with his earnest soft tones in her ear—

"Oh Cary! dear one!-every tear of yours goes to my heart. My poor darling, you have suffered so long-you are killing yourself-why will you throw away the happiness that is offered you? Love, and truth, and kindness, dearest-one who worships you offers them all. Oh, dear girl, why will you make me so wretched by witnessing your misery? I who only desire your welfare

She lifted up her head, and struggled with her sobs to say "Please sir, go; please do not come again— pray don't!"

But he held her hands, and she could not close the door. He hurried on in his impetuous whisper— "Do not drive me away; how can you exist thus ?none to love you; he does not care for you—