"The sea is the other side the rock-I can hear it,” said Philip. "I should like to get that door openhave you been up stairs, mother? oh, there is such a nice little room out of the big one, just do for Rosey!" "Will it, Phil? oh, I will see it ;" and away ran Rose. "Isn't it a dear home, Rosey; better than Brown Street-eh, Rosey ?"

"Yes, Phil; oh yes-oh yes!" cried the child,clapping her hands.

Philip, my boy, you might help father to bring in some of those things from the cart; the man is anxious to be gone."

"Yes, mother, that I can ;" and away sprang the boy. The cart, disburdened of its load, went lumbering off down the soft mossy road; the boy assisted his father in carrying the lighter articles of furniture, and as the last were deposited within the house, little Rose toddled in, her lap laden with flowers.

"I so tired, my Phil," said she, as she sat down upon the steps at the back door, and rested her head upon the shoulder of her brother, who untied her hat, and relieved her of her sweet burden.

"Won't we have nice games here, Rose, eh ?—and I will make you such a garden; and we can sit out in this porch, and I read to mother while you dress your dolls; eh, Rosey ?"

They gathered round the table to their first meal in their new home, while the stars came out in the deep sky, and the sea washed in monotonous measure upon the beach, behind the rock that sheltered the little house. Now and then a droning beetle, or bewildered bat, would tap upon the window, or momently entangle itself in the thick creeper which half covered it; and

the children would look up at one another, and laugh at the total absence of all other sounds, so unusual to their town-bred ears.

Later in the night, Philip stood with his mother in the outer porch, which a young moon softly lighted with her first timid rays. The boy held her hand, and as he looked up in her face

"It will be a nice home, won't it, mother ?" said he. "I hope so, my child,” she said, gently.

"We shall be very happy, eh, mother ?"

"I am sure I hope so, dear. Yes, I trust and think we shall."

Philip looked up still anxiously to her face: she smiled down upon him, and stroked his head; then, as his father came out to the door, she bade him say "Good-night," and go to bed, for there would be plenty to do to-morrow.

Soon all was still, but the soft plash of the restless sea, and the murmur of night, which is never still. The timid moon grew less faint, as she looked down into the sweet depths of the shadowed earth, and on the quiet waters which courteously mirrored back her pale face and starry throne. In the wild nettle and tangled thorn, in the wax-like jasmine and soft rose's bosom, droned the night beetle, and the harmless bat winged through the stilly hours on his mysterious errand. The ghosts-if ghosts there were -who haunted Birdiethorn, did their spiriting gently, for untroubled and serene, the summer night passed away, and yielded up its last breath in the pure embrace of the young blushing morn.

40

CHAPTER FOURTH.

HOME.

"There is a magic in that little word;
It is a mystic circle that surrounds
Comforts and virtues, never known beyond

The hallowed limit."

SOUTHEY.

WHILE the delighted children continued to improve their acquaintance with the new home-making the acquaintance of every glorious insect, bird, and flower of their little paradise, and deepening in love by acquaintance, not wearying with satiety ;-while the father took place among his new companions and fellow-workmen-by his undeniable and superior skill and taste to gain their admiration or their envy— village tongues were not idle: a theme so rich had not been afforded them for many a day.

The strangers, who had come upon them so suddenly had commenced their campaign by taking possession of a dwelling in which, scarcely one of them but would have forfeited her ears rather than stay a single night-and so pleasantly and calmly tenanting it, as though audaciously setting all legendary fears at nought. There was something in this, to begin with, not at all calculated to allay the envious misgivings with which they had heard of the arrival of the new man from London.

"Never heard the like, I didn't," observed the

indignant Mrs. Crump, with a toss of the head-" As though ne'er a soul could do ought but comes fro' London. I'd soon shew him different, and make him glad to go back again."

"It's easy talking, Polly," said her more placid husband.

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"I'd let him see I could do, as well's talk. London, forsooth! I'll lay he's just as stupid as may be." Nay, nay ; he's none o' that. This Master Steyne's a fine chap at the work-he is so; and as for them stone carvings, why there's none can come up to him : we couldn't be without him now; but it's the being put above us like, that comes over me. We've been at works as many months as he has weeks, and he's like he might be master a'most."

"Shouldn't be master o' me I reckon," said Mrs. C., with another shake of her head. "I'd bring him down a peg, in his airs and bounce."

"He hasn't no bounce neither, Polly, for the matter o' that; the master comes and stands alongside of him when he's at work, and looks on and talks to him, and asks him this and that: but Steyne makes no more on't than nothing, and is just as ready to do a fellow a good turn, or to wink at a blunder, as e'er a one."

"He's bewitched you all, I think, but he won't me, I know, nor his wife neither, a stalking madam, with her proud brats. Mr. Thom might be ashamed"

But Crump had escaped the remainder of a storm, which, he knew by experience, would rage with violence so long as he ventured to stand before it.

But a neighbour or two fortunately coming in at the moment, afforded Mrs. Crump an opportunity of

pursuing the theme, and much amiable discussion ensued as to the merits of the new comers; the superiority of their furniture, the taste displayed in such arrangements of the little household as were apparent, and, above all, the astounding fact that Birdiethorn possessed a "pianey."

"A pianey!"-every eye was turned upon the informant-"Yes! or an organ. We were walking up past there Sunday evening; when on a sudden comes music out at the open windows at Steyne's, playing hymns and singing, for all the world like a church."

"Well, well, now! for a working-man to be at his piano and singing-eh, dear!" Mrs. Crump raised her eyes and hands in consternation.

"She seems proud to my thinking," said another gossip.

"Aye, and the children too; they don't mix with the rest and rough it as children should. They were with my boy the other day, and he took a bird's nest; you never heard the to-do as young Philip made about it, he says."

A bit spoiled I reckon―"

The conclave was suddenly broken by an exclamation of "There she comes"-and the gossips huddled back just within the porch, as their new neighbour passed on her way home, accompanied by her children. The moment they had passed, every head protruded, every tongue was busy.

"Well, now, she might put her children into something better than those white blouses and belts," said Mrs. Crump, whose mania for finery amounted to a vital principle. "With her pianos and sofys, she might let them be decent."