On his arrival at that obscure Breton semi-watering place, he had not much difficulty in finding out the place where the last English arrivals were staying, and sent in his card desiring an interview, which was refused; however, he forced his way upstairs, in spite of the French bonne's opposition, when a painful scene ensued. Mrs. Timmins sat pale and resolute, and refused to answer a word to his entreaties for forgiveness, or listen to his explanations and fervent protestations of innocence. He asked for the child, demanded to see it, and was met with an explosion of passionate reproaches from his mother-in-law, which he treated with silent contempt.

On his insisting upon seeing the baby in more decided terms, his wife rose to her feet, and without looking at him, declared that "Never, never, while you live, shall you see that precious infant!"

"Never!" repeated Mrs. Clarke; "never! you bad, wicked, shameless man !"

"Never!" again exclaimed Mrs. Timmins; "he shall never know your name," and fell fainting to the ground. Frank caught her in his arms and laid her on a sofa that was in the room, whereupon Mrs. Clarke screamed loudly and the bonne rushed in shrieking and jabbering in her patois. Timmins, fearful of more scenes, and perceiving that his wife was recovering from her swoon, left the room and the house, determined to appeal to the authorities.

The Vice-Consul, to whom he applied, waited on the ladies, and, after a long interview, succeeded in obtaining from them permission for Timmins to see the infant in his, the Vice-Consul's, presence, a concession with which my friend was fain to be content; but they absolutely refused to see Frank again, to receive any letter from him, or listen to any explanation of his conduct which he had authorised the Vice-Consul to make.

Timmins became exasperated in his turn, and vowed to himself that, as soon as the law would permit him to do so, he would claim the custody of the child, and take him away from a mother who had treated its father with such unreasonable and unreasoning severity; but this determination he kept to himself, for fear of the ladies retreating to some still more out-of-the-way place, where he would not be able to trace them.

The Vice-Consul engaged to send him a periodical account of the child, and, forced to be content with this arrangement, he returned to London by the steamer that left the port that after

noon.

During the homeward voyage his reflections were, as may be imagined, none of the most pleasant, for the upshot of them was that, on his arrival in London, he went straight to the Puss-in-Boots, demanded an interview with Fanny Jennings, and had a prolonged

conference with her, alone, in the bar-parlour, when he told her everything; and, when he had concluded his story, asked her what he was to do.

Fanny, who had listened to him in silence, but with changing colour, did not at first answer him; but, on his repeating the question, after the lapse of a few minutes, threw her arms round his neck, and kissing him, as she had never kissed him, or anyone else, before, exclaimed: "Never mind, Frankie, darling! now you are all my own."

I am not attempting to palliate or excuse the girl's conduct; I am merely relating what took place. They spoke for some time longer, until more customers coming in, Fanny was called to the bar, but not before they had fully decided upon the course they were to take.

Frank then came to my rooms. He was pale and more agitated than I had ever seen him, he almost frightened me by the ghastlines of his expression.

"So you have got back again," I exclaimed, as I shook him by the hand. "What luck?"

"It is all up, old fellow," he replied; "she has thrown me over for ever, and I her. I have proposed to Fanny, and she has consented to live with me; we can't be married—at least at present -but she will be my wife in the sight of Heaven."

I tried to dissuade him from his wicked and foolish intention, but in vain.

"It is too late now," he replied, when I had exhausted all my rhetoric, "too late: Fanny has given notice to Whakley, or will to-night, and will leave in a month. I shall pack up all her things he meant his wife's-and send them to her, curse her! I hate her, and wish I had never set eyes on her, or her hag of a mother."

Again I lifted up my voice, and said all that occurred to me to induce him to change his determination, but in vain.

In due course Fanny Jennings left her situation, and went to live with Frank in his house at Brixton, where they still reside, and where the servants and tradespeople called her Mrs. Timmins, but where she has no visitors except my wife and myself; for I married Lucy Pennington, and though five years have since elapsed, I have never had the slightest occasion to repent having done so; we suit each other exactly, and might fairly, if we chose, claim the celebrated Dunmow flitch.

Mrs. Timmins, who still lives at St. Servan, with her mother, though repeatedly pressed to do so, refuses to apply for a divorce; and Frank has not claimed the custody of the baby, for the poor little fellow died of the whooping-cough before he was three years

old; Fanny has four children, and she and Frank, to all appearance, are happy together, whereas, on all moral grounds, they ought to live a cat-and-dog sort of life, and be thoroughly miserable; but things do not always fall out as they should do in this wicked world of ours: let us hope there will be a reckoning up and sifting out hereafter, for they are not always the worst who, in the judg ment of the world, are held to be the greatest sinners.

BELOW THE SURFACE.

THE ocean lay flashing in radiance at dawn,
On its surface shone sparkles of light;
But below, in its innermost caverns withdrawn,
Lurked the creatures of horror and night.

A face fashioned solely at others' behest —
On its surface danced ripples of mirth;
But below, in its innermost meaning, unrest,
And distrust of the perils of earth.

The ocean fast frozen, as iron became,
On its surface pressed mountains of ice;
But above, was the rosy-hued flickering flame,
In a wonderful changing device.

The face, cold and pallid as winter, was laid
In the dust 'neath the snowdrops of spring;
But above, in the splendours of heaven arrayed,
The soul sought its Maker and King.

FRANCIS H. HEMERY.

Home of my fancy! Haven of my heart!'
Though o'er the world I be constrained to roam,
From thy dear image I shall never part!

Thou hast been much to me ! With thee did come
My first domestic bliss! Towards thee did start,
As to a goal, all my deep-treasured schemes
Of fairy happiness-youth's morning gleam!"

CHARLES LLOYD.

CLAPPERSGATE we did reach at last; and corroborated, at least, the statement of our last informant that " It's about a mile off!" After that, it was a comfortable and familiar stroll to our hotel at Ambleside, which we entered at half-past nine o'clock.

Tuesday-another lovely morning!

We fell into a reverie on the doings of the previous day. As it related to the ladies, and must, therefore, be gentle, we put it on paper.

It was not necessary to cheer Gloriana during our belated journey. In truth, she bore the fatigue more stoutly than either Rossallian or ourselves. We do not present the undertaking as anything extraordinary in the annals of female pedestrianism; but we are proud of its being done without previous training. After a week's stay among the hills, it would be easy of accomplishment. Its merit consists in its being done fresh from a year's imprisonment in a town. A long walk implies spirit and endurance.

We are surprised that ladies do not more frequently indulge in this exercise. We speak of wives: the younger fairies take to it with ready delight; but then, with them, it is not the walking always that is the spell. Youth is in their blood: they are alive with new emotions, which nature stirs by sight of hill and vale, rock, wood, and stream, as well as by whispers of love; besides,

there is often the whisper of love expected and assured,―for they cannot pedestrianise alone-and, of course, young gentlemen find them good company.

Maidens have their reasons; but why have not the married ladies their reasons also? Spoiled at home, believing that romance has gone with their young days, understan ling because they have left domestic cares behind them their truest enjoyment must be lolling on a seat in front of the hotel at Lowwood, and musing on Windermere and the Furness Fells; or at the "Prince of Wales," idly gazing at Grasmere Lake and Red Bank; or at the Station Hotel, at Keswick, transferring idle looks from Derwentwater to Bapruthwaite, peering, with far wonder, into the jaws of Borrodale, and with wild surmise questioning the figures they see, like flies, ascending Skiddaw; or packing themselves comfortably into the stern of a Bowness row-boat; or dreaming on the deck of a steamer ; or taking a carriage to view the picturesque wonders of the interior mountains, this is too often the sum of their out-door pleasures. We say, "Find your feet again!" feet again!" A good round walk will reawaken the joys that your sedentary life has drugged. It will make you a new creature. It re-juvenates your companions. Under the inspiration of fresh sights and invigorating exercise, you will go back years and years, and recognise each as a dear old friend, though new in features, whose tones and glances you have missed long and long. Break the miserable bondage of sitting and lounging, and the youth of your soul will become renewel like that of the eagle. Why should men and women let their intercourse be confined to sitting-or if standing, only in rooms? And in the Lakes, too!

Then, the magic of walking, ladies fair! strength, and opens your breathing organs to

It is the giver of receive the fullest

gushes of the elixir of 1 fe -the mountain air. It is beautiful, too, and beauty making. Consider effective descriptions of female beauty! Are they when the lady is seated?

When did she, who was

Whose face

"Fairer than the evening air,

Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars,"

"Launched a thousand ships,

And burnt the topmost towers of Ilium,"

The immortal, white-armed Helen-when did her loveliness prove most potent! Was it when she went forth with her women, and when they reached the Scean towers, and found there Priam and all his counsellors? These grave old men,

"When they saw the power of beauty in the queen ascend,"