Yet, be hush'd, that fond complainer,
Silent its corroding woe;
May no tear for me profane her,

She, no taint of sadness know!

Never o'er her path may sorrow
Blow his pleasure-withering blast;
But laughing joys hail every morrow,
Each a brighter than the past.
"Till she own a lover dearer,

Yet-could she be held more dear?
Reward him with a love sincerer,
Yet-could he be more sincere ?
Then o'er the maze of fate unfolding,

May Hymen's torch beam purest fire;

Tho' it dim these eyes beholding,
Tho' it light my funeral pyre.

LOVING, CHANGING & MASKING.
BY E. A. HUTTLY.

PART 1.

J. G.

"So Caroline, you are determined to marry this poor unknown young man, providing he be willing, are you?" exclaimed her elder sister Alicia, as they sat in their private apartment.

"I have told you my feelings upon the subject, until I am completely tired of the repetition ;" responded Caroline, "really this pertinacity is both unfeminine and unsisterly! Ma and Pa have ever said they will not bias either of us, where the choice is respectable, and although they have advised me to reject the addresses of Walter Ramsay, they have never been indelicate enough to push matters to such an extreme as you."

The mild tone in which this remonstrance was uttered, would have had a just effect upon any but Alicia Meredith; but she, cold-hearted and calculating, could ill appreciate the warmth of her sister's feelings, and advanced her worldly-minded objections with but little respect for her whom they so deeply interested. It is not unlikely too, that she felt a little jealous of a younger sister being already in possession of that chance which had not yet offered for herself.

"I tell you Caroline," said she, "that it is only excess of parental love, that prevents them pushing their objections to this young man to an extreme, that would be highly disagreeable to you both. What is there in him, more than a pleasing exterior and agreeable manners, to occupy the attention of such a girl as you? Wealth he has none-indeed, so poor is he, by his own acknowledgment, that his means would not keep poverty from the door, and Caroline Meredith was never meant to labour for her maintenance, while scores of men were ready to lay their fortunes at her

feet."

"Alicia," replied Caroline, while her voice slightly trembled in the depth of her feelings, "I do not like your conduct-it is unkind in the extreme. I have never given you the slightest provocation, and, even if I had, surely I may be allowed to have an opinion of my own? With respect to the fortunes of which you have spoken, they ever have, and ever shall, occupy but little of my attention or desire. I cannot but acknowledge that I should like Walter quite as well if he were rich; but if true love cannot exist without wealth, be assured money will never purchase it. I look upon matrimony as the solemn tie that binds two beings by the laws of their Creator-a tie the holiest in nature-and one in which all thoughts and objects should be secondary to affection. I love Walter, and am proud to acknowledge it, and would sooner labour all my life by his side for my own maintenance, content to wear a russet gown, than step to my carriage in rustling silks, purchased by a wealthy and worldly man, who could never appreciate the worth, or win the regard of his wife, whom he married merely because she possessed a pretty face, and would make a handsome superintendant of his table, or a glittering ornament for his withdrawing room! Be assured,

my dear Alicia, that true love can only exist in the
quiet and secluded domestic circle; the precincts
of which worldly ambition or political rancour
never dares invade. And since," continued she,
with assumed irony, " you are pleased to recom-
mend me a husband, let me return the compliment
graciously by proposing one for you. Harry Went-
worth has wealth, and has long been looking for
the object I have just described. Your flatterers
have told you you are a pretty girl; marry Harry
Wentworth-leave me Walter, and see in ten
years which match has prospered best."

A smile passed across the face of Alicia, as she
said, "All very fine, very fine indeed, but this in-
dependence will not support a family! Your
father has nothing to give you-all you would
have to depend on would be the chance of an im-
provement in Walter's circumstances, and if you
wish to forfeit for ever the regard of your parents
and myself, and lose the good opinion of your
many friends, you may wed Walter, and rend every
social tie by the bitterness of your disappointment,
in leading a life of disquietude and misery.'

Caroline's eye glistened with a tear, but she was too proud to let it be seen under the circumstance, even by her sister; and she replied with creditable firmness, "If, Alicia, poverty is a crime, why am I not as guilty as Walter? I possess nothing of my own, and if either should lay under an obligation to the other, I should most assuredly to him, going to share the little he possesses. And I cannot but think it a noble and disinterested feeling, that could induce a man to offer the half of that pittance to another, which is insufficient for himself, and in the case of Walter, I should take the offer more as a compliment than otherwise. But my own feelings, affection for him, and regard for you, forbid me to allow this conversation to proceed. I shall now leave you, hoping most sincerely that time and reflection will teach you that lesson which you will not learn from me."

She rose as she concluded, and hastening to the parlour, indulged in a luxurious lounge upon the sofa, and an attentive perusal of the "last" novel, till a knock at the door, in announcing the periodical visit of her lover, consigned the book to immediate dismissal.

Modern beaux and belles are fond of "taking
a walk," and consequently Walter and Caroline
were soon inhaling the evening breeze that blew
so sweetly across the Serpentine. Conversation
was animated, and both gave the rein to spirits of
unwonted elasticity. In an artless and unthinking
manner, Caroline faithfully communicated what
had passed between Alicia and herself, and on
peeping archly from beneath her bonnet at the
conclusion, observed that the smile of pleasure
had faded from Walter's face, and that deep me-
lancholy pervaded it. She endeavoured, by lively
sallies, to rally him to his former humour, but he
abruptly exclaimed-

"Caroline, I am no stranger to the feelings of
your friends. It has ever been bitter and galling
to me, that I should have introduced myself into
your family to become a common object of sus-
picion. What a curse it would be to me, if, in
after years, I should find that all enslavement for
our mutual good, had been unproductive of suc-
cess, and see in your sunken cheek and heavy eye
the damning proofs of my own inaptitude to sup-
port you. You have hitherto lived in splendour,
compared to what I can offer, and with all your
affection for me, and consequent willingness to
support privation, the change would half sink you
to the grave, and perhaps wreck for ever that hap-
piness which it is my sincerest wish to promote.
It was but yesterday that I received from my em-
ployers an offer of Continental agency, for two or
more years, in the acceptance of which I hesi-
tated, until I had conferred with you upon the
subject. I need scarcely add that were my duties
discharged in a just manner, promotion would be
the reward; nay, the firm have even gone so far
as to promise my reception as an under partner.
I have too great reliance on my own integrity and

aptitude to doubt but that I should ere long be enabled to claim you with an adequate worldly qualification. On this, I say, I intended to have conferred with you, giving you the choice of waiting for better days, or sharing at once my humble means; but your recent statement has fixed my mind irrevocably, and I have only to entreat you to be faithful to me till that time, when I may return and claim your hand with the sanction of your friends, without running the risk of being charged with any ulterior intention that could cast a shade of dishonour on my name."

What further passed between them at that time may be told in a few words. Caroline was willing to take him as he was, but Walter was inflexible in his determination. Caroline felt offended and charged him with being false; Walter pleaded for pardon, which was of course granted-and the conclusion was, that she was to wait for two years the ratification of his pledge The compact was sealed with a glowing kiss and reiterated vows of mutual constancy. (To be continued.)

A POET'S FAVOURITE.

Oh, she is guileless as the birds

That sing beside the summer brooks;
With music in her gentle words,
With magic in her winsome looks.
With beauty by all'eyes confess'd,
With grace beyond the reach of art;
And, better still than all the rest,
With perfect singleness of heart:
With kindness like a noiseless spring
That faileth ne'er in heat or cold;
With fancy like the wild dove's wing,
As innocent as it is bold.

With sympathies that have their birth
Where woman's best affections lie;
With hopes that hover o'er the earth,
But fix their resting place on high.
And if, with all that thus exalts

A soul by sweet thoughts sanctified,
This dear one has her human faults,
They ever" lean to virtue's side."

A RUINED TRADESMAN.

a ball at Turnham

Some years ago, a Mr. Smith, a young gentleman holding the office of ensign in a marching regiment, being invited to Green, ordered a pair of dancing pumps from Mr. Hoby, of St. James's-street. By some accident, the pumps were not finished in time, and Ensign Smith was disappointed. The next day, in a furious military passion, he stalked into Hoby's shop and desired to see Mr. Hoby himself. The autocrat of boot-makers condescended to appear. Ensign Smith first eyed him savagely, and, curling his mustachios (I beg pardon-he did no such thing, he had none to curl, for in those days it had not been discovered how much courage, virtue, vigour, dignity and resolution, dwell in a little hair upon the upper lip.) Nevertheless, he eyed him most savagely, and thus began :

"Mr. Hoby, sir, I desire to know, I wish to understand-tell me. sir, directly, why my pumps were not sent home, or I will withdraw my custom-I will, by heaven I will."

The astonished Hoby said he would enquire, and begged the gentleman to be pacified.

"Pacified, sir" replied the ensign, "I'll be hanged if I do. Bring me my bill, I'll never deal with you any more. I withdraw my custom this moment-this very moment!"

The disconsolate boot-maker withdrew two steps "Mr. Jones," said he, and called his foreman. "close the shutters, shut up the shop, discharge the workmen, and lock the door-I am ruined, ruined irretrievably-Ensign Smith has withdrawn his custom !"