sisted in preparing the feast. Lewis took with him their servant-man Pompey, and his wife Violet, two old but faithful and active negroes.

Frank was much hurt at receiving no invitation, and of course paid no visit to the Marshall family in the interval, though, in general, he and Lewis were together some part of every day; their father's farms being contiguous to each other.

At length the day of the party arrived. The company, having breakfasted early at their own homes, set out in their sleighs for Mr. Marshall's new house. Those that came from the immediate neighbourhood of Scienceville (amongst whom were the Dawsons) had to pass the present dwelling of the Marshall family, and consequently all stopped there for a short time, and took what they called a fresh start. Lewis (who had returned from the new house the night before) drove a sleigh in which were half a dozen fine little girls, and was preceded by the one that contained the Miss Dawsons, Mrs. Marshall, and Aura, and which was driven by Dick. Many articles for the feast had been sent to the new house the day before, and others were put into the sleigh occupied (besides the driver) by two servant-women, and the two musicians,-a black man who played on the violin, and a mulatto boy with a tambourine.

It was one of those clear, unclouded, brilliant mornings, so characteristic of an American winter. Never was the atmosphere inore pure, the sky more blue, or the sun more resplendent. The snow sparkled and crackled under the feet of the horses, while they seemed almost to fly over its surface of dazzling whiteness. The bells rang merrily round the necks of the exhilarated animals as they bounded along, and the well-stowed sleighs looked gay and comfortable, with the coverlets of various colours that floated over their backs, and the bear-skin and buffalorobes that gave warmth to their interior.

As soon as the cavalcade had started, the musicians struck up the popular Virginia reel of "Fire on the mountains, run, boys, run!" at which Dick Dawson dropped the reins to stop his ears, his sisters uttered something between a scream and a laugh, and Aura recollected with shame that it was not genteel to play along the road. As soon as Dick recovered, he called to the musicians to cease, much to the vexation of the unfashionable portion of the party, and greatly to the discomfiture of the sable minstrel and his assistant, neither of whom, however, could refrain, as the sleigh wafted them along, from giving an occasional scrape on the fiddle, or a thump on the tambourine.

As they passed the residence of the Finlays, they found all the family at the windows, and Lewis turned away his head that he might not meet the eyes of his slighted

friend, who, however, did not happen to be there.

About two miles further on, as they proceeded through the woods, they had a glimpse of Frank Finlay among the trees, with his dog and gun, and a pair of pheasants in his hand. The dog came bounding towards the sleigh that Lewis was driving, but Frank called him off and retreated farther into the woods.

The first impulse of Lewis, on seeing his friend, was to jump out of the sleigh, run after Frank, and insist on his joining the party. But a moment's reflection convinced him that such a proceeding would displease Aura and shock her new friends, as Frank was in his shooting-dress,—a blanket coat trimmed with squirrel fur, a cap of grey foxskin, and a pair of Indian mocassons. A boy, who drove the next sleigh, called out to Lewis to proceed, and he gave the horses a touch, saying to himself with a sigh, "never mind the barbacue, next June shall make amends for all."

Just as they came in sight of the new house, Dick Dawson bestowed such a cut on his horses that, springing suddenly to one side, they overset the sleigh, and it was broken to pieces. Luckily all its occupants fell into a bank of soft snow, and none were hurt; but the dresses of the Miss Dawsons (which were quite too fine and flimsy for the occasion) were much deranged and injured, and Dick's shirt-collar suffered extremely. Fortunately, it is unfashionable to lament over disasters that happen to dresses, and therefore the Dawsons bore the accident with great apparent composure, and walked to the house, which was within a quarter of a mile; and they were met in the porch by some of the party, who, coming from a shorter distance, had arrived before them.

On getting out of the sleigh that brought up the rear, one of the black women advanced to Mrs. Marshall, and displayed to her a pair of fine pheasants.

"Where did you get these?" inquired Mrs. Marshall.

"Master Frank Finlay gave them to me," answered the girl. "He proceeded from the woods with his dog and gun, and chucked these two dead pheasants into my lap, and said, "There, Miss Phillis, ax Aura if she'll 'cept these here unworthy birds, and have them cooked, and eat them herself at dinner, from me." Them's the very words he spoke, an't they, Sylvia?"

"Something in that way," replied Sylvia; "but (lowering her voice) I'll be qualified he put Miss before Aura, and not before Phillis; and he said nothing in 'sparagement of his pheasants neither."

"And how does it happen," asked Mrs. Marshall, looking at her daughter, Frank Finlay is not one of the party? I ex

pected of course to see him amongst us." Aura held down her head, and tied and untied the strings of her cloak; and Lewis looked unutterable things. "I will inquire into this hereafter," added Mrs. Marshall.

They were met at the door by Pompey and Violet, (both grinning ell-wide with delight, as country negroes generally do at the sight of company,) and ushered into the large front parlour, where an immense fire of hickory logs was blazing in the chimney.

During the three days he had spent at the new house, Lewis was chiefly employed in making substitutes for furniture. In this undertaking he would have been very glad to have availed himself of the assistance of Frank Finlay, whose ingenuity in every thing relating to the mechanic arts was far superior to his own. With the spare boards that had been left by the carpenters, Lewis contrived some most substantial benches (besides other things of less consequence), and also erected a very large table on something like tressels. But he took the most pride in having decorated the windows, doors, and walls of the parlours with festoons of laurel and cedar branches. The windows, particularly, made a very handsome appearance, each looking like a green arbour, and being strikingly contrasted with the snow out of doors.

"How romantic!" said one of the Miss Dawsons.

66

'Picturesque, I declare!" said another. "Quite theatrical!" said a third. "Very fair, upon my honour,-very fair indeed!" said Dick.

After nulled wine and pound-cake had been handed round, a game of forfeits was proposed; but it was rejected with contempt by the Dawsons, who declared that all such plays were long since exploded, and that dancing was now the order of the day, from six years old to sixty. The musicians, to their great joy, were put in requisition, and the dancing would have commenced with great spirit, only that the Miss Dawsons insisted on the newest cotillions, and undertook to teach them to the company. Luckily for the musicians, as these new figures were nearly all the same, they could be performed to almost any cotillion tune. Dick Dawson danced one set with Aura, during which he merely walked through the cotillion, saying that gentlemen now never attempted any thing like dancing steps; and, when it was over, he protested that he must beg leave to decline all further exertion, as the fatigue of driving the sleigh had been really too much for him. Lewis having done his duty, and gratified his sister by taking out the three Miss Dawsons, one after the other, selected for his next partner a pretty little girl as unlike them as possible, and the dancing continued till the dining hour.

The plan of the sleighing-party was to stay

at the new house till evening, and then go home by moonlight. Before dinner, however, the sky had clouded, the wind had changed to the north-east, and there was every appearance of bad weather. Mrs. Marshall took her son and daughter aside, and suggested to them the expediency of all returning home immediately, in case of more snow; proposing that they should take a short repast of such things as were then ready, and depart at once, instead of waiting for dinner at two o'clock. To this prudent proposition Lewis and Aura were unwilling to consent, alleging that, after they had invited their friends, and brought them so far, it would have a most inhospitable look to take them away almost immediately, and without their dinner, and remarking that, as we have generally indications of a snow-storm a whole day before it commences, they could not believe there was any immediate danger. They begged of their mother to allow them to remain till towards evening, and not to make their friends uneasy by prognosticating bad weather.

About one o'clock it slowly began to snow; Lewis and Aura watched the clouds, imagined that they saw them breaking, and prophesied that the snow would soon cease. The clouds, however, gradually lost their distinct forms, and were blended into one monotonous mass of dark gray, that covered the whole sky.

Precisely at two o'clock, old Pompey threw open the door, and with a bow, consisting of three motions, flourished his hand, scraped his foot, waved his head, and announced to the company that "he was proud to reform them as dinner waited."

The dining-room, or back parlour, was also properly ornamented with cedar and laurel, and thoroughly warmed by an enormous fire. The table furniture had been sent the day before, and also many of the viands. The ample board was set out with turkeys, wild and tame, ducks of both descriptions, and also pigeons; hams, fowls, venison, dressed in various ways; pies, puddings, cakes, swee'meats, &c.,-all in that lavish abundance generally found on American tables.

Just after the dinner had commenced, Phillis brought in the pair of pheasants, and significantly placed them before Aura, who desired her to remove them to the other end. Lewis sat there, and he mischievously sent his sister a plate with a portion of one of the birds, which Aura then determined to eat with as much indifference as she could assume. But as soon as she had tasted it, and found how nice it was, her conscience smote her for the first time; so often does it happen that our feelings are excited by trifles, when things of more consequence have failed to awaken them. Aura now thought with compunction of Frank Finlay,-of his good nature, his spirit, and his vivacity, and of the animation he would have infused into the

party. She looked over the boys whom she had invited as considering them more elegant than Frank, and she found that, after all, they were quite as unlike Dick Dawson as he was, and looked no better in their holiday clothes than he did; that several of the waistcoats now present were uglier even than his; and most of the heads in a worse style de cidedly.

The secret cause of Aura so pertinaciously insisting on the exclusion of Frank Finlay was, that she had frequently heard him ridiculed by Dick Dawson and his sisters; Dick having discovered that he did not stand high in Frank's estimation. In consequence of the sneers of the Dawsons, Aura regarded Frank in a less favourable light than she had formerly done; but she was afraid to cite them as authority for her change of opinion, lest Lewis should take immediate vengeance on Dick.

By the time dinner was over, the wind blew a hurricane, and the snow had increased so rapidly that the whole atmosphere seemed to be filled with its feathery flakes. There was no possibility of encountering so violent a storm in such vehicles as open sleighs. The only alternative was to remain all night in the new house. It was true they had no beds, but there was plenty of provisions for supper and breakfast; the inconvenience of sleeping uncomfortably would be for one night only, and they had no doubt of a fine day on the

morrow.

Having made up their minds to this new plan, cheerfulness was restored, and after dinner, blindman's buff was pursued with great alacrity by all but the Dawsons, who declined participating in it as quite too boisterous, and said they preferred remaining in the back parlour, where poor Aura, though longing to join in the play, thought it incumbent on her to stay with her city friends. The young ladies talked of the various elegant sleighing parties they had "attended" in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, and Dick leaned against the chimney-piece and fell asleep.

During the short afternoon, Mrs. Marshall, assisted by the servants, busied herself in preparing for the exigencies of the night. The supper consisted of the provisions that had been left at dinner, with the addition of tea and coffee, which they had brought with them for the purpose. When it was over, the company drew round the fire, and amused themselves with telling riddles and singing songs, having no desire to retire early to their sleeping-places. The stock of candles was soon exhausted, and they were obliged to content themselves with the lights of the fire. Pompey, however, triumphantly brought in, on a waiter, some substitutes of his own contrivance, saucers filled with melted fat, and having a twisted paper lighted and stuck

up in the middle of each. He was arrang ing these uncouth lamps at regular distances on the mantel-piece, but the giggling of the Miss Dawsons, and the disguised face of Dick, induced Aura to make a sign to the poor fellow to take them away immediately.

At last bed-tine came, weariness gradually stole over them, and the whole company "addressed themselves to sleep." The back parlour was appropriated to the ladies, the front to the gentlemen. The cloaks, coverlets, and furs, served as bedding for the females, and the boys moved the benches near the fire and lay down on them, covered with their great-coats. All, except Dick, slept tolerably well; but he complained and murmured nearly all the whole time. The girls passed an uncomfortable and restless night, as they lay spread about the floor, and were frequently startled by noises from the adjoining room, when the boys in their sleep tumbled off the benches.

The wind raved all night with a fury that seemed to shake even the strong stone house to its foundation, and the snow drifted against the windows of the front parlour, till it obscured even the upper panes. It did not, as usual, abate at the approach of dawn, but, when morning came, the storm increased in violence. The country all round looked like a vast white desert. The snow had been driven by the wind into enormous hills of ridges, which entirely blocked up the roads, and rendered them impassable; the fences, being buried above the top-rails, were no longer to be seen; and the only landmarks now visible were the trees, bending heavily before the blast. The cold was intense, and the gloomy aspect of the heavens was still as unpromising as it had been the preceding evening.

When Pompey came in to set the breakfast-table, he brought with him an armful of wood to replenish the fires, and announced, with a face of dismay, that " May-be it would be the last wood the gentlemen and ladies would ever have." On being required to explain, he made many apologies for the unexpected badness of the werther, and stated that the unusual quantity that had been consumed during the last twenty-four hours had entirely exhausted the stock of fuel that had been provided for the occasion, and that there was barely enough in the kitchen to suffice for cooking the breakfast. He concluded his harangue by saying, "And so, gentlemen and ladies, my 'pinion is firm and fixed, that nothing on yearth can stop us from all freezing stiff in less than no time."

This intelligence was heard with great con sternation. The Miss Dawsons talked of going into hysterics, Dick nearly fainted, many of the girls cried, and all the boys looked serious.

The forest was not far from the house, but

the storm still raged so violently that it was impossible for any one to go thither to cut wood. What was now to be done? After the fires had burned down, the rooms, in such severe weather, would immediately become cold; the stock of provision had greatly diminished, and, in case the storm continued all day and night, how were they to remain in the empty house, without fuel, and with but a scanty supply of food?

The boards left by the carpenters had all been used in making the table and benches, and these it was now judged expedient to split up with an axe, as the most feasible means of replenishing the fire. Lewis, in a few minutes, demolished the furniture that he had taken so much pains in making, reserving only two benches as seats for the females. The boys sat on the floor. The heat afforded by these boards was not great; and the girls first wrapped themselves in their cloaks, and afterwards added the coverlets and furs.

It was determined that, as soon as the storm began to abate, they should all set out for home. But Pompey came in with another face of alarm, and proclaimed, that "the feed that was brung for the hosses had guv out the night afore, and that thereby the creaturs would never be able for dragging the sleighs through sich roads, and that there was nothing more to be done but stay and perish." This news was heard with almost screams by the female part of the company, and several of the younger boys turned pale. The hysterics of the Miss Dawsons now came on; but such was the general consternation, that they were little attended to, except by Aura.

Lewis now proposed digging away the snow from the nearest fence, and procuring the rails for fuel. In this enterprise the other boys instantly volunteered to assist; and, tying on their hats with handkerchiefs, they immediately set to work; being much impeded, however, by the violence of the wind, which at times nearly overset them, and by the blinding snow that whirled against their faces.

While engaged in this employment, they heard a loud balloo resounding from a distance, and were presently hailed by the voice of Frank Fin'ay, who came "flouncing through the drifted heaps" upon a jumper, a rude sort of sleigh, hastily constructed for emergencies. The body of this vehicle is generally made of rough boards nailed together so as to resemble a box, planks are laid across for seats, the bottom is filled with straw, and the runners are formed of two crooked saplings, their curves turning up in front.

Lewis flew to Frank, and shook him heartily by the hand; as did also the other hoys, as well as that privileged person old Pompey. "Ob, Frank!" exclaimed Lewis,

"how glad I am to see you! How could you think of turning out in such a storm? I am sure you have brought us good news, and that all our troubles are now over."

"I have brought a bag of corn for the horses," replied Frank, "as I supposed it to be the thing most wanted. I lay awake and thought of you all, nearly the whole of last night; and particulary of the horses, for I never can sleep well when I know that horses or dogs are suffering. There is a man behind who will be up presently with still more corn, and I hope there will be enough to allow them all a good feed before you set off. Here, Pompey, take charge of this bag of corn, and give some to the horses immediately. But what are you all doing out here in the snow?"

Lewis explained, and Frank instantly set to work and helped them, refusing to go into the house till their task was accomplished. "We talked of you at our house all last evening," said he, "and I determined to start at daylight and come off to see how you were. The Wilsons had borrowed our sleigh to go to your party, and there was not another to be had in the neighbourhood, all being in requisition for the same purpose. So I set to work and made a jumper, out in the woodhouse, and finished it before bed-time. As the storm did not abate, we knew the snow would be very deep before morning, and my father said he would raise the neighbours to clear the road for you to come home. But, as that is not the work of a moment, I could not wait; so at daylight I started with my jumper to come and inquire into the state of affairs. When the horses have eaten their corn, they will be able to draw the sleighs; for, as my father and the neighbours will turn out as soon as the storm allows them, it will not be long before the road is passable."

As fast as the elder boys dug away the snow, and pulled down the fence, the younger ones carried in the rails to replenish the fires. At length the wind fell, the snow came down more slowly, the sky grew lighter, and the boys went into the house with the joyful news, that the company might now prepare for departing.

Lewis, seizing Frank by both hands, drew him towards Aura, exclaiming, "There, now, see there!" Frank smiled and blushed, and Aura cast down her eyes and burst into tears. The Miss Dawsons whispered each other, and Dick tittered, and said, "Quite a scene!" upon which Lewis immediately knocked him down.

Dick, however, was but slightly hurt; and seeing that no one came to his assistance, (all the company having gathered round Frank Finlay,) he managed to scramble up again, and contented himself with saying, after he had regained his feet, "Upon my word, there is no knowing how to take these

bush-whackers. But I shall prosecute,-I rather think I shall prosecute."

The snow soon ceased; but the road immediately before the house was impassable, and it was necessary to clear it before the cavalcade could set out. Frank, having found a few more boards in a corner of the stable, proposed making of them some large wooden spades; and with these they managed to shovel away the snow with great execution.

In the afternoon Frank's father arrived in another jumper, and reported that the neighbours had cleared all the worst parts of the road, and that they might now venture to start. These were joyful tidings.

One of the s'eighs having been overset and broken, (as before related), room was made in others for Mrs. Marshall and the Dawsons; and Aura rode home in Frank's jumper, with him and her brother.

In conclusion, we have only to say, that, erly in the spring, Mr. Dawson obtained an office which obliged him to remove to Washington, to the great joy of his children, and the manifest delight of Lewis Marshall. Aura, no longer under the infiuence of this family, (whom she never liked so well after the sleighing-party), resumed her natural feelings and habits, and became once more as amiable as before she had known the boardingschool and the Dawsons. Frank left off his purple and yellow waistcoat, lengthened his pantaloons, had his hair cut by Madame Nasillard, and, at the age of eighteen, Aura Marshall became the junior Mrs. Finlay."

INTERESTING LETTER OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

64 Philadelphia, 23 February, 1756. "I CONDOLE with you. We have lost a most dear and valuable relation. But it is the will of God and nature, that these mortal bodies be laid aside, when the soul is to enter into real life. This is rather an embryo state, a preparation for living. A man is not completely born until he be dead. Why, then, should we grieve, that a new child is born among the immortals, a new member added to their happy society?

"We are spirits. That bodies should be lent us, while they can afford us pleasure, assist us in acquiring knowledge, or in doing good to our fillow creatures, is a kind and benevolent act of God. When they become unfit for these purposes, and afford us pain instead of pleasure, instead of an aid become an incumbrance, and answer none of the intentions for which they were given, it is equally kind and benevolent, that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. We ourselves, in some cases, prudently choose a partial death. A mangled painful limb, which cannot be restored, we willingly cut off. He, who plucks out a tooth, parts with it freely, since the

pain goes with it; and he, who quits the whole body, parts at once with all pains, and possibilities of pains and diseases, which it was liable to, or capable of making him suffer."

SONNET;

TO A BOUQUET OF WITHERED FLOWERS. BLOSSOMS of beauty, and of love's return! Born in the smile of Summer's rosy face, Bathed in the dew of morning's silver urn,

Kiss'd by the Zephyrs in their balmy race, Gems of earth's bosom! virgins of the air! Meteors of loveliness in glory's glow ! Handmaids of fragrance-with thy colours rare, Ye prank'd with beauty, once, the world below. Then ye were glowing in your Summer sphere, Emblems of innocence, unstain'd by sin Now on you fallen hath death's destroying tear,Your sweets are faded, canker dwells within. "Tis thus with beauty, bursting into birth. The spoiler comes-the victim falls to earth! K. K.

THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER. BY MRS. EMMA C. EMBURY. "He that sits above

In his calm glory, will forgive the love His creatures bear each other, e'en if blent With a vain worship."-MRS. HEMANS. ABOUT ten years ago, my physicians having recommended a long sea-voyage as the most probable cure for an attack of bronchitis, my husband, who was then engaged in mercantile pursuits, fitted up a ship which he was about freighting for Calcutta, and resolved to accompany me to India. If I were to relate all my impressions during my absence, I might fill a volume, but I will content myself with narrating a single incident which occurred on our return, and which has impressed itself on my memory too deeply to be effaced by the finger of time. When we arrived at Calcutta, my health was quite restored, and we therefore made but little delay there, as I was anxious to return to my mother, whose advanced age had forbidden her to become my companion. husband soon disposed of the valuable cargo he had brought out, and a homeward freight having been procured, we prepared to leave Calcutta. The day before the ship was to sail, a gentleman, who announced himself as an American missionary, waited upon Mr. B., with a request that a passage might be afforded to his wife and child. As the cabin was not large, and had been appropriated solely to my use, my husband hesitated to reply till I should have been consulted, and therefore requested the gentleman to call at our abode in the afternoon. As soon as I heard of the application, however, I begged that they might be informed of my willingness to accommodate them, and I felt no small degree of pleasure in the thought of

My