uncle Berrington: you know him for a kindhearted, conscientious man. But in case his large family renders it inconvenient for him to give a home to my little lonely one, I have named the son of a brother officer as your second guardian. He is the young boy who acted nurse to my Nellie, under old Blaize's superintendence, and who has gradually become a character admired and loved by every one. I would have named, my dear friend, his father; but he, alas, is dead. The son, however, even in the short time that I knew him, so won upon me by his good qualities, that I could only compare him to the knights of old, so imbued was he with the high honour and courage of an English gentleman. I am the more induced to name him as your guardian, because he has lately married the third person, whom we have mentioned as a protector. She is a connexion, and was a friend, of your mother's. I am bound to confess that young Forest has not shewn that judgment in his marriage I

should have expected: yet, as it relieves us from a great embarrassment, I ought to say nothing; and the difference in their ages only affects themselves. He, I know, will be kind to you; while his wife, Lady Maria, will ever treat you with consideration, if only for the blood you bear in your veins."

CHAPTER VI.

"Take me, mother earth, to thy cold breast, And fold me there in everlasting rest!

The long day is o'er,

I am weary, I would sleep."-MRS. JAMIESON.

"THUS, Nellie, with many prayers to God, we have made the best earthly arrangements we could for our child. In the matter of this world's goods you will not have much for luxuries or temptations, but quite sufficient for moderate wants; and above all, for rendering you independent and beyond the humiliating taint of a cold and scanty charity. With whomsoever you live the fixed sum of three hundred pounds a year will be paid, out of which you will be given a certain yearly allowance for your own

private use. Upon coming of age, your whole fortune will be made over to you, which amounts to a sum so moderate, my Nellie need never fear being sought in marriage for her wealth, and yet poverty (with prudence), will be far from her. I tell her all these things."

"But, papa, papa, I shall be so lonely, so desolate."

"With the God of the fatherless above her, with the spirits of her parents about her, with the courage and high heart of the soul within her, my child will do her work in the world well and bravely; religion and truth her staff and support. But how is this?" continued my loving father. "The queen of this little kingdom must be absent. Surely she has not fled at the first blow? A queen rules best in adversity; a true loyal queen never leaves her kingdom bare and helpless."

It would not do. The proud, exulting queen of the morning was drowned in a deluge of woe; the little kingdom was for a time over

thrown; and as I pined and mourned in sorrow and fear, even Moss began to think my charmed life was fading with that of my parents.

But God was very good to me. The blow came softly, gently-with the soothing conviction that what was loss to me, was gain to them.

They spoke to me so constantly of the approaching event, that I became familiar with death, as with a brother. They dwelt upon their release as a desired and happy event, until I too prayed God to make them happy, and forgot my own desolate condition. Many conversations they had upon my future acts, and many gentle sweet lectures they gave me upon so comporting myself, that I might gain the love and praise of parents, from those who were neither kith nor kin to me. Above all, I was to keep within me a truthful trustful heart, ever to hold the one purpose within my view, namely to do my duty in whatever state God placed me.

Now, in this distant period of time, I recall these conversations, and fancy myself again a