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Monday! Monday however, the mystery was all cleared up, and the pump frequenters have since talked of nothing else. The young man, it appears, was betrothed to Lucy White five or six years ago, but was obliged to go abroad with his master, an officer in the army; they had agreed to be married at the expiration of two years on his return; but two and three years had passed, and no tidings were received of the absent youth, either by his aged father or his plighted bride.

"The

It was not a momentary enthusiasm that
prompted such generosity-but an unso-
phisticated knowledge of right. She loved
the old man, as the saying goes,
"for
sake's sake." The gay ribbon, or gayer
dance, had no attractions for this young
and excellent girl; her charity was hid-
den from all-it was truly unostentatious.
Pure as the limpid stream, that pursues
its silent way, 'mid overshadowing rushes
and fertile plants, though every passer-by
perceives the effects, without being con-
scious of the cause.

The poor old man must have become a Suddenly, and unexpectedly, James burthen to the neighbouring parish but Deane appeared before her on that mefor Lucy's generous exertions. morable evening. All things were soon father of the man, whom in the sight of satisfactorily explained; his letters had God I consider my husband, shall never miscarried; and his master been debe the inmate of a workhouse, while I tained by a variety of circumstances have health and strength. James may (the particulars of which have not yet forget me, but I can never forget him ;" || transpired) in a foreign land. This much thus she reasoned in her simplicity, and I know, that he returned faithful-hearted acted in purity of thought and spirit. to his village love, and talks of nothing Every Saturday, with her mistress's kind but gratitude and affection, which I have permission, she visited old Thomas Deane; || observed men always do, at all events and it was to make him comfortable that before marriage. she toiled from day to day, from hour to hour, with untiring fidelity and cheerful

ness.

She had laid down a straight line of conduct, which she undeviatingly pursued. She had no idea that she was performing a meritorious action; she would have disbelieved any one who had told her so.

I cannot possibly leave Mussleton till the wedding is over; but I am certain the pump will be unbearable after her departure, unless-but no, I shall positively leave Mussleton after Lucy is married! A. M. H.

June 11, 1831.

MY UNCLE'S PUZZLE.

“A puzzle, a puzzle, a puzzle, I cry."-OLD SONG.

"OH! for another sofa, dear uncle," exclaimed Lady Catherine Howard, throwing herself at full length on the floor; "truly, since my aunt, Elizabeth, and you, have possessed yourselves of the three that are in the room, I must invent one for myself, and be content with this nice new carpet."

"There, child," said aunt Deborah, throwing down a cushion, " you shall at least take my pillow to support your giddy head."

“No, no, dear aunt; my head is much too light at present to have any thing to do with feathers. After walking to the

look-out-rock, and back again, on such a day as this, the very thought of cushions, or pillows, or of lying on any thing less cool than this, seems enough to put me in a fever."

"Then why did you not stay quietly at home, you hot-headed minx, and wait patiently for the hour when your sister can be here?" said Lord Humphrey. "You know all your gazing from the look-out-rock, would not bring the packet from Calais one moment before the usual time."

"Some chance, however, might, my dear uncle. But let it come when it may,

I could never sit still with my hands before me waiting, in dead silence, for its arrival. I should feel quite as miserable as I did, when just within sight of land, I was becalmed on my voyage home from Italy. Consider, all of you, that I have not seen my sister for two whole years."

"Nor have we," said aunt Deborah, "yet we contrive to wait with patience."

"But then I have such intolerable curiosity to see my german brother-inlaw, and to hear Emma say my love,' to him. How can she ever use such an expression to a man called Reighanechar? but I suppose she will call him nothing else, to avoid breaking her jaws with such a horrid name."

Lady Elizabeth smiled. "Yet our new brother," said she," has just the qualifications that might have made you call him by the same tender appellation, Kate, had you met him in time; for Emma describes him as amiable, interesting, and agreeable, which forms, you will allow, a sufficient counterpoise for an ugly name." Lady Catherine looked at her watch.

"Well, well; we shall all see what he is like in a few short hours. Oh! for something to make that time pass quickly away; but it will never pass if I lie idly here."

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Stay where you are, you impatient gipsy," observed her uncle, seeing her about to rise, "and keep yourself quiet. Suppose you try the new puzzle which baffled you so completely the other night." "What puzzle do you mean?" inquired their aunt.

fesses never to have been able to read even his best comedies a second time."

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Yet," said Elizabeth, laughing, "I will answer for it I could tell the names both of his tragedies and his comedies, in a shorter time than either you or Kate, who are so fond of him. Will you make the trial?"

The old Lady Deborah raised herself, despite her rustling silks, with juvenile alacrity to the task, and her no less ancient brother held his watch to minute the time. She counted over ten, twenty, thirty names, without hesitation or confusion, in a very short space; but two plays had slipped from her memory without recal; and when Sir Humphrey told her the half hour was out, she returned to her recumbent position, calling on Kate to redeem her lost credit, by proving that the thing might be done in half the specified time, by those who were familiar with the poet.

Kate commenced her attempt by securing the two names which Deborah had forgotten, and for a short time went on so fluently, that she felt quite confident of success; but other plays she found were equally treacherous as those which had betrayed her aunt; and whilst she sought to recover several that had escaped her recol||lection, her uncle triumphantly announced the expiration of a second half hour.

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"Doubt my powers," she replied, smil"A very difficult one, although it seemsing, "and you make me do any thing. very easy," said Kate, catching at the idea, "it is to repeat, or write down, Shakspeare's thirty-two plays in thirtytwo-minutes."

"Why that must be impossible," said aunt Deborah, "or else it is some quibble beyond my comprehension."

"There is no quibble in the matter, Debby; you are merely required to repeat the names of all the plays; and if you do it within the given time, I will call you a more clever person than any I have hitherto met with."

"I should think any one could do that," said Mrs. Deborah, "unless, indeed, it be Elizabeth, who affects the singularity of disliking our immortal poet; and pro

I am now resolved to achieve the task in one third of the appointed time; nay, I even think I shall be able to do it in less." And immediately beginning, to the surprise of all present, she, without stop or hesitation, repeated the full number of plays before even ten minutes were at an end. Her aunt and sister attributed her success to her having so recently heard all the names; and they, at Lord Humphrey's request, made a second attempt: but, to Kate's great mortification, were both equally unsuccessful as in the first.

"It is rather strange that we have failed, and Elizabeth should have succeeded," said Kate, casting an inquisitive glance at her sister.

"It really is strange," said their aunt Deborah, "because she professes, and, I verily believe, has never read the half of them."

66

Not so strange as you may imagine,"

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Macbeth,"

Andronicus," "King John, his life and death."

Crowd not, ye Kings, promiscuous, to my mind

replied Elizabeth, taking out a piece of My "Labour's Lost," if one be left behind.

paper from her reticule, while a triumphant laugh curled her pretty lip; "these lines will explain the cause of my success. Kate very slily composed this 'Memoria Technica' for herself the day she and I were first foiled by the puzzle. By its help she no doubt expected to have put us all to the blush, and to have achieved the undertaking with ease whenever she pleased. I, however, found the paper just after it was written, and took the liberty of committing the contents to memory, which I believe she has not done herself, and here is a copy of them for you, uncle. I knew you would be glad to have them."

Close in array come "Richards," first and

second;

With "Hal the Sixth," who must be three times reckoned,

"Harry the Fourth and Fifth" will make three

more,

When "Hal the Eighth," with wives near half

a score.

Now "Midsummer's" come on, the "Tempest's" past;

With "Much Ado," I hope " All's Well," at

last:

Haste "Cleopatra," ere my half hour's gone;
I'm "Kate the curst," unless my bet be won.

66

"Well done, my merry Kate," exclaimed Lord Humphrey, with delight; you say well, Elizabeth, that I have a Kate now tried to recover the paper, happy knack of disposing of such things, but Elizabeth threw it to her uncle, who, and you shall assuredly see this in La she said, had of old a happy knack of BELLE ASSEMBLEE for next month, where, keeping and disposing of such things;|| I think, the Editor can have no objection and he, seizing it with avidity, immediately read aloud the following lines:

POETICAL MEMORIA TECHNICA.

In half an hour all Shakspeare's plays repeat !
Impossible! Oh! 'tis a quibbling cheat!
Well! "As You Like It," I'll try it, if you
please,
And beat you

"What You Will," I'll do't

with ease.
Yet some, like "Timon," make me fear the bet;
Things we esteem not much, we may forget.
And "Troilus," with all his bloody terrors,
Might plunge me in "A Comedy of Errors."
But now fair "Portia" o'er my memory stealing
Like the sweet south inspires a happier feeling;
In merry mood, "The Merry Wives" I hail,
"Measure for Measure," and "The Winter's

Tale:

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to place it."

"It is very hard, however, that I should lose all the benefit of my scheme," said Kate; "for while Lady Elizabeth, there, gained so much credit by stealing and adopting my plan, I, from having neglected to get the lines by rote, find that I have gained not the slightest advantage from my own composition. But, n'importe, it has served us well at present, pour passer le temps. And, hark, surely I hear the sound of carriagewheels. She listened for a moment to ascertain that she was right, then springing from the floor, and kissing Sir Humphrey in an ecstacy of joy-" Oh, you dear, good old uncle of mine," she exclaimed, "here comes Emma at last, and brother Reighanechar too. Verily, if his appearance be as rough and ungainly as his title, you shall have the good Baron's portrait to send to LA BELLE ASSEMBLEE along with my poor couplets. Mais allons! les voici qui viennent.”

CARO.

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Tells us, though memory's lips are dumb, DEAR lady! why that weeping eye,

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THE NEW YOR PUBLIC LIBRARY

ADTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS,

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