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My father was delighted, so e all, with our brightening prospects For the present, it is true, ere reduced to the narrow income of the curacy; but my father seemed to think there was no necessity for scrupulously restricting our expenditure to that; so, with a standing bill at Mr Jackson's, another at S even h my mother affirmed we had better keep within bounds, for our prospects of wealth were but precarious, after all; and if ement, he should never feel hiible

What happy hours Mary and I have passed while sitting at our work by the fire, or wandering on the heath-clad hills, or idling under the weeping birch (the only considerable tree in the garden), talking of future happiness to ourselves and our parents, of ould do, and see, and possess; with no firoodly superstructure than the riches that were expected to flow in upon us from the success of the worthy merchant's speculations Our father was nearly as bad as ourselves; only that he affected not to be so uine expectations in jests and playful sallies, that always struck hed with delight to see hi his heart too much upon the matter; and once I heard her whisper as she left the roorant he be not disappointed! I know not hoould bear it'

Disappointed he was; and bitterly, too It came like a thunder- clap on us all, that the vessel which contained our fortune had been wrecked, and gone to the bottoether with several of the crew, and the unfortunate rieved for the overthrow of all our air-built castles: but, with the elasticity of youth, I soon recovered the shook

Though riches had charirl likein the idea of being driven to straits, and thrown upon our own resources I only wished papa, mamma, and Mary were all of the sa past calaht all cheerfully set to work to rereater the difficulties, the harder our present privations, the greater should be our cheerfulness to endure the latter, and our vigour to contend against the former