no other alternative than to march as fast as your legs can carry you." "They will carry me, I fear, but a little farther," said a young man, apparently

of

age,

in

not more than twenty years a dejected tone;" and I fear it will be too late. I shall never again behold my father: Oh, God, let me but see him once more! let me but evince my affection and duty to him in this one instance of attention! let me but arrive in time to close his dying eyes, to receive his parting benediction, and I am content to resign him." So saying, he descended from the carriage, with a small bundle on his arm; and proceeded out of the city as fast as possible.

his

The rain, which poured in torrents, retarded not his steps; he appeared to have lost every other recollection in anxiety for the life of his parent; pace was hurried and agitated; his frame was sinking under the united pressure

His

pressure of fatigue and long watching; and he had scarcely travelled a mile, ere, unable to proceed, he was obliged to sit down, on the side of the road, to recruit his exhausted strength. dress, though plain, and much decayed from long service, concealed not the beauty of his manly form; and his countenance, though languid, and enveloped in deep melancholy, while it bespoke the sorrow which corroded his heart, also attracted the attention and observation of all those who accidently passed him, as it evidently bespoke the intelligence and dignity of the mind of its owner. A few moments after he had thus seated himself, a lady passed him in a neat post-chaise: the disconsolate youth cast a wishful glance at the vehicle; he advanced a few paces; and, as if conscious of the turpitude of his conduct, again retreated. He retraced, in imagination, the long and weary jour

"

ney he had taken; he anticipated his probable disappointment at its conclusion, and wept, as if internally convinced, that he should not behold; alive the father who he had travelled thus far to see. The lady was in possession of one of the best qualities of human nature philanthrophy; her heart pleaded for the stranger's distress-alas! it was but too visible in his palled face and hollow eye. She felt a sort of intuitive conviction of his secret wishes, and, pulling the string of the carriage, beckoned him to approach-he did so; she demanded whither he was going-" tọ K?" "Yes, madam," was the re

ply. "I am going to the same place," said she, in gentle and compassionate tones, and, as I want a companion, you may put down the step of the chaise, and seat yourself by me." The youth lifted his fine eyes to her matronly face, with a look of ineffable gratitude, and

The

having repeatedly thanked her, he did as he was commanded, and for some time they proceeded in silence towards the place of their destination. benignant smile of the lady soon drew from her companion an account of thes distressful circumstances which had occasioned his journey he was, he informed her, the son of a gentleman,. who had broken two of his ribs by the overturn of a chaise, and who now lay at the Inn at K, with little hope of recovery that he had received intimation of his father's danger, and had travelled, without intermission or interruption, from Oxford, at which place he was a student, on foot, and had, rested neither night or day," and when," continued he, a faint blush, tinging his cheek, I had arrived almost at the conclusion of my pilgrimage, and hoped to prosecute my journey in a more commodious manner, which I found

B 3

found, on examination of my little store, was rich enough to afford, the unexpected demand for carriages in the City of Bath reduced me to the painful necessity of continuing my way on foot-but my weary limbs refused the task assigned them, and almost in despair I threw myself down in the place where your benevolence found me.Alas!" concluded he, I fear I shall never again behold my father no more witness the fond tear of ineffable affection and delight stealing down his manly face no more be folded in his arms, which have been my security and protection for more than twenty years-no more behold that countenance which has bent over my bed in sickness, which shielded me from poverty.-O Madam, in the wide world I had but one friend

God only knows what is now his fate!" "Lieut. Netterville has indeed suffered greatly," said the lady. The young