'I will try to have it just as good whenever you will come and breakfast with us,' said Rosalie as she shook hands with her poor little guest. 'I wish you would come oftener.'

'I'm sure you do!' said Miss Morsel earnestly; 'and there isn't much else in the world I am sure of. But you're like nobody else,-such Christmas presents and all,—and I haven't said a word about them- because I couldn't. I don't know now-were they yours or your brother's?'

'Not mine,' said Thornton, Rosalie does everything good that is done in this house. But mine shall come, Miss Morsel,-I shall remember it now, as surely as you will Tecumseh.'

"Tecumseh-yes, I'll remember. But you are all so good -to let me come and talk, talk,—not a bit like rich people,and it's such a comfort sometimes, and smile at me just as sweetly when I come as when I go. O there'll be one blessing upon your heads if words can call it down!'

And she slid out of the room; while Thornton having found out that he did not want to go and put her in the old coach-body, went and made her perfectly happy thereby.

'Not quite all the good that is done in this house,' said his sister, meeting him when he came back with a look that was worth the purchase.

'The Sun has as much to do with the Moon's light as with his own,' said Thornton rather sadly. 'I am dark enough when I am turned away from you, Alie. You never turn from me-like a blessed child as you are.'

CHAPTER IX.

But, brother, let your reprehension

Run in an easy current, not o'er high,

Carried with rashness, or devouring choler;

But rather use the soft persuading way.-BEN JONSON.

A FINE body of snow lay on the ground. White, white, -cheerful and cold,—the trees rearing through the still air their part of the earth's burden; the sky in dazzling contrast to the bright roofs on which the sun poured down his full complement of rays,-in vain,-the snow laughed at them. A very merry laugh if it was a cold one.

The side-walks were cleared and dry; for in those unsophisticated days laws were not only made but enforced; and foot-passengers went comfortably along in their sphere of action, while a host of sleighs swept by in theirs. Neither division of the public crowded into an undistinguishable throng as now, both people and sleighs had a pretty setting of air and snow,-then was it easy to see and to be seen.

In this reign of fur and velvet, cloth boots and wadded cloaks, the merging is a less matter; but when the weaker sex protected themselves with white dresses and stockings to match, and shoes that matched anything but the season,when high-coloured and fly-away little capes were the best defence that the Commander-in-chief of the feminine forces allowed during a winter campaign, then elbow-room was a thing of some moment. It would have been intolerable to have one's own scarlet wings confounded with a neighbouring pair of blue, and so to present the general appearance of a two-headed butterfly somewhat diversified as to

his pinions; or worse still, to have no room for them to fly at all. But no such misfortune befell the ladies of 1813,the field was clear, and spotted with butterflies as a field should be- each in its turn the observed of all observers.'

the minute

Thornton's horses were shaking their heads and jingling their bells at his door; snorting, and pawing the snow, and putting their heads together with every symptom of readiness and impatience, the white foam frozen in a thick crust upon mouth and bit, the sun glancing from every metallic spot on the bright harness. On the steps stood Mr. Clyde himself, in much the same mood as his horses, hand of his watch seeming to mark the hours. One butterfly after another sailed down the street-or fluttered, as the case might be; now beating about in the cool wind, and then bearing down wing-and-wing upon the enemy; and soon espying Mr. Clyde's position gracefully inclined its pretty head that way, and glanced at the gay horses. And Mr. Clyde's arms being for the tenth time forced from their position to return such courtesies, enwrapped themselves thereafter more closely than ever; and when the closing of the hall door drew his attention he turned sharply round. No butterfly stood there and yet it might have been a creature with wings; but not such as are ever spread on earth except to fly away withal.

'What wonder will come next?' she said smiling. 'Thornton and his horses both here five minutes before the time!'

'You are not going to wear that veil?' was the abrupt

reply.

'With your favour, yes.'

'I do detest veils !' said Thornton impatiently.

'The

man who invented them should have had his head muffled in one for the rest of his life.'

'It was probably a woman,' said Rosalie smiling.

Then my wish was doubtless accomplished.'

'But the wind is so keen when one is riding,' urged his sister.

'I can stand it.'

Rosalie laid her hand on his cheek with a laughing look that said his face was ever so little case-hardened. But he moved away, and putting his sisters into the sleigh bestowed himself there with a very decided air of dissatisfaction.

'It's so excessively stupid!' he said. • What if people do stare at you? they can't carry off anything but the remembrance, and I am willing anybody should have that. One might as well go up Broadway with a nun for company!'

The veil was quietly put aside-neither wind nor starers mattered much now, she had other things to think of. But with her usual quick desire that her brother should not think her sad and wrapped up in her own thoughts, Rosalie came resolutely out of them, and exerted herself to talk and be pleased.

It was a pretty sight. The gayly dressed ladies, the broadcloth gentlemen, the bright coloured sleighs and their Buffalo-skin comforts, were a pretty mingling of shade and tint; and the exhilarated horses caught the very spirit of the fun, and dashed along as if nothing had been at their heels but a little cloud of snow. Light weight indeed many of the sleighs were, and small resistance gave the smooth snow to the smooth runners, there was nothing to check the speed. Little cutters, and large double sleighs with sweeping skins, appeared in the distance, on some Broadway hill, — and came flying down at a rate which just left the riders their breath, their amusement and their politeness. Nods, bows, smiles, the eye's admiration and the hand's salute, glanced

BROADWAY IN THE SNOW.

65

about like deputy sunbeams; and the bells rang out after the fashion of the gypsy song,

"Es summ't, es schwirt, und singht, und ringt, tra la, la, la, tra. la, la, la.”

A faint jingle would be heard in the distance of a cross street, then in a moment nearer and nearer, till the little punt dashed out into the thoroughfare, the good horse ploughing his way through the snow with head up and breast thrown forward, as if he felt proud of his work. Then came another equipage that was but a compound of plain boards, plain men, and clear fun. Neither skins nor seats-but the little wooden platform absolutely full of humanity in the last state of enjoyment, and the one bell upon the horse's neck exerting itself to the utmost. And here there and everywhere-upon the frozen gutters, upon the crossings-in every attainable place of inconvenience and danger, countless little boys were busy exercising the only team they had,-to wit themselves.

'There is Marion!' exclaimed Hulda, as Miss Arnet flew by in her sleigh, and gayly kissed her hand in answer to their salute. How pretty she looks! But I wonder why she always rides alone.'

'Because she chooses it, I suspect,' said Thornton dryly. 'Rosalie, there comes your friend Mrs. Raynor.'

Caleb Williams looked sobriety itself behind his black horses, who lifted their feet and set them down again in the white snow with a sort of dainty regularity and precision; while the large grave-coloured and most comfortable looking sleigh, followed on at a pleasant but not breathless rate. The smile of the good quakeress to Rosalie was refreshing to see so very bright and heartfelt,

Thornton however thought differently, for after conveying to his horses a very imperative request that they

F