ISHMAEL OR IN THE DEPTHS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 461, 9 April 1890, Page 3

ISHMAEL OR IN THE DEPTHS.

BY MRS EMMA D. E. N. SOUTH WO RTH, Author of “Self-Raised,” “Fair Play.” “The Missing Bride,” “ A Noble Lord,” “ How He Won Her,” “ The Prince of Darkness,’ “ Tried for Her Life.” Etc., Etc.

CHAPTER XXXVII. THE NEW HOME. It is a quiet picture of delight, The humble cottage, hiding from the sun In the thick woods. You see it not till then. When at its porch. Rudely, but neatly wrought, FoUr columns make its entrance; slender shafts, s The rough bark yet upon them, as they came From the old forest. Prolific vines Have wreathed them well and half obscured the rinds Original, that wrap them. Crowding leaves Of glistening green, and clustering bright flowers Of purple, in whose cups, throughout the day. The humming bird wantons boldly, wave around And woo the gentle eye and delicate touch. This is the dwelling, and ’twill be to them Quiet’s especial temple. W. G. Simms. ‘Welcome home, Hannah ! welcome home,

dearest woman ! No more hard work now, Hannah ! and no more slaving at the everlasting wheel and loom ! Nothing to do bub your own pretty little house to keep, and your own tidy servant girl to look after ! And no more anxiety about the future, Hannah ; for you have me to love you and care for you ! Ah, dear wife ! this is a day I have looked fo’ard to through all the gloom and trouble of many years. Thank God! it ha 3 come at last, more blessed than I ever hoped it would be, and I welcome you home, my wife !’ said Reuben Gray, as he lifted his companion from the waggon, embraced her, and led her through the gate into the front yard. * Oh, you dear, good Reuben, what a nice, large house this is ! so much better than I had any reason to expect,’ said Hannah, in surprise and delight. ‘ You’ll like it better still by daylight, my dear,’ answered Gray. * How kind you are to me, dear Reuben.’ ‘lt shall always be my greatest pleasure to be so, Hannah.’ • A negro girl at this moment appeared at the door with a light, and the husband and wife entered the house.

lehmael sprang down from his seat, stretched his cramped limbs, and gazed about him with all the curiosity and interest of ai stranger in a strange scene. The features of the landscape, as dimly discerned by starlight, were simple and grand. Behind him lay the deep forest from which they had just emerged. On its edge stood the white cottage, surrounded by its garden. Before him lay the open country, sloping down to the ban<ts of a broad river, whose dark waves glimmered in the starlight. So this was Judge Merlin’s estate—and Claudia’s birthplace ! ‘ Well, Ishmael, you are waiting for an invitation to enter? Why, you are as welcome as Hannah herself, and you couldn’t be more so !’ exclaimed the hearty voice of Reuben Gray, as he returned almost immediately after taking Hannah in. ‘ I know it, Uncle Reuben. You are very good to me ; and I do hope to make myself very useful to you,’ replied the boy. ‘ You’ll be a fortun’ to me ! But why don’t you go in out of the midnight air ? You ain’t just as strong as Samson, yet, though yeu’re agwine to be,’ said Gray, cheerily. * I only stopped to stretch my limbs, and—to help in with the luggage,’ said Ishmael, who was always thoughtful, practical arid useful, and who now stopped to load himself with Hannah’s baskets and bundles before going into the house. ‘Now, then, Sam,' said Gray, turning to the negro, ‘ look sharp there ! Bring in the trunks and boxes from the light waggon ; take the furniture from the heavy one, and pile it in the shed, where it can stay until morning; pub both on ’em under cover, feed and pub up the horses, and then you can go to your quarters. ’ Theriegro bestirred himself to obey these orders, and Reuben Gray and Ishmael entered the cottage garden. They passed up a gravel walk bordered each side with lilac bushes, and entered by a vine-shaded porch into a broad passage, that ran through the middle ot the house from the front to the back door.

‘ There are four large rooms on this floor, Ishmaol, and this is the family sittingroom,’ said Gray, opening a door on his right.

It was a very pleasant front room, with a bright paper on its walls, a gay homespun carpet on the floor ; pretty white chintz curtains at the two front windows ; chintz covers of the same pattern on the two easychairs and the sofa ; a bright fire burning in the open fireplace, and a neat tea-table set out in the middle of the floor. But Hannah was nowhere visible.

‘ She has gone in her room. Ishmael, to take off her bonnet; it is the other front one across the passage, just opposite to this ; and as she seems to be taking of her time, I may as well show you your’n, Ishmael. Just drop them baskets down anywhere, and come with me, my lad,’ said Gray, leading the way into the passage and up the staircase to the second floor. Arrived there, he opened a door, admitting himself and his companion into a chamber immediately over the sitting-room. ‘This is your’n, Ishmael; and I hope as you’llfind it comfortable and make yourself at home,’ sa : d Reuben, hastily, as he introduced Ishmael into this room.

It was more rudely furnished than the one below. There was no carpet except the strip laid down by the bedside; the bed itself was very plain, and covered with a patchwork quilt; the two front windows were shaded with dark green paper blinds; and the black walnut bureau, washstand and chairs, were very old. Yet all was scrupulously clean ; and everywhere were evidences that the kindly care of Reuben Gray had taken pains to discover Ishmael’s habits and provide for his necessities. For instance, just between the front windows stood an old-fashioned piece of furniture, half book-case and half writing-desk, and wholly convenient, containing three upper shelves well filled with books, a drawer full of stationery, and a closet for waste paper. Ishmael walked straight up to this. * WHy, where did you get this escritoire, and all these books, Uncle Reuben ?’ he inquired, in surprise. * Why, you see, Ishmael, the screwtwar, as you call it, was amongst the old furmtur sent down from the mansion house here, to fit up this place when I first came into it; you see the housekeeper up there sends the cast-off furniture to the overseer, same as

she 6ends the cast-off finery to the niggers.’ • But the books, uncle Reuben ! they are all law books !’ said the boy, examining them.

‘ Exactly ; and that’s why I was so fort’nate as to get ’em. You see, I was at ths sale at Colonel Mervin’s, to see if I could pick up anything nice for Hannah ; and I sees a lot of books sold —laws ! why, the story books all went off like wildfire ; but when it come to these, nobody didn’t seem to want ’em. So I says to myself—These will do to fill up the empty shelves in the screwbwar, and I dare say as our Ishmael would valley them. So I up and bought the lot for five dollars; and sent ’em up here by Sam, with orders to put ’em in the screwtwar, and move the screwtwar out’n the sitting-room into this room as I intended for you.’ ‘ Ah, Uncle Reuben, how good you are to me ! Everybody is good to me.’ ‘ Quite nat’rel, Ishtnae!, since you are useful to everybody. And now, my lad, I’ll go and send Sam up with your box. And when you have freshed yourself up a I bit you can come down to supper,’ said Gray, retreating and leaving Ishmael in possession of his room. In a few minutes after the negro Sam brought in the box that contained all Ishmael's worldly goods. ‘ Missus Gray says how the supper is all ready, air,' said the man, setting down the box. As Ishmael was also quite ready, he followed the negro downstairs into the sit-ting-room. Hannah was already in her seat at the head of the table, while behind her waited a npab coloured girl. Reuben stood at the back of his own chair at the focb of thetable, waiting for Ishmael before seating himself. When the boy took his own place, Reuben asked a blessing and the meal commenced. The tired traveller did ample justice to the

hot coffee, broiled ham and eggs and fresh bread and butter before them. After supper they separated for the nigh b. Ishmael went up to his room and went to bed, so very tired that his head was no sooner laid upon his pillow 7 than his senses wore sunk in sleep. He was awakened by the carolling of a thousand birds. He started up, a little confused at first by finding him c elf in a strange room ; but as memory quickly returned lie sprang from his bed and went and drew up his blind and looked out from his window. It was early morning ; the sun w 7 as just rising and flooding the whole landscape wibhlight. A fine, inspiring scene lay before him—orchards of apple, peach and cherrytrees in full blossom ; meadows of white and red clover ; fields of wheat and rye, in their palo green hue of early growth ; all spreading downwards towards the banks of the mignby Potomac that here in its majestic breadth seemed a channel of the sea; while far away across the waters,

under the distant horizon, a faint blue line marked the southern shore. Sailing up and down the mighty river were ships of all nations, craft of every description, from the three-decker East India merchantman, going or returning from her distant voyage, to the little schoonerrigged fisherman trading up and down the coast. These were the sights. The song of birds, the low of cattle, the hum of bees, and the murmur of the water as it washed the sands—these were the sounds. All the joyous life of land, water, and sky seemed combined at this spot and visible from this window. ‘This is a pleasant place to live in ; thank the Lord for it!’ said Ishmael, fervently, as he stood gazing from the window. Not long, however, did the youth indulge his love of nature ; he turned away, washed and dressed himself quickly, and i went downstairs bo see if he could be useful. i

The windows were open in the sittingroom, which was tilled with the refreshing fragrance of the lilacs. The breakfast table was set; and Phillis, the coloured girl, was bringing in the coffee. Almost at the same moment, Hannah entered from the kitchen and Reuben from the garden. ‘ Good-morning, Ishmael!’ said Reuben, gaily. ‘How do you like Woodside? Woodside is the name of our little home, same as Tanglewood is the name of the judge’s house, a half a mile back in the forest, you know. How do you like it by daylight ?’ ‘Oh, very much, indeed, uncle. Don’t you like it, Aunt Hannah ? Isn’t it pleasant?’ exclaimed the youth, appealing to Mrs Gray. * Yery pleasant, indeed, Ishmael !’ she said. ‘ Ah, Reuben,’ she continued, turning to her husband, .‘you never let me guess what a delightful home you were bringing me to ! I had no idea but that it was just like the cottage of other overseers that I have known—a. little house of two or three small rooms.’ ‘Ha, ha, ha!’ laughed Gray, slapping his knees in his triumph, ‘ I knew you too well, Hannah ! I knew if I had let you know liovv well off I was, you would never have taken me ! Your pride would have been up in arms, and you would have thought besides as how 1 was comfortable enough without you, which would have been an idee as I never could have got out of your head! No, Hannah, I humoured your pride, and let you think as how you were marrying of a poor, miserable, desolate old man, as would be apt to die of neglect and privations if you didn’t consent to come and take care of him. And then 1 comforted myself with thinking what a pleasant surprise I had in store for you when I should fetch you here. Enjoy yourself, dear woman ! for there isn’t a thing a< I have done to tips house I didn’t do for your sake !’ ‘But, Reuben, how is it that you have so much better a house than other men of your station ever have ?’ ‘ Well, Hannah, my dear, it is partly accident and partly design in the judge. You see, this house used to be the mansion of the planters tlieirselves, until the present master, when he was first married, built the great house back in the woods, and then, 'stead of pulling this one down, he just ’pointed it to be the dwelling of the overseer ; for it is the pleasure of the judge to make all his people as comfortable as it is possible for them to be,’ answered Reuben. As he spoke, Phillis placed the last dish upon the table, and they all took their seats and commenced breakfast. As soon as the meal was over, Ishmael said :

‘Now, Uncle Reuben, if you will give me those farm books you were wanting me to arrange, I will make a commencement.’ ‘ No, you won’t, Ishmael, my lad. You have worked yourself nearly to death this winter and spring, and now, please the Lord, you shall do no more work for a month. When I picked you up for dead that day, I promised the Almighty Father to be a father to you ; so, Ishmael, you must regard me as such, when I tell you that you are to let books alone for a whole month longer, until your health is restored. So just get your hat and come with us ; I am going to show your aunt over the place.’ Ishmael smiled and obeyed. And all three went out together. And oh ! with how much pride Reuben displayed the treasures of her little place to his longloved Hannah. He showed her her cows and pigs and sheep ; and her turkeys and geese and hens ; and her boe-hivo3 and garden and orchard.^

‘And this isn’t all, either, Hannah, my dear ! We can have as much as we want for family use, of all the rare fruits and vegetables from the greenhouses and hotbeds up at Tanglewood: and, besides that, we have the freedom of the fisheries and the oyster beds,>too ; so you see, my dear, you will live like any queen ! Thank the Lord !' said Reuben, reverently' raising his hat.

‘And oh, Reuben, to think that you should have saved all this happiness for me, poor, faded, unworthy me !’ sighed his wife. 4 Why, law, Hannah, who else should I have saved it for but my own dear old sweetheart? I never so much as thought of another.’ ‘ With all these comforts about you, you might have married some blooming young girl.’ ‘Lord, dear woman, I hu'n'fc much lamin’, nor much religion, more’s the pity; but I hope I have conscience enough | to keep me from doing any' young girl • so cruel a wrong as to tempt her to throw ! away her youth and beauty on an old man like me ; and I am sure I have sense enough to prevent me from doing myself so great an injustice as to buy a young wife, who, in the very natur’ of things, would be looking for’ard to my death as tho beginning of her life; for I’ve heard as how the very life of a woman is love ; and if the girl-wife cannot love her old husband oh, Hannah, let us drop the veil ; the pictur is too sickening to look at. Such marriages are crimes. Ah, Hannah, in tho wav of sweethearting, age may love youth, but youth can’t love age. And another thing lam sartin’ sure of—as a young girl is a much more delicate cre’tur’ than a young man, it must be a great deal harder fer her to marry an old man than it would be for him to marry an old woman, though either would be horrible.’ ‘ You seem to have found this out some-

how, Reuben.’ ‘ Well, yes, my dear ; it was along of a rich old fellow, hereaways, as fell in love with my little Kitty’s rosy cheeks and black eyes, and wanted to make her Mrs Barnabas Winterberry. And I saw how that girl was at the same time tempted by his money and frightened by bisage ; and howin her bewitched state, half,-drawn and half-scared, she fluttered about him, for all the world like a humming-bird going right into tho jaws of a rattlesnake. Well, I questioned little Kitty, and she answered me in this horrid way—“ Why, brother, he must know that I cant love him ; for how can I ? but still he teazes me to marry him, and I can do that; and why shouldn’t I, if he wants me to ? ’ Then in a whisper—- “ You know, brother, it wouldn’t be for long ; because he is ever so old and he would soon die ; and then I should bo a rich young widow, and have my pick and choose out of the best young men in the country side.” Such, Hannah was the evil state of feeling to which that old man’s courtship had ” brought my simple little sister! And I beiieve in my soul it is the natural state of feeling into which every young girl falls who marries an old man.’ ‘That is terrible, Reuben.’ ‘ Sarbinly it is.’ ‘ What did you say to your sister?’ ‘ Why, I didn’t spare the feelings of little Kitty, nor her doting suitor’s nyther, and that I can tell you 1 I talked to little Kitty like a father and mother, both ; 1 told her well what a young traitress she was a-planning to be ; and how she was fooling herself worse than she was deceiving her old beau, who had got into the whit-leather age, and would be sartin’ sure to live twenty-five or thirty years longer, till she would be an old woman herself : and I so frightened her, by telling her the plain truth in the plainest words, that she shrunk from seeing her old lover any more, and begged me to send him about his business. And I did, too, •* with a flea in his ear,” as the saying is ; for I repeated to him every word as little Kitty had said to me, as a warning to him for the futur’ not to go tempting any more young girls to marry him for his money and then wish him dead for the enjoyment of it.’ ‘ I hope it did. him good.’

‘ Why, Hannah, he went right straight home, and that same day married his lab, middle aged housekeeper, who, to tell the solemn truth, he ought to have married twenty years before ! And as for little Kitty, thank Heaven 1 she was soon sought as a wife by a handsome young fellow 7 , who was suitable to her in every way, and who really did love her and win her love ; and they were married and went to Californy, as I told you. Well, after I was left alone, the neighbouring small farmers with unprovided daughters, seeing how comfortable I was fixed, would often say to me—“ Gray,

you ought to marry.” “Gray, why don’t you marry ?” “ Gray, your nice little place only needs one thing bo make it perfect, a nice little wife.” “ Why don’t you drop in

to see the girls some evening, Gray ? They would always be glad bo see you.” And all that. I understood it all, Hannah, mj'

dear ; but 1 didn’t want any young girl who would marry me only for a home. And, besides, the Lord knows I never thought of any woman, young or old, except yourself, who was my first love and only one, and whoso whole life was mixed up wi h my own, as close as ever warp and woof was woven in your webs, Hannah.’ ‘ You have been more faithful to mo than I deserved, Reuben ; but I will try to make you happy,’ said Hannah, with much emotion. ‘You do make me happy, dear, without trying. And now where is Ishmael ?’ inquired Reuben, who never in his own content forgot the welfare of others. Ishmael was walking slowly and thoughtfully atsombdistancebehindthem. Reuben called after him : l : Walk up, my lad. We are going in to dinner now ; we dine at noon, you know.’ Ishmael, who had lingered behind from the motives of delicacy that withheld him from intruding on the confidential conversation of the newly-married pair, now quickened his steps and joined them, saying, with a smile : ‘Uncle Reuben, when you advised me not to study for a whole month you did not mean to counsel me to rust in idleness for four long weeks? I must work, and I wish you would put me to that which will be the most useful to you.’ ‘ And most benefital to your own health, my boy ! What would you say to fishing ? Would that meet your wishes ?’ ‘ Oh, I should like that very much, if I could really be of use in that way, Uncle Reuben,’ said the youth. •’Why,'ot course you could; now I’ll tell you what you can do ; you can go this afternoon with Sam in the sail-boat as far down the river as Silver Sands, where he hopes to hook some fine rock fish. Would that meet your views ?’ ‘ Exactly,’ laughed Ishmael, as his eyes danced with the eagerness of youth for the sport. They went into the house, where Phillis had prepared a nice dinner, of bacon and sprouts and apple-dumplings, which the whole party relished. Afterwards, Ishmael started on his first fishing voyage with Sam. And though it was ashortone, it had for him all the charms of novelty added to the excitement of sport, and he.Verijoyed the excursion excessively. The fishing was very, successful, and they filled their .little boat and got back home by sunset; At' supper Ishmael

gave a full account of the expedition and received the hearty congratulations of Reuben. And thus ended the holiday of their first day at home. The next morning Reuben Gray went into the fields to resume his oversight of his employer’s estate. Hannah turned in to housework, and had all the furniture she had brought from the hill-hut moved into the cottage and arranged in the empty rooms upstairs. Ishmael, forbidden to study, employed himself in useful manual, labour in the garden and the fields. And thus in useful industry passed the early days of spring.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. j ishmael’s struggles. C Yet must my brow be paler ! I have vowed To dip it with the crown, that shall not fade , When it is faded. ’ Not in vain ye cry, Oh glorious voices, that survive the tongue ; From whence was drawn your separate soveri eiguty, l For I would stand beside you ! . E. B. Browning. , Ishmael continued his work, yot resumed his studies. He managed bo do both in , this way—all the forenoon he delved in the garden ; all the afternoon he went over the chaotic account-books of Reuben Gray, to bring them into order ; and all the evening he studied in his own room. He kept up his Greek and Latin. And he read law ! No time bo dream of Claudia now. One of the wisest of our modern philosophers says that we are sure to meet with the right book at the right time. Now whether it were chance, fate or Providence that filled the scant shelves of the old escritoire with a few law-books, is not known ; but it is certain that their presence there decided the career of Ishmael Worth. As a young babe, whose sole object in life is to feed, pops everything it can get hold of into its mouth, so this youthful aspirant, whose master-passion was the love of learning, read everything he could lay his hands on. Promoted by that intellectual curiosity which ever stimulated him to examine every subject that fell under his notice, Ishmael looked into the law-books. They were mere text books, probably the discarded property of some young student of the Mervin family, who had never got beyond the rudiments of the profession, but had abandoned it as a ‘ dry study.’ Ishmael did not find it so, however. The same ardent soul, strong mind and bright spirit that had found ‘ dry history ’ an inspiring heroic poem, ‘ dry grammar ’ a beautiful analysis of language, now found ‘ dry law ’ the intensely interesting science of human justice. Ishmael read diligently, for the love of his subject !—at first it was only for the love of his subject, but after a few weeks of study he began to read with a fixed purpose—to become a lawyer. Of course Ishmael Worth was no longer unconscious of his own great intellectual power ; he had measured himself with the best educated youth of the highest rank, and he had found himself in mental strength their master. So when he resolved to become a lawyer, he felt a just confidence that he should make a very able one. Of course, with his clear perception and profound reflections he saw all the great difficulties in his way ; bub they did not dismay him. 1 His will was as strong as his intellect, - and he knew that, combined, they would 1 work wonders, almost miracles. | I

Indeed, without strength of will, intellect is of very little effect; for if intellect is the eye of the soul, will is the hand ; intellect is wisdom, but will is power ; intellect may be the monarch, but .will is the executive minister. How often also we see men of very moderate intellect succeed through strength of will. In Ishmael Worth intellect and will were equally strong. And when in that poor chamber he set himself down to study law, upon his own account, with the resolution to master the profession and to distinguish himself in it, he did so with the full consciousness of the magnitude of the object and of his own power to attain it. Day after day, he worked hard, night after night he studied diligently. Ishmael did not think this a hardship; he did nob murmur over his poverty, privations and toil; no, for his own bright and beautiful spirit turned everything~lo light and loveliness. He did not, indeed, in the pride of the Pharisee, thank God that he was not as other men ; bub he did feel too deeply grateful for the intellectual power bestowed upon him, to murmur at the circumstances that made it so difficult to cultivate that glorious gift. One afternoon, while they were all at tea, Reuben Gray said : ‘ Now, Ishmael, my lad, Hannah and me are going over to spend the evening at Brown’s, who is overseer at Rushy Shore : and you might’s well go with us ; there’s a nice lot o’ gals there. What do you say ?’ ‘Thank you, Uncle Reuben, but I wish to read this evening,’ said the youth. ‘ Now, Ishmael, what for should you slave yourself to death ?’ ‘I don’t, uncle. I work hard, bis true but then, you know, youth is the time for work, and besides I like it,’ said the young fellow; cheerfully. 4 Well, bnt after hoeing and weeding and raking and planting in the garden all the morning, and bothering your brains over them distracting ’count books all afternoon, what’s the good of your going and poring over them stupid books all the evening ?’ * Yon will see the good of it some of these days. Undo Reuben, laughed Ishmael. • You will wear yourself out before that day comes, my boy* if you are not careful,’ ! answered Reuben. j

‘ I always said the fetched books would be his ruin, and now I know it,’ put in Hannah. Ishmael laughed good-homouredly ; but Reuben sighed. ‘ Ishmael, my lad,’he said, ‘if you must read, do, pray, read in the forenoon, instead of working in the garden.’ * But what will become of the garden ’’inquired Jshmael, with gravity. ‘ Oh, I can pub one of the nigger-boys into it.’ ‘ And have to pay for his time and not have the work half done at last.’ ‘Well, I had rather it be so than you should slave yourself to death.’ ‘ Oh, but I do not slave myself to death. I like to work in the garden, and I am never happier than whenlam engaged there; the garden is beautiful, and the care of it is a great pleasure as well as a great benefit to me ; it gives me all the out-door exercise and recreation that I require to enable me to sit at my writing or reading all the rest of the day.’ ‘ Ah, Ishmael, my lad, who would think work was recreation _ except you? But it is your goodness of heart that turns every duty into a delight;’ said Reuben Gray; and he was not very far from the truth. ‘ It is his obstinacy as keeps him everlasting a-working himself to death! Reuben Gray, Ishmael Worth is one of the obstinatest boys that ever you set your eyes on ! He has been obstinate ever since he was a baby,’ said Hannah, angrily. And her mind reverted to that old time when the infant Ishmael ivould live in defiance of everybody. * I do believe as Ishmael would be as firm as a rock in a good cause ; bub I don’t believe that he could be obstinate in a bad one,’ said Reuben, decidedly. ‘ Yes, he could ! else.why, does he persist in staying home this evening.when we.want him to go with us ?’ complained Hannah.

I Now, strength of will is not necessarily \ self-will. Firmness of purpose is not alj ways implacability. The strong need not I be violent in order to prove their strength. I And Ishmael, firmly resolved as he was to j devote every hour of his leisure to study, knew very well when to make an exception to his rule, and sacrifice his inclinations to his duty. So he answered : ‘Aunt Hannah, if you really desire me to go with you, I will do so of course.’ ‘I want you to go because I think you stick too close to your books, you stubborn fellow; and because I know you haven’t been out anywhere for the last two months ; and because I believe it would do you good to go,’ said Mrs Gray. ‘ All right, aunt Hannah, I will run upstairs and dress,’ laughed Ishmael, leaving the tea-table. ‘And be suro you put on your gold watch and chain,’ called out Hannah. Hannah also arose and went to her room to change her plain brown calico gown for a fine black silk dress and mantle that had been Reuben Gray’s nuptial present to her, and a straw bonnet trimmed with blue. In a few minutes Ishmael, neatly attired, joined her in the parlour. * Have you put on your watch, Ishmael ?' ‘ Yes, aunt Hannah : but I am wearing it on a guard. I don’t like to wear the chain ; it is too showy for my circumstances. You wear it, aunt Hannah ; and always wear it when you go out; it looks really beautiful over your black silk dress,' said Ishmael, as he put the chain around Mrs Gray’s neck and contemplated the effect. ‘ What a good boy you are !’ said Hannah ; but she would not have been a woman if she had not beenplea-ed with the decoration.

Reuben Gray came in, arrayed in his Sunday suit, and smiled to see how splendid Hannah was, and then drawing his wife’s arm proudly wilhin his own, and calling Ishmael to accompany them, set off to walk a mile farther up the river and spend ■ a festive evening with his brother overseer. They hada pleasant afternoon stroll along the pebbly beach of the broad waters. They sauntered at their leisure watching the ships sail up or down the river; looking at the sea-fowl dart up from the reeds and float far away ; glancing at the little fish leaping up and disappearing in the waves ; and pausing once in a while to pick up a pretty shell or stone ; and so at last they reached the cottage of the overseer Brown, which stood just upon the point of a littl promontory that jutted out into the river. They spent a social evening with the overseer and their half a dozen buxom boys and girls. And about ten o’clock they walked home by starlight. Twice a week Reuben Gray went up the river to a little water-side hamlet called Shelton to meet the mail. Reuben’s only correspondent was his master, who wrote occasionally to make inquiries or bo give orders. The day after his evening out was the regular day for Reuben to go to the post-office. So immediately after breakfast, Reuben mounted the white cob which he usually rode, and set out for Shelton.

He was gone about two hours, and returned with a most perplexed countenance. Now ‘the master’s’ correspondence had always been a great bother to Reuben. It took him a Jong time bo spell out the letters and a longer time to inclite the answers. So the arrival of a letter was always sure to unsettle him for a day or two. Still that fact did not account for the great disturbance of mind in which he reached home and entered the family sitting-room. * What’s the matter, Reuben ? Any bad news?’ anxiously inquired Hannah. * N-n-o, not exactly bad news ; but a very bad bother,’ said Gray, sitting down in the big arm-chair and wiping the perspiration from his heated face. ‘ What is it, Reuben?’ pursued Hannah. ‘ Where’s Ishmael ?’ inquired Gray, without attempting to answer her question. ‘ Working in the garden, of course. Bub why can’t you tell me what’s the matter ?’ ‘ Botheration is the matter, Hannah, my dear. Just go call Ishmael to me.’ Hannah left the house to comply with his request, and Reuben sab and wiped his face, and pondered over his perplexities. Reuben had lately grown to rely very much upon Ishmael’s judgment, and to appeal to him in all his difficulties. So he looked up in hope and confidence as the youth entered with Haqnafc.

* What is it, uncle Reuben ? inquired the boy, cheerfully. ‘ The biggest botheration as ever was, Ishmael, my lad !’ answered Gray. ‘ Well, take a mug of cool cider to refresh yourself, and then tell me all about it,’ said Ishmael. Hannah ran and brought the invigorating drink, and quaffing it, Gray drew a long breath, and said : 4 Why, I’ve got the botherationest letter from the judge as ever was. He says how he has sent down a lot of books, as will be landed at our landing by the schooner Canvas Back, Captain Miller ; and wants me to take the c-irt and go and receive them, and carry them up to the house, and ask the housekeeper for the keys of the liber-airy and put them in there —’ said Reuben, pausing for breath. 4 Why, that is not much bother, uncle Reuben. Let me go and get the books for you,’ smiled Ishmael. ‘ Law, it ain’t that. ; for I don’t s’pose it’s much more trouble to cart books than it is to cart bricks. You didn’t hear me out:

After I have got the botheration things into the liber-airy, he wants me to unpack them, and also take down the books as is there already, and put the whole lot on ’em in the middle of the floor, and then pick ’em out and ’range ’em all in separate lots, like one would sort vegetables for market, and put each sorb all together on a different shelf, and then write all their names in a book, all regular and in exact order ! There, now, that’s the work as the judge has cut out for me, as well as I can make out his meaning from his hard words and crabbed hand ; and I no more fit to do it nor I am to write a sarmon, or to build a ship ; and if that ain’t enough to bother a man’s brains I don’t know what is, that’s ail.’ . ‘ Bub it is no part of your duty a 9 overseer to act as his librarian,’ said Ishmael." 4 I know it ain’t: but, you see, the judge he pays me liberal, and he gives me a fustrate house and garden, and the liberty of his own orchards and vineyards, and a great many other privileges besides, and he expects me to ’commodate him in turn by doing little things as isn’t exactly in the line of my duty,’ answered Gray. ‘But,’ demurred Ishmael, ‘he ought to have known that you were not precisely fitted for this new task he has set you.’ ‘Well, my lad, he didn’t; ’cause, you see. the gals as I edicated, you know, they did everything for me as required laming, like writing letters and keeping ’counts; and as for little Kitty, she used to do them beautiful, for Kitty was real clever ; and I do s’pose the judge took it for granted as the work was all mv own, : and so he thinks I can do this job too. Now, if the parish school wa’h’t broke up for the holidays, I might get the schoolmaster to doit for me and pay him for it : bub, you see. he is gone North to visit his mother and he won’t be back until September, so the mischief knows what I shall do. I thought I’d just ask

your advice, Ishmael, because you have got a wonderful head of your own.’ ‘Thank you, Uncle Reuben. Don’t you be the least distressed. I can do what is required to be done, and do it in a manner ! that shall give satisfaction bo your employer,’ said Ishmael, confidently. ‘ You ! you, my boy ! could you do that everlasting big botheration of a job ?’ * Yes, and do it well, I hope.’ ‘ YVhy, I don’t believe the professor himself could!’ exclaimed Gray, in incredulous astonishment. ‘Nor I, either,’ laughed Ishmael, ‘bub I know that I can.’ ‘ Bub, my boy, it is such a task !’ ‘I should like it, of all things, Uncle Reuben ! You could not give me a greater treat than the privilege of overhauling all those books and putting them in order and J making the catalogue,’ said the youth, eagerly. And besides he was going to Claudia’s house ! Reuben looked more and more astonished as Ishmael went on ; but Hannah spoke up : ‘ You may believe him, Reuben ! He is book-mad ; and it is my opinion, that when he gets into that musty old library, among the dusty books, he will fancy himself in Heaven. ’ Reuben looked from the serious face of Hannah to the smiling eyes of Ishmael, and inquired, doubtfully: ‘ Is that the truth, my boy ?’ ‘ Something very near it, Uncle Reuben,’ answered Ishmael. ‘ Very well, my lad,’ exclaimed the greatly relieved overseer, gleefully slapping his knees, 4 very well, as sure as you are bern, you shall go to your Heaven.’ CHAPTER XXXIX. ISHMAEL IN TANGLE WOOD. Into a forest far, they thence him led Where stood the mansion in a pleasant glade, With great hills round about environed And mighty woods which did the valley shade. And like a stately theatre it made, Spreading itself into a spacious plain. And in the midst a little river piayed Amongst the puiny stones which seemed to 'plain With gentle murmur that his course they did restrain.

Spenser. The next morning Ishmael Worth went down to the shore, cairying a spy-glass to look out for the Canvas Back. There was no certainty about the passing of these little sailing packets ; a dead calm or a head wind might delay them for days and even weeks ; bub on this occasion there was no disappointment, and no delay, the wind had been fair and the little schooner was seen flying before it up the river. Ishmael seated himself upon the shore and drew a book from his pocket to study while he waited for the arrival of the schooner. In less than an hour she dropped anchor opposite the landing, and sent off a large boat laden with boxes, and rowed by four stout seamen. As they reached the sands Ishmael blew a horn to warn Reuben Gray of this arrival.

Three or four times the boat went back and forth between the schooner and the shore, each time bringing a heavy load. By the time the last load was brought and deposited upon the beach, Reuben Gray arrived at the spot with his team. The sailors received a small gratuity from Gray and returned to the schooner, which immediately raised anchor and continued her way up the river. Ishmael, Reuben, and Sam (the teamster) loaded the waggon with the boxes and set out for Tanglewood, Sam driving the team, Ishmael and Reuben walking beside it.

Through all the fertile and highly cultivated fields that lay along the banks of the river they went, until they reached the borders of the forest, where Reuben’s cottage stood. They did not pause here, but passed it and entered the forest. What a forest it was ! They had scarcely entered it, when they became so buried in shade that they might have imagined themselves a thousand miles deep in some primeval wilderness, where never the foot of man had trod. The road along which they went was grass-grown. The trees, which grew to an enormous size and gigantic height, interwove their branches thickly overhead. Sometimes these branches intermingled so low that they grazed the top of the waggon as it passed, while men and horses had bo bow their heads. ‘ Why isn’t this road cleared, Uncle Reuben?’ inquired Ishmael. ‘ Because it is as much as a man’s place is worth to touch a tree in this forest, Ishmael,’ replied Reuben. < • But why is that ? The near branches of these trees need lopping away from the roadside ; we can scarcely get along.’ ‘ 1 know it, Ishmael ; but the judge won’t have a tree in Tanglevvood so much , as touched ; it is his crotchet.’ ‘ True for you, Marse Gray,’ spoke up Sam ; ‘ last time I brimmed away the branches from the sides of this here road, ole marse threatened if I cut off so much as a twig from one of the trees again, he’d take off a joint of one of my fingers to see how I'd like to be “ trimmed,” he said.’ Ishmael laughed and remarked : * Bub the road will soon be closed unless the trees are cut away.’ 4 Sartin it will ; bub he don’t care for consequences ; he will have his way ; that’s the reason why he never could keep any overseer bub me ; there was always such a row about the trees and things, as he always swore they should grow as they had a mind to, in spite of all the overseers in the world. I let him have his own will; it’s none of my business to contradict him,’ said Reuben.

4 But what will you do when the road closes, how will you manage to get heavy boxes up to the house?’ laughed Ishmael. 4 Wheel ’em up in the hand barrow, I s’pose, and if the road gets too narrow for that, unpack 'em and let the niggers tote the parcels up piecemeal.’ Thicker and thicker grew the trees as they penetrated deeper into the forest ; more obstructed and difficult became the road. Suddenly, without an instant's warning, they came upon the house, a huge square building of grey stone, so over-grown with moss, ivy, and creeping vines that scarcely a glimpse of the wall could be seen Its colours, therefore, blended so well with the forest trees that grew thickly and cloeely around it, that one could scarcely suspect the existence of a building there. 4 Here we are,’said Reuben, while S?m dismounted and began to take off the boxes. The front door opened and a fat negro woman, apparently startled by the arrival of the waggon, made her appearance, asking : 4 What de debbil all dis, chillun ?’ 'Here are some books that are to be put into the library, Aunt Katie, and this young man is to unpack and arrange them,’ answered the overseer. 4 More books; my Hebbinly Lord, what ole marse want w;d more books, when he nebber'heie to read dem’he has got?’exclaimed the fat woman, raising her hands iu dismay. ’ 4 That is none of our business, Katie ! What we are to do is to obey orders j so, if you please, let us have the keys,’ replied Gray. - "" The woman disappeared within the house and remained absent for a few minutes, duririef which the men lifted the boxes from the waggon.

j By the time they had set down the last j one Katie reappeared with her heavy bunch J of keys and beckoned them to follow her. Ishmael obeyed, by shouldering a small box and entering the house, while Reuben Gray and Sam took up a heavy one between them and came after. It was a noble old hall, with its walls hung with family pictures and rusty arms ] and trophies of the chase; with doors opening on each side into spacious apart- | ments ; and with a broad staircase ascending from the centre. The fab old negro housekeeper, waddling along before the men, led them to the back of the hall, and opened a door on the right, admitting them into the library of Tanglewood. Here the men set down the boxes. And when they had brought them all in, and Sam, under the direction of Gray, had forced off all the tops, laying the contents bare to view, the latter said : ‘Now, then. Ishmael, vve will leave you to go to work and unpack ; but don’t you get so interested in the work as to disremember dinner time at one o’clock precisely, and be sure you are punctual, because we’ve got veal and spinnidge.’ ‘Thank you, Uncle Reuben, I will nob keep you waiting,’ replied the youth. Gray and his assistant departed, and Ishmael was left alone with his wealth oL books around him. CHAPTER XL. THE LIBRARY. Round the room are shelves of dainty lore, . And rich old pictures liang upon the walls, Where the slant light falls on them; and wrought gems, Medallions, rare mosaics and antiques From Herculaneum, the niches fill; And on a table of enamel wrought With a lost art in Italy, do lie Prints of fair women and engravings rare N. P. Willis

It was a noble room : four lofty windows—two on each side—admitted abundance of light and air; at one end was a marble chimney-piece, over which hung a fine picture of Christ disputing with the doctors in the temple; on each side of this chimneypiece were glass cases filled with rare shells, minerals, and other curiosities ; all the remaining spaces alonp the walls and between the windows were filled up with bookcases ; various writing-tables, reading-stands and easy chairs occupied the centre of the room. After a curious glance at this scene, Ishmael went to work at unpacking the. boxes. He found bis task much easier than he had expected to find it. Each box contained one particular set of books. On the top of one of the boxes he found a large, strong, blank folio, entitled — ‘ Library Catalogue.’ Ishmael took this book and sat down at one of the tables and divided it into twelve portions, writing over each portion the name of the eubject to which he proposed to devote it, as ‘ Theology,’ ‘ Physics,’ ‘Jurisprudence,’ etc. The last portion he headed ‘Miscellaneous.’ Next he divided

the empty shelves into similar compartments, and headed each with the corresponding names. Then he began to make a list of the books, taking one set at a time, writing their names in their proper portion of the catalogue, and then arranging them in their proper compartment of the library. Ishmael had just got through with ‘Theology,’ and was about to begin bo arrange the next set of books in rotation, when he bethought himself to look at the timepiece, and seeing that it was after twelve, he hurried back to Woodside to keep his appointment with Reuben. Bub he returned in tbe afternoon and recommenced work ; and not only on this day, but for several succeeding days, Ishmael toiled cheerfully at his task. To arrange all these books in perfect order and neatness was to Ishmael a labour of love ; and so when one Saturday afternoon he had completed his task, it was with a feeling half of satisfaction at the results of his labour, half of regret at leaving the scene of it, that he locked up the library, returned the key to Auub Katie, and took leave of Tanglewood. Walking home through the forest that evening, Ishmael thought well over his future prospects. He had read and mastered all those text-books of law that he had found in the old escritoire of his bed-room; and now he wanted more advanced books on the same subject. Such books he had seen in the library at Tanglewood ; and he had been sorely tempted to linger as long as possible there for the sake of reading them ; bub, honest and true in thought and act, he resisted the temptation to appropriate the use of the books, or the time that he felt was not his own.

On this evening, therefore, he meditated upon the means of obtaining the books that he wanted. He was now about eighteen years of age, highly gifted in physical beauty and in moral and intellectual excellence ; but he was still as poor as poverty could make him. He worked hard, much harder than many who earned liberal salaries ; but he earned nothing, absolutely nothing, beyond his board and clothing. This state of things he felt must not continue longer. Itr was now nearly nine months since he had left Mr Middleton’s school, and there was no chance of his ever entering another; so now he felt he must turn the education he had received to some better account than merely keeping Reuben Gray’s farm books; that he must earn something to support himself and to enable him to go on with his law studies ; and he must earn this 4 something ’ in the neigh-

bourhood, too ; for the idea of leaving poor Reuben with no one to keep his accounts never entered the unselfish mind of Ishmael.

Various plans of action as to how he should contrive to support himself and pursue his studies without leaving the neighbourhood suggested themselves to Ishmael. Among the rest, he thought of opening a country school. True, he wa3 very young, too young for so responsible a post ; bub in every other respect, except that of age, he was well qualified for tho duty. While he was still meditating upon this subject, he unexpectedly reached the end of his walk and the gate of the cottage. Reuben and Hannah were standing at the gate. Reuben’s left arm was around Hannah, and his right hand held an open letter, over which both their heads were bent. Hannah was helping poor Reuben to spell out its contents. Ishmael smiled as he greeted them, smiled with his eyes only, as if his sweet bright spirit had looked out in love upon them : and thus it was that Ishmael always met his friends. ‘ Glad you’ve come so soon, Ishmael—glad as ever I can be ! Here’s another rum go, as ever was !’ said Gray, looking up from his letter. 4 What is it, Uncle Reuben ?’ 4 Why, it’s a sort of notice from the judge. ’Pears like he’s gin up his v’y’ge to forrin parts; and’stead of gwine out yonder for two or three years, he and Miss 'Merlin be coming down here to spend the summerleastways* what’s left of it,’ said Gray. Ishmael’s face flushed crimson, and then went deadly white, as he reeled and leant against the fence for support. Much as he had struggled to conquer his wild passion for the beautiful and high-born heiress—often as he had characterised it as mere boyish folly, or moon-struck madness—-

closely as he had applied himself to study in the hope of curing his mania—he was overwhelmed by the sudden announcement of her expected return—overwhelmed by a shock of equally-blended joy and pain—joy at the prospect of soon meeting her, pain at the thought of the impassable gulf that yawned between them —‘ so near and yet so far I*

His extreme agitation was not observed by either Reuben or Hannah, whose heads were again bent over the puzzling letter. While he was still in that half-stunned, half-excited and wholly-confused state of feeling, lteuben went slowly on with his explanations: ‘ Tears like the judge have got another gov ment ’pointment, or some sich thing, as will keep him here in his natyve land ; so he and Miss Claudia, they be a-coming down here to stop till the meeting of Congress in Washington. So he orders me to tell Katie to get the house ready to receive them by the first of next week ; and law ! this is Saturday ! Leastways, that is all me and Hannah can make out’n this here letter, Ishmael; but you take it and read it yourself,’ said Gray, putting the missive into Ishmael’s hands. With a great effort to recover his self possession, Ishmael took the letter and read it aloud. It proved to be just what Reuben and Hannah had made of it, but Ishmael’s clearreading rendered the orders much plainer. * Now, if old Katie won’t have to turn her fat body round a little faster than she often does, I don’t know nothing )’ exclaimed Gray, when Ishmael had finished the readfng. ‘I will go up myself this evening and help her,’ said Hannah, kindly. «No, you won’t, neither, my dear ! Old Katie has lots of young maid servants to help her, and she’s as jealous as a pet cat of all interference with her affairs. But we will walk over after tea and let her know what’s up,’ said Gray. After tea, accordingly, Reuben, Hannah and Ishmael took a pleasant evening stroll through the forest to Tanglewood, and told Katie what was at hand.

‘And you’ll have to stir round old woman, and that I tell you, for this is Saturday night, and they mav be here on Monday evening,’ said Gray. ‘Law, Marse Reuben, yon needn’t tell me nuffiD ’tall ’bout Marse Judge Merlin ! I knows his ways too well ! I been too long use to his poppiug down on us, unexpected, like the Day of Judgment, for me to be unprepared ! De house is all in fustrate order ; only wantin’ fires to be kindled to correct the damp, and windows to be opened to air de rooms ; and time ’nuff for dat o’Monday,’ grinned old Katie, taking things easy. ‘ Very well, only you see to it! Come, Hannah, let us go home,’ said Gray. ‘ But, Uncle Reuben, have you no directions for the coachman to take the carriage and go and meet the judge at the landing?’ inquired Ishmael. ‘No, my lad. The judge never comes down in any of these little sailing packets as pass here. He allers comes by the steamboat to Baymouth, and then from there to here by land.’ ‘ Then had you not better send the carriage to Baymouth immediately, that it may be there in time to meet him ? It will be more comfortable for the judge and and Miss—and his daughter to travel in their own easy carriage than in those rough village hacks.’ ‘ Well, now, Ishmael, that’s a rale good idee, and I’ll follow it. and the judge will thank you for it. If he’d book a thought, you see, he’d a gin me the order to do just that thing. But law ! he’s 30 took up along of public affairs, as he never thinks of his private comfort, though he is always pleased as possible when anybody thinks of it for him.

‘ Then, Uncle Reuben, had you not better start Sam with the carriage this evening ? It is a very clear night, the roads are excellent, and the horses are fresh ; so he could easily reach Baymouth by sunrise, and put up at the “ Planter’s Rest,” for Sunday, and wait thei’e for the boat.’

‘ Yes, Ishmael, I think I had better do so ; we’ll go home now directly and start Sam. He’ll be pleased to death ! If there’s anything that nigger likes it’s a journey, particularly through the cool of the night, but he’ll sleep all day to-morrow to make up for lost rest,’ returned Reuben, as they all turned to walk back to the cottage. (To be Continued.)