that his poor affectionate daughter's hopes and dependence should not be baffled. She slept with the servant women of the house that night; the old man in the detached barrackroom. The next morning I took an opportunity of talking to the girl, and told her Messrs. Newnhams' advice. "It must be as you please, sir," she meekly answered, “but, if he should not be rejected?"" Make yourself easy on that head, my girl; he shall be restored to you and your poor mother-depend on that, cost me what it may." She went home to have a conversation with her mother, and, on her return, she brought a bundle of clothes for herself, and some linen for her father: there was a degree of humble fortitude in her look and manner, as if she had made up her mind to endure the worst, and cling to her old father, whatever fate awaited him.

Having mildly hinted to the sergeant my wish that he would be kind, but not too free, with Fleming's daughter, he promised me, of course; but he did more he kept his promise, and treated her with respect and tenderness during the march.

The hay-harvest was over, and the wages were wasted in dissipation. We had picked up fourteen more recruits, of which I counted on ten, at least, being accepted; the others were bow-legged, short sturdy louts of five feet three and four, hardly fit for rear-rank men of the centre companies of what used to be called a "condemned regiment" in those days: however, I took them at hap-hazard, and made arrangements for another march to Longueville, determined to enjoy on my return the long wished-for visit to Templemore, where my heart and all its best affections lay.

The very evening before our intended march, an old woman brought me a letter; delivering it with great mystery, but not omitting to say, as she looked in my face," Musha then! the Lord bless you and Miss Maria!" I knew not how to account to old O'Farrell, who was near me when the beldam called me aside, for the appearance of this strange visiter; and though he marvelled much at it, he had too much delicacy to ask a single question. I looked over the letter; saw it did not require an immediate reply; gave the old woman a few shillings, and a glass of whiskey to set her going, and in an instant she was off.

"The female servants, however, were less scrupulous than honest Robin. 66 That's the ould fortune-teller from Laracor, bad luck to her!" said one. 66 Ay," said another, "and I'll be bail the Captain gave her pretty hansel, for she had her fist full of shillings; it's the likes of her that has the luck.” Even the fine-faced widow gave her opinion-" It's soon you're in the field, Captain; but how sly you have kept it!

All this I endured in silence. I feared to tell Robin that it was an invitation from Mr. Temple, lest at some future period the falsehood should be discovered; I knew not what to say, and, therefore, was silent. As soon as I was alone in my room, I read the letter with feelings of delight, which have never since been equalled.

Although sensible of the impropriety of writing to you, I am hurried on by feelings which I would not, if I could, control; to your young and ingenuous heart, I confide my honour; let it frame that excuse which I cannot find for myself. We now hear of you every day, but see you never. Why is this? Come to us to me! as you value the heart of Maria."

Entranced in schemes of future bliss, the balmy power for hours forsook my pillow, and sleep closed not my wearied eyes until the gray morn lifted

Her pale lustre on the paler wretch
Examinate by love.

How to convey an answer was my first anxiety. I blamed my precipitancy in sending off the old woman without one line or word of acknowledgment; however, Laracor was but two miles out of the line of march, and thither I determined to go, and by riding through Trim, join my party on the Templemore road about the hour they would arrive at the turn leading to that village.

Every thing being prepared for the march, my party, now re-enforced by an escort of six men, of the ***** militia, proceeded forward, with orders where to halt. My movements were a mystery to old Robin, who still preserved a respectful silence; he seemed pleased at being asked to march in command of my party a couple of miles of the road, only regretting that he had not his hanger; he had, however, his five-foot cane; a much more appropriate appendage to his venerable age and quaker-like appearance. In order to relieve the party generally, and prevent their hanging back from blistered feet or sore heels, complaints which unwilling marchers are sometimes apt to be troubled with, but chiefly for the convenience of the affectionate and troubled Nanny, a car brought up the rear; then having seen my party march off in as high glee as whiskey and the sound of a solitary fife could create, I turned my horse's head towards Laracor.

CHAPTER XXIII.

"O, judge him gently! for to him was given
A feeling heart, that fatal gift from Heaven."

My story now draws towards an interesting yet painful period. In a few short weeks, I lost more self-esteem than years could afterwards restore. Yet let me not be too severely judged: mine were not the crimes of the matured and practised seducer-the deliberate violator of the sanctity of the social hearth, but the momentary errors of a heart itself seduced to evil; the follies, not the crimes, of a youth scarcely seventeen!

I found the old woman at home and alone. I reached her hovel between eight and nine o'clock. She was sitting in the chimney-corner of the now cool and turfless hearth, deriving faint light from the hole above, which formed an apology for a chimney: across her knees, rested an old noseless pair of bellows, on the board of which she displayed a filthy pack of cards, from which she affected to explore the destinies of many a fair employer.

That she herself believed in the virtue of these greasy oracles of fate, I could not entertain a doubt; for when I abruptly entered, she gave a faint scream, and exclaimed, "Well, see that, now!" protesting, with an oath, that she had seen my approach in the cards five minutes before; and, certainly, from the nature of the road, her vision must have been supernatural, to have obtained a sight of me by her outward organs; nor had she the slightest intimation of my intended visit.

She had placed me under the uninviting character of the knave of spades, between the queen of that suit and the fair one of hearts: certain it is, I saw the amiable trio set apart from the rest of the pack, where they had evidently been placed long before I could have been perceived. "Here you are," said the beldam, pointing to Spado, "and here is your love," placing her fingers on the queen of hearts; " and here," touching the Dido of spades, with a significant shake of her head, is the lady who loves you, and whom you turn your back on." She then shuffled up her entire pack, and inviting me to cut it into three parcels, she commenced her predictions. After VOL. I.

10

some internal rumination, she mumbled out the result of her divinations. "Here is the four of clubs-which means a bed; and here is the ace of diamonds-a letter and a ring, but not for you." Then turning up the next card, she exclaimed, in evident dismay, "Ogh! death alive! Captain, jewel! the ring is covered by the nine of spades-misfortune and trouble; and there's a dark man between you-and here is another letterand there's death and grief; O! woor es throo! O! woor es throo* But all may end happily; cut again." Heartily tired of her jargon, yet not a little ashamed of my own credulityfor, I confess, some portion of her assumed powers of divination made an impression on me for the moment-I asked how long it would take her to go to Templemore.

"Is it how long I would take? Why, what's to hinder me from being there in a jiffy?"

"But in what time, my good woman, could you be there?" "Well, then, your honour, faster than you can ride there, that is, if you go though Trim, any how."

Annoyed at her evasive, but truly Irish, way of answering my question, I once more threw out a bait for a positive answer; demanding if she could be there in an hour.

"In an hour, agra! Sure the river's low enough now, and devil a bridge I want. I'll be bail your honour will not be out of Trim town before I am safe and sound at Templemore before you."

"But my good woman, I am not going there; I am merely to pass along the road at the head of the Templemore town. I wish you to give this note into Miss Maria's own hand, without any other soul seeing you."

"Give it to me," said she, eagerly seizing the billet; "and let me be off.".

Her impatience was too much in unison with my own to induce me to offer the slightest check to it. So, bundling up the cards, she thrust them into her pocket, throwing a rag of a cloak over her shoulders, and a doubtful coloured old kerchief over her head; and all was ready for her departure. My mare was tied to an elder tree, which overshadowed the solitary hovel, against the entrance of which the old body had stuck up an apology for a door, placing a large stone against it, by way of security against the intrusion of the pigs; for, from the superstition of the poor people, no human being would think of entering into the sibyl's den. She set off at a quicker pace than from her appearance I thought her capable of; and knowing how much she could shorten the distance by fording the Boyne, I

*O woor es throo! an Irish exclamation so pronounced, meaning is me!"

gave credit to her promise of exhibition, and set off with a light but still anxious heart.

On passing through Trim, I could not avoid paying a hasty visit of compliment to the commanding officer there, and leaving cards at the lodgings of those officers of the corps from whom I had received such polite attentions. These visits did not occupy half an hour, and I was once more on the wing; another half hour brought me up with my party, who had the advantage of me by a quarter of an hour, and were quite ready for the road.

When just about to resume the march, I saw my ancient messenger trotting towards me, and making signs that she had followers; whilst, with a significant wink of her bleared yet cunning eye, she held, for a moment, her finger on her withered lips, and then hastily passed me without one word or another look. In two minutes or less, Mr. Temple, with my angel Maria, appeared in the distance making hasty strides to catch us before we moved. In an instant I was on foot, and running towards them; my eyes were fixed in rapture on her almost divine face.

There was no longer any embarrassment on her brow; a glance of inquiry on my part was answered, as I supposed, in the affirmative-'tis well, 'tis well. I was so transported with my good fortune, that I never appeared in a greater flow of spirits; the old man was more than kind, he was cordial. I at last asked the question which I felt I had too long neglected: addressing Maria, I inquired, "How is your sweet sister and Mr. Tom?"-"Quite well," she answered: "she sends her kind remembrance to you. As for Tom, he is in the garden to-day taking the air, waiting our return, and, of course, is cross at our absence,"- "Ay, ay, my dear," interrupted the old gentleman; "but the captain will know more about HIM byand-by. Well, now, God bless you, my boy! come to us on your return, and stay with us as long as you can. We accidentally heard of your marching from the doctor, and were determined to intercept you, if we could; but mind you don't give us the double on your return, or you'll have the women upon you for the slight."

They stopped to see my awkward troop in motion, while I remained behind with them, in order to partake of the laugh rather than be included in it. Another adieu, and an interchange of fond looks with the loveliest of her sex, set me off in that state of buoyancy of mind which is the happy gift of youth, alas! too soon depressed by the cares and crimes of manhood. I had jogged on a couple of hundred yards in the rear of the party before I dared to turn my looks behind. When at last I did, instead of the sylph-like figure of the gentle Maria, my eye caught a glance of the old sibyl in full chase of me. As may