have a much stronger claim upon me than you imagine. I am your husband's brother. I received your touching letter yesterday morning, and came off instantly to your reļief ; and can only now express my sincere regret that I was not sooner made acquainted either with your circumstances or your residence." “ There were reasons, sir,” said Mrs. Hamilton, colouring deeply, “prejudices, perhaps, I should rather say, which prevented me from applying to you sooner.” “Well, well, all that is over,” rejoined her brother-in-law. " Thanks to the kind Providence that threw little George in my way this morning, we know each other better now, and everything must be forgotten but the claims of humanity and relationship." “ You are too kind, sir," said Mrs. Hamilton. “ By no means, my dear madam," resumed her brother-in-law. “ I am a man of few words, but the little plan which I have formed is this. We shall dispose of your furniture, and you shall go with me to Edinburgh, where my new acquaintance, George, c 2 can receive an education suited to what I mean to be his prospects. I am a widower, without children; God has prospered me in business, and I can afford to be generous without being unjust. I have a large house, and if you will live with me, I shall be happy; but, if you prefer it, you shall have a house of your own in my neighbourhood. I trust that neither of us will ever be disapappointed in my little friend here. I shall, of course, make no unconditional promises ; but if he be a good boy, and an honest man, He shall inherit all I have.” “I have no words to express the gratitude which I feel, sir," said Mrs. Hamilton, “ for your unbounded goodness." “ There is no occasion for them, my dear madam,” replied, her brother-in-law, gently squeezing her hand. “ Your frank: acceptance of my offers will be gratitude enough." "I accept of them, sir, with an overflowing heart,” said Mrs. Hamilton, returning the friendly pressure. • And my little friend George, here," said the worthy merchant, “ when he next gives an account of the cruel uncles he has read about in history, will not insist that all uncles are equally hard-hearted." « One at least is not, I am sure," cried little George; and springing into his uncle's embrace, he threw his arms about his neck, and buried his face in his bosom. THE WELL AT CARISBROOK CASTLE. Did you ever see Carisbrook Castle? It stands near the little village of Carisbrook, in the Isle of Wight. It has strong towers, and an old gateway, and a wooden door, and there is in it a window called King Charles's window, because king Charles the First, when confined in the castle, tried to get away through that window, but found it too small. There are numbers of people who visit the castle, but though I have spoken of it, I have no intention to describe it. The strong towers, the old gateway, the wooden door, and king Charles's window, must all be passed by; what I wish to speak of is not THE WELL AT CARISBROOK CASTLE. the castle, but the deep well which has so long supplied it with water. This well is as deep, and deeper than most church spires are high. It is three hundred feet deep, and if the old saying is a true one, " the deeper the well the clearer the water," the water of this well is very clear indeed. You will wonder how they contrive to let down and to draw up a bucket such a distance, and will, perhaps, fancy that you see half a dozen men at work at a windlass ; but no, that is not the way that they manage the matter. The water is not drawn up by men, but by a donkey. "A donkey!" I hear you say, “why, how can a donkey draw up a bucket of water? I never heard of such a thing, and cannot at all make out how it can be.” But though you may never have heard of such a thing, and may not be able to make it out, for all that, what I say is quite true. It is a donkey that draws up the water out of the well at Carisbrook castle. Over the well is a large wheel, and if you will think for a moment, you will understand that, if a rope or a chain be wrapped round it, with a bucket at the end, when the |