"You don't seem so well to-day, my dear; how's that, eh?' says Mark, looking anxiously in her face, for he had a large family at home, many of them daughters: though it looks well to see you off to work betimes so, like a good little girl as you are. But what makes you so pale and sad, my dear-anything

amiss at home?'

"You may be sure little Cecil's tears flowed again.

"Oh, Mr. Jawley,' she burst forth all at once, in the very fulness of her heart; 'oh, sir, mother's dead.'

"Goodness forbid! my dear,' cries old Mark Jawley; 'I declare you've quite taken me aback. Do you know what you say, child?'

"Oh yes, indeed, sir, it's quite true,' sobs little Cecil; she died last night.' "Lord be good unto me!' Mark burst out again. And what-what did they all do, my dear?'

"There was nobody with her but me, Mr. Jawley,' away her tears.

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Only you, child!' says the old man. 'Well, but you should have called the folks in to

says Cecil, brushing

my heart alive!

"Mother never liked to have anybody about her, sir; and our place is such a way off: besides, she didn't know she was going to die—no more did I, sir,' the child added, with a fresh burst of tears.

"Poor little thing! God bless you! poor little thing!' says Mark Jawley. 'Well, there now-don't-don't cry, my dear, if you can help it.'

"And the tears gathered so big and heavy in his own good-natured eyes, as he spoke, Cecil told me; while he patted her cheek, and added

"What have you wrapped in your apron so curiously?'

"She could see plain enough the kind-hearted man was trying to divert her thoughts.

"Oh, Mr. Jawley,' answered Cecil, smiling faintly through her tears, such a very strange thing happened last night about a bird, sir.'

"Hey? what? a bird, my dear ? inquired Mark, as if he was very much interested all of a sudden.

"Yes,' continued Cecil, 'a bird that flew in at the window, and frightened me a little at first; it flew all round the room, sir, and then it settled uponupon-poor mother.'

"The voice began to tremble just then; and Mark interrupted her by saying, in a quick way,

"Yes, yes-there, never mind about that, my dear; but tell me is it a starling ?'

"No, sir,' said the little girl, simply, 'it's a bird!'

"Well, my dear,' says Mark, almost ready to laugh, and a starling is a bird, and will talk as well as a parrot.'

"Oh, Mr. Jawley, and this bird talks,' answered Cecil, and what is very odd, it keeps on saying my name.'

-hold up

"Well, really now, that is very odd, as you observe,' said the old crier. "Why, do you know, Cecil, that one of the gentry here, lost a favourite starling only yesterday evening, and I have received orders to cry it to-day. Bless my heart, child! bless my heart! let me look at the bird this moment; I shouldn't wonder if the cage, my dear. Stay, I must put on my spectacles. Why, ay, it is a starling, sure enough: but I must refer to the description.' "So then Mark pulled out a paper, all in such a bustle, and began to mutter, um-um-' very tame'-um, 'glossy about the throat, right wing lately clipped' -um-um-I give you joy, my little maid! I give you joy! for you'll get the reward offered, and just in time, poor child. Yes, yes, all right; there's no need to cry it now, for it's the same; and the lady will be so pleased she'll"Do you think she'll give me a shilling, Mr. Jawley?' says Cecil, all anxiety.

"A shilling!' answers the crier, quite scornful; 'why, you little goose-cap! the lady's very rich, they say, and prizes her bird so, she offers twenty pounds to the finder."

"Cecil had near let fall the cage when she heard this; for you may suppose how vast the sum of twenty pounds must have appeared, to a child brought up in such poverty as she had been.

"Come along, little lass, come along,' says the good-natured crier; and then he stopped, and looked serious at her. I hope, Cecil May, that you see how Providence has watched over you in this affair.'

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Yes, indeed, Mr. Jawley,' answered Cecil innocently, 'for I said my prayers very particularly last night, knowing how bad off I was.'

"And you see now how soon your prayer has been answered,' said Mark. 'I shouldn't wonder, my dear, if this little matter raised you up a friend for life: so come along, I dare say we shall find some of the servants up, for all it's so early.'

"So the little girl threw her apron over the cage again, moved on nimbly by the side of her old friend, and in due time they arrived before the gates of a large grand-looking house, that Cecil had never seen before; she was, indeed, thoroughly amazed at the grandeur before her; and much vexed and ashamed on account of her patched frock, and old shabby bonnet, till she looked at honest Mark Jawley, who seemed, in his fustian coat, and grey worsted stockings, as easy and unconcerned as a gentleman in his flowered dressing-gown, reading the Sunday news in church-time: indeed, for that matter, Mark felt quite full of courage, on account of befriending the little destitute orphan; and certainly, ma'am, when anybody's heart is what they call 'in the right place,' it's sure to make them feel most unaccountably bold and happy under any circumstances; for though Mark knew he was only a poor village crier, he knew he was doing his duty in every sense, and that at any rate his news would make him welcome. Of course very few were stirring, at that early hour, at the great house, so that the gate was opened by the gardener's boy; and presently Cecil followed her friend into a room, where they found the housekeeper, Mrs. Gingerly, just going to breakfast. Mrs. Gingerly had on such a beautiful silk gown, and such a high cap, with so many puffings, and bows and ends, and I don't know what beside, that little Cecil thought to be sure she must be the lady herself. However, never mind, such mistakes often happen, I believe. Walk in, Mr. Jawley,' said she (for the old crier is a most respectable man in his line); 'I hope you bring us good news about the bird; I can assure you my lady's in a fine way about her loss. You-you can-a-sit down, Mr. Jawley, if you please.'

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"Mrs. Gingerly said this with a wonderfully condescending air; indeed, so much so, that all the puffings, and bows, and ends in her cap, tossed and trembled, and waved about, till it looked higher than ever. As for Cecil, she was so astonished and so awed, that she stood back quite abashed, and as though she was trying to hide herself in her apron, as well as the bird-cage, which was still covered, and out of sight."

"Well, Mr. Jawley,' continued Mrs. Gingerly, 'you've not had much time, to be sure; but as said just now, have you brought us any good news?' "Why, p'rhaps I have, mum !' answered the old crier, smiling, and looking slyly at Cecil-' however, here's a little woman can tell you something more about it, I believe.'

"Oh, indeed! What-one of yours, Mr. Jawley ?'

“‘Well—no, mum: though I shouldn't care if she was, bless her! not but I've plenty of that article at home-God help me! yet I say again I shouldn't care if she was.'

"You smile, ma'am; and it does seem rather droll, when one considers the particular circumstances of the case just then-but for my part, I think—yes I do think that Mark Jawley was, and always is, what the gentlefolks call a most disinterested character. Well-so at last the cage with the lost starling was put upon the table; and great was the joy at its appearance, I assure you.

"Oh la!' says Mrs. Gingerly, how pleased my lady will be! she's not up yet, and hasn't even rung her bell; but as I dare say she will want to see this little girl, perhaps you had better both stay, and I'll make you some breakfast.'

"Thank you kindly, mum,' said Mark.

"As for poor little Cecil, such a long time had gone by since she had taken her bit of dry crust at home, that to her this was indeed a happy hearing.

"Only look here,' says Mrs. Gingerly to the scullery-maid, who brought in the breakfast; 'only look here, Patty Grimes; if here isn't little Cecil come home again.'

"The cheeks of the poor child were like scarlet all at once, at hearing this, as you may suppose; and equally surprised was she that they none looked particularly at her-however, matters were soon explained by Mrs. Gingerly adding, How very odd to give such a name to a bird; what could be my lady's reason, I wonder? What's the matter, my dear ?'

"Her name is Cecil,' observed Mark. Did you never hear about her?' “How should I?' answered Mrs. Gingerly. I have been here only a few days.'

"Indeed, mum ?' said the crier. 'Then you don't know the story about her father, Edwin May, who married the daughter of a great stylish lady: not here he came to these parts afterwards, that he mightn't offend the family further, and distress his wife's feelings, who married against their consent. Poor fellow! he met with a sad accident this time twelvemonth, that ended in his death. And then Mark Jawley added in a much lower voice, and thinking Cecil didn't hear him, 'And now the poor child had just lost her mother too.' "Dear me! you don't say so,' says Mrs. Gingerly.

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Only last night, mum-alone with the dead body all the whole night.' "Oh la! how very shocking! Really I quite feel for her,' says Mrs. Gingerly, not very much put out, though.

"And so do I, mum, says the old crier!' As he said this, it appears that Mark Jawley rather forgot himself, and was ungenteel in his ways, for he not only spoke very loud, and blew his nose hard, but he slammed his great brown fist upon the table in a way that made all the beautiful china cups and saucers jump and clatter; so that Mrs. Gingerly looked at him as if she wasn't pleased, and was rather sorry she had asked such a vulgar fellow to breakfast with her.

Mrs.

"And now, if you please, ma'am, I'll just tell you what I think. Gingerly is not a particularly unkind woman; but the truth is, she has met with too much good luck in life, to feel so much for others as if she had known sorrow herself. She has always lived in good places, and has saved a little bit of money, as it is said, without any particular troubles. Now, old Mark Jawley has seen a great deal of trouble in his time, and had a great many crosses and losses—and that makes all the difference, you know, ma'am. To be sure it's a very sad thing, that we should, generally speaking, so require vexations of our own to remind us of what we owe one another; but so it often proves, and I do think, ma'am, that we are sometimes much the better for them. Well, ma'am, and now the morning began to be getting on, as one may say; and every time the door opened, Cecil could see what she thought very smart gentlemen indeed; dressed quite airy, in pretty light blue and light pink striped jackets; with nice white aprons frisking to and fro, all in a bustle; and presently says Mrs. Gingerly, 'La! if here isn't Mr. Oldways, and I never waited breakfast for him. I declare the bird's being found put everything else out of my head. He's coming for the salvers and the silver egg-stand for the drawing-room.' As she spoke, in walked a grave portly old gentleman, with a very red face, and a very white head, dressed all in black, with beautifully fine shirt frills, and large buckles in his shoes; and he walked about so stately and grand, and pulled out such a large gold watch, with such a broad red ribbon, and so many seals dangling to it that Cecil thought him by much the finest gentleman she had ever seen; and this was Mr. Oldways, the butler. When he saw her, he started, and turned to look at her again, very hard, several times, so that at last the poor child was almost ready to cry!-thinking that, to be sure, such a fine gentleman was noticing

what a shabby little girl she was. Presently he took Mark Jawley to the window, and there they stood awhile talking together very earnestly; but in such low voices that Cecil couldn't hear a word, and, indeed, just then, Mrs. Gingerly took it into her head to begin talking to her, and asking so many questions that she couldn't possibly have attended to anything else. Poor little Cecil! she often calls herself ungrateful, because she didn't somehow feel so pleasant as when her old friend Mark Jawley spoke to her, though Mrs. Gingerly was very condescending, to be sure; she asked her how old she was, and if she could make her own frocks, and so forth. Yet Cecil has often told me that she felt at the time-(though it might be very silly saying so)—she felt as though she had much rather that fine lady would have cried over her than smiled so quietly; and even when she put a large lump of white sugar in her cup, she had rather have heard her say, like Mark Jawley, 'Poor little thing! God bless her!' However, at least Mr. Oldways shook Mark by the hand, and after another long stare at Cecil, left the room in a great hurry. And then the old crier came forward, rubbing his hands, and laughing to himself in such a very odd way that neither Mrs. Gingerly or Cecil could tell what to make of him. Say what they would, they could neither get a straight answer from him, and Cecil became more puzzled than ever.

"Matters were in this state when all of a sudden in bounced a fine young lady, finer even than Mrs. Gingerly; and this proved to be the lady's maid, who came all in a hurry for a smelling-bottle. Her ladyship, she said, had just fainted away in the drawing-room, and Mr. Oldways who was waiting at breakfast, had said that the little girl who had brought home the bird was to go up stairs immediately.

"Now, when Mark Jawley heard this, it seems that he behaved himself worse than ever. He clapped his hands together, and whistled so loud, told Cecil not to be frightened, and then, all in a sudden burst of joy, rapped out something that sounded like 'by goles!' or 'by gosh!' and when he saw Mrs. Gingerly looking at him, he said he really begged pardon; but that perhaps he had better go and wait in the hall till he should be wanted. So then Cecil followed the lady's maid up stairs, and when they came to the drawing-room door they found it partly open, and heard Mr. Oldways, who was inside, call to them to wait a few minutes till her ladyship was something better; and then, of course, the little girl couldn't well help hearing what they said in the room, as a feeble voice said

“Oldways, you have been long enough in my service to be treated as a friend, and I know that I may rely on you.'

"An' please you, my lady, the likeness struck me immediately,' said Mr. Oldways, and from the answers to the inquiries I made, I soon found that I was not mistaken.'

"Oh! where is she then ?' said the feeble voice; I must see her-I must see her this instant.'

"There now, my lady,' answered Mr. Oldways, 'don't flurry yourself so. Please smell to this, madam, and take another drink of water, do, my lady.'

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However, you must by this time, have guessed who the lady was, ma'am, and, perhaps, the feelings of the poor little orphan, when she suddenly found herself in the arms of an affectionate relative, with a home and every comfort of life.

"Lady Augusta had been informed of all that had so lately happened, by her faithful butler; and now explained to her young granddaughter the whole story, and how much she had suffered, after her first feeling of anger at the imprudent marriage of her dearly-loved child had become softened; 'twas then she found that she had left the village with her husband, and her proud family did their utmost to prevent her finding them. She had, she said, long ago seen her error in deserting her poor Cecil, notwithstanding her great relations all came round her, talking about the disgrace brought upon them all, by a runaway match so unequal in birth and station, and so forth. And

then her ladyship described how she had pined and fretted for a long time; and at last fell so dangerously ill that all the physicians advised her going abroad, which she did, and had only just then returned; but not being able to bear the thought of her old home, she had purchased the one where she now was, little thinking it was in the neighbourhood of the village to which Edwin May and her poor lost daughter had gone so long before. Meanwhile, a friend, with the view of diverting her melancholy, made her a present of a speaking starling, which, from hearing her so often lamenting to herself when she was alone, about her dear Cecil,' her 'pretty Cecil,' and the like, had at last caught up her words, to greatly endear the innocent bird, and which caused her, in a fit of sorrowfnl recollections, to name it Cecil;-none about her guessed why she did so, except her trusty butler, Oldways, who had lived so long in her service, and remembered the mother of Cecil May when she was just such another little girl. And then her ladyship condescended to kindly shake the hand of the worthy old man behind her chair; who appeared much gratified by such distinction, and the more so, as being merited by the long-proved attachment of honest service.

"She is indeed as you say, Oldways, the very image of her dear mother at her age,' continued Lady Augusta; but I must have that old coarse frock off immediately.'

"Pinever, she added,' turning to the lady's maid, 'there's a little silk frock in yonder cabinet; here's the key, open it immediately, dress Miss Cecil May in that frock, and other ornaments belonging to her poor dear mamma, and then I shall think my own little Cecil is come back to me indeed.'

"So the lady's maid, all astonishment at what she had just heard, did as she was ordered; and the equally-astonished little girl certainly looked all the better for the fine clothes; though we all know they could'nt make her better in reality; and might have made her worse, as is sometimes the case. However, it wasn't Cecil May's, as you'll presently find!"

"Dear grandmamma,' said she, shaking back her long fair curls, 'thet wenty pounds reward

"You shall have it, my love, for your pocket money,' answered Lady Augusta.

"All to myself, grandmamma ?' asked Cecil.

"To be sure, darling,' said her ladyship, and buy any pretty things you may fancy; that is-do what you like with it."

"Then, said the little girl,' clapping her hands for joy, 'I'll give it to the real finder of the bird, for after all, as I had never seen a starling before, of course, I shouldn't have known what to have done about it, if it hadn't have been for kind Mr. Jawley.'

"And who is Mr. Jawley, my love?' her ladyship inquired.

"He is one of my kindest, best of friends, grandmamma,' answered Cecil! and I'm sure though he's only the village crier, he has often given me a penny

when

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Hush, hush, my dear,' said Lady Augusta, 'you must try to forget-' "Not his kindness, dear grandmamma, was the little girl's reply; 'I shouldn't like to wear my beautiful new frock if it made me forget the kindness shown me in my old one.'

"I rather think that Lady Augusta was for a minute a little confused at this; and that something of her old feeling was clinging about her, as it were; however, she wouldn't give way to it; and turning a fond smile upon Cecil, she said :

"We may take a lesson even from a child if we choose. Would you like to see this kind friend of yours, then, Cecil ?'

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Oh! yes, yes, grandmamma,' answered Cecil, joyfully, 'very much indeed. How pleased he will be when he knows all about it!"

"However, Mark did know all about it; as you must have already perceived, madam. And so then, the old crier was desired to walk up; a little confused, it seemed, when he stepped upon the rich soft carpet with his great