can carry many votes in a political election. Poor woman, with thy little ambition, who sittest disconsolate beside thy sleeping Infant and canst not vote! Did She whom men have named Mother of God vote?"

The conclusion of the oration was in these words. "Political freedom is a thing of Time and Earth: True Freedom is of Eternity and Heaven. The words which this Freedom speaks shall endure. Did Martin Luther or Paul of Tarsus live in political freedom or even personal? Far from it: The latter bore visible chains: both were compassed about by the powers of Church and State, and threatened with dungeons and Death. Yet the Free Soul that was in them spoke out the Truth; and we, the little men of this day profit by it."

The oration over, another anthem sung, and the blessing pronounced, the living mass poured itself out, in many colored streams, through the three doors of the church into the open air: the darker part gathered itself into form again and marched to sound of drum and fife along the broad highway; while the lighter colored spread in all directions through by-ways and over fields. The old church stood there quite passive with a stupid look of unconcern.

We, of the procession, marched straight toward the common, and, as we approached the tent, could see men and boys with smoking baskets enter it; for the meats had been cooked in many houses. We were obliged to halt in front of the tent, and wait awhile, till all within was in order there were impatient looks and utterances; for it was now three o'clock, and the usual dinner hour of the villagers is at high noon: they were eager for food.

I shall not attempt to describe this feast: my recollection of the first hour passed at table is tolerably distinct.

Soon as the clergyman had said grace, there was a great clattering of knives and forks on plates; followed by a hum of many voices. When this great business of eating ceased, the regular toasts were announced: speeches and songs followed, and the company grew noisy: there was clapping of hands and huzzas. I drank glass after glass of wine, got into high glee, and said witty things, or things that passed for such. I laughed, talked, smoked, and drank much. The scene before me began to put on a strange appearance. I saw many things, but nothing distinctly. The men around seemed to rock in their seats, and to be about to fall; and, though they spoke often, I could find no precise meaning in their words. Are they all tipsy? I said to myself; or am I tipsy? I began to feel the need of circumspection: I took myself together as well as I could and was silent. I felt a halfconsciousness that I was in a dangerous state, and thought of getting away from the place. A hand fell gently on my shoulder and I heard a voice say: Frank, it is time to go." I rose with some difficulty and found my arm within Uncle John's. We made our way through the pine trees at the side of the tent, and walked across the fields to our home. My Aunt and cousins were sitting in the doorway of their house, and I wished to speak to them but dared not trust my tongue. They spoke to me and I answered in the fewest possible words. Uncle John said something about the fatigues of the day, and invited me to go up stairs and rest with him. When I was upon the bed every thing in the room seemed to be in motion, and I soon lost all consciousness: How long I slept I know not, but I had dreams, which were not altogether dreams. I wandered over a sandy desert and was dying of thirst. I searched long and eagerly for

water: a cool looking spring babbled up beneath my feet, but when I stooped to drink, the water vanished ere my lips could touch it. At last, however, after many dreams of the same kind, I awoke. My mouth and throat were dry and parched, and I could hardly move my tongue. The moon threw a little light into the room, and I found a pitcher of water on a table, of which I drank freely. I returned to my bed and slept again.

CHAPTER XII.

THE NEXT DAY.

THE rising sun threw bright light on my eyelids, and I awoke, thirsty and feverish. I bathed my face and head in cold water, and walked out of doors. The blue Heaven was above me, and the green Earth around; the wild bee hummed as he flew from flower to flower, and merry birds sang to each other in the trees; but 1 joyed not in these things. I sat down on a bank and had bitter thoughts. The voice of one singing roused me from my gloomy reflections; I looked up and saw my Uncle coming across the fields.

"Good morning, Frank," he said; "you are abroad early; but why sit moping here?"

I told him my thoughts and feelings, my remorse for the past, and my resolutions for the future. I know not how it is, but of all men I can talk most freely to Uncle John. He is not a saint; he is a sinner; but then a sinner of the right kind; his sins are all on the outside : but his goodness seems to be deep, so deep that he is unconscious of it.

“Don't be gloomy about the matter, Frank, you have committed no unpardonable sin, whatever men may say of it. True, it is a mortifying thing to get tipsy and act

out the fool, but not quite so bad as acting the scoundrel's part when sober."

"That may be very true," I replied; "but I can hardly bear to look my friends in the face after having demeaned myself so."

"Pshaw Frank, don't be foolish to-day too. Not too much remorse for the past; the thing lies there done, and you cannot undo it: no resolutions for the time to come; the Future is not to be mortgaged for the redemption of the Past. Pay for the Past to-day; the quicker you pay the better. The whole of morality lies in this: Do well To-day. Come, go about among people, and submit to the mortification your folly deserves; perhaps it will do you good, and take away a little of your self-righteousCome, let us go to breakfast." We entered the house and took seats at table. My Aunt and cousins said little, and seemed to avoid all reference to the festivities of the preceding day. I felt ill at ease: but my Uncle was sociable as usual, and led the conversation away to safe ground. As we rose from table, he said, "I expect a visitor to-day; the Agent of an Agricultural Society: I got acquainted with him yesterday at dinner, and invited him to look at my farm."

ness.

Soon after breakfast the Agent came in, and I saw my old friend of the little inn, who had walked with me in the procession.

"One of the pleasant things in a wandering life," he said, "is the unexpected meeting with an old acquaintance or, as in this case, with a half-acquaintance, of whom one knows just enough to wish to know more:I am glad to see you again."

I returned his greeting and said. "Your frankness at our first meeting has had consequences; it has made this meeting a pleasant one to me."