CHAPTER II. This life, sae far's I understand, Is a' enchanted fairy land, Where pleasure is the magic wand, That, wielded right, Make hours like minutes, hand in hand, Dance by fu' light.-BURNS. As soon as Mr. Linwood became aware of his son's whig tendencies, he determined, as far as possible, to counteract them; and instead of sending him, as he had proposed, to Harvard University, into a district which he considered infected with the worst of plagues, he determined to retain him under his own vigilant eye, at the loyal literary institution in his own city. This was a bitter disappointment to Herbert. "It is deused hard," he said to Jasper Meredith, who was just setting out for Cambridge to finish his collegiate career there, "that you, who have such a contempt for the Yankees, should go to live among them; when I, who love and honour them from the bottom of my heart, must stay here, play the good boy, and quietly submit to this most unseasonable paternal fiat." "No more of my contempt for the Yankees, Hal, an' thou lovest me,” replied Jasper; "you remember Æsop's advice to Croesus at the Persian court?" No, I am sure I do not. You have the most provoking way of resting the lever by which you bring out your own knowledge on your friend's ignorance." "Pardon me, Herbert; I was only going to remind you of the Phrygian sage's counsel to Croesus, to speak flattery at court, or hold his tongue. I assure you, that as long as I live among these soi-disant sovereigns, I shall conceal my spleen, if I do not get rid of it.” “Oh, you'll get rid of it. They need only to be seen at their homes to be admired and loved." " Loved!" "Yes, loved; to tell you the truth, Jasper,' Herbert's honest face reddened as he spoke, "it was something of this matter of loving that I have been trying for the last week to make up my mind to speak to you. You may think me fool, dunce, or what you please; but, mark me, I am serious-you remember Bessie Lee?” "Perfectly! I understand you-excellent !"— "Hear me out, and then laugh as much as you like. Eliot, Bessie's brother, will be your classmate- you will naturally be friends-for he is a first-rate-and you will naturally-"Fall in love with his pretty sister ?" "If not forewarned, you certainly would; for there is nothing like her this side heaven. But remember, Jasper, as you are my friend, remember, I look upon her as mine. 'I spoke first,' as the children say; I have loved Bessie ever since I lived at Westbrook." "Upon my soul, Herbert, you have woven a pretty bit of romance. This is the very youngest dream of love I ever heard of. Pray, how old were you when you went to live at farmer Lee's ?" "Eleven-Bessie was six. I stayed there two years; and last year, as you know, Bessie spent with us." "And she is now fairly entered upon her teens. You have nothing to fear from me, Herbert, depend on't. I never was particularly fond of children. There is not the slightest probability of my falling into an intimacy with your yeoman friend, or ever, in any stage of my existence, getting up a serious passion for a peasant girl. I have nò affinities for birds of the basse cour. My flight is more aspiring— birds of a feather flock together,' my dear fellow; and the lady of my love must be such a one as my lady aunts in England, and my eagle-eyed mother will not look down upon. So a truce to your fears, dear Herbert. Give me the letter you promised to your farmer, scholar, friend; and, rest assured, he never shall find out that I do not think him equal in blood and breeding to the King of England, as all these Yankees fancy themselves to be." Herbert gave the letter, but not with the |