in which Mrs Grinton and her family occupied an upper storey; and hence a slight degree of intimacy grew up between their children.

Little George Macqueen, on his first coming to Edinburgh, and being put to the school at which Charles Grinton was already placed, was much laughed at for his country manners and peculiar accent; but, luckily, he did not much regard the shouts or sneers of his companions. He was told frequently by his father and mother that he must soon depend on his own exertions, and that if he were scrupulously careful in acquiring all the useful knowledge he possibly could, both at school and from books, there would be no doubt of his gaining a respectable livelihood, and perhaps of advancing himself in the world. "Remember," would his mother sometimes say, "although we are poor, your grandfather was for seven-and-twenty years a respected elder of the kirk, and you are come of honest people. See that you do nothing to hurt the good name of the family."

Charles's

Admonitions such as these sunk to the bottom of George's heart. He pursued learning with avidity, and stored his mind with what might afterwards prove useful to him in life. As a humble acquaintance of Charles Grinton, he derived an advantage which could scarcely have been anticipated. father had left a tolerably good selection of books, and occasionally, by the permission of Mrs Grinton, one of these was lent to George Macqueen, a boon which was repaid by his assisting Charles in mastering his lessons at school. In this way our young hero read through the greater part of a voluminous Encyclopædia before he was fourteen years of age, and treasured up a mass of information on many useful subjects.

Now came the time for George doing something for himself. As the age of fourteen approached, the nature of his future employment was the cause of much cogitation. Applications were made to the heads of divers establishments, mechanical as well as mercantile; and at last an opening was found at Mr Cairnie's, a respectable dyework, where an apprentice was required. George at once prepared himself for entering the situation. The occupation of a dyer was not by any means cleanly, but that he did not mind. He wished to earn a wage, and when he carried home to his mother, at the end of the first week of his engagement, the sum of half-a-crown, the first money he had ever realised by his labour, there was not a happier boy betwixt the Castle Hill and Holyroodhouse.

It was some time before George was of much use to his em ployer, who, however, esteemed him for his diligence and trust worthiness. When put in charge of anything, he was conscien tiously careful of his trust; and when sent on errands, he exe cuted them with despatch and satisfaction; and nothing would tempt him to spend his master's time in his own gratifications. For all such excellent moral qualities, he was greatly indebted to

the advices and hints of his mother, a woman who well knew that her boy's means of living would depend on the manner in which he exerted himself. "If George be honest and steady," she would sometimes observe to her friends, "I do not fear for what may happen to him. He may never be anything else than a workman; but he may be as happy in that condition as in any other, provided he do his duty, and that I hope he always will; at least it shall not be my fault if he do Would that every boy in humble life had so good a

not."

mother!

Let us now leave George for a while, till we give a view of Charles Grinton's outset in life.

When Charles heard that his late schoolfellow, George Macqueen, was turned dyer, and that he was now seen going to and from his work with a coarse blue woollen apron, and that his hands and nails were as dark as indigo could make them, he thought he had done a low thing; though, as his parents were poor, he considered that hardly anything better could have been expected from him. From this time, therefore, a coolness sprung up between the two acquaintances; and as their walk in life was different, they forthwith had no communication with each other. The choice of a profession formed an exceedingly difficult matter of consideration for Charles. His mother frequently importuned him to settle upon some line of life; and at length he decided on becoming a bookseller, which he was informed was a genteel, easy profession. His mother, therefore, made interest with a gentleman in that business to take her son as a junior apprentice, and with him he was immediately installed behind the counter. A few days, however, saw the termination of Charles's career in this profession. He was disgusted with the duty of sweeping out the shop, a thing he had not calculated on, and so threw up his place, and came home once more to his mother. What was now to be done?

Another kind of shop business was thought of. He took a fancy to be an ironmonger, because ironmongers sold gunpowder, and clasp-knives, and other articles that boys are fond of; and also because ironmongers keep shop-porters, who do all the dirtiest and heaviest work. So he was placed with an ironmonger in the High Street, and here he seemed more inclined to remain. But, alas! here he also foundered on his pride or false shame. One day he was ordered by his master to carry home a frying-pan to the house of a customer in George's Square, an order which he could by no means shift from his shoulders, for the porter had gone to dinner; all the other lads were engaged; and there were strict injunctions given that the frying-pan should be home at the customer's by a certain hour now near at hand. Seeing there was no help for this misfortune, Charles plucked up courage, and tucked the culinary utensil under his arm; and to save the risk of meeting with any of his Lawn

and quitted it at the same time. He himself assured me of the relationship."

66

Sincerely do I wish you are not mistaken," said Mrs Ravenhurst."It would indeed be an unspeakable increase to my happiness to have my long-lost brother restored to us."

"Did he tell you the reasons for keeping us so long in ignorance of his existence, sir?" said Mr Ravenhurst, wishing to ascertain the truth of the stranger's statements.

"His adventures were romantic in the extreme, and having already given his sister cause to mourn his death, while every day the reality was so likely to occur in the chances of war, he was unwilling to give her the additional grief should he fall. That she was happily married to the man of her choice, he had heard, and he therefore determined to remain unknown till he had won the station and name for which he panted. You have seen, probably, the name of Colonel Hardy mentioned in the accounts of the late wars in India?"

"Frequently-one of the most gallant and fortunate officers in the service!" exclaimed the husband and wife in the same breath.

"Such was the name your brother assumed," said the stranger in an agitated tone. Just then the servant entered with lights. Both Mr and Mrs Ravenhurst started, and gazed earnestly at the stranger.

"Henry!" exclaimed the husband, hastening towards him. "My brother!" cried the lady, throwing her arms round his neck, and bursting into tears-but they were tears of joy. It was Colonel Hastings, once the deserter from St Helena-the sole survivor of the misguided party; and few can tell the agony of mind and the physical suffering he endured before he once more trod the pathway to honour.

GEORGE MACQUEEN.-A STORY.

NUMBER of years ago there lived a respectable widow lady in an old-fashioned court in the Lawnmarket of Edinburgh. Her name was Mrs Grinton. She was the widow of a magistrate in the town, and her means of subsistence were chiefly drawn from a moderate annuity settled on her for life. Fortunately, her family was not large, consisting of only a son and daughter, who engaged her attentions, and to whom she looked for comfort in her old age. Nothing particular marked the character of young Charles Grinton in his early years; but on his approaching the age at which it is usual to make choice of a profession, it was found that he was disinclined to settle steadily to any line of life. He was fond of trifling away his time on the Castle Hill, gazing at the soldiers on parade, or playing on the streets with any idle lads who were as inconsiderate as himself.

Among his various juvenile acquaintances, there was a boy, George Macqueen by name, whose character was really worthy of serving as an example. George was the son of persons in exceedingly humble circumstances. His father had been a gardener in the employment of a nobleman in Fife, and having been dismissed when past the prime of life, to make room for one who was younger, and more able to endure fatigue, he removed to Edinburgh, and gained a livelihood by dressing the flower-pots and small gardens of gentlemen's houses in the outskirts of the town. His residence was in the cellar floor of the same tenement

in which Mrs Grinton and her family occupied an upper storey; and hence a slight degree of intimacy grew up between their children.

Little George Macqueen, on his first coming to Edinburgh, and being put to the school at which Charles Grinton was already placed, was much laughed at for his country manners and peculiar accent; but, luckily, he did not much regard the shouts or sneers of his companions. He was told frequently by his father and mother that he must soon depend on his own exertions, and that if he were scrupulously careful in acquiring all the useful knowledge he possibly could, both at school and from books, there would be no doubt of his gaining a respectable livelihood, and perhaps of advancing himself in the world. "Remember," would his mother sometimes say, "although we are poor, your grandfather was for seven-and-twenty years a respected elder of the kirk, and you are come of honest people. See that you do nothing to hurt the good name of the family."

Charles's

Admonitions such as these sunk to the bottom of George's heart. He pursued learning with avidity, and stored his mind with what might afterwards prove useful to him in life. As a humble acquaintance of Charles Grinton, he derived an advantage which could scarcely have been anticipated. father had left a tolerably good selection of books, and occasionally, by the permission of Mrs Grinton, one of these was lent to George Macqueen, a boon which was repaid by his assisting Charles in mastering his lessons at school. In this way our young hero read through the greater part of a voluminous Encyclopædia before he was fourteen years of age, and treasured up a mass of information on many useful subjects.

Now came the time for George doing something for himself. As the age of fourteen approached, the nature of his future employment was the cause of much cogitation. Applications were made to the heads of divers establishments, mechanical as well as mercantile; and at last an opening was found at Mr Cairnie's, & respectable dyework, where an apprentice was required. George at once prepared himself for entering the situation. The occupation of a dyer was not by any means cleanly, but that he did not mind. He wished to earn a wage, and when he carried home to his mother, at the end of the first week of his engage ment, the sum of half-a-crown, the first money he had ever realised by his labour, there was not a happier boy betwixt the Castle Hill and Holyroodhouse.

It was some time before George was of much use to his em ployer, who, however, esteemed him for his diligence and trust worthiness. When put in charge of anything, he was conscientiously careful of his trust; and when sent on errands, he exe cuted them with despatch and satisfaction; and nothing would tempt him to spend his master's time in his own gratifications. For all such excellent moral qualities, he was greatly indebted to