ing her shadowy shroud over the forest; yet the stranger, as if entranced by some magic power, still laid absorbed in forgetfulness, beneath the branches of the beech.

Within a short distance of the place where he was sleeping, was situated a neat white cottage; its sole occupants were a brother and sister, who, whilst taking an evening's walk, were accidentally directed by the very spot where the stranger was reposing. They stopped with amazement, and cast at each other a glance of mute surprise, when they saw a person apparently of no ordinary rank, and totally unattended, lying in a death-like slumber in the most unfrequented part of the forest. The marble paleness of his cheek was tinged with a slight flush; a tear trembled like a dew drop upon his eyelid, and a locket of gold, upon the face of which was the resemblance of some lovely female, had fallen from his bosom, and lay on the sod beside him. The lady and her brother gazed upon the unknown for some time; from his looks, they judged that the hand of disease pressed heavily upon him, and the dews which were rapidly descending, would consequently be of detriment. From the immovable position in which he laid, and from the heaviness of his slumber, there appeared- no probability of his shortly awaking: they hesitated a moment to awake him for fear of intrusion, but feelings of kindness overcame this difficulty, and the brother stooping down by his side, gently shook the hand of the stranger. With a convulsive start he rose upon his feet; he looked at them for a mo

ment with an abstracted gaze of wonder, which was succeeded by a blush of pleasurable surprise that tinged his face and neck with the deepest carnation. In a moment, however, he recovered, and rendered the salutations of the evening with warm thanks for arousing him from his unwholesome couch. The young Mountaineer concluded an apology for his intrusion with a frank solicitation of his company home; the invitation was coupled with an air of candour and genuine hospitality, which in a moment won him, and he acceded to the offer without hesitation.

The trio of this strangely contracted acquaintance, walked slowly down the brook which skirted the path, and around a sudden bend of the mountain, came full in sight of the cottage. It was situated in a narrow opening which seemed to be an area of a few acres, entirely surrounded by the mountains; a massive crag rose perpendicularly at the back of the cottage, and seemed to form a support to its walls. A neat paling of white enclosed the green moss-covered yard, through which the clear fountain that skirted their path, flowed in all the sportiveness of mountain freedom. A large bell vine, intermatted with the branches of the wild grape, chequered the green latticed windows and white walls, and almost covered the roof of the cottage. A pack of beagles and stag-hounds met the party at the gate, and with loud baying, seemed to welcome the stranger's arrival.

When he had entered the door, he was surprised and interested with the view of romantic refinement

and rustic elegance which was presented: the massive anthers of a buck, the trophy of the chase, were suspended above the mantle piece; fowling pieces and game bags, fishing rods and tackle, were lying and hanging on hooks by the wall. A harp and violin, piano and music books were in the corner of the room, and upon the toilet table were drawing materials, sketches of views Magazines, and the last, novel of Scott.

He was welcomed into this sanctuary of peace and delight, by its kind occupants with a warmth of manner and apparently of feeling, which involuntarily placed him at his ease. There was a dash of romance in this strange meeting, a degree of elegance in the deportment of this interesting couple, which both surprised and delighted him. He gazed upon the young Mountaineer and his sister with unsated curiosity for some time after they had been seated, and was astonished at the remarkable resemblance of feature which they discovered: there was the same mild blue eye and transparent complexion, and the same expression in every lineament throughout. But he was more particularly struck with the appearance of the maiden, who seemed the fairy genius of this enchanting spot. She appeared of that superior class of the species, in the description of whom, feelings will unavoidably rise into enthusiasm, and language into extravagance; she was perfectly beautiful; a face of the richest carnation and white, mingled in most exact proportions, was shadowed by a dark mass of ringlets, which almost burst the snood that bound them. Her eye shone with all the brilliancy

1

of uncontrolled fancy and native genius, and her
form was of that exquisite lightness and symmetry,
which distinguishes the Nymphs of the mountains
from the more languid, voluptuous beauties of the
lowlands.

"Impassioned beauty on her young cheek glowed:
In a sweet tender smile her lips disclosed
The pearly teeth; her form was symmetry;
And tho' her voice oft sunk as with a sigh,

Love triumphed in her smile, and fond delicious eye."

But, the charms of person and the beauty of countenance are as evanescent and unsubstantial as the stalk and bloom of the tenderest plant; and it not unfrequently happens that the more brilliant and gorgeous are the dies of the flowret, the less lasting is its fragrance. Beauty alone is at best but unsatisfactory; the eye is easily satiated, and even the Venus de Medicis may be seen and contemplated without emotion: where the accomplishments of mind are wanting, the most enrapturing form is but as the costly casket, which, besides itself, presents naught but emptiness.

But, this was not the case with the Nymph, whom I have been faintly endeavouring to describe. To her charms of person, were superadded a seraphic mildness of disposition and most accomplished richness of mind; with talents of the finest order, she had been gifted with superior advantages of education. She was, however, a perfect child of nature and innocence; of the charms and sorrows of the world she had read in books; but of human nature, she judged alone by standards of excellence; for, she

thought all men like her brother, and all women like herself. Her parents had died when she was young, and her brother at a very early age became her sole guardian; to him, therefore, as to one common centre, were all her affections gathered, and in him were her ideas of perfection concentrated. Possessing an ample fortune, he had afforded her every indulgence of accomplishment and education; and had watched over her rapidly expanding genius with the most extatic solicitude. She had shortly before left the Boarding School, where she was educated, and with rapture had returned to the dear mountain scenes of her nativity, where she displayed to her adoring brother those jewels of richness and purity, those qualities of mind and person, which his tender care had so liberally bestowed. Common usage and consent had bestowed upon her the title of "The Rose of the Alleghany;" and never was compliment more appropriately given.

The melancholy stranger found himself insensibly attracted into admiration by the charms of his lovely hostess; in the conversation which was commenced, he related the manner in which he had strayed in his morning's walk, and concluded by expressing the delight which he felt at the interesting acquaintance to which it had given birth: the lady slightly blushed, and reciprocated the compliment with a tone and manner of the utmost ease and grace.

After the evening's repast had closed, the young Mountaineer, who had observed the extreme dejection and weight of care which bore upon the spirits of his guest, proposed to his sister that they should