entertain him with a concert; she assented with readiness, and the eye and face of the stranger became rapidly illuminated as the harp and violin burst into a symphony with the most exact and delightful union. As the performers became animated, the strain became "wild, potent and grand."

"The song of love,

The praise of hearts that scorn the world's control,
Disdaining all but love's delicious bond,

The chain of gold and flowers, the tie of soul,"

was succeeded by the deep full tones of the grand march, named from the father of America.

Amongst a great variety of airs, there was one song which struck deep upon the stranger's heart; it was associated with the melancholy fate of its author, and the sentiment was completely in accordance with the situation and characters before him. It was the "Braes o' Balquhither," by Tannahill,* Scotia's highly gifted son of song, the neglected child of genius, and the hapless victim of melancholy. The song thus commenced :

"Let us go, lassie, go,

To the Braes o' Balquhither,
Where the blaeberries grow

'Mang the bonnie highland heather."

As these opening strains slowly vibrated from the lips of Rosalie and were echoed by the soft swell

*Note.-Robert Tannahill, a poet of the most exquisite fancy, the only one of Caledonia's bards whose verses can compare with Burns, was left to pine in a state of dependent poverty, and in a fit of melancholy at the age of twentyfive drowned himself in Loch Lomond, See M'Bannack's Scotch Poets, page 156. P. D.

of the harp, the stranger found his senses wrapt as by some magic charm; and with breathless rapture he caught the air as in the following words, it rose to the boldest swell of melody.

"Where the deer and the roe,
Lightly bounding together,
Sport the lang simmer day,

On the Braes o' Balquhither."

"I will twine thee a bower,

By the clear siller fountain,
And I'll cover it o'er

Wi' the flo'ers o' the mountain."

"I'll climb through the wilds

And the steep glens sae dreary,

And return wi' their spoils

To the bower of my dearie."

The stranger was almost frenzied with extacy as the song concluded, with the last exquisite couplet; and even after he had retired to rest, the magic sounds thrilled through his senses, and the image of the lovely songstress, like a ray of light, served to chase away that black mass of thought, against which his feelings had so long been struggling. He was aroused after some hours of delightful slumber, by the loud baying of stag hounds and the inspiring notes of a bugle, which swelled the mountain echoes almost to bursting. The first gleams of day-light were breaking over the crag, and the air was rendered delightfully cool by a morning breeze. A loud halloo from the young Mountaineer, with arother martial burst from the bugle, roused the pulse's throb in the stranger's heart; he was not yet enfeebled to

any great degree by his disease, and with tolerably active haste he threw on his clothes, and joined his host, who was starting upon a deer drive. Being an unexpected accession to the sport, the stranger was greeted with a cheering salutation by the young Mountaineer; a gun was furnished him, and the drivers with the hounds having ascended the mountain, the two acquaintances pursued the path along the base till they arrived at the gap or thoroughfare, through which the deer was expected to pass. Here the young forester gave his guest a stand at some distance above himself in the gap, thereby extending to him the huntsman's courtesy of the first shot.

The drive had been commenced; the long drawn cry of the hounds and the shouts of the deer-stalkers, had announced that a deer was aroused from its lair ; and in a few moments the breaking of the undergrowth preceded the appearance of a large stag, who dashed with the swiftness of the wind, down the ravine, and close by the spot where the stranger had been stationed: with all the ardour of an inexperienced marksman, he fired at the animal as soon as it appeared, and had the extreme gratification of seeing his shot take effect; for, the wounded deer after bounding a few steps in the convulsions of death fell lifeless at his feet.

The report of his piece, and the loud shout which in his triumph escaped him, echoing through the crag caught the ears of the hunting party, and he was immediately joined by his host and the drivers. was highly complimented by the young Mountaineer for his dexterity in wood-craft; but, as there is

He

a prejudice generally existing among the mountain marksmen against the skill of all others, the deer was critically examined by the drivers. However, they could find no fault; the shot was to the centre, and the saddle and hams, (the grand desideratum of a deer-stalker,) were untouched; the rude sons of the mountain were astonished, and involuntarily expressed a deep sense of respect for the stranger's skill, which in reality was as much the result of accident as otherwise. The deer being placed under the care of a servant, on a horse, the party separated, and the young Mountaineer with his guest returned to the cottage. The blooming "Rose" was awaiting their return, and a repast of a nature to have excited zest in an epicure, but now rendered doubly delightful by a keen appetite, was smoking on the board. The stranger began to find himself already at perfect ease, and he even let fly a jest upon the astonishment expressed by the drivers at his marksmanship; the young Mountaineer and his sister were highly gratified at the rapid change which was already perceptible in their guest's deportment; their sympathies at first meeting with him, were aroused at beholding the deadening sorrow which seemed to have almost overwhelmed him, and were pleased at the success which was crowning their efforts for its removal.

A sense of duty impelled the stranger after breakfast, to propose his return to the watering place; but his determination was strenuously opposed by the young Mountaineer. He told the stranger very frankly, that his own feelings of friendship towards

him were powerfully excited; that he noticed his extreme debility, and was confident that he derived no benefit from the water at the Springs, and that he had meditated giving him another specimen of mountain sport upon the next day, by a trout fishing. His arguments were enforced by the mild tones of his sister, and the stranger who in reality was inwardly pleased at the idea, consented without much difficulty to remain a few days longer. The time rapidly passed away with music and conversation; the stranger, if pleased with his acquaintances the evening previous, when labouring under depressions of spirit, and the diffidence resulting from his strange situation, was now enraptured with their easy and accomplished deportment and conversation, which seemed to become more and more improved and interesting with the length of his stay. His spirits rose and his cheek glowed with a mild ray of pleasure, as he was once more enabled to enter into the feelings and enjoyments of his species; and he again felt as if the world could afford some happiness.

Rosalie and her brother Edward, with the stranger, were, in the evening of his first day's stay, sitting in a little summer-house in front of the cottage; the limpid mountain-brook flowed through its centre, and the leaves of a vine, which covered the slight walls of the arbour, completely interrupted the rays of the sun. They had sat, for some time, amusing each other with remarks upon general subjects, until at last the young Mountaineer proposed that he should read to his guest a manuscript, which he assured him, contained some merit of description and