looked back with a sigh to her first experiment in housekeepingwhen, with her woman of all work, and Martha's little girl, everything went smoothly on in harmony and confidence. But this was a trifle compared to the apparent change in her husband's temper. From frank-hearted, open confidence in all around him, he began to be tenacious of civility; thought such a one looked coldly; it must be because they had not returned their call, or some other reason as important. Then he sometimes repeated his jests, which Jane felt

were sarcasms.

'How long it is,' said Jane one morning, 'since Uncle Joshua has been here!'

'I suppose,' said Frank, ‘he feels an awkwardness on account of our different rank in life.'

'O no; that is wholly unlike him. him to dine to-day?'

Suppose we send and ask

'Not to-day. I have invited Professor R― and Dr B. You know they are both intellectual men. He would not enjoy his dinner.'

'Besides,' said Jane, 'when he comes, we must let all the children dine at the table. We will ask him to-morrow, and appoint dinner at two.'

'With all my heart,' said Frank, as he went out to pay a visit to the market, followed by his servant with the market-basket.

Jane began her preparations for dinner. Her constant change of servants, and increasing trouble with them, often made this an arduous task. She was soon in the midst of glass and china; and, assisted by her chambermaid, began to lay the table. They had got it nearly completed, with its plates, wine-glasses, and tumblers all in a row, when she was alarmed by a loud ringing at the door. The chambermaid was despatched, with strict injunctions to let nobody in, but say she was not at home. There was evidently a parley, and the step of a person was heard approaching. With a sudden feeling of mortification at being caught, Jane rushed into the closet, and closed the door. The sound of Uncle Joshua's voice struck her ear as he entered.

'Are you sure she is not at home?' said he to the girl.

"O yes, sir; quite sure. I saw her put on her things and go out.' 'How long has she been gone?'

'Fully an hour,' said the girl; who, as these kind of people often do, overacted her part.

Then, probably, she will be back soon, and I will wait for her.' "O no, sir; she said she would not be back till near dinner-time.' 'Why, you look as if you were going to have a company of aldermen to dine.'

The girl answered in a simpering tone: 'No, sir; only two or three friends.'

Jane, during this conversation, felt a consternation that disabled

her from acting judiciously-which would have been to have come out from her hiding-place, and tell the simple truth. But she knew her uncle's straightforward mind, and she was sure he would not make the distinction which custom and fashion warrant of not at home, as meaning engaged. The girl, too, had so positively implicated her in a falsehood, had shewn so completely that she understood no qualification, that Jane felt the utmost horror at being detected. She actually looked out of the window, to see if there was no possibility of escape. In the meantime Uncle Joshua laid down his hat and cane, seated himself by the open window, and asked for a glass of water.

Jane at length came to the conclusion that she had better remain perfectly quiet; that his calls were never very long; and she would send for him the next day, and should escape all unpleasant feeling. To her dismay, however, she presently heard him call for the morning's paper. She knew he was one of those inveterate newspaper readers that go through the whole, and she tried to be resigned to at least an hour's imprisonment. Alas, what a situation! The dinner at a stand, the marketing would be back, and ducks and geese in waiting! At length, however, Uncle Joshua got to the end of the everlasting newspaper; and, as he folded it up, told the girl, who had entered the room every five minutes, to say to his niece that 'he was sorry not to see her, but could not wait any longer.' Then turning suddenly upon the closet door, he grasped the handle.

'Sir, sir!' exclaimed the girl, 'that is the wrong door.' It was too late. He had turned the lock, and the door came open! There stood Jane in one corner, not pale as a lily, but the colour of a fullblown peony. His surprise for a moment was extreme. But he was not slow of comprehension; and the truth rushed upon him greatly exaggerated; for he believed it was a contrivance to avoid seeing him. He stood silent, with his eye fixed upon her.

'Dear uncle,' said she, 'I thought it was a stranger. I did not know it was you when I ran into the closet.'

'Silence!' said he; 'no more falsehoods.-Begone!' turning to the chambermaid. 'And you have taught that poor, ignorant girl to peril her soul by falsehoods! Jane, Jane, I have loved you like my own child, but I shall trouble you no more. You shall not be obliged to send word to your old uncle that you are not at home.' And he turned to go.

'You must not go, my dear, dear uncle,' said Jane, throwing her arms round him. You must hear my explanation.'

'I tell you I will not be the cause of any more falsehoods.' 'And you will give me up? Your sister's only child, who was left an orphan to your care-whom you have carried in your armswhom you have held upon your knee-whom you have cherished in your bosom, when there was no other bosom to receive her!'

'Then,' said the old man in a faltering voice-' then you were my

comfort, my own true-hearted Jane. Then I had nothing but you to love; and now I have nothing-nothing.' And he threw himself upon a chair, and put his handkerchief to his eyes.

'My dear uncle, only hear me. I told the girl to say that I was not at home if anybody called.'

'And yet you were at home!' said he indignantly.

'But everybody says so; it is not any falsehood. It only means they are not at home to company. It is understood.'

"Understood they are hid in the closet!' His anger evidently began to yield, for he laughed out. O Jane, what a ridiculous figure you cut when I stumbled upon the wrong door! I am glad I did it; it is a good lesson for you.'

‘It is indeed, uncle. I promise you I will never say I am not at home again when I am.'

Cooped up,' continued he, again laughing, 'in one corner, like a mouse in a cheese; and there you had been shut up a whole hour, like a naughty child.'

'I shall blush to think of it as long as I live.'

'And so you ought-to tell a downright falsehood.'

'Dear uncle, nobody calls it a falsehood; it only means you are very busy, and cannot see company.'

Then why not say so at once? But the girl said you were out;

that you would not be home till near dinner.'

That was entirely her own addition. She had no right to say so; she was not told to say anything but that I was not at home.' "You allow, then, that she told an untruth?'

'Certainly I do.'

'Now tell me, Jane, if you think she thought it more of an untruth to say you were out, than that you were not at home? It is all the same thing.'

Jane found it was in vain to try to convince her uncle; and she only hung upon him, and begged of him to love her as he used to do. The old man could not long retain his resentment, and he said with a serious air: 'I willingly forgive you for your offence to me; but I am no priest: I cannot forgive your telling a falsehood. You must ask pardon of a higher Power.'

When he made a motion to go, Jane entreated him to stay to dinner. 'It is such a long walk,' said she; 'you must not go. We were going to send for you to-morrow. I shall not think you have forgiven me if you refuse.'

Uncle Joshua at length consented, and she felt as if a load were taken from her heart-for she loved him affectionately. She carried him into another room, got him all the newspapers she could collect, and went cheerfully on with her preparations. When Frank returned, he expressed his pleasure at seeing Uncle Joshua; for however unfashionable and inelegant he might deem him, he could not refuse him his tribute of respect. The guests were men of good sense and

intelligence; they were struck with the independence and originality of Uncle Joshua's character. He conversed without timidity or affectation, and felt no mortification at not knowing what never came within the sphere of his observation. All this Jane would have highly enjoyed, could she have spared any time from her dinner. The servant was a raw country lad, who required being told when to take a plate and where to put one. The boiled turkey was underdone, and the ducks overdone; the oyster-sauce spoiled before it reached the table; and by the time dinner was over, she looked as red as if she had been cooking it herself. When Jane rose to leave the table, her uncle said he would go with her to see the children. They repaired to the nursery, and found them with empty plates, greased to the ears, loudly vociferating for Sally, the chamber-maid, who was assisting below, to bring them more dinner. Jane at last succeeded in quieting them, and told her uncle that the nurserymaid left them the day before. The Misses Fulton, with one voice, said: 'Hurrah! it was a good day for them; for she was so cross, they hated her.' After Uncle Joshua had made his visit to them, he said: 'Now, Jane, I want to see you alone.' Jane led the way with fearful misgivings, for she saw a shade of melancholy on his countenance. My dear,' said he, 'sit down by me, and take everything kindly as I mean it. You know I first opposed your marriage, because I thought your husband could not make enough to support you; but afterwards I saw I was mistaken. I saw you not only comfortable, but possessing all that seemed necessary; for then you were moderate in your desires and expenses. I have since felt misgivings when I saw you increasing your manner of living. But I said, they know best their own means, and I believed that you were at least happier; but indeed, Jane, I must say I find it otherwise. When I last dined with you, your dinner was simple, and well cooked; your little, smiling children round you, well behaved, and patiently waiting for their turn to be helped. How was it to-day? A costly and more than abundant dinner spoiled in the cooking; a change of plates, knives, and forks, with difficulty to be procured; the children shut up in a chamber, noisy and half-fed; and their mother looking feverish, anxious, and unhappy, and unable to attend to the conversation at the table, hardly to give answers to her guests, so necessarily was she engrossed with the dinner.'

'O uncle, what a picture!'

'I daresay, Jane, you want to tell me everybody does so; but I know better than that. It is very well for people to live in what is called style, if they have all things in agreement-if they can afford to have the best of attendance, of cooks, &c. ; but there is no gentility in doing things by halves.'

'Indeed, uncle,' said Jane, rallying her spirits, 'we were very unfortunate to-day. Our servants are all bad. I hope to get better; and I have a very good nursery-governess engaged.'

A nursery-governess! Take care of your children yourself; don't make them over to a governess; and let them have their seats at your table. I feel indignation when I see these little men and women turned over to servants. And now, Jane,

know I have made this day an uncomfortable one for you; and God knows it has been so for me. I should be sorry if I had not meant, by all my advice, to do you the greatest kindness I have ever done you yet; and I close with one remark-that no style of living is good, or, to use your own phrase, genteel, that is not thorough, consistent, and well carried through. God bless you!' And he

hurried away.

A tribute of tears followed his departure. In the midst of them, Frank entered. His friends had taken their leave.

'What is the matter, Jane?' said he. 'Oh, I understand; Uncle Joshua has been reading you a lecture upon extravagance. I suppose he never saw such a dinner! He knows nothing of fashionable life; and I daresay he thinks we are on the road to ruin. Come, tell me what he said about it.'

'He said,' replied Jane sobbing, 'it was badly served and badly cooked.'

Frank looked rather crest-fallen. confess.'

'Extremely polite, I must

'It was all true,' said Jane. 'I am mortified about it.'

'Never mind,' said Frank; 'I told them what wretched servants we had.'

From this time Uncle Joshua's visits were less and less frequent; and even Jane began to think that it was hardly worth while for him to take the trouble of coming.

When the year was drawing to a close, Frank found, with some dismay, that instead of adding to his little capital, it was with difficulty that he could get through without diminishing it. This conviction harassed him, and he began to be anxious about the future. He could not conceal from himself that his business had decreased, probably by inattention. Still, Jane was his confidante, and to her he communicated his anxieties. She proposed that they should retrench their expenses. But, after various calculations, there seemed to be nothing they could give up, except what was too trifling to make any difference. As if domestic economy did not consist in trifles!

'At anyrate,' said Jane one day, with some twinges of conscience, we have made out much better than we had any right to expect, considering we had nothing to begin with. We have, till this year, always lived within our means.'

We must take great pains to shut our eyes upon truth. There is a radiance about it that makes the outline of its form perceptible, even amongst the clouds of dust and rubbish that are sometimes heaped upon it. Error does not so often arise from ignorance of