On the Sunday previous to the commencement of the hop-harvest, droves of people passed along the lane in front of Mr. Dalben's house. It was impossible not to be amused with the various groups, although the language which was uttered was often far from agreeable; and Thomas and Lion were obliged to be on the alert all day, to protect Mr. Dalben's pears, apples, and plumbs, from the marauders which surrounded them.

Each party had one or more horses with it, and sometimes two or three women were mounted on the back of the same beast-girls and women, and the lesser boys-laughing and singing, and calling to those who were lagging behind. These parties were so frequent during the morning and afternoon, that it was dangerous to leave the house, or rather the garden; but late in the evening, when it was supposed they were all passed, Maurice came running to Henry, to say that there was a poor family going by, and that the woman seemed ready to faint, having carried an infant a long way.

Henry immediately ran out, and saw an interesting group of very decent persons sitting under the hedge; there was the father, holding a child of two years of age; a mother, with an infant, and three or four larger children. The

poor woman seemed indeed ready to faint, and the man asked humbly for a little beer for his wife.

"Would she like tea better?" asked Henry.

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Indeed, indeed, I should, master,” replied the poor creature; but I could not have asked such a favour."

"Sit where you are," said Henry, “and you shall have it in a minute-have you far to go?" "Only to one farmer James's," replied the poor man.

"What, squire Hargrave's bailiff?" remarked Thomas, who had joined the party in the lane; "then you have three good miles to walk."

66 As many hundred miles to me, just now," said the poor woman; "and to the children, nearly as much."

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'You should not travel on a Sunday," remarked Thomas; "there never comes no good of working on the Lord's day."

"but we

"We knows it," replied the man; could not help it; we is not our own masters.'

In a few minutes Henry appeared again, carrying a huge pitcher of tea, a mug, and various thick slices of bread-and-butter, and enjoyed no small delight in seeing the poor family refreshing themselves. I shall not repeat all the blessings they poured upon him, nor the de

light the little children expressed when he gave

each of them a penny

book.

"If that a'ant pretty," said the man, when he had passed on a little way down the lane with his wife. "If that a'ant the very kindest young gentleman that ever I clapped my eyes on, my name is not John Brady."

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And

He came upon us like the angel in the desert," replied the wife; "I shall never forget him, if I live to be a hundred; but God is good, who sends relief in the time of trouble. now, mind me, children, give your father them books, and let them be put by for our winter evenings. They must be kept as long as you live, in remembrance of that dear young gentleman." And thus ended that adventure. Neither did Henry speak of it to any one who had not witnessed it; for when people talk much of their charities, it is a sign that they are rare things with them.

CHAP. XVII.

The Worcestershire Beacon.

A VARIETY of events took place the day following the Sunday above mentioned, or rather notices of events; for a letter from Mrs. Bonville, sent by the hand of a footman in livery, announced the arrival of the Earl of L, at Malvern, inclosed in a note from Lady L————, expressing a wish to see Edgar at Malvern, and by another messenger came another note from Mr. Hargrave, saying, "That he expected Dr. and Mrs. Matthews, who were passing on to Cheltenham, to dine with him the next Thursday, begging that Mr. Milner might meet them, his old master having expressed a wish to that effect."

Mr. Dalben thought it would be unkind to decline this invitation for Henry; and as Edgar was also invited, it was agreed that on the

Thursday morning, the young men should go to Malvern, when Edgar should call on the Earl's family, and from thence they should return by Mr. Hargrave's, which was full one mile nearer to Malvern than Mr. Dalben's.

Accordingly, on the Thursday morning, the two young men set out, Henry being pleased with the prospect of seeing his old master, although he would rather have met him any where else than at the Hargraves. But the day was fine, the country in its highest beauty, and all was gay and cheerful around him.

As he walked with Edgar, where often he had walked with his uncle in the days of his early youth, a thousand old remembrances returned to his mind; and there was not a clump of trees, a cottage, a rivulet, a meadow, or a down, which did not afford him some subject of discourse.

<< There, in that shadowy spot we found the first caltha palustris I ever saw, Edgar," he said; I have it now in my hortus siccus, with the date under it."

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Prodigious!" exclaimed Edgar.

"Well-but it really was a memorable event to me," replied Henry, "and I will tell you wherefore my uncle took that occasion to ex