was flattered with Judge Howard's kindness, yet would willingly relinquish all evidences of friendship or politeness, if they might only be obtained at such a price. This little circumstance rankled in mother's mind for days; she made it the occasion of insinuations most difficult to endure. Its effect upon me has not, I fear, been salutary. There is nothing more injurious to a sensitive mind than to restrain every gushing emotion, every warm sensibility. Lamartine truly says: 'All thoughts that we do not share, in time turn to sadness.' Ah! to the young heart, what a fearful foreboding of life's bitterness!

To-day I found Margaret in tears; the tokens of deep grief flowing from her ever-cheerful eyes. After much persuasion, I learned that mother had denied her an indulgence granted Elfie, and that this was frequently the case. This new tale of sorrow elicited the recital of many similar instances, trifling in themselves, yet calculated to crush the light-heartedness of childhood. I see my duty, now, clearly: if I can but brighten the life of this dear child, my endeavors will be well repaid. I told her how unhappy I often am, and was surprised how readily she understood and sympathized. My mind was determined, and my plans put in execution. I asked father if Maggie could occupy my room with me; and, receiving a ready assent, we moved her clothing and books to my apartment. I regard her in a new light. She will be a loving sister to me, and I will strive to fill for her a mother's longdesolate place. Many conversations have revealed to me the beautiful innocence of her character. Fair Margaret! in purity and transparency of principle, thou art indeed a pearl!

To-morrow we shall spend the day with Agnes, who leaves Kilvale the last of the week. She will go to Saratoga, and then to her home in New-York. I am willing to part with her, hoping the change may do her good.

I shall endeavor to write to you soon again: meanwhile, think often of your own

BERTHA ELLICOTT.

THE Oak of the forest: a glorious tree!
It planteth itself in the land of the free.
A sapling, it giveth a branch to the deer;

To ploughman, a plough; and to hunter, a spear.
It spreads a broad arm o'er the emigrant's home;
It elbows the sea into angry foam;

It turns to a harp, when the winter-wind strays;
It sings in the mill when the water-fall plays:
While the heart beats, our home it holds fast:
When that heart stops, 't is our coffin at last!
The oak,

The strong oak of the forest!

Where our flag, like a sea-eagle, bathes i' th' sun;
Where cordage holds fast, as though giants had spun;
There COMMERCE a broad oaken platform has laid:

There freedom commenced. there our heroes were made:

There HULL gave the old British Lion the slip:

There LAWRENCE cried out, 'Never give up the ship!'
While on an oak-plank his life-blood fell fast:

And when that heart stopped, 't was his coffin at last!

The oak,

The strong oak of the forest!

CHARLES EDWARDS.

HE was ushered to life in a comfortless cot,
That rose by the way-side, unsought and forgot:
It was not a glad home that, though humble, was dear;
It boasted no marks that affection can rear:

No curtain of vines, with its wealth of perfume,
Drooping over the lattice, and smiling in bloom;
No hearth of content, with its magical light,
Glowing softly on faces so happy and bright;
No hand aiding hand in a loving employ,
To receive and caress him, the poor Beggar-Boy.

II.

It was cold, it was cheerless - deserted and still,
With the breeze wailing round it, so mournful and chill;
Bending low the dank heads of the weeds growing tall
In noxious profusion, against the dark wall:

And stealing through crevices, marking with death
The brow of the mother, and chilling her breath.
No father bent over- - that father was dead!

No greeting was spoken-no welcome was said;
No heart felt a pleasure, or thrilled with a joy,
Or throbbed with a fondness for the poor Beggar-Boy.

III.

With life's failing strength was the infant caressed,
And warmed on the bosom it helplessly pressed:
The mother's pale lips breathed a prayer and a sigh;
She asked not to live, and she feared not to die:
Her steps had not wandered from virtue and truth,
And she cared not to live, though she died in her youth.
Her prayer was a mother's, and breathed from a soul
That was bursting the fetters of earthly control:

Her sigh was a mother's, that little of joy

Was he born to inherit - her poor Beggar-Boy!

IV.

Years passed, and he wandered - the motherless child :

No arm had befriended, no fortune had smiled:

But the mother had watched him—had bent from her joy,
To gladden the dreams of her heart-weary boy.
He slept: like a halo, the pale flaxen hair
Floated back from a forehead unclouded and fair;
The lashes drooped softly o'er eyes that were blue
As the glad sunny heavens they rivaled in hue:
No sorrow might reach him, nor evil destroy;
For DEATH had caressed him- -the poor Beggar-Boy!

The Fudge Papers:

BEING THE OBSERVATIONS ATOME AND ABROAD OF DIVERS MEMBERS OF THE FUDGE FAMILY

A BAD Conscience will make a man that bears it cruel to the beast that bears him. EVEN an honest dog will go out of his way for a good piece of meat.

OLD PROVERBS.

MR. BLIMMER does not feel altogether easy in his mind. At his last encounter, at a street-crossing, with JEMIMA, that young lady frowned upon him sharply. But it is not the frown that disturbs Mr. BLIMMER.

He has awkward recollections of a certain stout gentleman, carrying his arm in a sling, who was lost from the deck of a steamer, a great many months ago. To be sure, the court has declared that this old gentleman, and some fifty others, were burnt, or drowned, or crushed, quite accidentally; and that neither captain, or engineers, or company, are at all to be blamed for it.

Mr. BLIMMER is therefore not disturbed upon that score; nor, indeed, is any one else at present. People, (except those who wear deep mourning still, or who walk by twilight beside the tombs where rest the bodies of their drowned husbands, or sons,) think it all well enough; they have forgotten their sudden and eloquent indignation; the captain and engineers, for whom no names were too harsh, once, are driving their several trades: and that influential journal, which insisted that an example should be made, by severe punishment,' now enters such paragraphs as this: We understand that the popular and gentlemanly Captain late of the Eclipse, has taken charge of the new and elegant steamer Empire. We need not say that every attention will be paid to the comfort of his passengers, and we insure them a quick run.' Public indignation is very smart in the beginning; but very mild in the end. The prosecution of murderous captains ends like the Washington Monuments, and the Cooper Statue.

It may well be, however, that Mr. BLIMMER has a twinge of conscience, as he thinks of the important trust which the old gentleman, Mr. BODGERS, placed in his keeping; and, possibly, an additional twinge as his thought ran to the pretty face of the young girl, who, but for him, might have been rich. But straightway this twinge passes off, when he recalls the absolute and pointed manner in which Miss KITTY had refused to become Mrs. BLIMMER.

It does not dispose to the exercise of amiable qualities, to receive such rebuff from a woman; least of all, when the rebuff is deserved, and

A man

when the approaches have been made under some false cover. is never so out of humor, as when he is out of humor with himself; and there is no such guard to temper, even in adversity, as the consciousness of an honest purpose.

The thought of KITTY, then, did not relieve the uneasiness of Mr. BLIMMER moreover, Blimmersville was not making such advances toward a city, as the proprietor could have desired. Numerous lots of land had indeed passed into the QUID name, under mortgage to BLIMMER. But the advances were not large; and the residences, which the QUID family had proposed to erect on the property, were still very much in the condition of the Washington Monument, referred to above.

Mr. BLIMMER, in his enterprising way, determined to drive over to Newtown, and investigate matters. He had not, indeed, any very clear idea of what he was to accomplish. Still, he was uneasy; uneasy about the BODGERS will; uneasy about his private copy; uneasy about the QUID claims; uneasy about the Blimmersville payments. He was one of those men who work off uneasiness by restless activity.

He drove rapidly to Newtown. His horse received a great many vigorous cuts which the poor beast never deserved. Mr. BLIMMER was pleased with the appearance of Newtown. It seemed to possess capabilities. He inquired the price of lots. He was struck particularly with the BODGERS property. 'A nice property,' he thought; and he emphasized that impression with a forcible cut upon his horse's flank.

'Squire BIVINS had been the agent and legal adviser of Mr. BODGERS. Mr. BLIMMER determined to call upon 'Squire BIVINS. Miss MEHITABEL, hiding a portion of her nose behind two large bunches of lilac-blossoms, directed Mr. BLIMMER to the 'Squire's office. He was, as usual, sitting over the crusted ashes of his stove, in his leathern-backed chair. He welcomed the new-comer in his accustomed amiable manner; plaiting his wig behind, giving his lower garments a hitch toward the boots, and placing a short twist of Virginia-leaf upon the table, in token of good-feeling.

I am Mr. BLIMMER, of Blimmersville, office, corner of Broadway and Broome-street,' said the visitor.

Your most obedient, Sir,' said BIVINS, hitching a chair in his direction.

Nice village here, 'Squire.'

'Well, pretty fair.'

'Much sale of property?' pursued BLIMMER.

'Considerable,' said the 'Squire; observing his usual caution.

'Valuable estate, which old Mr. BODGERS left, was n't it, 'Squire?' 'Tolerable,' returned Mr. BIVINS, eyeing very closely his visitor; and recalling now, for the first time, the name of BLIMMER, as that of a fellow-passenger with his unfortunate townsman. He ventured to mention the circumstance; and thereupon received from Mr. BLIMMER that gentleman's accustomed rapid narrative of that catastrophe, of his own humane efforts, especially in behalf of that unfortunate old gentleman, Mr. BODGERS.

Mr. BIVINS' interest was keenly excited in the visit.

I think that you are an administrator on his estate?' said Mr BLIMMER.

'I am.'

'And what do you think of the claim brought forward by Mr. QUID, 'Squire ?'

If you ask,' said BIVINS, impressively, my legal opinion'

There was a pause, in the midst of which, Mr. BLIMMER drew from his pocket a small note, and slipped it upon the table of the administrator. The administrator, placing the tobacco-twist upon it, in such way as to expose plainly its denomination, proceeded :

If you ask my legal opinion, it is, that the above claim is very forcible.'

Oh!' said BLIMMER.

'Very forcible, indeed,' pursued BIVINS; 'So much so, that we have advised our clients to make terms with the claimants, and the estate is now under settlement, subject to those terms only.'

'It's very strange,' said BLIMMER,' that the old gentleman made no will.'

'Very,' said BIVINS, eyeing him sharply.

'Do you think he did make no will?' asked BLIMMER.

'I think he did.'

'You think he did?'

'Exactly,' said BIVINS.

'You think he did make no will?' repeated Mr. BLIMMER, somewhat doubtfully.

I think he did make a will,' said BIVINS, wrenching emphatically a small piece from the end of his Virginia-twist.

'Oh!" said BLIMMER; and it was in favor of —Mr. FUDGE, perhaps ; SOLOMON?'

Mr. BIVINS eyed his visitor in a very droll manner, and replied, in a quite unsatisfactory tone of voice, 'Perhaps so, Mr. BLIMMER.'

'I'll tell you what, BIVINS,' said the proprietor of Blimmersville, drawing up his chair, and patting his host in a familiar manner upon the knee, 'we may as well come to business at once. The long and short of the matter is this: QUID has bought rather largely in my lots at Blimmersville; and his pay depends very much upon his holding possession of the BODGERS property. Now I want to know' (and the man of business placed a note of much larger amount than the first upon the 'Squire's table,) 'what are the chances of his being ousted, and what ground there is for believing that, by-and-by, some other party will trump up a will?'

That's what I call to the p'int,' said BIVINS, regaling himself with a view of the pleasant-looking bank-note; and thereupon, he related to the attentive Mr. BLIMMER all that he knew of the claim of Mr. QUID, and of the will in favor of Miss FLEMING, which he had himself drawn up in behalf of the late Mr. BODGERS; which will, however, to the best of his knowledge, had never been signed. He farther stated, that he had already communicated these facts to Mr. QUID himself.

'You know the will was not signed?' said Mr. BLIMMER, inquiringly. 'I think it was never signed,' returned Mr. BIVINS.

'Mr. BODGERS was in the habit of doing such business at your office, I believe, Mr. BIVINS?' said the Blimmersville proprietor.