ciples-with the former, she could only learn accomplishments; and that weakly judging person encouraged her in habits of mind and character which would have filled both her father and mother with pain and apprehension.

Vanity was her ruling passion; and this her grandmother fostered by every means in her power. She gave her elegant dresses, and had her taught showy accomplishments. She delighted to hear her speak of herself, and boast of the compliments paid her on her beauty and her talents. She was even weak enough to admire the skilful falsehood with which she embellished every thing which she narrated: but this vicious propensity the old lady considered only as a proof of a lively fancy; and she congratulated herself on the consciousness how much more agreeable her fluent and inventive Annabel was, than the matter-of-fact girls with whom she associated. Bur while Annabel and her grandmother were on a visit at Burford's country-house, and while the parents were beholding with sorrow the conceit and flippancy of their only daughter, they were plunged at once into comparative poverty, by the ruin of some of Burford's correspondents abroad, and by the fraudulent conduct of a friend in whom he had trusted. In a few short weeks, therefore, the ruined grandmother and her adopted child together with the parents and their boys, were forced to seek an asylum in the heart of Wales, and live on the slender marriage settlement of Burford's amiable wife. For her every one felt, as it was thought that she had always discouraged that expensive style of living which had exposed her husband to envy, and its concomitant detractions, amongst those whose increase in wealth had not kept pace with his own. He had also carried his ambition so far, that he had even aspired to represent his native city in parliament; and, as he was a violent politician, some of the opposite party not only rejoiced in his downfall, but were ready to believe and to propagate that he had made a fraudulent bankruptcy in concert with his friend who had absconded, and that he had secured or conveyed away from his creditors money to a considerable amount. But the tale of calumny, which has no foundation in truth, cannot long retain its power to injure; and, in process of time, the feelings of the creditors in general were so completely changed towards Burford, that some of them who had been most decided against signing his certificate, were at length brought to confess that it was a matter for reconsideration. Therefore, when a distinguished friend of his father's, who had been strongly prejudiced against him at first, repented of his unjust credulity, and, in order to make him amends, offered him a share in his own business, all the creditors, except two of the principal ones, became willing to sign the certificate. Perhaps there is nothing so difficult to remove from some minds as suspicions of a derogatory nature; and the creditors in question were envious, worldly men, who piqued themselves on their shrewdness, could not brook the idea of being overreached, and were perhaps, not sorry that he whose prosperity had excited their jealousy, should now be humbled before them as a dependant and a suppliant. However, even they began to be tired at length of holding out against the opinion of so many; and Burford had the comfort of being informed, after he had been some months in Wales, that matters were in train to enable him to get into business again, with restored credit and renewed prospects.

"Then, who knows, Anna," said he to his wife, " but that in a few years I shall be able, by industry and economy, to pay all that I owe, both principal and interest ? for, till I have done so I shall not be really happy; and then poverty will be robbed of its sting." -" Not only so," she replied,"we could never have given our children a better inheritance than this proof of their father's strict integrity; and, surely, my dear husband, a blessing will attend thy labours and intentions," --" I humbly trust that it will."-" Yes," she continued; " our change of fortune has humbled our pride of heart, and the cry of our contrition and humility has not ascended in vain."-" Our pride of heart!" replied Burford, tenderly embracing her; "it was I, I alone, who deserved chastisement, and I cannot bear to hear thee blame thyself; but it is like thee, Anna,--thou art ever kind, ever generous; however, as I like to be obliged to thee, I am contented that thou shouldst talk of our pride and our chastisement." While these hopes were uppermost in the minds of this amiable couple, and were cheering the weak mind of Burford's mother, which, as it had been foolishly elated by prosperity, was now as improperly depressed by adversity, Annabel had been passing several months at the house of a school-fellow some miles from her father's dwelling. The vain girl had felt the deepest mortification at this blight to her worldly prospects, and bitterly lamented being no longer able to talk of her grandmother's villa and carriages, and her father's hothouses and grounds; nor could she help repining at the loss of those indulgences to which she had been accustomed. She was therefore delighted to leave home on a visit, and very sorry when unexpected circumstances in her friend's family obliged her to return sooner than she intended. She was compelled also to return by herself in a public coach, a great mortification to her still existing pride; but she had now no pretensions to travel otherwise, and found it necessary to submit to circumstances. In the coach were one young man and two elderly ones; and her companions seemed so willing to pay her attention, and make her journey pleasant to her, that Annabel, who always believed herself an object of admiration, was soon convinced that she had made a conquest of the youth, and that the others thought her a very sweet creature. She therefore, gave way to all her loquacious vivacity; she hummed tunes in order to show that she could sing; she took out her pencil and sketched wherever they stopped to change horses, and talked of her own boudoir, her own maid, and all the past glories of her state, as if they still existed. In short, she tried to impress her companions with a high idea of her consequence, and as if unusual and unexpected circumstances had led her to travel incog., while she put in force all her attractions against their poor condemned hearts. What an odious thing is a coquette of sixteen ! and such was Annabel Burford. Certain it is, that she became an object of great attention to the gentlemen with her, but of admiration, probably, to the young man alone, who, in her youthful beauty, might possibly overlook her obvious defects. During the journey, one of the elderly gentlemen opened a basket which stood near him, containing some fine hothouse grapes and flowers. "There, young lady," said he to her, " did you ever see such fruit as this before?" "Oh dear, yes, in my papa's grapery." "Indeed! but did you ever see such fine flowers ?" "Oh dear, yes, in papa's succession-houses. There is nothing, I assure you, of that sort," she added, drawing up her head with a look of ineffable conceit, "that I am not accustomed to:"-condescending, however, at the same time, to eat some of the grapes, and accept some of the flowers.

It was natural that her companions should now be very desirous of finding out what princess in disguise was deigning to travel in a manner so unworthy of her; and when they stopped within a few miles of her home, one of the gentlemen, having discovered that she was known to a passenger on the top of the coach, who was about to leave it, got out, and privately asked him who she was. "Burford! Burford!" cried he, when he heard the answer; "what! the daughter of Burford the bankrupt ?"-" Yes, the same." - With a frowning brow he re-entered the coach, and, when seated, whispered the old gentleman next him; and both of them, having exchanged glances of sarcastic and indignant meaning, looked at Annabel with great significance. Nor was it long before she observed a marked change in their manner towards her. They answered her with abruptness, and even with reluctance; till, at length, the one who had interrogated her acquaintance on the coach said, in a sarcastic tone, " I conclude that you were speaking just now, young lady, of the fine things which were once yours. You have no graperies and successionhouses now, I take it." " Dear me! why not, sir?" replied the conscious girl, in a trembling voice." Why not? Why, excuse my freedom, but are you not the daughter of Mr. Burford the bankrupt?" Never was child more tempted to deny her parentage than Annabel was; but, though with great reluctance, she faltered out, " Yes; and