surely there are no kitchens equal to those of Yorkshire, especially in the houses of the middle classes, for a cheerful bright-looking cleanliness, combined with comfort of the most substantial kind. The well-flagged floor, scoured with white or slightly yellow stone; the dresser and tables brushed daily with sand and soap till they are whiter than the floor; the cushioned rocking chair, whether there are children to be rocked or not, usually occupying some snug corner; the black bright grate, and still brighter fire-irons, and the polished tins upon the wall, present a picture truly pleasant to look upon. And Nelly's kitchen was indeed a pleasant sight of an evening when she was "cleaned up" and sitting at her sewing, or labouriously writing out the copy Miss Lister had set her. Perhaps it might have made a difference had there been half-a-dozen children in the house, but I feel sure a whole dozen of them could not have transformed Nelly into a slatternly or untidy girl. True there was occasionally an evening visitor in the form of a good-looking young man, who was allowed by Mrs. Lister to see Nelly there once a week on condition that he always took his departure before ten o'clock. Perhaps this was an additional inducement to Nelly to keep the kitchen as nice as possible, especially on that particular evening of the week devoted to his entertainment. But I often thought "Thomas," as she called him, was a most fortunate young man to have such a wife in prospect. Oh, that men should put an enemy in Their mouths, to steal away their brains; that we B SHAKESPERE. EFORE Frank Hamer's return home let me beg my readers to take a look at him among his college friends. It was, as I have said, the week before Christmas. In one of the largest taverns of the old city of Edinburgh, on a certain evening of that week, were assembled several students of the University, together with some other young "gents," characteristically so designated. It was plainly some festive occasion on which they had met. A large table was laid out for supper, in the best style, not lacking an abundance of tumblers and wine-glasses destined to be often filled and drained that night by the gay youths gathered there. They had engaged a spacious and handsome room for the occasion, and those already assembled F were lounging about on the sofas or promenading the apartment in very "fast" fashion. "I wonder" said a youth who made himself conspicuous by means of a collar in the Byron style, rather a daring thing at that day-"I wonder if that proud Hamer will join us this evening." said a handsome "I know Frank "If he promised, he'll come," slightly wild-looking young man. Hamer better than most people. He and I are of the same county you know, in fact, we are near neighbours. He is proud certainly, and yet—” "And yet," chimed in another speaker, "it is strange he should be so intimate with that young what do you call him?-Lister-is'nt it now ?" 66 "Well," said he of the Byron collar, "Lister is a very respectable fellow. He has a capital prospect at Armstrong's I can tell you. They say he is a most valuable clerk'." "Nay, he's something better than a clerk," put in another voice. "Respectable! yes he's respectable enough," sneered the wild-looking one; far too respectable to be a pleasant companion you would think; but he is to be Frank's brother-in-law, and a very pretty wife Hamer will have, if she has not run off in her good looks since I saw her." "Ah!" exclaimed the Byronic youth, "Frank may well be so fond of him! I'll wager anything it's that Lister then that keeps him so much afraid of a glass. Lister you know is a temperance man. But is it a fact that Hamer is going to throw his money away on a portionless girl ?” "I can only tell you," answered the youth that claimed neighbourhood with Frank, "that they have been engaged almost ever since they were children. I wish I could step into Frank's shoes!" The last speaker was a young man named Mills who was, as he stated, a resident in the same locality as Frank. His father was a wealthy landholder in the vicinity of Newburn, and prided himself upon keeping up, in these, (as he called them) degenerate times, the character of a "good old English gentleman" of the true stamp and metal. Of course, unbounded hospitality was one of the principal means of maintaining his popularity, and, of course also, he would have regarded any person as insane who should have argued for the possibility of being hospitable without an abundant supply at all times and seasons, of every kind of intoxicating drink. Whether he entertained his friends or treated his dependants, Mr. Mills evidently took it for granted that the best test of a good and genial host lay in his willingness to furnish the means of "jovial enjoyment" to the full extent of every one's desire. Runley House, the residence of this jolly and really kind-hearted country gentleman was about two miles from Fairfield, and Mr. Mills was well known to most of the Newburn people. He was exceedingly generous, and was universally liked by all classes. But at the time to which my story now refers, a feeling of pity was sure to be excited by the mention of his name, for domestic sorrows had come thick and fast upon his splendid home, and these sorrows were almost entirely traceable to the agent, which in humble households also, is too often the producer of grief and misery-strong drink. His sons, four in all, though liberally educated, and commanding all the advantages wealth could give, had formed low and degrading companionships, and with the exception of the youngest, Harry, whom I have just introduced to the reader, had become dreadfully intemperate and were alternately turning their father's house into a scene of lawless revelry, or wandering about the country, giving way to every kind of excess, and disgracing the name they bore.. Mrs. Mills died when her youngest child, a daughter, was but a few years old. The little girl, whose name was Ellen, was therefore sent early to a fashionable boarding-school where she received such care and education as money could purchase, and where she was at least free from the vulgar and degrading associations that would have surrounded her at home through the character and conduct of her brothers. Harry, who was fast falling into the same low habits as the other sons, was sent to Edinburgh by his father in the hope of preserving him from the evils which had |