The Heir Of Bendersleigh ; Or , The Freemason's Promise.

witli his other papers relating to his property . In a feivdays , if your convenience Avill permit , I shall beready to go over them ivith you . " " Bless my soul ! " said Sir . Eaker ; " well , I've long expected it . " " We had better take our leave here , " said Sir . Grainger . "Yes—of course—certainly , " replied Sir . Eaker . And the old man

ancl the young heir turned , and joined the party in the room . As it was conventional , Sir . Eaker put on a sorrowful air , and , like most actors , played his part in violation of the rules of nature . Already

had the news been whispered round , and sympathy ivas expressed by the assembled guests , and that solemn , unnatural—because unfelt—constrained and awkward , exhibition of a sudden depression of spirits in those who have just been gay , took place in the bearing of Mrs . Puffier Smirke , the old maid , and one of the cousins ; and those individuals , prominently displaying the dismals , of course inoculated' the whole party .

Mrs . William Chasey , therefore , ivisely originated a move , and the male portion of the party took leave ( the ladies having arranged to stay all night ) , and sought their several homes as best they could , not , however , before Harriet Slarshall and Henry Elliotson had ' found the means of renewing those expressions of devotion with which that day had for the first time made them both acquainted . ( To be continued . )

Current Literature.

CURRENT LITERATURE .

_ * "THE PRUDENT MAN . " * UNDI . R this attractive-title , a little book has been issued by Mr . William fridges , the . Secretary . of the Mitre Life Office , which is deserving of very careful and general perusal . The author is already favourably known to the public by his various works , and the mere mention of his name in connection with such a heading , will suggest tlie topic discussed in the volume before us . It is a popular sketch of the great

subject of assurance , and is calculated both to interest and instruct those vast multitudes who have neither the means nor the leisure required for the consultation of larger and more elaborate works . The author first addresses himself to the discussion of " The Extension of the Life Assurance Principle to sundry National and Social purposes . " This is a valuable chapter , setting fortli briefly , but yet forcibly , most of . the more potent reasons why every man , whatever his present position , should feel it his duty to avail himself of the multifarious advantages presented by the wondrous development of the assurance principle , called forth by the intellectual energy of the present

age . The subject is applied to some of tho various classes of society specifically , and the references to the duty of military men iii this respect have a touching and mournful significance at the present moment . In fact , the recent conflagrations at Memel and Newcastle , in addition to the havoc of war and pestilence in the East , have , by the vast destruction of life and property thereby occasioned , read a solemn and awful lesson to those who have not yet devoted themselves to the thoughtful consideration of this most momentous question . Enough is said in this brief chapter to convince the

most sceptical that the official calculations of the respectable offices are based upon facts which admit of no dispute— which may in all cases be infallibly relied onand this information , if candidly reflected on , will go far to remove from maiiy minds tlie remaining obstacles to that step which all are called upon to take as a solemn act of duty to themselves and connections . The next topic is the application of life assurance to the . industrial classes ; and here the author , while justly deprecating