An Old, Old Story.

Miss Margerison ' s old friend , Madame Diarmid , as they called her , said tlie next morning , " my mistress never spoke ano AA'ord , but Avas mighty silent ancl glumlike . "

What could it all moan 1 On Avhat a little often hang tho fate of an empire , the fortunes of a government , or the happiness of a family ! HOAV strange it seems to the philosopher to-day to note the little springs of human

action , and the petty differences Avhich often result in great consequences . If old Chancellor Oxenstoirn ' s adage is still true , "See Avith how little Avisdom the world is gOA'orncd , " what shall Ave say of that unwisdom by which our individual ancl domestic life are often marked and marred 1

It would be ludicrous , Avere it not so very serious , to remember on what insignificant trifles Ave make often , in our perversity to-day , to depend our family arrangements ancl our personal relationships , IIOAV caprice or ill -humour , IIOAV likes and

dislikes , fancies and prejudices hem us in on every side , ancl leave their tokens alike on our private engagements ancl our lifelong career . As a curious illustration of what I am laying downlet us take the

follow-, ing episode , ancl which , look at it in Avhatever light you may , is alike " bad form " and Avorse policy . Henry Maitland and Alice Vane are thrown , by some good fate , much together , ancl as a natural consequence , Avhen a

goodlooking young man ancl a better looking young woman consort a great deal , with the full leave and license of all , they begin to get , ( as his uncle in the navy observed , a gallant commander ) , " as good as spliced . " These two Avere always together , and

alwaystalkingofeachother , in fact , theworld , ( which meant their own little family circle , ) gave out that they Avere positively engaged —that the clay was fixed , the bridesmaids selected , and the dresses ordered . But old Mrs . Vane had a quarrel with old Mrs .

Maitland , and in consequence peace-loviii " Mr . Maitland had to wage a deadly warfare Avith good-natured Mr . Vane . The quarrel spread , the two families were brought into it , ancl at last it ended in Henry Maitland and Alice Vane " parting to meet no more . "

They were for a time broken-hearted but as all the world knoAvs—she married that rich Mr . Spooner , and he picked up a pretty heiress Avith . £ 40 , 000 . Well AVIIO can say that there is not compensation here 1 But Avho equally can lay down

what may have been the altered consequences to them , or how aftenvards , amid the prosperity of life , there may not have been for them many hours of secret sorrow and all OAving to the ill temper of two foolish old women , and tlie Aveakness of two

Aveak , unAvise old men 1 For let us bear in mind that we are all creatures of circumstance here . Like the beaver , we build our earthly habitations in Avhich we have to live , Avith the greatest circumspection , and then others destroy them Avith equal skill

and cleverness . We accommodate ourselves to many things which Ave do not like ; adversity gives us strange mates ancl stranger "bed-fellows" ( I use a Shakesporean figure of speech , Avhich I trust does not shock any one ) , but nevertheless the Avrong remains unaltered ancl unalterable .

Yes , it is a Avrong where Avithout any due cause , for insufficient motives , or on frivolous grounds—or mostly no grounds at all—the happiness of a life is wrecked , ancl AA'O have , as it Avere , to rebuild that castle of cards , Avhich , reared by us with

great assiduity has tumbled doAvn hi a moment , or to re-colour tho scene , so to say , with lights ancl shadoAVS , Avhich have faded out . But Avhat a digression I have made . I must " hark back . "

The morning brought no change in the position of affairs . Breakfast Avas eaten in comparative silence , and when , about 11 o ' clock , Miss Margerison returned from her matutinal communings Avith her cook , Lucy said to

herself , " UOAV for it , its going to begin ; and so I had better ' sit tight' ancl be ready to ' square up . ' " I will not actually aA'or that she uttered this remark in very words—she was too well brought up to do so ; but she thought it all , and perhaps a

good deal more , ancl like a true and trusty chronicler , I feel bound not only to record her utterances , but to pourtray her thoughts . Great privilege of an author ! "Lucy , " said Miss Margerison , after a short silence ancl a feAV " clicks " of her