Relief.

"But you did at one time like to live in your native land , " I said ; " why did you go in the first place to the East Indies , uncle ?" " To trade , " said he ; " to buy and sell

and get gain . That is Avhat the AA-orld lives for . Gold is the lever that moves the world . " " True , " I said ; "but you have Avon gold ; you are what the Avorld calls rich : are you happy ? "

His brow contracted . " Happier than I should have been Avithout Avealth . I presume , " said he . " But perfect happiness is not the lot of man . " " You never had a famil y , uncle , " I continued ; "you have lived alone all your

life . AVhy did you never marry ? Did you never love 1 " A deeper shadow stole to Ids cheek ; I saw that I had touched upon a tender point . He did not reply immediately , but sat , I imagined , half moodily before the fire

, as still as a statue . At length he turned abruptly toAvards me . " Yes , I have Wed , " he said , " but it A ^ as long years ago . The romance of life is over Avith me now . 'The flame has gone out that passion kindled ; there can scarcely be found one smouldering ember that has survived the wrecks of time and its accompanvinff SOITOAVS . "

"Tell me all about it , uncle , " I said anxiousl y ; " when was it that you found your beau ideal , —where did you meet with her ? In America or in the East Indies ?" "It was long years ago" he said"long

, , before I went to the East Indies , that I first met Adelaide Sullivan . " "AA as she very beautiful , uncle ? " T . queried . " Had she blue eye ? , a Grecian nose , and delicate features ? Was she A'erv lovely ?"

"To me , " he replied , " she was as beautiful as an angel , although perhaps you might not at first sight have termed her very fair . _ She had eyes as blue as the violets which opened in the spring woods , lips and cheeks that mi ght have stolen

colours from the rosebud , and a forehead white as snow . But beautiful as she was in person , she Avas more attractive in mind . She had Avit , sprightliness , intelligence . She was gentle and refined . To me she appeared , in those clays , of all her sex the paragon . "

"And still you did not marry her , " I said ; " why Avas this ?" " Mercenary parents stood in the Avay , — parents who said that something more than love was Avanted to commence

housekeeping upon , —parents who frowned upon my schemes , until , in a fit of passion , I vowed to amass gold until their cupidity Avas satisfied ; and Avith this vow upon my lips , I bade adieu to Adelaide , and sailed for the Indies . For long years I

toiled unsuccessfully . My head grew gray with time , thought and care . At length the news reached me of Adelaide ' s marriage . From that hour I relinquished all ideas of ever jiossessing a home of my OAVU , —of forming the centre of a domestic circle .

I amassed gold , for acquisition had grown into a passion , —a habit Avith me , and it is a passion Avith me still . Just now I was planning the sale of some ten-acre lots on my plantation . There was not much romance about that operation , you will admit . "

" No , " I said , thoughtfully . " But what of Adelaide ? do you know anything of her noAv ? Have you ever found her since your return to your native land ?" "No , not I . AVhy should I ? She is the Avife of anotherand has forgotten me .

, At any rate , she has no business remembering me ; a pretty chap I should consider myself , looking up married Avomen , and reviving old flames . No , no ! " and my uncle shook his head decidedly . Just then a rough blast shook the

casements ; the day was , in truth , a most inclement one . The Avind not only shook the casements , but forced open the door . My uncle jumped to his feet , and sprang to close it immediatel y ; but he did not accomplish his design . A Aveak voice

arrested his hand . The figure of a pale and half-frozen child stood upon the doorsteps , as if hesitating Avhether a welcome waited for him inside or not .

" Come in , boy , come in ! " said my uncle , hastily ; " a dog should not be abroad iu such weather , much loss a delicate child . Come in , and thaw out your stiffened fingers , dear . " The boy mounted the thresholdand

, tottered towards the lire . He Avas very Aveak ; it might be through hunger , it might be through cold , perhaps from both combined . I rose and offered him alow chair by the