Unveiled.

UNVEILED .

" Poor thing ! I do feel for her . Though she is a person I never saw , yet hers seems a case of such oppression on the one hand , and such patient suffering oh the other , that one cannot but "

" Oh , I dare say you'll see her in the morning , for she often steals out then , when the wretch , I suppose is in bed . " " But what could have induced a girl to tie herself to such a man 1 "

" Well I don't know—the old story , I suppose—false appearances ; for no girl in her senses would have married a man with his habits if she had known of them before-hand . " " There is sometimes a kind of

infatuation about women , I allow , which seems to blind them to the real character of the man they are in love with ; but in this case I don't think she could have known how he conducted himself , or she certainly would have paused in time . Oh , the wretch ! I

have no patience with him . " This little dialogue took place in one of those neat , bright , clean-windowed , gauzycurtained houses that form so many pretty districts within a walking distance of the mighty heart of the great metropolis , and between two ladies , the one mistress of the said nice-looking cottage villa , and the

other her guest—a country matron , who had just arrived on a visit to her town friend ; and the object of the commiseration of both was the occupant of a handsome villa directly opposite , but apparently the abode of great wretchedness . On the following morning Mrs . Barton

and her guest , Mrs . Kennedy , were at the window of tho parlour , which commanded a full view of the dwelling of the unhappy Mrs . Morton , when the hall-door was quietly opened , and as quietly shut again by the lady herself .

" There she is , poor thing ! " cried Mrs . Barton . " Only look how carefully and noiselessly she draws the gate after her . She seems always afraid that the slightest noise she makes , even in the street , may wake that fellow , who is now , I dare say , sleeping off the effects of last night ' s dissipation . "

Mrs . Kennedy , with all the gonial warmth of a truly womanly heart , looked over , and followed with her eyes , as far as the street allowed , this quiet-looking , broken-spirited wife , investing the whole figurefrom the newly-trimmed straw

, bonnet to the tips of the bright little boots , with a most intense and mysterious sympathy ; and then , fixing her anxious , interested gaze on the opposite house , she said : "And how do they live . How do

people under such circumstances pass the day 1 It is a thing I cannot comprehend , for , were Kennedy to act in such a way , T'ni sure T wouldn't endure it for n . week . "

" It does seem scarcely intelligible , ' answered Mrs . Barton ; " but I'll tell you how they appear to do . She gets up and has her breakfast by herself ; for , without any wish to pry , w e can see straight through their house from front to .

back-About this time she often comes out—I suppose to 2 ay a "visit or tAvo in the neighbourhood , or perhaps to call on her tradespeople ; and you will see her by-andby return , looking up , as she approaches , at the bedroom windowandif the blind

, , is drawn up > , she rushes in , thinking , I dare say , to herself , ' How angry he will be if he comes down and finds I am not there to give him his breakfast ! ' Sometimes he has his breakfast at twelve—or

one—or two ; and I have seen him sitting down to it when she was having her dinner !" " And when does he have his dinner ?' " Oh—his dinner ! I dare say that is a different sort of thing from hers , poor thing ! He dinesno doubtat a clubor

, , , with his boon companions , or anywhere , in fact , but at homo . " " And when does he come home generally 1 " " At aU hours . We hear him open the little gate with his key at threefour and

, five in the morning . Indeed , our milkman told Susan that he had seen hin sneaking in , pale , haggard , and worn out with his horrid vi gils , at the hour decent people are seated at breakfast . "

" I wonder if she waits up for Mm ? " " Oh , no ; for we see the light of her solitary candle in her room always as we are going to bed , and you may be sure my heart bleeds for her—poor solitary soul