The Maruqis And The Mason's Widow.

" Military business , my Lord : so she says . " " I cannot see her , be her errand what it may . " " I told her so , my Lord , but she will take no denial . " " Remove her gently—understand me—gently ; let no force be used—but remove her . "

" No force , ray Lord , did you say ?' " None , none , " returned the Noble , decisively . " I must tell your Lordship , then , that she says she will never leave the hall till she's carried ; and —and , my Lord , I believe she means to keep her

word . " A scuffle , more hubbub , and then a faint shriek in the outer apartment , seemed to confirm the man's assertion . " The shortest Way to end this business , " said

Lord Moira , kindly , " will be for me to see this poor creature at once . Let her enter . " It Avas with a boAV , respectful but reluctant , that the servant disappeared to obey his lord ' s orders . An order , " Eject her at all risks , " would have

been evidently more agreeable . A pale , haggard , Avild-looking woman—no longer young , but who must in early life have been singularly handsome—staggered in , and after a lowly reverence to ail present , at once singled out Lord Moira , and advancing towards him , said , in a plaintive , winning voice :

" Forgive me , my Lord , for being so bold , so very bold ; 'tis distress that makes me so ; but to whom should those who are in deep trouble flee but to such as your Lordship ? Yes ! such as your Lordship , who have the power with one word

to right them !" " What may you want from me ? " said the Earl , coldly . "Your good word—nothing- else—your good word—that will be all sufficient . I ' m a widow ,

left with four sons ; the eldest is an idiot ; the two youugest can't earn their own bread ; bat the second , as steady and good a lad as ever lived , Avho has kept a home over our heads , and wrought day and night for us , is draAvn for a soldier—for a

soldier—and his leaving us will be our ruin . " " I canuofc help you , " was the Earl ' s rejoinder ; " if your son has been regularly balloted for and drawn in the militia , he must serve . " The poor mother listened eagerly to the Noble's

answer , and wrung her hands piteously at its close . "One word , " said she , hoarsely ; " one word

from a great man like you would get him off . He ' s not fit for a soldier . He' d work and toil for eve r for his poor mother , but as for soldiering—" " Whether fitted or unfitted for military life , if regularly drawn , he must serve , " said his

Lordship , decisively . "Serve ! " exclaimed the poor woman , bitterly and vehemently , as if her grief was getting the better of both reason and prudence . " Yes that ' s the word — ' serve . ' My three brothers did so , ancl fell on

the field of battle , My father did so , and his bones lie in the sands of Egypt . My husband did so , and fell in action at Corunna . Woe ! woe ! that a soldier ' s orphan and a soldier's widow can't get a living soul to help her in deep distress . "

"A soldier ' s widow , eh ? " said his Lordship , musingly , " What Avas your husband's name ?" " Isaac Wardroper . " " Did he ever serve in the 63 rd ?" " He did , and volunteered out of it for foreign seivice . "

"The 63 rd ! I should know something about that regiment ! " returned his Lordship , quickly . "I had . a company in it ! " Then , in more measured tones— " I think I recollect your husband—what Avas his rank ?"

" Pay corporal , " was the reply . " Right , " said his Lordship , " I remember him , a steady , well-conducted man . " Then , turning to a party who sat near him , a pinched , screwylooking body , with not an atom of feeling in his

harsh , wiry countenance ( the veriest tyro in physiognomy would have .. pronounced him a full-blown attorney ) , he said , in a IOAV tone : " What would a substitute cost—ten , fifteen , or twenty pounds ?" Old Capias vouchsafed no reply , but motioned

Avith emphatic gesture to the parchment lying before him , and then fixed his gray , distrust ! u ' . eyes intently on Lord Moira s frank and manly countenance . That look carried with it its own solution . It seemed to say : " How can you , with

such a heavy mortgage as this you are about to execute , think , for one passing instant , of incurring the cost of a substitute ? " The Earl understood it , for he coloured and looked away—away from his prudent monitor , and aWay from his anxious

visitant . " I cannot interfere , " said he at last , in a husky , hesitating tone ; " the haw is peremptory , and must be obeyed . " " In other Avords , " said the woman , despa ringly , " there ' s the cold shelter of the workhouse