shaded by three or four tall old trees, on which it was pleasant to walk in the bright June sunshine. "Pray who is Mr. Bracebridge?" Mrs. Drumore asked in confidence of her hostess. "How nicely he speaks! He ought to have had the privilege of proposing dear Louisa's health." "He is a friend of her brother." Mrs. Mander replied adding-with an attempt which was a decided failure to speak in a tone of indifference ;-" He is, I'm told, a literary gentleman of great distinction, and moves in the very highest society of London. Fred brought him down to the wedding." Mrs. Drumore said, "Oh indeed!" in a tone designed to convey the idea to Mrs. Mander, that nothing in the world was more natural than to meet gentlemen of distinction who moved in the highest society of London, at her house. Bracebridge had lounged up to the further end of the lawn in company with young Frederick Mander, they strolled back again, and, as they met Mr. Penridge and his newly acquired father-in-law, "Mr. Bracebridge," said Mr. Mander," will you let me introduce you formally to Mr. Penridge? I have not had an opportunity hitherto," and the two gentlemen bowed to each other, as the introduction was accomplished. "I hope I shall have the pleasure of seeing you at Uplands the next time you come into this part of the country," said the bridegroom, "we shall be back by the end of this month." Mr. Bracebridge answered, in general terms, the invitation, which he took merely as one of the vague expressions commonly used by gentlemen who live in the country; but Mr. Penridge had just heard from Mr. Mander, an exalted account of the London visitor's distinction, and begged for Bracebridge's address that he might be able to send him a line on his return. "We must not be quite cut off from London you know, because we live down here, the South Eastern Railway can bring a friend to dinner any day, and take him back next morning." "You're not far from here I think." Bracebridge said. "Not far; a couple of miles or so. Are you anything of a gardener? I try to grow a few roses. Bracebridge said he thought he knew a rose from a cabbage, but he had heard that morning that there were such things as cabbage, roses, which must, he supposed, be something between the two, so that now he felt uncertain of his botanical knowledge. Mr. Penridge laughed nervously, for he was still under the influence of "the occasion," pulled out his watch, wondered why the carriage was not there, ascertained that it was there, lurking in the road until it should be called, and called it accordingly. Then there ensued a confusion of tearful adieux from the ladies, loudly spoken good wishes from the gentlemen, a perfect shower of old shoes, a clatter of horses' hoofs, a cloud of dust, and the bride and bridegroom were away. CHOW CHOW.* NATURAL WARM BATH.-"Do you prefer a hot or a cold bath?" Asked the President as we neared the bathing ground. I replied that my custom was to use a tepid bath, but as we were to bathe in the river, I imagined I must content myself with a cold one. "On the contrary" replied he "we can accomodate you with almost any temperature you may desire." A look of incredulity on my part was answered by his pointing to a gurgling mountain stream, which a turn in the road brought into full view, from whose surface arose a volume of vapour resembling that which escapes from the top of a vessel of water when in a free state of ebullition. "This," he said, "is a hot stream Rio Calicute which, a short distance further on, forms a junction with a cold one, the union of whose waters makes a tepid river, so that you can take your choice as to temperature; for my own part, I prefer a cold bath." So, leaving the President and his party to regale themselves with their cold bath, I accompanied the gendarme to the point of confluence of the two streams, and found that its waters were about seventy-eight degrees Fahrenheit, while those of the hot stream were considerably higher. The effect of the junction of the two streams was remarkably picturesque. The surface of the cold one, which flowed down through a deep ravine with considerable velocity, was as clear and limpid as the surrounding atmosphere, while that of the hot one, which likewise flowed with much rapidity, seethed and bubbled over its rocky bed, like the outlet to some chasm which gave entrance to an infernal region. THE MANDARIN DUCK, OR CHINESE TEAL. This bird, remarkable for the brilliancy of its plumage, never mates a second time. Of this Mr. Davis gives the following proof:-"From a pair of these birds in Mrs. Beale's aviary at Macao, the drake happened to be stolen. The duck was perfectly inconsolable, like Calypso after the departure of Ulysses. She retired into a corner, neglected her food and person, refused all society, and rejected with disdain the proffer of a second love. In a few days the purloined drake was recovered and brought back, and the mutual demonstrations of joy were excessive. What is more singular, the true husband, as if informed by his partner of what had happened in his absence, pounced upon the would-be lover, tore out his eyes, and injured him so much that he died of his wounds. ATHLETIC SPORTS.-A Scotch farmer, celebrated in his neighbourhood for his strength and skill in all athletic exercises, very frequently had the pleasure of fighting people who, led by curiosity, came to try if they could settle him or not. Lord D-, a great pugilist amateur, had come from London on purpose to fight the athletic Scot. The latter was working in an enclosure at a little distance from his house when the noble Lord arrived. His Lordship tied his horse to a tree, and addressed the farmer, "Friend! I have heard a great deal of talk about you, and I've come a long way to see which of us is the best man." The Scotchman, without answering, seized the noble Lord by the middle of his body, pitched him over the hedge, and then set about working again. When his Lordship had got up, "Well!" said the farmer, "have you anything more to say to me?"—"No," replied his Lordship, "but perhaps you'd be good enough to throw me my horse." CAPITAL STORIES are told of the provincial reporters of the old school, which is now passing away. One worthy of this class was roused from his slumbers one night by a disturbance on his door step. His alarmed spouse compelled him to descend and see what the matter was, and on opening the door, he discovered a man stretched across the threshold in a fit. "Mary, Mary," cried he to his better half, "bring my note book and a candle directly, here's a paragraph come to the door." A LADY at an assembly was asked by a gentleman, who was fond of serious poetry, whether she liked 'Crabbe's Tales.' "I can't say," she replied, "for I did not know that crabs had any tails." "I beg your pardon!" said he, "I mean, have you read Crabbe's Tales?" "I beg your pardon," said she a little pettishly, "and, I assure you, I did not know that red crabs, or any other crabs, had tails." A YOUNG wife had been remonstrating with her dissipated husband, when he said, "I am like the prodigal son, my love! I shall reform bye and bye." "I'm like the prodigal son too," said she, "for I will arise and go to my father!" and she went. * Chow Chow is Pid-gin English for, assorted, various, little bits, and food. A FRIEND OF HER BROTHER. A NOVELETTE. CHAPTER II. "I say Brace old boy, you must come down there where the pigs live, on Saturday, upon my soul you must." "Down there where the pigs live," was an expression which Mr. Frederick Mander generally used to indicate that part of the country where the parental farm was situated. The happy pair had returned from their continental tour, and had already been visited by the bride's brother. Mr. Penridge, it may be explained, was engaged in commercial pursuits of an agricultural character, with the particulars of which, it is not necessary to deal, and transacted business at Tunbridge after the manner of his ancestors for a generation and a half before him. From his country house, Uplands, he proceeded to that populous and . important town three mornings a week, on the outside of a respectable grey horse, which had been in the business almost as long as himself, and had carried its former chief, Mr. Penridge senior, now deceased, with great sagacity and skill for a number of years. The present Mr. Penridge, when, shortly after his return with his wife, he had once more the pleasure of meeting his brother-in-law, had asked him why he did not bring his friend, a question which, in truth, rather rubbed against the grain, inasmuch as Fred had a keen perception of the difference between Mr. James Bracebridge, of the Admiralty Department, Somerset House, the Kemble Club, Covent Garden, and Pasteboard Buildings, Temple on the one hand, and Mr. Arthur Penridge, of the corn business at Tunbridge, on the other. Fred and the object of his admiration, it will be understood, really were friends in the fullest sense of the word, although Bracebridge sat, when at the office, enthroned on a dignified chair, in a room all by himself, while Fred was one of many juniors in a large room belonging to an inferior department, where blurred caricatures of the chief clerk might frequently be found upon the blotting paper, much to the disgust of that elderly and serious public servant. Brace had many friends, and oscillated between a seraphic west end life, whereof Fred could only dream, and that which he shared with the youngster. No doubt he could have chosen a chum from many persons of greater distinction, if he had so pleased, but on a matter of fact it pleased him to chum with Fred Mander, "a nice gentlemanly lad," he would declare anywhere. "So note it be then Fred!" he had rejoined when he offered the young man one of his rooms and Fred had, it is needless to say, jumped at the proposal. The lad would not have been happier that moment, if Lord Palmerston had driven down to Somerset House to ask him whether he would like best to be a paid attaché at Paris, or Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales. When the brother-in-law therefore asked him why he had not brought his friend, in the same way that he might have asked him why he had not brought a Newfoundland dog, supposing Fred to have been possessed of one, the young man was outraged in his dearest feelings, and would have liked to have set the corn factor down with a stinging retort. He had prudence enough, however, to remember in time, that he intended to make great use of Uplands in future, to keep the respectable grey horse well exercised on off days when he was not wanted for Tunbridge, and to dine and sleep there, as a rule, from Saturday to Monday. He contented himself, therefore, with inward sarcasm, and merely replied that he had'nt bought Bracebridge a collar yet. corn-factor was mystified, but Louisa, his wife, came to his aid. The "Fred means that Mr. Bracebridge only condescends to know lords and ladies, and Mr. Frederick Mander, and wouldn't come to Uplands," said the bride. The phrase "lords and ladies" jarred upon her brother's ear, which, truth to tell, had been better trained than that of the beauty herself, who had spent most of her life in the society of Mrs. Mander, her mother. Fred used to tell his sister of her deficiencies, with the most engaging candour, before her marriage, not always improving the sweetness of their relations thereby. However, he had the keenest appreciation of Louisa's beauty, and made her understand its value better, perhaps, than she would have done without his assistance. Moreover, she felt in her secret soul that her younger brother Fred knew best, when he benevolently tried to cure her of any little tricks of speech or manner, which displeased him, and though the process was not agreeable, the result which might be reached through it, she knew was durable, so, though they used to bicker more or less, they never fell out seriously. "Bracebridge knows and sees pretty much whoever he likes," Fred answered now, "lords and ladies," with the least possible accent on the word, which his sister comprehended as implying dissatisfaction with the phrase, "and other persons as well. I've no reason to suppose that he would decline an invitation to Uplands, but you must not expect me to bring him down as if he were my servant." "When did you set up a servant Freddy dear?" asked the bride, who was always wide awake for all opportunities of giving her brother one for himself, whenever that was possible. "Have they raised your salary at the office?" "What are you fighting about?" asked the corn-factor, "Lovy's one too many for you and me Fred," he added, in simple good nature, at which Fred laughed in delight, quite conscious of the feeling which for a moment had dis turbed his sister's equanimity. "Une fine lame, isn't she Arthur?" he answered jovially, feeling quite sure that neither of his auditors would comprehend the phrase, and that the young lady would be duly nettled in consequence. "Isn't she!" said Penridge proudly, at which Fred laughed again. "It runs in the family," he replied, "and she takes after her mother." "For shame, Fred, to laugh at your mother," said the beauty. “Well, but I thought he said something complimentary. Didn't he?" asked the corn-factor. "I wasn't laughing at anybody, Arthur," said young Mander, who was content with his little victory, "Lovy's too many for us as you say." up." "Never mind dear!" said the bride, "it will all come right when you grow "Now you're at it again" said Arthur, "so I'll leave you to settle it between you. I'm off!" and Mr. Penridge, who in fact had simply followed Fred into the drawing-room on his arrival, having seen him coming up the little drive of which Uplands boasted, returned to one of the many outdoor occupations in which he delighted. "I'am glad to see the Swiss air has given a nice olive tinge to your complexion, Lovy dear," said the young man, taking a seat on a low easy chair near the sofa, on which Mrs. Penridge was seated, with certain crochet work on her lap, "and that it has not injured your naturally sweet temper." "Look here, Fred, I won't have you chaff me before Arthur, so I tell you once for all." "Nothing is further from my thoughts, my dear Mrs. Penridge, than chaffing you under any circumstances, and as for 'looking here,'" added the connoisseur of beauty, looking, with his head slightly on one side, at his sister's face, "it would be impossible for any man, situated as I am this moment, to think of looking anywhere else." Louisa threw her crochet at her brother's head in token of a temporary reconciliation. "But Fred," she asked in an amicable tone, getting up to look at herself in the glass over the mantle piece, "hasn't the sun burnt me dreadfully?” "You foolish girl!" said Fred, coming up, and putting his hands on her shoulders so as to look at her reflection in the mirror, "that olive tint is the loveliest thing in nature, you're not fit to be trusted with such a beautiful face if you don't understand it." Direct reproaches of this sort never aggravated the young lady when she and her brother were alone. It was his sarcasm, or, as she had learned to call it after him, his chaff, that incensed her from time to time. Louy returned to her seat mollified, and the conversation was renewed in a manner which would not interest the reader, having reference to the Swiss tour, from which the bride and bridegroom had just returned. Before young Mander went away next morning however, the subject of Mr. Bracebridge had |