y; it may relieve his poor heart.
Come, Basset, I 'll take him back myself."

I clasped his hand as he spoke, and kissed it over and over.

"With all my heart," cried Basset. "I'll come over and fetch him
to-morrow;" and then he added, in a lower tone, "and before that you
'll have found out quite enough to be heartily sick of your charge."

All the worthy vicar's efforts to rouse me from my stupor or interest me
failed. He brought me to his house, where, amid his own happy children,
he deemed my heart would have yielded to the sympathy of my own age. But
I pined to get back; I longed--why, I knew not--to be in my own little
chamber, alone with my grief. In vain he tried every consolation his
kind heart and his life's experience had taught him; the very happiness
I witnessed but reminded me of my own state, and I pressed the more
eagerly to return.

It was late when he drew up to the door of the house, to which already
the closed window shutters had given a look of gloom and desertion. We
knocked several times before any one came, and at length two or three
heads appeared at an upper window, in half-terror at the unlooked-for
summons for admission.

"Good-by, my dear boy!" said the vicar, as he kissed me; "don't forget
what I have been telling you. It will make you bear your present sorrow
better, and teach you to be happier when it is over."

"Come down to the kitchen, alannah!" said the old cook, as the hall
door closed; "come down and sit with us there. Sure it 's no wonder your
heart 'ud be low."

"Yes, Master Tommy; and Darby "the Blast" is there, and a tune and the
pipes will raise you."

I suffered myself to be led along listlessly between them to the
kitchen, where, around a huge fire of red turf, the servants of the
house were all assembled, together with some neighboring cottagers;
Darby "the Blast" occupying a prominent place in the party, his pipes
laid across his knees as he employed himself in concocting a smoking
tumbler of punch.

"Your most obadient!" said Darby, with a profound reverence, as I
entered. "May I make so bowld as to surmise that my presence is n't
unsaysonable to your feelings? for I wouldn't be contumacious enough to
adjudicate without your honor's permission."

What I muttered in reply I know not; but the whole party were speedily
reseated, every eye turned admiringly on Darby for the very neat and
appropriate expression of his apology.

Young as I was and slight as had bee