credulously to her
face; "but more improbable things have come to pass."

"And where is Arthur to be while his father is with us?" demanded
Emmeline, joyously, of her father. "Not as a servitor at college, I
hope."

"No; I anticipate the pleasure of welcoming the friend of Herbert as my
guest as well as his father, and then we shall deliberate on Arthur's
future life. I should like much to place him under Mr. Howard for a
year, and then establish him in a living of Lord Malvern's, in which I
have little doubt I could succeed."

"Well, my fancy then will indeed be gratified. I shall see this proud
persecuted youth, and judge for myself if he be deserving or not of my
brother's friendship. Do you remember him, Ellen?"

"Perfectly well; he was so very kind to me. I well recollect his grief
when I left the village, to live, he said, in such a very different
style, that it was not likely we should ever meet again."

"But yet, you see, improbable as it appeared, you will meet again," said
Mrs. Hamilton in a marked tone, as she smiled.

"So you call this an Oakwood hour, Emmy, do you?" demanded Mr. Hamilton,
after Arthur and his father had been duly discussed. "Suppose we make
the resemblance even more complete by ringing for lights, and you and
Ellen giving me some music. I have had no opportunities of hearing your
improvement, which, I suppose, under such able professors, has been
something extraordinary."

"Marvellous, most marvellous!" exclaimed Emmeline, laughing, as she flew
to obey him by ringing the bell. "I had begun to fancy I was practising
for nothing, and that my father would never do his child the honour of
listening to her again, but I remembered the enchanted halls of Oakwood,
and I thought there at least I might chain him to my side, and so I
continued my labours."

"Let us fancy ourselves there," replied her father, smiling; and lights
appearing, Emmeline and Ellen were speedily at the instruments,
bestowing pleasure unalloyed by this domestic use of their talents to
those dear ones who had so assiduously cultivated them. Their
improvement, under the best professors in London, had been rapid; for,
carefully prepared, no difficulties had to be overcome ere improvement
commenced; and the approbation and evident pleasure of Mr. and Mrs.
Hamilton amply repaid those young and innocent beings for all the
exertions they had made, particularly Emmeline, who, as we know, had
determined, on her first arrival