g young African in attendance, who with his feet dangling from
the stirrups trotted him off towards the stable.

"I presume," said the stranger, as they walked towards the house, "that
from the directions I have received, I have the honor of seeing Colonel
Temple. It is to the kindness of Sir William Berkeley that I owe the
pleasure I enjoy in forming your acquaintance, sir," and he handed a
letter from his excellency, which the reader may take the liberty of
reading with us, over Colonel Temple's shoulder.

"Bight trusty old friend," ran the quaint and formal, yet familiar
note. "The bearer of these, Mr. Alfred Bernard, a youth of good and
right rare merit, but lately from England, and whom by the especial
confidence reposed in him from our noble kinsman Lord Berkeley, we
have made our private secretary, hath desired acquaintance with
some of the established gentlemen in the colony, the better for his
own improvement, to have their good society. And in all good faith,
there is none, to whom I can more readily commend him, than Colonel
Henry Temple, with the more perfect confidence in his desire to
oblige him, who is always as of yore, his right good friend,

"WILLIAM BERKELEY, Kn't.
"_From our Palace at Jamestown, June 20, A. D. 1676._"

"It required not this high commendation, my dear sir," said old Temple,
pressing his guest cordially by the hand, "to bid you welcome to my poor
roof. But I now feel that to be a special honour, which would otherwise
be but the natural duty of hospitality. Come, right welcome to Windsor
Hall."

With these words they entered the house, where Alfred Bernard was
presented to the ladies, and paid his devoirs with such knightly grace,
that Virginia admired, and Mrs. Temple heartily approved, a manner and
bearing, which, she whispered to her daughter, was worthy of the old
cavalier days before the revolution. Supper was soon announced--not the
awkward purgatorial meal, perilously poised in cups, and eaten with
greasy fingers--so dire a foe to comfort and silk dresses--but the
substantial supper of the olden time. It is far from our intention to
enter into minute details, yet we cannot refrain from adverting to the
fact that the good old cavalier grace was said by the Colonel, with as
much solemnity as his cheerful face would wear--that grace which gave
such umbrage to the P