In a minute he was kneeling on the carpet, with his arms round Sancho's neck, and in a minute or two more, the little fellow was seated on my knee, surveying with eager interest the various specimens of horses, cattle, pigs, and model farms portrayed in the volume before me. I glanced at his mother now and then, to see how she relished the new-sprung intimacy; and I saw, by the unquiet aspect of her eye, that for some reason or other, she was uneasy at the child's position.

`Arthur,' said she, at length, `come here. You are troublesome to Mr Markham: he wishes to read.'

`By no means, Mrs Graham; pray let him stay. I am as much amused as he is,' pleaded I. But still, with hand and eye, she silently called him to her side.

`No, mamma,' said the child; `let me look at these pictures first; and then I'll come, and tell you all about them.'

`We are going to have a small party on Monday, the fifth of November,' said my mother; `and I hope you will not refuse to make one, Mrs Graham. You can bring your little boy with you, you know--I dare say we shall be able to amuse him;--and then you can make your own apologies to the Millwards and Wilsons,-- they will all be here I expect.'

`Thank you, I never go to parties.'

`Oh! but this will be quite a family concern--early hours, and nobody here but ourselves, and just the Millwards and Wilsons, most of whom you already know, and Mr Lawrence, your landlord, whom you ought to make acquaintance with.'

`I do know something of him--but you must excuse me this time; for the evenings, now, are dark and damp, and Arthur, I fear, is too delicate to risk exposure to their influence with impunity. We must defer the enjoyment of your hospitality, till the return of longer days and warmer nights.'

Rose, now, at a hint from my mother, produced a decanter of wine, with accompaniments of glasses and cake, from the cupboard under the oak sideboard, and the refreshment was duly presented to the guests. They both partook of the cake, but obstinately refused the wine, in spite of their hostess's hospitable attempts to force it upon them. Arthur, especially, shrank from the ruby nectar as if in terror and disgust, and was ready to cry when urged to take it.

`Never mind, Arthur,' said his mamma, `Mrs Markham thinks it will do you good, as you were tired with your walk; but she will not oblige you to take it;--I dare say you will do very well without. He detests the very sight of wine,' she added, `and the smell of it almost makes him sick. I have been accustomed to make him shallow a little wine or weak spirits-and-water, by way of medicine when he was sick, and, in fact, I have done what could to make him hate them.'

Everybody laughed, except the young widow and her son.

`Well, Mrs Graham,' said my mother, wiping the tears of merriment from her bright, blue eyes--`well, you surprise me! I really gave you credit for having more sense--The poor child will be the veriest milksop that ever was sopped! Only think what a man you will make of him, if you persist in--'

`I think it a very excellent plan,' interrupted Mrs Graham, with imperturbable gravity. `By that means I hope to save him from one degrading vice at least. I wish I could render the incentives to every other equally innoxious in his case.'

`But by such means,' said I, `you will never render him virtuous.--What is it that constitutes virtue, Mrs Graham? Is it the circumstance of being able and willing to resist temptation; or that of having no temptations to resist?--Is he a strong man that overcomes great obstacles and performs surprising achievements, though by dint of great muscular exertion, and at the risk of some subsequent fatigue, or he that sits