lighted—nothing arranged for my mother ?"

"Why, bless me, miss! you are so late, that I gave you up," vociferated the landlady, who now made her appearance at the door; a coarse, vulgar-looking woman, not more prepossessing in her appearance than the maid who belonged to her. 66 Why I expected you by the six o'clock coach; and as you did not come, I thought I would not waste coals, so I let out the fire; but you can step into my parlour, till things be made a little comfortable."

There was nothing else to be done. Alice, assisted by Sarah, almost lifted her exhausted mother out of the chaise, and supported her to the room, and placed her in a seat by the side of a very blacklooking fire. The room was perfumed with the united fumes of tobacco and brandy, and a coarse-looking man was seated in full possession of the apart

ment.

Alice trembled with emotion.

How

was her mother to endure all this? She left her in order to look at their apartments, which consisted of a small bedroom and a sitting-room adjoining, and, though humble and meanly furnished, still they appeared clean. Her first care was to have a fire made in the bed-room ; she then, with Sarah, hastened to make the bed, and with the help of many cushions, which she had brought with her, she flattered herself that her mother would rest in tolerable comfort.

Mrs. Seymour was completely worn out; and it was with difficulty she was conveyed to her chamber without fainting. With intense anxiety, poor Alice sat by her bedside, till at length fatigue, and the effects of the anodyne which had been administered to her, produced sleep, and she had the comfort of seeing her mother calmly reposing.

The longest and most miserable day

E

will have its end, and this wretched one at last closed; night bringing to the unfortunate mother and daughter a few hours oblivion of their griefs.

CHAPTER VII.

THE sleep of Alice, however, was not of long duration, and her mind was too busy to remain for any length of time inactive. Her first waking feelings were not enviable. Now was the reality of all that she had anticipated! For the first time in her life she opened her eyes, without their meeting every refinement which art could invent.

Her own apartment at Elm Grove had been furnished after the taste of her father, and was a perfect bijou, so exquisite was its neatness and elegance.

This morning the contrast was striking. Her bed was a hard sofa, and the one on which Mrs. Seymour slept was a

camp-bed of no very large dimensions, and scantily supplied with curtains; in short, the room had altogether a lodginghouse appearance, which was any thing but inviting.

Alice was fearful of disturbing her mother, therefore unwillingly remained in her bed. She longed to be up, that she might endeavour to give the sittingroom an air of something like comfort, but dreaded too much her waking.

66

'Sleep on, dearest mother," sighed she, "and dream of happiness; in dreams alone, I fear, you will ever again taste of it-and yet why should I say so? God who has afflicted us, may raise us up again. On Him will I trust; and to Him I pray, that He will assist my efforts of usefulness to my mother. Has she not often told me, that the path of the Christian is never one of unmixed happiness; and that He who himself put on a crown of thorns, never intended that his followers should wear a crown of