A Year After: The Maiden's Story.

Glorious Avas that lovely autumn ; Darksome trees in mists of gold ; And beyond , the blue hills lying In a slumbrous shadow fold . Bright the leaves of broAvu and crimson Fluttered gaily down my Avalk ;

Moved the soft air Avith a murmur , Like your low and tender talk . Others heard the autumn voices , Knew their Avild and warning tone , But for me one echo ever" We shall meet again , my OAVH . "

Slowly all the glory faded , Gathered golden mists to rain , Till the bitter north wind told me AVe should never meet again . Do I blame you , oh ! my one loA'e , Turning back that memory page ,

Tracing all its lines of anguish , And its joy , undimmed by age 1 I , AVIIO treasured , trusted fully All those dark eyes used to tell , AVith the grasp of those strong lingers , Which my Aveakness loved so Avell .

We , when once Ave love , love ever , Love like mine cau know no past ; All I gaA'e you that bright autumn , Will be yours until the last . Yours , as though you had not listened

To the bitter Avorld's decree , AVhen it told your youiig heart calmly That our loA'e might never be . You , AVIIO Avere so prized , so gifted , That I could not deem it strange , AVhen you took the Avorld ' s proud favour ,

For this one poor love in change . Aud earth gave you all it promised , Other loA'e and brighter bliss ; Through the lonely grief I suffered , I Avas glad to think of this .

And I blame my Aveakness only , That I could not so forget , Could not crush my sorrow bravely , Foolish longing , wild regret . NOAV the corn is ripe to harvest , And the chesnut trees are red ; And o'er all the golden distance Is the pure blue shadoAV spread .

A Year After: The Maiden's Story.

But I only see the drearness That I could not see before ; Hear a voice among the chesnuts , Sobbing , " NeA'er , never more !" NeA'er more ! oh ! leaves of autumn

, Sadly through you shadoAvs fall : But I Avait the distant spring-tide AVhen will love be first and all . C . E . W .

An Old, Old Story.

AN OLD , OLD STORY .

CHAPTER- XI . " Story , God bless you , I ' ve none to tell , Sir ! " GEOECB CANNING . I PEEL how A'ery truly these still ringing

Avords of the great statesman and poet , ( for Canning Avas a true poet as Avell as a distinguished statesman ) , well describe my fitful lucubrations , which for the present are drawing to a close . But ere the curtain fallsand the actors leave the stage

, , AVIIO have played out for good or ill this " Roman d ' une heure , " I wish to say a feAv Avords , by Avay of friendly Epilogue , to my kind and patient audience . I fear me that those who have read the

" Old , Old Story" from beginning to end Avill be inclined to say Avhen they have finished their perusal , that it is "Much Ado About Nothing . " Professor Cockroach , Avho is a great authority on all such matters just UOAV—¦

( though Ave hope his influence is Availing fast ) , said loftily to his niece Julia McManus , ( AV 1 IO had married a zealous Hibernian Freemason , and reads the MASONIC MAGAZINE ) , " I have no opinion of the writer of the ' OldOld Story' or of

, , his tale . His unities are defective , his moral is bad , his vieAvs are visionary , and his teaching is unphilosopbical . It is quite a mistake to suppose that feeling has anything to do Avith such matters . My opinion is" and here the Professor raised

, his voice , and looked most sagacious at the same time , " that marriage is more or less a mistake . I hold to the teaching of Professor Malthus and Miss Martineau ;