on his pay, for which he had insured his life; and agreed to pay the interest, and part of the principal annually, which reduced his pay to sixty pounds a year. Mrs. Mortimer had no alternative, and her annuity was parted with. Her husband disposed of the money as he thought proper, and soon after he was ordered to sea. In the first letter she received from him he requested that she would have his sons home, as keeping them at school was attended with an enormous expence ; and that she was perfectly qualified to instruct them in English, French, drawing, and geography, and that as soon as he returned he would think of placing them either in the army or navy. Mrs. Mortimer did not feel herself equal to educate two boys of such an age, but she was fearful of offending the Colonel, therefore she applied to her relations for their advice, being determined to abide by their opinion. They objected to her having the children home, unless the

Colonel chose to instruct them himself; and they desired that she would immediately come to them, to prevent their being sent to her in the absence of her husband. She gladly accepted of the invitation, and the Colonel finding that she was averse to having any thing to do with the boys, removed them to a finishing school in Islington. Indisposition obliged him to return home sooner then was intended, for the gout, from which he was a great sufferer, had attacked his stomach with such dangerous symptoms, that his life was in imminent danger. Mrs. Mortimer also expected to encrease her family, and in this situation, orders arrived for his immediately joining his division at Chatham. This was a heart-breaking circumstance to Hubertine-she must part. from her house and furniture, and in all likelihood never return to reside with those friends whose society constituted her only comfort. The Colonel's circumstances had become much embarrassed,

and Hubertine was going to a strange place, knowing no person near, and in a situation which required the greatest care and kindness. The idea of going into barracks was most repugnant to her sense of delicacy and propriety, and her hus band was of the same opinion; he made every exertion to obtain a house; but Chatham was then full of naval and military officers, and it was some time before he could procure a residence at a moderate rent. About this time she also had the affliction of losing her youngest brother, to whom she was sincerely attached; he was a captain in the army, with every prospect of rising rapidly, but the yellow fever terminated his existence in the prime of life. He had not been long married to the sister of a baronet, who was an admiral, serving at that period in the West Indies, and when his wife learnt the fatal news of his death, it affected her intellects, and she never recovered her reason.

A few weeks after Colonel Mortimer

became settled in his house in Troy Town his family was augmented by a son, and Hubertine had scarcely left her room, after her confinement, before the Colonel was ordered to Ipswich, on the recruiting service. He had a long sea credit, and it was concluded that he would be continued in Suffolk for two or three years. Previously to his departure he sent both his natural sons to sea, and as out of their limited income it was impossible to support two establishments, it was determined, that as soon as Mrs. Mortimer could bear the journey, she should let their house furnished, and join the Colonel. Unluckily, the wife of the General who then commanded the Royal Marines at Chatham was a woman of very low extraction, and as Colonel Mortimer possessed great wit, and disliked vulgarity, he had incurred her displeasure, and, as is always the case in such connec tions, the lady had her husband under excellent command, and was in fact com

manding officer; therefore, at the end of a month, the Colonel was ordered to join quarters, and a few days after sent with a recruiting party to Scotland. This expence greatly increased his pecuniary difficulties, and obliged him to dispose of his furniture and house in Troy Town. Mrs. Mortimer was left to conduct this business, but before it was accomplished she had a letter from the Colonel's servant, to beg that she would immediately join his master, as he had a return of the gout in his stomach, and the faculty thought he could not long survive. In consequence of this information, she expedited the sale; but was compelled to wait till that was finished for having a supply of money to defray the expence of her journey.

Although Mrs. Mortimer saw to every thing herself, and was to appearance composed, she very severely felt her hapless lot; and the consequence was, that the child, whom she then nursed, became