was to spend at Stepney arrived, and she not fit to be the wife of any man." Alarm was walking in the rectory garden, list-horror, and incredulity, showed themening to kind words of admonition from selves alternately on the face of the per. her aged friend. He paused; and, lean- son she addressed: he sat motionless, ing wearily against the gate, she looked till she attempted to leave the roo:n; then down the quiet village; a party on horse-he rose, and detained her with a firm back were coming through it, and she though gentle hold. "Jane, I have known fixed her eyes on the foremost of these. you for seven years," said he; "for se "Heavens, how beautiful!" exclaimed ven yeas I have seen you almost daily Jane, as the object of her attention, a and never in that time have I seen any. young and lovely female, suddenly curbed thing but what excited my respect and the spirited animal she rode, and laugh- admiration: you may have been unfortu ingly looked back at her companions. nate, but, so convinced am I that you are The horse startled at the severity of the not natnrally vicious, that I will marry correction, reared almost perpendicularly; you-yes I will marry you in spite of all." Jane uttered a faint scream: but the Never perhaps had Jane felt her degrada graceful rider firmly kept her seat, and tion so deeply as at that moment. The proudly put up her lip, and raised her conscious tone of generosity, the security haughty black eyes, as her steed descend- of her consent, passed bitterly through ed into his natural position. "Bravo! her mind; and then for one wild instant my Laura." The words were uttered by she figured herself his wife. It would not another of the party, and well Jane knew do: she remembered Arnold, and shrank the voice. She shrank back out of sight; from the idea of enduring the love of she would have shrank into the earth had another.

it been possible; and it was some months It was the evening of that day, and Jane before those proud eyes, and the sound of was endeavoring, for the fortieth time to those horses' hoofs, ceased to haunt her read throngh her tears, the advertisedreams. ments for situations in the Morning Post, Years passed away and Jane still re- when her eye suddenly caught the words mained in the house to which the old" Stepney Castle." She read the paraclergyman of Stepney had recommended graph, and felt a cold chill fall on her her: her youugest charge was, however, heart. about to leave her, and she sat ruminating "ELOPEMENT IN HIGH LIFE.-The on the necessity of another change in her beautiful and accomplished mistress of prospects when the door of the study Stepney Castle has, we understand, quit. opened, and the master of the house en- ted home with Captain B., of the Guards, tered. Mr. Morris was a widower be- leaving her three infant children without tween forty and fifty, and had treated Jane the protection of a parent, Sir Arnold with the most uniform kindness, "I am Stepney being absent."

sorry you are to leave my boys," said Within six weeks from this time Jane he with a half sigh, as, after a gentle was on her road to Stepney, to become smile of greeting she resumed her seat. governess of those three forsaken children "And I, sir, am very sorry" and her while Sir Arnold went to recover his voice faltered over the words. "I know, health aud spirits on the Continent. "No I feel that you are. Jane; but why should said she," it is impossible he should know you leave them? Come, you have known me again even if we do meet;" and she their father long enough to judge whether looked intently at her own form in the glass. he could make you happy; and, indeed, An adventure which took place on the I cannot bear to part with you." Jane road, served to encourage her in the cerdrew away the hand he had taken, and tainty that even those who had known covered her face, while the scalding tears her best, would not recognize the bright trickled through her fingers. For a few graceful Jane, in the thin, dale melancholy moments she gave way to her emotion; looking person whose small trunk was and then, with a face as pale as death, directed," Mrs. Farrell, Stepney Castle. but in a calm voice, she replied, "Mr. At one of the stages of her journey, she Morris, I will not deceive you; I am could not obtain an inside place in the

coach, and was endeavoring to ascend [nold returned: feeling that though he the heavy vehicle, when some one one re- might not recognise her at once with a spectfully proffered his arm, saying, "You casual glance, yet it was impossible they arc faint, let me help you." Though should see one another constanly withJane had not heard that kind, cheerful ont her being discovered. Her voice, voice, for more than ten years, she knew surely-Oh! surely, he would remember it immediately; and the word "Wallace" the sound of her voice. And then she rose to her lips and died away again. thought of the consequences, Would he He assisted her up, and then turned to a thrust her from his home, as a punishsweet-tempered-looking young woman. nient for the loving deceit she had pracwith these words, "Now, Mary."-" put tised? She shuddered at the possibility Jane up first," answered she and a little which presented itself. Sometimes a rosy, smiling girl, three years of age, took vague hope faintly crossed her heart, her place by the traveller to Stepney. that when Sir Arnold humbled as he "He has called her Jane, out of love for was by the desertion of his noble bride, my memory," thought the latter, and the remembered the much-enduring affection thought touched her. For eleven miles which had prompted her to this step he of that weary journey, those happy voi-might-he might even marry her. If ces blended in her ear; and little did she had erred, it was for his sake; and Wallace dream while he talked of their ten years had passed, and found her home at Marsden to his young wife, who firm and faithful as the wife of his bosom sat beside him. could have been. But all these fears and "This, Sir Arnold, is the person I hopes gave way before the one unreasonhave selected to take charge of your little ing desire of passionate love; to see him, ones, during your absence," said the Rec- to hear him once more. She would tor of Stepney, as he dropped Jane's hand. brave all perils-she would run all risks She felt faint at the thought of his turning-so that she might stand once more in to gaze at her, but she had time to recol- his presence, known and acknowledged lect herself. "Send for the children, as the love of his youth. Often and often Mr. B.," said Arnold, without lifting his in the silence of the night, as she gazed heavy eyes from the distant trees of the round on those familiar walls she would long avenue. Then, as they stole quietly start up, and sinking on her knees, while into the library, he rose." Mrs. Farrell" her appealing eyes were raised to heasaid he, as his glance wandered from one ven exclaim in a paroxysm of agony, to another, these are to be the objects" Let me-only let me hear him say, of your care-you will find them very do- Jane! my Jane! as of old and I will cile; and look well to Gerard, for he is a die contented."

6

sickly child he was his mother's favour- One inmate of Stepney had already. ite." Not till these words, pronounced recognised Jane: this was the old steward with some difficulty, did Arnold turn to of the Castle, who, for three generations. look at Jane. It was with inexpressible had served his master's family. Accident bitterness that she felt he did not recog- convinced him that he was right in his nise her; her, who had so earnestly per- conjectures. As he passed the open door suaded herself it was impossible with her of the library one day, he heard the voice hair tucked away under her close cap, of the rector of Stepney reply to some and the lines which sorrow had drawn weeping doubt expressed by Mrs. Farrell on her features, "God forbid, Jane, that it should happen For two years Sir Arnold remained so. and God forbid that you should wish abroad. During that time Jane enjoyed it: it Sir Arnold knows you, you must comparative happiness in the affection of depart instantly. those dear little ones. But often in the In the answer to his steward's letter long lonely evenings, after they were informing him of this fact, which apconsigned to sleep, she would walk rest- peared to the old man calculated to lessly up and down the library, weeping touch his master's heart, Sir Arnold over the past or dreaming of the future. without taking any notice of his commuSometimes she wished to die before Ar-nication, expressed his intention of return

ing home immediately. Great were the there! there! shouted the crowd, as Arrejoicings in consequence; and, on the nold turned, with a groan, to gaze on the night he was expected, the village bells pile of flame which had been the home of were rung and bonfires lighted. It was his fathers. The form of a woman ad very late when Jane sunk into a heavy vanced; she was unscathed by the fire; sleep, from which she was roused by the she held his child in her arms. While Sir most piercing shrieks. "In Heaven's Arnold darted forward, she made a sudname, what is the matter?" said she den pause, as if too faint to proceed: a as three or four terrified servant-girls heavy beam fell crashing from the winburst into the room "Oh, the Castle dow on the lawn; and, as she laid the ma'am, the Castle is on fire-save your-child on the grass, it struck on her bosom, self!" Jane rushed to the children's and she fell back. Amid the deep and apartment; it was already in flames: she dread silence which succeeded, Sir Arnold seized two of the little helpless beings, advanced to her side: he did not attempt: and, bidding the nurse follow close with to speak-he felt that she was dead. She the other made her way through the suffo- lay nearly in the position in which he had cating clouds of smoke down stairs. They first beheld her, in the churchyard at stood safe in the open air; and for a few Marsden: her hair, no longer confined by seconds, Jane remained palpitating and the close cap she had worn for some years, breathless gazing upwards. Columns of fell back in masses from her upturned fore red flame ascended from the roof, and head: the red glow of the fire restored to burst from the high gothic windows. The that pallid face, as if in mockery, the al moaning, weeping, and screams of terror most supernatural brilliancy which had from the female servants were interrupted first charmed him: and the expression of by the heavy crash, from time to time, of intense fondness still lingered on her fea the roof, timbers, and floors, of the differ- tures. Sir Arnold stopped, and, with the ent rooms; the left wing of the house, strength given by agony, raised the where the library stood was one sheet of derous wood from off the heart which had fire. At this moment the rattling of a beat for him alone. "Merciful God," chaise was heard in the front avenue: it groaned he, as he knelt and lifted the was unheeded by the servants, who corpse in his arms-" Jane! my were stupified by fear; but Jane caught They were the words she had so ar the sound. "Oh! God be praised," said dently wished to hear.

she, bursting into tears, "that I can. at least, present you all safe to him." She turned to the children; the tears froze beneath her eyelids: one of his children was

Jane!"

pon

missing! with a wild shriek she rushed Gesche Margarethe Gottfried, back towards the flames, in spite of the entreaties of those near her.

Lighted by the glare of his burning home, Sir Ainold sprang froin the chaise,

66

EFFECTS OF IGNORANCE AND SUPERSTITION.

GESCHE MARGARETHE GOTTFRIED, living and, in an instant, pale as death, he stood in Bremen, was, in March, 1828, accused in the midst of them. "Are they safe-of having caused the death of a number are they safe!" exclaimed he, as he folded of persons by poison. Before this accusa those little ones to his bosom. Safe, all tion, she had lived in apparently easy cir but one," was the answer. "All but one!"cumstances in the middle ranks of life: murmured Sir Arnold, as his swimming her house was elegantly furnished, and he eyes strove to ascertain which was lost; dress and demeanour that of a lady; her and, for one wild instant, a sort of com-reputation was untainted; and the fre parison as to which he could best spare, quent deaths which occurred in her house passed through the father's heart. His were ascribed to heavy visitations of God prim, quiet Agnes-his merry, dark-eyed Her father was a tailor in Bremen ; ac Arnold, were there; it was the little tive and industrious, but stingy, selfish, and His religion sickly Gerard who was missing-Gerard inclined to superstition. -his mother's favourite!""There ! was of a kind that influenced him as long

s its practice did not interfere with his pensity to liquor which he could never wn interests; and he attended church overcome. He was induced to marry nly when he had no work to do at home. again chiefly by his father; for he had Gesche Margarethe, and her twin broth-been so thoroughly disgusted with marr, were born in March, 1783. These riage by his former experience that he ere the only children of their father, and, had little desire to enter into another conthen about four years old, were both tract, and frequent quarrels took place beent to school, where they remained till tween him and his father on the subject. hey were nearly twelve. The com- Gesche had evinced no great love towards pencement of Gesche's career in sin may him, but the riches of the suitor had a e dated from her seventh year, and was powerful influence over the mind of her artly owing to the avarice of her parents. father, who prevailed on her to accept of Being allowed no pocket-money, she was the offer.

nable to appear on an equal footing with Miltenberg, however, loved his wife, er school companions, and she began to and the more he had been ashamed of his teal from her mother small sums at first, former wife the more he seemed to doat ut afterwards to a larger amount. This upon this one; but he still frequented the id not remain long concealed from her taverns, and she was often left without his nother, who, however, ascribed it to the society or guidance. on, who was of a silent, bishful, disposi- They had been four months married on, rather than to the daughter, whose when Gesche met Gottfried, her future husanners were frank; and although the band, at a ball; and from that day all her nother had afterwards occasion to suspect wishes were directed towards him. She er daughter, still she could not be certain, now began to colour her cheeks with rouge; o artfully were the crimes concealed. hours were spent before her glass; and Her father was accustomed to sing a rom her toilet she hurried to her kitchen ymn every moning before commencing window, and remained there to see him work, and it frequently happened that his pass to his counting-room; but Gottfried aughter was moved to tears by it. She took no notice of her.

ras, however, of a very contradictory It was about this period, namely, in pirit, and her mother had frequent occa- September, 1807, that her first child was ion to complain of her conduct. As she born. About the same time Miltenberg ecame older, she was sent to learn dan-became acquainted with one 'Kassou, who ing, an accomplishment in which she used very frequently to visit him, and who reatly delighted. She also attended a soon conceived a liking for his wife, 'rench class, where, to appear the first of which Gesche did not leave unreturned. er class, she employed a young man, one Their intimacy always continued to inf her acquaintances, to write her lessons crease, and presents passed between them. or her, which she then copied and passed Gesche was desirous to present to Kassou r her own. a breast-pin enclosing a lock of her hair, Thus her life passed on with little variety but did not well know how to express a she was twenty years of age, although, note which she wished to send along with then sixteen, she had already received it. She, therefore, applied to Miltenberg, ree offers of marriage, which she, or telling him that she wished to make a preather her father, declined. She was sent to one of her female friends, and reeautiful, and almost every where beloved questing him to write a note to be sent nd well received. along with it, which he accordingly did.. When about twenty she received an This she copied and sent to Kassou along! fer of marriage from a saddler of the with the pin.

ame of Miltenberg, which she was in- In 1808 she had a still-born child, and ced to accept. This marriage proved after her confinement, began, on account r from happy. Milterberg had formerly of her thin appearance, to wear not fewer en married to a woman who rendered than thirteen pairs of stays, to improve s house a scene of misery and discord, her form. This was not discovered till d to avoid her society he always took her arrestment. She now began to be fuge in the taverns, and so acquired a pro- tired of Miltenberg; calumniating him to

her parents, and directing her passions some arsenic which she kept for poisoning sometimes to Gottfried and sometimes to- mice. She accordingly went to her, and wards Kassou. She was obliged to sell saying that she was troubled with mice several articles of household furniture to in her house, asked if she knew of any pay some of her secret debts, telling her means of destroying them, pretending husband she wanted the money to send to that she knew nothing of poison. Her her brother, who was then a soldier in the mother put some arsenic on bread, and army of Napoleon, and representing to her placed it in the room said to be infested mother that her husband had sold them. with the mice, warning her daughter at In 1810 she had another child, and had the same time to keep the apartment lock. no sooner recovered from her confinement, ed for fear of mischief to the children. A than, being short of money, she resolved day or two after this, Gesche went into to open her husband's desk. To accom- the room and took away the poison, which plish this she pretended to have lost one of she scratched from the bread as if the her own keys, and sent for a smith to get mice had taken it, with the intention of the desk opened; she observed narrowly giving it to Miltenberg. Some time af how he proceeded, and after he was gone terwards her mother said that she would went and opened it and abstracted ten dol- go and see if the mice had taken the poilars. Not content with this, she proceeded son. "Oh yes!" exclaimed the daughter, afterwards to open the desk of a gentle-" pray bring me some more;" which her man who loged in her house, and took mother did.

away ninety dollars. She remained, how- She was now in possession of the means ever, unsuspected, and a favourite with all of death, but could not for several weeks her acquaintances; and was for some bring herself to the resolution of adminis time cured of stealing by fright which she tering it to her husband.

got by a very narrow search being made At last she gave him some, one morn on the desks being broken open. ing, to breakfast, and afterwards another

Her passion for Gottfried increased dose in water-gruel. She could not, howmore and more, and the habits and sick- ever, approach the bed of the sick man; ness of her husband gave them many op- it appeared to her as if he knew that she portunities of meeting. Her husband was was his murderer; but this was far from intimate with Gottfried, and used to have being the case, as he recommended her him very often at his house. But her pas- to Gottfried before he died. The corpse sion was not confined to Gottfried, it ex- was dreadfully swollen, but no suspicion tended also to Kassou; and the necessity was excited.

in 1813.

of keeping her love for the one concealed After Miltenberg's death, she received from the other, brought her into many an offer of marriage; but her thoughts petty scrapes. Her fourth child was born being directed to Gottfried, she refused it. Her parents suspecting this to be the cause Miltenberg was still in her way. She of her refusal, told her that her marriage had never loved him, and now that he with Gottfried should never take place crossed her path, she began to wish him with their consent Gottfried loved her, dead, that she might give free vent to her but did not wish to marry a person with passion for Gottfried. Miltenberg's father children. She now again consulted a forhad lately died, and she had observed tune-teller, and received the same answer. nothing particalarly fearful in death, so Thus, although she had got quit of her that by degrees she accustomed herself to husband, there still remained serious obthe thought of Miltenberg dying. As he stacles to her union with Gottfried; first was always in bad health, she began to her father and mother, and then her chil think that, as his life was only an incum-dren. She hoped also to get possession, brance to himself, and an impediment to by the death of her children, of a legacy of her, it would be no great sin to help him about 650 dollars, left them by old Miltenout of the world. In this state of mind berg.

she went to a fortune-teller, who prophe- In April, 1815, her mother was rather sied that her whole family would die be- unwell, and came to live in her house, when fore her. She knew that her mother had she (Gesche) happening to light upon the