34 Something Advantageous; [January, 



that, Mrs. Dean.' ' Think of what, you two-legged goose?' *Pho, pho,' 

 said another man, ' I knew him very well. I'm his cousin. Hilloa ! 

 what's this ? Who are you ?' 



A woman in tattered garments, hut who still looked like a beautiful 

 one, stood hesitatingly at the foot of the stairs. ' Is this Mr. Shaw's ?' 

 she said. 'Hush, Mary, hush ! don't my dear.' 'But I am hungry, 

 mamma,' said the little girl, who was holding her hy a handful of her 

 dress. 



' Oh, Mary — do not dear ; we — we shall soon go home. Hush, dear, 

 hush, hush ! Is this ]\Ir. Shaw's ?' 



' Yes,' said a fat woman, 'and who is you, pray ?' 



« I — I saw an advertisement. I am his aunt Grace's only child. My 

 name is Mary Grantham. This is my only child. She — she is father- 

 less and has been so for many a day,' 



' What,' cried a man, 'are you the Mary he broke his heart about?' 



* Broke his fiddlestick,' said the fat woman. ' Good God, do I live to 

 hear that !' exclaimed the woman with the child. 



' You had better go up to the solicitor at once,' whispered I. 'Come, I 

 will show his door,' 



I made a way for her through the throng of persons, and we soon 

 reached the chamber. 'Here is another of Mr. Jordan's relations, Mr. 

 Shaw,' said I, 'I find you have had quite a levee.' 



* I have indeed, doctor. You must come at twelve o'clock, next Mon- 

 day, madam, when the will of Mr. Jordan will be read by me to all 



around.' 



' I thank you, sir.' She was about to leave the chambers, when I 



interposed. 



' Pardon me, madam,' I said. ' But as I was the only person with 

 Mr. Jordan, at the time of his decease, I wish to ask you a question. If 

 I mistake not, your name was the last that passed his lips. ' Mary, 

 my Mary,' he said, ' God knows that I loved you !' 



She sank into a chair, and burst into tears. 



' You, then,' I added, ' are the Mary whom he loved. Ah, why did 

 you not, if you can weep for him now, reciprocate the passion ?' 



' I did love him,' she cried ; ' God knows, and he, who is now with his 

 God, knows how I loved him. But evil tongues came between us, and 

 we were separated. He was maligned to me, and I was wearied by 

 entreaties and tears, until I married another. She, who has turned me 

 from him, and severed two hearts that would and should have been all 

 the world to each other, confessed the sin upon her death-bed.' 



' Who was it ?' said Mr. Shaw. 



