NED BARTLAM. 3f) 



nature in his look, that one forgets m a moment 

 that his coat was not made by Stultz. 



If I was pleased with seeing the reception Ned 

 met with from his friends, I was more so when I 

 once accompanied him in a walk through the vil- 

 lage in which he resides. It was impossible to 

 mistake the expression of affection with which every 

 one regarded him. The children got about him, 

 and he had something kind to say to every one. 

 Only one person we met seemed to avoid him, and 

 that was a young female. Her dress was in dis- 

 order, her hair had escaped from a small black hat 

 she had upon her head, and her whole appearance 

 betokened a mind ill at ease. There was some- 

 thing in her appearance which created an interest 

 for her ; and I accordingly asked Ned to tell me 

 something of her. Her little history was no un- 

 common one. She had been deserted by a worth- 

 less scoundrel on whom she had placed her affec- 

 tions, and she had become listless and unhappy 

 Ned said, that he had taken pains to convince her 

 how little cause she had to regret the loss of her 

 lover; but she had become impatient of what he 

 had said to her, and now avoided him. On our 

 return from our walk, we again met her; Ned 

 accosted her, but no longer spoke to her of her 

 lover. He mentioned her parents, the grief they 

 were in at her altered appearance, the happiness 

 she still had it in her power to give them. He 



