Now,' continued > she, ' that just addressed me in so vulgar is, as you would gather, one of oartes's patients. They are ax riches; and the young man is very well informed and agreeable, c occasionally met i him ; but of r I know absolutely nothing, and see how she claims me for an ac jce, Of course she is a personal ever associate with,1 as she i s - is (hly vulgar in all her ideas.' i Churchill made no answer to this except by a bow ; but she thought ,t benevolent countenance was the of a thoroughly ill-bred mind, she 1 give up all belief in physiognomy, ng the rest of the dinner, Mies Tamar so well occupied with the contents er plate, and the conversation of an gentleman, her neighbour, who related aer some moat miraculous hydropathic ;es for rheumatism, that she had not sure to make any further attacks upon

,t friends the Robarteses. • Mr Churchill, a country gentleman of loderate fortune and good family, was a jan of enlarged and cultivated mind, and july liberal spirit; for he could appre ciate talent, revere virtue, and esteem integrity of character and higii principle wherever aad amongst whomsoever found. Brought up with such principle!, his daughter Helen was prepared to find ability and worth amongst all ranks, and to esteem them highly. The Robarteses called her exclusive. True, she was so in the best sense of the term ; for she always wished excluded from har society the vulgar in mind and mean in character. Mrs Churchill, a confirmed invalid, was now at Buxton for her health. When Helen entered her mother's room after dinner, she as usual related all the amusing occurrences of the day, and after describ ing Miss Tamar, her speech, and Mrs Eobartes's horror, she said, 'Mamma, do you know I think that must be the very Miss Lowe Edward used to be so fond of when he was at school near Hilderston. If you remember, there was a Charles Lowe, whom he liked better then any of his schoolfellows; and Miss Lowe used to send them cakes and all sorts of good things; and sometimes he went to see her, and she was very kind goodhumoured, and so indulgent. Do you think it is the same, mamma? I shall go directily and inquire from Mrs Robartes. Edward would be so delighted to see his old friend again, she was such an especial favourite of his.'

1 Do so, my dear,' replied her pother ; • and should you prove right ia your conjecture, say from me that I shall be happy to see and thank her for her kind ness to your brother.' To fulfil her intention, Miss Churchill madp her appearance in the public drawing-room.; but she had no occasion to make any inqui ries. Miss Tamar had heard the name Churchill mentioned at the dinner-table. She had a retentive memory for the names of Chose she had loved, or, to whom she had ever had it in her power to render a kindness ; and she was not long in ascertaining that this was the same family of Churchills whose son had shared with her young brother in all her kind attentions and indulgences. Miss Tamar never stood upon punctilio; she knew little, and cared less for etiquette, .No sooner, then, did sho see Miss Churchill's beaming countenance than she exclaimed, ' Yes, it is the very same; she is the image of her brother. My dear young lady, you'll excuse me, lam sure ; but I want so much to hear of that brother of yours. How is he, and where is he f Dear mo, how I should like to see him again. Charles, Charles, this is Miss Churchill, sister to your friend Edward Churchill' Thus called upon, Charles, in some con fusion, turned to acknowledge this singular introduction ; but his embarrass ment was immediately relieved by the well-bred cordiality with which Helen received her brother's friend. Great was the astonishment of the Robarteses when they found the acquaintance of the Lowes sought by such very genteel people ; but from the conversation which passed, they learned one important fact—young Mr Churchill was expected. "Here was an opportunity not to be neglected. The prudent mamma recommended, hor daughters to adopt a more courteous manner towards their Hilderstqn ac quaintance, since they Were likely.to be intimate in that quarter. In the course of a few days Edward Churchill arrived, and he heartily renewed his intimacy with his old schoolfellow. Frank, gay, and light-hearted, Edward entered with grea,t zest into all the pleasures and amusements of the place. He sang, danced, and flirted incomparably better than any gentleman the^e, and was, withal, so clever and good humoured, that he soon became the life of the circle. For some time it appeared doubtful which of the ladies exoited his especial ad miration, so equally were his attentions and compliments be stowed from Miss Eobartes to Miss Tamer Lowe ; but at length his wavering choice fixed upon Miss Sophia, who from that time abandoned Mr Smythe to his fate— her mamma having assured her that he was not a marrying man. Nothing could be more agreeable to the Eobarteses than tke prospect of such ati alliance, uniting the two great advantages of good property and unexceptionable family connexions; and Miss Sophia spared no pains to secure the captive she flattered herself she had made. One thing did rather puzzle her; she could not be quite sure what were his real sentiments towards the Lowes : but after some consideration, she decided that

he was willing, for musement they afforded him, to rent acquaintance at a watering-place w. *r"ions whose society nearer home he VJ1 f not consider quite so desirable. It m l.. \%jrhaps excite some surprise that Edward should volun tarily place himself in rivalry with Charles; but the truth was, that, with the keen eye which young men often possess in such cases, he had from the first suspected how matters stood ; and it was not long before he heard the whole history from his friend. But, said Charles in conclusion, ' I now see plainly that Sophia Robartes would not suit me. She is entirely a slave to appearances, and, with her views and feelings, nothing but family disunion could be expected. She looks with contempt on my relations, who, though deficient in that polish of manner which is only to be obtained early in life, posess intrinsic merit, which those who have the good sense and courage to penetrate beyond the more outside, mu?t discover and esteem.' ♦Well, my dear fellow,' said Edward, • in my opinion you have had a happy es cape ; but I think I must teach Miss Sophia a lesson on her folly. To be tied to a woman who lives in constant dread of the sneers of miscalled refined society, would be wretched indeed; so congratulate yourself.' And Charles did congratulate himself; for, his eyes being now completely opened to the motives and opinions of his former fair one, he Gould not but be struck by the contrast between her and Miss Churchill. He saw Sophia Robartes lovely and accomplished, with a cultivated understanding, and a mind capable of appreciating everything good and noble, devoting all her charms, calling up all her fascinations, and bending all her energies to the task of securing such a connexion as should raise her in the scale of society; willingly lending herself to the exagger ated expression of admiration from a man of whose character, habits, and principles, she was almost totally ignorant, merely becmse he was what is called a good match. On tfee other hand, ho saw Helen untainted by coquetry or affectation, courteous and obliging to all, unmindful of herself, intent on promoting the comfort and happiness of those dear to her, and as ready to produce her accomplishments for the gratification and amusement of Miss Tamar, as for those better able to appreciate them. He saw, and wondered how he could* possibly have imagined himself in love with one whoso character now appeared to him so contemptible. He did not, however, at first so plainly perceive where his wonderings and reflections were leading him. His ac quaintance with her brother had placed him in a position of intimacy with Miss Churchill which none of the other gentle men enjoyed. She liked his manners, admired his talents, and sympathised with the noble and generous sentiments he expressed, and with the benevolent and enlightened vietf he took of the advan tages and opportunities afforded by his situation in life, as an extensive manu facturer, of benefiting his fellow-creatures. Her esteem for his character was much increased by his conduct towards his sister, and by the manner in which, when occasion required, he spoke of the rest of his family, - whose peculiarities she had heard described and ridiculod by the Misses Eobartes. When a young lady and genteman begin with mutual esteem and admiration, it is not difficult for lookers-on to see where it is most probable they will end. But Charles had not yet dared to hope, nor had a thought of him aßa lover ever crossed Helen's mind ; and the time fixed for their leaving Buxton was fast approaching. It had been settled that, previous to their departure, the Eobarteses, Churchills, and, by Edward's express desire, the Lowes, together with several young ladies and gentlemen staying at the same hotel, should make an excursion to Casfcleton, to view the many wonders of the Peak. Various emotions were brought into play by the prospect of this trip. Edward Churchill, true to his determination of teaching Sophia that if she would be a female flirt, sho must expect to meet with masculine jilts, had paid her such attention as might fairly permit the inference that he admired her exceedingly, and that more unlikely things had happened than that he should wish to make her his wife. '■

So Sophia attired herself most becom ingly, and thoughtjthat, wandering amidst the romantic scenery of the Peak, the anticipated .offer surely must be made : whilst Edward soliloquised—' Now for the finale; I must bid Miss Sophia a polite adieu. Pity I cannot write a letter of es teem and proffered friendship.' In pur suance of his plan, Edward selected Miss Tamar as the object of his assiduous and most devoted attentions on their drive, conducted her with the utmost gallantry through the vaulted passages and widely arehed chambers of the cavern of the Peak, would allow no one to make the passage of the Styx with her but himself, and finished by giving hsr his arm in walking back to the inn. Here Miss Tamar declared her inability to proceed any farther in search of wonders and prospects, and made known her determination to give herself a ' com fortable rest and warm,' whilst they mounted the hill where stand the ruins of the once proud castle of the Peak. ; 'Really, Mr Edward,' said one of the young ladies when they were some little distance from the inn, ' how absent you are ; don't you see Miss Sophia Robartes walking alone ?'

'Indeed! Miss Sophia/ exclaimed he, ' I beg your pardon ; do, pray, accept my arm.'

Deeply mortified though she was, she

judged it better to pass over his neglect quietly ; but as she accepted his proffered assistance, she remarked —' You seem to have injoyed yourself much, Mr Edward ?' There was a touch of reproach in the tone of her voice; but his heart was callous, and he answered gaily, 'Oh yes, very much ; I never was more interested and amused.' • Ah,' said the lady, smiling affectedly, 'lyou are such a quiz.' • A quiz,' he replied ; 'excuse me for repeating your words so rudely, but I do not understand what you mean.' : ' Oh, Mr Edward,' said Sophia, |you know very well you have been quizzing; that is, laughing at Miss Tamar Lowe.' I ' Indeed you are mistaken,' replied he. 'Of course I see Miss Tamar's eccentricities, and think them amusing; but to draw her out for the purpose of ridiculing her myself, or affording mirth to others, is an act of which I hope and believj I am incapable. I respect and esteem her highly: no one can help doing so wto is acquainted as I am with her many excellences; and if no other motive restrained me, as the sister of my friend she is safe from any such attempt on my part.' Sophia saw that she had got wrong, and to change the subject began to, talk of leaving Buxton, of how much she had enjoyed herself, and wondered when the same party whould meet again. ' Some of us, I hope, soon,' said Edward ; ' Lowe is going with me to Oaklands, and after that I intend to renew my acquain tance with Hilderston. I suppose he has got a charming bachelor establish ment ; but if I am not very much mistaken he would rather hare a complety establish ment for two. What do you think Miss Sophia ?' Completely thrown off her guard by the concluding part of this speech, imagining that 3hc must havo been mistaken in Edward's motives, and that his intention tho whole time had been to interest her for his friend, and not for himself, she replied, ' I .believe you are quite correct: to my knowledge he has' made some attempts in that way, but ho is too ambitions. Mr Lowe must look for a wife in his own class, for no women accus tomed to good society could put up with his host of vulgar relations.' 'Do you think so,' said Edward coolly; ' I scarcely thought to have heard such an objection advanced in these days, whea almost every one has vulgar relations of one kind or another; but I cannot say I agree with you. I think Charles has every chance of success in his present pursuit; for tho lady, I know, never did trouble herself much about such subjects, having, I presume, sufficient self-esteem to keep on good term 3 with herself despite her share of the- small annoyances to which tho happiest state in this life ia liable.'

Poor Sophia! The blow was .almost too much even for her well-tutored, self-possessed manners. She felt sick and giddy as the truth flashed across her mind that she had lost her old lover, and, far from gaining another, was virtually an object of amusement, if not of contempt, to the man she had considered her captive. Bitterly was she mortified ; yet so much are wo the slaves of habit, and so difficult is it to free the mind from long-indulged prejudices, that she felt only aggrieved and wronged by the turn affairs had taken. Her attention ohco awakened, however, she was too acute an observer not to be convinced of the truth of Edward Chur chill's hints ; and after several hours passed in vain efforts to assume gaiety of manner, she found herself alone, and at liberty to give vent to her long-suppressed feelings by bitter tears of mortified vanity and wounded self-love- Of all the family of Eobarteses, none were more rejoiced at the termination of their campaign than Sophia ; who, ill at ease, and wanting the sustaining influence of self-respect, imag ined herself deeply injured by the Lowes and Churchills, and tried to convinco her self that to escape from their society would bo to regain the ease and contentment she i had lost. Wh6n, however, some months had passed away, and calm reflection succeeded to this tumult of feeling, Sophia Hobartes became wiser and happier for her experience. Influenced by the sole desire of securing a good establishment, she had been for a time mortified by the failure of. her projects ; but she had too much good sense not to draw a useful lesson from the past. From the time of her visit to Buxton, the character of Sophia underwent a gradual change. Having once had the courage to find her self in the wrong, to look her errors in the face, and acknowledge them as such, she acquired strength to forsake them. Thoroughly ashamed of her heartless conducttowards Charles, she endeavoured, by respectful attention to his family when thrown into their society, to atone for her past hauteur. Perhaps nothing tend ed more to confirm and strengthen Sophia's altered views than witnessing the domestic happiness experienced by her former lover and his charming wife. In Helen 4he observed the rare union of true dignity and firmness with an un usually conciliating address; and she found it both instructive and amusing to observe the tact with which she contrived to steer clear of undue familiarity on the one hand, and an assumption of superior ity on the other. With her husband's relatives the young wife was a universal favourite ; whilst the qualities of her mind and simple lady-like caused her society to be courted by the truly estimable and refined. With such a standard, it is no wonder that Sophia

Eobartes became as superior^m character as she had ever been in. personal and mental qualifications ; nor is it matter of great surprise that Edward Churchhill should, when again thrown into her society find her a charming girl, as unlike as possible to his Buxfcon belle. As the chosen friend of his sister, Edward bad many opportunities of familiar inter course with Sophia; and he did not deem it her least attraction that she bore him n|o ill-will for his former gallantry and subsequent neglect. With the cordial approbation of all his friends, Edward at length made Sophia an offer of his .hand and heart, which offer being considered by'the young lady's. friends every way eligible, arid by none more so1 than by Sophia herself, was duly and formally excepted. The good doctor rejoiced in the happiness of his favourite child, Mrs Eobartes congratulated herself on the proper settlement of one of her daughters ; and the sisters were well pleased with the anticipated bustle and eclat of &< wedding, and the visits to the bride seen in the distance.

• Pray, Sophia, if I may venture upon such delicate ground,'asked Edward on the eve of his marriage, 'what have you done with your prejudices against Lowe's relations P Has it never occurred to you that there is certainly a fatality in these affairs, which dooms you., after all, to be come a relative of Miss Tamar's ? '

'With such an example before me of the power of affection to conquer prejudice and overcame aversion, I have not found it difficult to submit to my fate,' returned she archly. ' What do yon mean ?' asked Edward, colouring slightly, and with a touch of embarrassment in his manner.

•My dear Edward,' said Sophia, ' you once thought me very foolish, proud, and prejudiced; and so I was: but if my pride took one direction, have I been wrong in supposing that yours took another, and that the peculiarities of MiBS Tamar were not more offensive to me than what you considered the assumption of myself and family to you.' ' Well, I confess, my dear little Sophia, that I did think there was " much ado about nothing ;'' but "all is well that ends well ;*' and we may thank Miss Tamar for oar happiness. Dear old lady, if it had not been for her, I do believe you would have accepted Charles, and then what would have become of poor unhappy me, to Bay nothing of Helen?' With this confession she was fain to rest content; bnt, years after her marriage, Sophia Churchill was heard to say that she owed much, of her happiness as a wife to the severe but salutary lesson which taught her the meanness and folly of Sophia Robartes'a flirtations.

The Sues Canal.

AN . ISTTEBESTING BIT ■OF " HISTOET.

M. de LE9SEPS has often, been, asked how-the idea of making a canal across the Isthmus of Suez occured to him. Every inteligent child, he says, must have asked bis teacher why the little neck of land between the Ked Sea and the Mediterranean could not be dug through. The answer to such a ques tion has always been that there were two insuperable .difficulties— one the difference in level between the two seas, and the other the shifting sands of the desert, which would fill up a- channel as fast as it. was made. .M. de Lesseps first began to inquire seriously into these difficulties in 1849, when he had retired from a diplomatic service..,of nearly thirty years to the peaceful pur suits of farming. His connection with Egypt was of long standing; he had at one time been French counsel at Alex andra, and his father had represented France in Egypt before him. By 1852 he had convinced himself of the practicability of making a canal across Suez, and had submitted his plans to the Porte, but the Porte decided that it-did not concern Turkey, and he went back to his cattle and his farm to wait for a more favourable time. His opportunity came in 1854. One day that year, after the building of a new., bouse on his farm, word was brought him of the vice-royalty of Egypt. Said Pasha was an old friend of his. When M. de Lesseps was a counsel in Egypt, Said was a great fat boy, and his father, Mehamet Ali, annoyed at seeing his fatness increase, had him put on restricted diet, and used to send him for two hours a day to walk around the city, to skip with a rope, to row, and to climb the masts of ships. The boy made a friend with' M. de Lesseps, and got secret meals of maccaroni" from his servants; This wasjthe beginning of a friendship which led to lf such memorable results ; ; and it is a curious instance of how great things: and small are interwoven in the web of life, that if Said. Pasha had not been a fat boy with a severe father, M. de Lessep's schems might have been treated by him with as little attention as it was by the Porte, and we should have had no Suez i anal. As it was, he had an admirable introduction to the new Viceroy, talked him out of his fears regarding the intrusion of foreign

capital into his country, gained the respect of the Viceroy's counsellors by showing his skill in horsemanship, and finally obtained the long-desired occa sion on November 30, 1854— London Examiner.

Captain John Smith.

Destined to ma"ka such a figure in con. rieetion : with Powhatan and his'•'■; daughter, came to settle a colony jq . 'Virginia and to traffic with the Indiana,! ' who didn't seem to care for his wares'"' and offered him only a handful of corn, for a sword or a musket. This; so en- . raged John that ' seeing there wag-! nothing to be .had by trade or courtesy he made bold to try such conclusions-1 as necessity enforced.' So he fired on : the savages and drove them to the woods, when he got corn in abundance and returned in safety to his quarters.,'; The Indians had a sharp lookout for, him after this, and captured him at1; last; but Smith was fertile of resource, and amused his captors bo successfully ' that instead of putting him to death as he apprehended, they played him! all sorts of jokes and pranks, and at last took him for exhibition among their neighbours, and, in course of time, before Powhatan himself. Kere more than two hundred grim courtiers stood wondering at him as if he ha.d been some outlandish monster, and Powhatan and his train put on their * greatest braveries.' On each side of the king sat a; young woman, and at each sidle of the wigwam sat two rows of men, behind whom were seated two rows of women. When Smith was brought into the; presence all set up a great uproar, and ■ the queen was appointed to bring water to wash his hands, while another female fetched a'bunch of feathers for ! a towel. After feasting him in their'"" ' best barbarious mariner r a long con* - sultation was held, at the conclusion of which two great stones were brought., and laid down.before Powhatan. They;; all dragged up Smith and put his head i on one of the stones, and the warriors o were going to beat out his brains with their clubs, when Poeahontas,, the1' King's daughter, seeing her entreaties';,; wera of no avail, got his head in her, % arms and laid her own on his to, save i him from death. This last appeal of i! his kind-hearted little daughter touched ' the heart of the King, her father, anil? Smith's life was sayed; Ho had many1! adventures arid hair-breadth escapesI',; among them afterwards,, but they?.', eventually became friends, and when he hi returned from a trip to England he m dispatched a messenger to the chief I with the intelligence that he had a';1 present for him from his brother the;f English King, and requested himfo1' come arid receive it. .'.T

'If y6ur King,' replied the haughty T old chief, 'has sent me presents, lam s also a King, and this is my land.(! Eight days will I wait to receive them; The G-o.verner is to come to me, not I v to him, nor yet to youp fort. I will' ; notbiteatsuch a bait.' " ' :T,; Powhatan'stieath, which followed soon after, together with .Smith's further ■",■, adventures and Pocahontaß' marriage to ; ; a man named Wolf, have : all of them m fascinating interest, but space does noti ' admit of further details. "'•'

Emerson is. the favorite author of^ thinkers'—of those who look beneath, the:.'■■', form for the substance and spirit of things. > To them he is the most original, the most I suggestive, of living writers. He is more than a great thinker; he is a veritable seer. The profoundest secrets of nature , are revealed to him. Flippant critics have called him obscure, but to one who is in sympathy with him, who reads him | critically in the spirit of earnest inquiryfor :■ the true and beautiful, '. both the style and •= and the method are admirable. Every word tells; every sentence is laden with.' meaning. That the number of his 'ad-.,;-, mirers is steadily growing ismanifestin rtej fact that several editions of his essays,; have appeared within the past few years. A little boy, when picking the drnfflf, • stick of a chicken, swallowed one of,the tendons which are so numerous in the legs $ of a fowl, and was very nearly choked. The tendon was however, extracted with, fj great difficulty from the little felM'o throat, when he exclaimed, • Oh, mamma, "C< it wasn't the chickabiddy's fault; it was v because cook forgot to take.off.it*,-, garters!'; ' V A negro about dying was told by hJ»; minister that he must forgiye a certain . darkey against whom he seemed' foil; entertain a very bitter feeling. ' Yes, sail,' jjj he replied, 'if I dies I forgive datnigg«!' but if I g<Jts well, dat nigga' must wßtw care!' ;jm'n " '■ ' ( jM

There are twenty thousand unmarrie«r' woman liying'in Philadelphia,,which bg§p firms the report that the city is one>ot; brotherly lore.

Piinted and published by the proprietor HI8B« Brett, of Parnell, at his General Steam Printing Office, Wyndhanvstreet, in the Oity of AuoUwi New Zealand. ItSaturday, September 23, 187Q

Evening Star Supplement, September 23, 1876.