of the winter he has borrowed money from me, sometimes in large and sometimes in smaller sums, which he has always promised to repay, but has not refunded it yet; and I have been credulous, or rather weak enough to let him have these loans on his bare word of honour, without any written bond. And now he writes me in a brief and indifferent manner: 'I shall pay you as soon as possible,' &c. But I know what that means; he will never pay me, and I, who have lent him amounts far beyond my means, and have consequently been obliged to borrow from others, am thereby plunged into the greatest trouble. I did not deserve this at St. Orme's hands. And yet it would not be so grievous to me if I were the only party concerned. But it will be too distressing to me if my good sweet daughter is obliged to live in want and privation. No, rather may God take her, if it be his will; though I shall be very lonely and forsaken in my old age."

Large tears rolled over the pale cheeks of my stepmother, she dried them gently with the corner of her silk shawl. The sight of this quite overwhelmed me, and kneeling I conjured my stepmother to consider all that I possessed as her own, and to cede me the rights of a daughter in her heart; and, should Selma die, I would never forsake her.

She thanked me, she embraced me, but-she seemed to find little consolation in that which I offered her. Selma's reawakening to life made all troubles retreat for a time, and joy alone prevail; but the birds of night soon made their appearance again.

The Philosopher looks very happy, and casts such bright glances at me that I cannot help returning them pleasantly.

April 23d.

The Viking also, honest, warm-hearted William Brenner, has been deceived-almost ruined by St. Orme.

And his children! My heart bleeds for him, and feels bitterly his estrangement from our house.

Lennartson has called every day, happy at the fortunate turn in Selma's illness; but he has not expressed his desire to see her. He is at present deeply concerned about Brenner's misfortune, though the latter bears the stroke with manly fortitude. Lennartson, in brotherly kindness, offered him his assistance; but Brenner has refused to accept it, being firmly convinced that in a few years' time he shall be able to raise himself out of his involved circumstances.

"But this I will tell you, brother," said he, with melancholy vivacity, "if our Lord should call me to his army above ere I once more get a firm footing and position here on earth for myself and all belonging me, I will bequeath you an inheritance."

"Consisting of-?" inquired the latter.

"My children."

A silent pressure of the hand between the two friends then followed. And thus it is that noble minds understand each other.

But these words affected me to tears; for the Viking would not allow me to have any share in the inheritHe does not esteem me highly enough for that. In the middle of May he sails for the Mediterranean.

ance.

April 26th.

Deeply affected by the situation and afflicted appearance of my stepmother, I asked her to-day why

she did not confide her case to her half-brother, as he would certainly be able to advise and assist her.

But this she rejected with a sort of alarm, exclaiming:

"No, no! it would not be worth while, nor be of any

I was astonished; I thought that this was the very thing that would be most availing; never could the Chamberlain find a better opportunity of gratifying his passion, so frequently expressed, "for doing good in silence."

"Yes, I know what that means," rejoined my stepmother, with a sigh; still greatly troubled about a considerable payment she had to make in a few days, she resolved at length in the evening to send for her brother.

He came, and seemed much embarrassed at the confidence which she reposed in him. At last he advised his sister to make an assignment of her property, and to declare herself insolvent. In this way she would be best able to extricate herself out of her difficulties.

With a high-minded indignation, which won for her my whole heart's affection, my stepmother rejected the proposal. "Rather," said she, "would I live on bread and water, and experience the most extreme want, than that anybody should suffer by me."

The Chamberlain declared these sentiments to be "very fine, very respectable," but begged her "to make use of her reason," and so on.

My stepmother would not listen to any thing of the kind; her brother had no other advice to give; and he then got a look from me, after which he quickly with

drew, jesting at my "Jupiter-mien," and pleading as a pretext important "business."

My warm and hearty approval of my stepmother's manner of thinking and acting seemed afterwards to comfort and raise her spirits.

April 29th.

Beautiful, warm days, rendered still more charming by Selma's convalescence. The quiet seriousness which now pervades her general demeanour does not hinder her from accepting with grateful joy every little gift which life and friendship offer.

My stepmother tries to conceal from her the secret disquietude and trouble which harass her mind, but she is frequently very near betraying them. At my solicitations she has now confided her state affairs to Lennartson, who seems to be selected to be every body's helper.

As to the mutual position of things at present between Lennartson and Flora, I am ignorant. Yesterday I found them both in the antechamber; he had thrown his arm round her waist; she reclined her head on his shoulder. On the table before them lay the red letter-case, the object of so much anguish and confusion; serious and tender words seemed to have been spoken by Lennartson. Flora was deeply affected, but to me it appeared as if neither of them were happy. Flora has been very little here, and with Selma, and it. still continues to be a riddle to me. I have just received a few lines from her, stating that as she may now be at rest respecting Selma's health, she purposes to accompany her sister on a pleasure tour to Swartzjö, to hear the

song of the nightingales: but intends to be here again on the 3d of May.

Flora engages on a pleasure excursion, and leaves the friend who has sacrificed herself for her, to her silent sufferings! Flora's brother also might at this time have claims on her society and care; his health is very precarious, and he had been ordered by the physican to go abroad in the spring, and to try one of the warm baths of Germany. But amid all the afflictions of her near relatives, Flora thinks of nothing but amusing herself, and listening to the songs of the nightingales. What deep-rooted egotism! But I will not yet condemn her; perhaps she travels to the quiet parks of Swartzjö, there to listen in peace to her "inward voice."

April 30th.

To-day Selma was so well that I could ask her respecting her meeting with St. Orme, and the magic power by which she had been enabled to extort from him in a moment the weapons he had held fast so long, and nullify the victory he had just won. The little which Selma told me about this subject, and which I would not allow her to enter into further, lest she should become too much excited, has given me the following view of that circumstance:

It was at the crisis when Flora seemed sinking into a bottomless abyss, that Selma felt inspired with a courage and determination powerful enough to bid defiance to all opposition-to save her. The fear of arriving too late to prevent a meeting between Lennartson and St. Orme; the inward consciousness of danger pressing on many sides, made her almost unconsciously