y name as likely to be brought together by na-gave the Western Powers reason to doubt whetional calamity. In short, to be free from shack-ther she had been sincere in the apparent cordiles that fetter us alike in peace and war-to se-ality of her co-operation down to this point. cure a strong, honest, national Government- With regard to the conduct of Austria, indeed, it seems to be felt, rather than thought, that we have as yet no authentic information whatsowe must have something very like a revolu- ever; Ministers tell us to await the return of tion! Lord John Russell. We have the diplomatic chapter on the war in the Moniteur pointing out the obligations of Austria with an elaborate care plainly indicating the necessity for convincing that power of her obligations. We have similar

From the same.

THE intelligence from Vienna is disagreeable. It is not only that Russia has definitively broken off from the negotiations, and refuses all the prof-papers in our leading journals, evidently dictated fered terms of accommodation on the third point. If not exactly expected, that is not the worst turn that the conferences could have taken, so far as Russia is concerned.

by the same desire and having the same tendency. The Morning Post has almost in plain terms indicated that Austria hesitates; the Times and Globe do not contradict the surmise, but confirm With regard to her, the position appears to be it by their argumentative statement of Austrian this. The Allies, after consultation among them- pledges and interests. It is to be gathered that selves, had determined that "the four points" Austria has laid before the Western Powers a were essential to any conclusion of peace with representation that the objects of the war have Russia, namely, the reconstruction of the Prin- been practically attained, in the compulsory evacipalities so as to render Turkish territory inde- cuation of the Principalities by Russia and the pendent of a powerful neighbor; the free navi- effectual protection of that territory, and in the gation of the Danube; the abatement of Russian maritime expulsion of Russia from the Black supremacy in the Black Sea; and a substitution Sea, which the Western Powers have shown of European protection over the Christian sub- their ability to enforce at will; results which sejects of Turkey, in lieu of a Russian protection cure the independence of Turkey by land and of the Greek Church. By a concession from her the safety of Constantinople by sea. At the same previous position, after the failure of the last con- time, a closer union between Austria and Prusferences, Russia agreed to negotiate upon these sia, and therefore Germany, rendered possible by bases, and assented to the general principle of the the renewal of peace, would secure Europe first two points. On the third, the Allies, whose against Russian encroachment across the Gerviews were no doubt well understood by Russia, man frontier. Is it worth while, Austria is undeemed it more respectful not to make a specific derstood to ask, to plunge into the perils and peproposal, but left Russia to develop the principle nalties of extended war, when we have already of that point in an offer of her own. The Rus-obtained that, which we sought ?-It is possible sian Plenipotentiaries referred to their Govern- that this representation may have been made in ment; and the result was, that Russia absolutely good faith, and that the Austrian Ministers may declined to treat. This seemed final: but sub- not deserve the distrust that has been occasioned sequently some kind of propositions were sent in in the minds of the British and French Plenipoby Russia, though only to be rejected. The tentiaries. Some term appears to have been alconferences were stopped; M. Drouyn de Lhuys lowed for the deliberations of Austria on this and Lord John Russell turned homeward; and it momentous question; and it is anticipated that was open war with Russia-hopes of peace aban-next week we shall have a definite knowledge of doned. the position that Austria is to assume, and shall

So far good. Open war was better than a know, therefore, whether the Western Powers are treacherous peace; but doubtful alliance is almost to proceed in alliance with the Emperor Francis worse than either; and Austria for the first time | Joseph or separately.

VALUE OF LAND IN THE CITY.

duced is at the rate of £1,182,030 per acre!ED.]-Corrsepondent of the Builder.

Observing by a communication in a recent im- EARL DUNDONALD declares himself to be so pression, that an endeavor has been made to positive that he could destroy Cronstadt, Sweathrow some doubt on the accuracy of your state-borg, Helsingfors, and Sebastopol, at the moments on the above subject, I beg to inform derate expense of £1,000,000, that he is ready, you that a piece of land on the south side of with the sanction of the Government, to place Cornhill, having a frontage of 58 feet by a depth his plans before spirited individuals in the City, of 17 feet, has been within the last few days let under whose superintendence the money may be on lease for a building term at a ground-rent of £900 per annum. This, I think, will be found to be a higher rate per acre than any plot here- IT IS INTENDED to hold a “ Grand Bazaar” in tofore let. I may add, that the ground in ques-London next month, to promote the movement tion is the property of the parish of St. Michael, now making to extend the use of free labor in Cornhill, and was let by public tender-[Cal-cotton goods, with a view to the discouragement culated at thirty years' purchase, the sun pro- of slavery in the American States.

disbursed.

!

BREAD CAST ON THE WATERS.

From Household Words.
BREAD CAST ON THE WATERS.

Nancy Cleghorn is the nicest girl in the world -the best, the loveliest, the most accomplished, the kindest; and I wish her father had broken A YOUNG man (see his description in any lady-his neck, or been drowned in the Falder, with all vel of any year), eminently handsome, and my heart." Now, to look at him, you would not ounted on a fiery eyed black horse, rode slowly suppose that such murderous sentiments could own the avenue of a gentleman's place," in find room in the heart of so radiant a youth. ie pastoral county of Lanark. It was not a Yet he distinctly wished poor old George Clegomain-not an estate; it was merely a mode- horn, of Falder, to meet, or rather to have met, ate-sized property, with a pretty square-built at some previous date, with an untimely end. So ouse situated on the banks of a pituresque little can one judge, from countenance, of the deiver, and protected from cast and north by an pravity of the human mind! Perhaps Thurtell abrupt elevation, which in most countries would smiled joyously, in the course of his drive, in be called a mountain, but here was known as the that dreadful gig, with Mr. Weare. Listen, a Falder Hill. His dress (see the same authorities little farther, to what this horrid Charles Harfor the becoming costume of the year seventeen burn is saying to himself" If the antiquated hundred and eighty) set off his splendid figure to ruffian would say "No" at once, I could bear his the greatest advantage. But Charles Harburn opposition, and know how to behave; but now, (that was the young man's name) owed less to with his talks about Dumbarton being of rock, any other personal advantage than to the fine, and Ailsa Craig of granite, while I and Nancy If I am Dumbaropen expression of his face. It does not matter are only flesh and blood,-who can make head whether this expression arose from features or or tail of what he means? You couldn't look at him ton, he says, for seven years, and Nancy, for the not; there it was. without wishing to shake him by the hand,-he same period, is Ailsa Craig, he will not refuse his I can't see, for my part, how Ailsa was so jolly, so radiant, so manly in all his looks; consent. and his looks did no more than justice to the in- Craig and Dumbarton are ever to come together, ner man. Everybody liked him. except old care- if all the fathers in Scotland approve the banns; ful fathers and mothers who had rich and only and as to being flesh and blood, of course we are, daughters; and even in that case I doubt whe- and not tanned leather and fiddle-strings, like ther the mothers could have retained their en-himself! I will marry Nancy Cleghorn as soon mity after the first week. Fathers are such as I can, and let the aged pumpbelieve harsh and unsentimental brutes, that they would have hated him more and more. They could see nothing to admire in him at all. He hadn't distinguished himself at school half so much as young Pitsgothic of Deanvale; nor at college so much as Polwoody of Drumstane; and A little boy of ten years old was sitting on the yet nobody made any fuss about those very estimable youths, though they had two thousand fence at the side of the road, and crying as if his a-year each, and were exactly the same age as heart would break. Before him lay the fragCharles Harburn. Lord bless us! how old fogies ments of a small wooden tray, and a torn old red of fifty will reason upon love and beauty! and cotton handkerchief wrapt round a pair of very prove that the snub nose of Polwoody and the clouted shoes. He had never taken the trouble bandy legs of Pitsgothic are every bit as pleas- to pick up a few rolls of cotton thread and a ant to look on as the Grecian outline and classic broken-toothed comb, which lay mixed with figure of the very charming young man we have other articles of the same kind in the mud of the "What has left so long on his great black charger, in the narrow footpath. "Do you hear?" said Charles. Reason away, old avenue of Falder Mains. happened to you? and why are you in such blockheads! It's pleasant to hear your silly remarks! Jane, and Susannah, and I, know bet- grief?" ter, though these fair maidens are both under twenty, and I never passed for a philosopher; but if a small bet will be any satisfaction, I am ready to deposit a moderate amount of coin on the correctness of the judgment of these two ignorant young girls, and leave the decision of the wager to the oldest professor in Edinburgh College, provided he has no marriageable daughters of his own and is not himself on the look-out for a third wife.

-Hallo! little boy!" he cried out, interrupting his soliloquy, and pulling up the black steed, which snorted "What's the matter, my with the excitement, and pawed the ground with impatience to proceed. wee man? Has anybody hurt you, that you're greetin' so loud?"

The little boy took the backs of his hands from his eyes, which he had apparently been trying to push deeper into his head with the knuckles, and presented a countenance of utter despair mixed with a good deal of dirt, and, at first, a little alarm.

"Twa men," he sobbed out, "have robbed me, and run awa' with my stock-in-trade."

"It couldn't be very large," said Charles, " and maybe you will find friends who will set you up again."

At last Charles Harburn got to the foot of "I have no friends," said the boy, whose the avenue; and, on closing the swing-gate beI never had any hind him, and entering on the high-road, he gave face, when undisturbed by spasms of grief, was vent to the exuberance of his spirits by touching very clear and honest. the courser's flank with his whip, and dashing friends, and I am thinking I never will have any off at a gallop on the narrow grass border that friends." bounded the public way. I am ready to depose,

"Oh yes, you will-never fear. Tell me that at the same time, he gave utterance to cer- all about it, and perhaps something may be tain words which sounded very like these-done."

"I started from Glasgow," said the boy, "three days since, with my pack."

"How did you get your pack, and what was in it?"

"I got the pack by saving. I was an orphan, -a fundling they call it, because I was left in a field on a farmer's ground at Partick; and when I grew to working age

"We could toss may be for the half one," said Douglas Brand; but so low, that the words escaped the ear of his benefactor, and a blush came to his own cheek when he thought what an ungrateful proposition it was. "Oh, what can I do for you sir?" he said; "you have restored me to all my hopes. My gratitude shall know no end, and I'll think on ye and pray for ye till I

die."

"Make a good use of your luck, my little friend," said Harburn, “and that is all the thanks I require. But, by the by, you said you would pray for me. Now you are a very innocent lad: you know your Bible, and you're grateful to the good minister who stood your friend; bow down on your knees, Douglas Brand, up with your hands, my wee laddie, and pray that I may be Dumbarton for seven years if required, and finally be joined to Ailsa Craig."

"It's something like asking a miracle," said the boy; "but if the heart's wishes have any power, my petition will be heard, and many more that I will not cease to make for blessings on you and yours."

"When might that be ?" asked Charles. "When I was four year auld, I left the byre, where I lived with the calves, and gaed out to frighten craws wi' a rattle. I got threepence a week, and a feed o' sowans every day; and so, ye see, I began to lay by a little siller. The farmer's name was Douglas; and there was a mark on my arm of an anchor and a sinking boat, which they called a brand,-so my name was Douglas Brand; forbye that the minister that christened me said I was plucked from the burning, and put half-a-crown into a wooden box with a slit at the top, to set an example to charitable friends; and when I got to be ten year old—last month, sir-I thought it time to go out into the world and seek my fortune. I can read and write, and ken a' the New TestaI am very happy that you and I did not see ment by heart, beside the Shorter Catechism and the scene that then occurred,-Charles sitting on a half o' the Pilgrim's Progress; so with the help the back of his now quiet horse, with his hat in of the minister, and the saved-up siller in the his hand, and his head bent reverently down, and box, I bought a stock of knives, and combs, and Douglas Brand on his knees in the public road, reels of cotton, and thimbles and shears, and with closed eyes and clasped hands, uttering needle-cases and boxes o' pins, and pincushions prayers about Dumbarton and Ailsa Craig, which and writing-paper, and sticks o' wax and pocket- he did not quite understand, but which rose earnbooks, and tape and twine. It cost four pound, estly and sincerely from a thankful heart, because fourteen, and fourpence, and it's a' gane! Twa he believed, in some way or other, these precipishearers, wi' heuks in their hands, asked to see tous elevations were connected with the happimy stock, and when I showed it, they took every-ness of his friend. We might have been tempted thing I had,-five knives and sixteen thimbles, to see something laughable in the attitudes of the and twenty reels of thread. It's a' gone-clean two; but perhaps, in the apprehension of a awa'-and I've naithing left but the broken tray Higher Intelligence, there might have been someand the auld trapkin wi' my Sabbath-day thing not quite worthy of our contemptuous shoon. " And at the contemplation of his smiles in the sincerity and fervent trust of the great losses, he again lifted up his voice and young man of twenty one and the pedler boy. wept. Who knows? A slight shake of the rein, and a merry "Farewell! and success attend you," set Harburn forward on his homeward way at a pace that soon took him out of sight of Douglas Brand.

"And how much would it take to replace you as you were before the rascals robbed you?" said Charles.

"Do you mean cost price?" said the boy, his eye brightening up with the spirit of mercantile enterprise," or what it would be worth if it was a' sold?"

"Cost price, of course. How much out of the original four pounds, fourteen, and fourpenceworth, had you disposed of ?"

Ob,

"I'll write down on the tables o' my heart," said the youth, "the name o' the kind gentleman, -but wae's me, I never asked his name. how I wish I had asked who he was!-but, at any rate, I will never forget Dumbarton and Ailsa Craig.' And he took from a secret pocket "I had cleared one pound three," said the in his jacket a tattered old pocket-book that had boy, "and not parted with a twelfth part of the escaped the notice of his assailants, and wrote stock; but they found the money in my stock-down the names of these two well-known rocks, ing sole-I'll never wear stockings again, for determining to take steps, as soon as he was able, they're just a waste-and took it all, sir. I hae to unravel the mystery that connected them with na a farthing in the world." his generous friend.

"Poor lad!" said Charles Harburn. "Here's After a rapid career of six or seven miles, the all your life perhaps broken in your hand, and black horse turned of its own accord up a narrow nobody to help you. But cheer up, man. I'm side-road, that lay in a very narrow valley benot very rich; but I'm very happy just now,tween two hills. The country grew wilder as he and here, we'll share what I've got." So saying, he drew out a purse, and finding there were nine golden guineas in it, he gave four to the boy, and said, "I told you we would share it; but you see it's not very easy, as here are nine Georges, and neither of us has any change."

continued his course along the winding banks of a branching stream; hedges soon ceased; enclosures disappeared from fields; huge hills rose up on either side, with no attempt at cultivation destroying the primitive desolation of their surface, -but suddenly, at an opening of the valley, a

BREAD CAST ON THE WATERS.

"But painting is a very precarious profese white gate pointed out a path leading round omontory of the mountain on the left, and at sion; and, besides, it is not quite the occupation end of a small level space, forming a penin-forof very rich land, surrounded on three sides

"Ah! there's some of your nonsensical fama sinuosity of the burn, was seen a low white-ily pride, because you claim from Robert Bruce. shed mansion, with smooth green turf on the I don't see why painting isn't as gentle a craft as le lawn in front, and supported on one side by wearing a uniform or pleading at the bar. But large orchard, at this moment filled with the whe shan't require it. She has only two sisters hest fruit, and at the other by an ornamental-I am an only child. Glen Bara is not very rden, to which there was a descent by a few valuable; but we could live, mother-we could ps from a room at the west end of the house. be happy: we could read, and draw, and walk, anding on those steps, as if arrested in the act and ride, and farm, and feed cattle till they descending into the garden, a lady waved her couldn't move-only George Cleghorn talks such ind to the advancing horseman, who leaped nonsense about Dumbarton! How the deuce ghtly from his horse, and putting the reins on can I be such a great ugly, frowning mass of is neck, watched him trot off in a very sedate Whin! And Nancy-she's to be Ailsa CraigSeven years!-only nd business-like manner to a stable abutting on and then, when we have been petrified for seven he orchard, where a groom was waiting for his years, we are to marry. rrival. A minute saw Charles in the garden think of what an immense time that is!" And then the young soldier poured out all his y the side of his mother, with his arm round indignation on the head of poor old George er waist. Cleghorn of Falder Mains. And the mother thought it very unkind of Mr. Cleghorn to be so very careful and distrusting. And many attempts all the week were made to shorten the period of probation. Would three years do?— would five? But no! George Cleghorn was as obstinate as a mule, and Charles Harburn at the appointed time took his way for London to embark for foreign service, with a charming miniature of Nancy suspended by a ribbon and resting night and day upon his heart, and, leaving with her his whole-length portrait, mounted on Black Angus, and bearing at one corner the sig natures in white paint of the two lovers, under the hated names of Dumbarton and Ailsa Craig, with the date, in fainter letters, seventeen hundred and eighty.

"Before I ask you how you have sped," she said, "I must tell you the great event has happened. You are lieutenant in the regiment we desired, and must leave me in a week."

A start of gratification at the first part of the news was checked by the tone of his mother's voice. It conveyed to him as clearly as if the idea had been expressed in words, "You know how desolate I am, and yet you are delighted to leave me." He was not at all delighted to leave her. He could have stayed with her all his life; only it looked such a shrinking from the duties of his age and station -such a selfish gratification of his love of home, if he continued for ever to reside with his mother, that he had applied for a lieutenant's commission (it was not absolutely necessary in those Now, did Charles Harburn ever see Falder days to begin with the lower grade) in a regiment at that time engaged in bringing the revolted Mains again? Did he marry Nancy Cleghorn? Americans to submission. And, accordingly, in al! Did the flinty-hearted father of that accomplished his day-dreams about Nancy Cleghorn there had maiden relent, and send over the sea to tell been a perpetual glitter of a epaulettes on his Charles that as none but the brave deserve the shoulders and a clank of sword and spur, which, fair, he had determined to bestow his daughter's however, only intruded themselves in a promi- hand where her heart had so long been placed, nent manner when his thoughts dwelt on that in reward of the gallantry he had shown in young lady's imperturbable papa, whose insight many a dashing charge? And that his mother, into the human heart we have observed was the dear and honored Mrs. Harburn, was in eargreatly strengthened by his knowledge of geog-nest expectation of his return to Glen Bara, raphy.

"In a week?" he said. "Well, we have seven days' happiness before us, dear mother, and I will not allow a cloud to pass over a single hour."

"And therefore you won't tell me how you prospered to-day at Faider Mains."

which she had had newly painted and docorated in honor of the approaching happy event? It is a pity, my good and curious reader, that you can't examine my countenance before you put these questions. Do you see any symptom of fatuity, or even insanity, in my light gray eyes?-any wandering of intellect in the corners of this "On the contrary, I will not conceal a syllable rather well-cut mouth? In short, do you supof all that passed. Old George is as great a pose I am such a very egregious Tom Noddy as millstone as ever, but Nancy is true as steel. She to tell you whether any of these incidents ocsays if we're not rich enough to live without em-curred at this particular part of the story? Don't ployment, she can make as much money as we you see that I have to go to America with my And how beautiful hero, and describe his achievements at Camden require by her paintings. What likenesses! - what and Eutah Springs and York Town-at the latter they are, mother! finish! Yould see what she had made of me on of which he received that sword-cut on his Black Angus. By-the-by, I wonder if they'll temple which made him so interesting and left a let me take him as my charger! I feel sure if mark that most people considered a great inTom Splinders at the turnpike saw the picture crease to the manliness of his beauty? Then I at his gate, he would charge toll as if it were have to describe his disagreement with his general, and his duel with the insulting aide-dealive."

CHAPTER II.

camp; his rescue of his colonel's daughter from to be so moved by a portrait of his mother's sisthe hands of the wild Indians, who were about to ter; and, besides, I have always heard his me tomahawk her first and eat her afterwards. Then ther was an only child. I have very little doubt, his long detention in America by circumstances therefore, that the ringlets and bright eyes beover which he had no control-his appointment longed to Nancy Cleghorn, now Mrs. Major to a difficult and dangerous command in Canada Nobbs. -his adventure in the boat at the edge of Niagara Falls-all these things I shall relate in the order here set down, if I see any necessity for doing so; and I do most positively decline to depart from what I consider the proper course of my narrative merely to gratify a petulant curiosity as to whether certain things happened at a certain time, with which it strikes me the reader has nothing whatever to do, except to read, with profound admiration, when the secret is at last confidentially communicated. How do I know that if he were discontented with the answer I gave him, he wouldn't at once shut up the page, and perhaps fly to an account of the Queen's last Drawing Room in the Morning Post? It is therefore, perhaps, my best policy to be as uncommunicative as possible.

THERE was a man of the name of Napoleon Bonaparte, the son of a pettifogging lawyer in Ajaccio, who made a remarkable disturbance at the beginning of this century. He upset several thrones and set them up again-altered the bal ance of power, kept the world in awe, and also made the fortunes of Brand, Bustle, and Co., the army-contractors in Wapping. That little Cor sican and adventurer never raised an army with out putting hundreds of thousands of pounds into the pockets of this respectable firm. If he won a battle in Italy, there came such a flood of wealth into Wapping that it seemed as if be must be a sleeping partner in the concern, and thrashed the Austrians merely on purpose to inI will only say that when Charles had been crease the profits of trade. Mr. Brand lived in about two years absent he received a letter from Grosvenor Square, and went down to Wapping his mother, in which, alluding to her commu- every day in a splendid carriage, with two footnication of the month before, she says, "You men on the box beside the coachman, and two have recovered the shock of my sad intelligence, more hanging on behind. The aristocracy felt I dare say. In fact, I always wondered you some surprise that a man of Mr. Brand's family were so particular in that quarter-but there is should condescend to trade, but they were reno accounting for tastes. Last Sunday it was conciled to it by the immensity of the income so fine that I ventured once more into the saddle he realized, and the great scale on which his and rode over to Falder Church. An excellent transactions were carried on. If he had dealt in sermon from Mr. M'Tavish, but in so strong single hams or disposed occasionally of a stone an accent that if I had not spent some part of or two of beef he would have been viewed in a my youth in the Highlands, I should not have very different light-but a man who filled three understood what he said. For the first time, I large ships with hams, which never reached their saw Major Nobbs. He is very yellow, and has destination, and three more with powdered beef, been thirty years in India in the service of a which always, by some unaccountable means, Nizam of some place which I cannot spell, and was paid for before it started, and never was very rich, they say. He would wed. They say, heard of again, either by the estimable governalso, he came into the kirk under protest, as he ment officer who handed over the money, or the has imbibed some very strange notions in the army for whose benefit it was supposed to be East, and some people say he is a Mohammedan, shipped. A man who did business by the shipand proposed for all three, but George would load and received his payments by the twenty only consent to his marrying Nancy. So they thousand pounds, rose out of the category of are off next week for their honeymoon in a ship tradesmen altogether, and became a potentatethat sails from Liverpool; and Nancy leaves a a power-a visible representative of the inexportrait of him, dressed in a very wonderful uni-haustible wealth of England. So Mr. Brand was form. It is to hang over the dining-room mantel- looked on as an embodiment of all the taxes; and piece, and looks very like the sign of the Sara- it was felt, while we had twenty or thirty armycen's Head. The bride seems quite happy, and contractors rolling in such countless wealth I hope this letter will find you the same." It from the mere profits of supplying beef and did. The last mail had knocked him down for a hams, that Britons never, never, never could be whole week. But now he was in such exuberant slaves. I have said the aristocracy were at first spirits that a report got spread in the regiment a little scandalized by pigs and oxen being salted that he had succeeded to a baronetcy and ten thousand a-year. He attended every ball that was given far or near-flirted in a very violent manner with any girl who would listen, talked disparagingly of love and constancy on all occasions, and was observed one night suddenly to burst into a fit of laughter and something very like sobs. Then he laid aside for the first time a small miniature of a blue-eyed, red-lipped, light-haired female, which he had always sedulously concealed, but which he now swore was a likeness of an aunt who died young. So he was thought a youth of strong family affection

and sold by a person of Mr. Brand's family. And this may perhaps be accepted as an answer to the celebrated question of "What's in a name?" If Mr. Brand had been Mr. Snooksnay, if Mr. Douglas Brand had been Mr. Snooks Brand, no one would have wondered at his trading in oxen and pigs. But having had the opportunity some years before of lending a little temporary assistance to one of the chiefs of the Douglass family, he received various letters of thanks from that grateful nobleman, asking further time for the payment of interest, and acknowledging the near relationship that existed