solicitude to him. with which he carried out the execution of an English soldier for causing the death of a native, was of itself enough to mark his strong sense of what was due from the Viceroy of India to the interests of the conquered race. "His combination of speculative and practical ability," so wrote one with deep experience of his mind, "fitted him more than any man I have ever known, to solve the problem how these subject races are to be governed." It may be that in these acts he merely served to represent the growing humanity and justice of the age. But it is a great boon to mankind when the best tendencies of the age find a congenial soul in which to take root and bear fruit; and such a soul, in every sense, was that of Lord Elgin. The stern determination the affectionate confidence with which he took counsel of the fidelity and experience of the aged friends and servants of his house; the cheerful contentment with which he was willing to work for their interests and for those of his family, with the same fairness and patience as he would have given to the most exciting events or the most critical moments of his public career. There his children, young as they were, were made familiar with the union of wisdom and playfulness with which he guided them, and with the simple and self-denying habits of which he gave them so striking an example. By that ancestral home, in the vaults of the Abbey Church of Dunfermline, would have been his natural resting-place. Those vaults had, but two years ago, been opened to receive the remains of another of the same It might almost be said that the sense of house, his brother, General Bruce, whose laresponsibility for the classes confided to his mented death-also in the service of his charge, especially of those who were com- Queen and country-followed immediately paratively friendless, was to him a kind of on his return from the journey in which he religion,—an expression of his sense of the had accompanied the Prince of Wales to the justice and love of God for all his creatures. East, and in which he had caught the fatal And it may be remarked how, from this malady that brought him to his untimely religious sense of the duty devolved end. upon him, it came to pass that, if there was any subject which more strongly moved his indignation than another, it was the sight, whether in foreign lands or in our own, of Christianity invoked, or of the influence of the teachers of religion brought to bear, against the general claims of justice and humanity on behalf of those who might be regarded, in race, or religion, or opinion, aliens from ourselves. There is one final tribute which, at least in these pages, may be offered without affectation to his memory. Wherever else he was honored, and however few were his visits to his native land, yet Scotland at least always delighted to claim him as her own. Always his countrymen were proud to feel that he worthily bore the name most dear to Scottish hearts. Always his unvarying integrity shone to them with the steady light of an unchanging beacon above the stormy discords of the Scottish church and nation. Whenever he returned to his home in Fifeshire, he was welcomed by all, high and low, as their friend and chief. Here, at any rate, were fully known the industry with which he devoted himself to the small details of local, often trying and troublesome, business; -80 "You have lost a kind and good uncle and a kind and good godfather,' Lord Elgin wrote to his little boy, who bore the same name as the general, and you are now the only Robert Bruce in the family. It is a good name, and you must try and bear it nobly and bravely as those who have borne it before you have done. If you look at their lives, you will see that they always considered in the first place what they ought to do, and only in the second what it might be most pleasant and agreeable to do. This is the way to steer a straight course through life, and to meet the close of it, as your dear uncle did, with a smile on his lips." few could General Bruce's loss have been felt more than by Lord Elgin himself. two brothers," he used to say, were ever more helpful to each other." The telegram that brought the tidings to him at Calcutta was but one word. “And yet,” he said, 66 By "No "how much in that one word! It tells me unbroken." How little was it foreseen then, that of that strong, unbroken chain, his own life would be the next link to be taken away. How little was it thought by those who stood round the vault at Dunfermline Abbey, on the 2d of July, 1862, that to those familiar scenes, and to that hallowed spot, the chief of the race would never return. How mournfully did the tidings from India reach a third brother in the yet further East, who felt that to him was due, in great part, whatever success he had experienced in life, even from the time when, during the elder brother's Eton holidays, he had enjoyed the benefit of his tuition, and who was indulging in dreams how, in their joint return from exile, with their varied experience of the East, they might have worked together for some great and useful end. He sleeps far away from his native land. on the heights of Dhurmsala, a fitting grave, let us rejoice to think, for the Vice- And tranquil as the glacier snows, A last home, may we not say, of which the very name, with its double signification, was worthy of the spirit which there passed away,-"the Hall of Justice, the Place of Rest,"-rest, indeed, to him after his long laborious days," in that presence which to him was the only complete rest-the presence of Eternal Justice. THE SACRED TREE OF THE ASSYRIANS.-An which the Jews adopted from the idolatrous na- PART IX.-CHAPTER XXXI. TWO FRIENDS. well as I can make out her old pothooks, it is that she can't receive me. My dear' Ir was like a return to his former self-she first wrote Nephew,' but it's smudged to his gay, happy, careless nature-for Tony out,- My dear Cousin Damer, I am much Butler to find himself with his friend Skeffy. distressed to tell you that you must not come As painters lay layers of the same color on, here. It is the scarlatina, which the doctors one over the other, to deepen the effect, so all think highly infectious, though we burn does youth double itself by companionship. cinnamon and that other thing through all As for Skeffy, never did schoolboy exult more the rooms. My advice would be to go to in a holiday, and, like a schoolboy, his spirits Harrogate, or some nice place, to amuse boiled over in all manner of small excesses, yourself, and I enclose this piece of thin papractical jokes on his fellow-passengers, and per.' Where is it though?" said he, openall those glorious tomfooleries, to be able to ing the letter and shaking it. "Just think do which, with zest, is worth all the enjoy- of the old woman forgetting to put up the ment that ever cynicism yielded twice told. enclosure!" "I was afraid you wouldn't come. didn't see you when the coach drove into the inn-yard and I was so disappointed!" said Tony, as he surveyed the mass of luggage which the guard seemed never to finish depositing before his friend. I "Two portmanteaus, sir," said the guard, "three carpet-bags, a dressing-case, a hatbox, a gun-case, bundle of sticks and umbrellas, and I think this parrot and cage, are yours." "A parrot, Skeffy?" "Try the envelope?" cried Tony, eagerly; but no, the envelope was also empty, and it was plain enough she had omitted it. Skeffy read on: "I had a very pretty pony for you here, and I remember Lydia Damer told me how nice you looked riding, with the long curls down your back.' Why, that was five-and-twenty years ago! " cried he, with a scream of laughter; "just fancy Tony!" and he ran his fingers through his hair. "How am I ever to keep up the illusion with this crop! 'But '"-he went on "but I suppose I shall not see I shall be eighty-one next NoMind that you drink my health "For Mrs. Maxwell, you dog; she loves to read, parrots, and I gave ten guineas for that beg- that now. gar, because they assured me he could posi-vember. tively keep up a conversation; and the only on the twenty-second, if I be alive. I could thing he can say is, 'Don't may get it?"", you wish you send the "DINAH MAXWELL.' "I think I'd better say I'll send an answer," said Skeffy, as he crumpled up the letter; "and as to the enclosure". A wild scream and some unintelligible utteranca broke from the parrot at this instant. "Yes, you beggar,you wish I may get it.' By the way, the servant can take that fellow back with him; I am right glad to be rid of him.” "It's the old adage of the ill wind," said Tony, laughing. "How so? What do you mean?" "I mean that your ill-luck is our good fortune; for as you can't go to Tilney, you'll have to stay the longer with us.” Skeffy seized his hand and gave it a cor dial shake, and the two young fellows looked fully and frankly at each other, as men do look before the game of life has caught too strong a hold upon their hearts, and taught them over-anxiety to rise winners from it. "Now, then, for your chateau," said Skeffy, as he leaped up on the car, already half-hidden beneath his luggage. "Our chateau is a thatched cabin," said Tony, blushing in spite of all his attempts to seem at ease. "It is only a friend would have heart to face its humble fare." Not heeding, if he even heard, the remark, Skeffy rattled on about everything.-past, present, and future; talked of their jolly dinner at Richmond, and of each of their companions on that gay day; asked the names of the various places they passed on the road,-what were the usual fortunes of the proprietors, how they spent them, and, seldom waiting for the answer, started some new query, to be forgotten in its turn. "It is a finer country to ride over," said Tony, anxious to say something favorable for his locality, "than to look at. It is not pretty, perhaps, but there's plenty of grass, and no end of stone walls to jump, and in the season there's some capital trout-fishing too." "Don't care a copper for either. I'd rather see a new pantomime than the best stag hunt in Europe. I'd rather see Tom Salter do the double spring backward than I'd see them take a whale." "I'm not of your mind, then," said Tony. "I'd rather be out on the hillside of a dull, good-scenting day,-well mounted, of course, -and hear the dogs as they rush yelping through the cover." "Yoics, yoics, yoics! I saw it all at Astley's, and they took a gate in rare style; but, I say, what is that tower yonder topping the trees?" "That is Lyle Abbey, Sir Arthur Lyle's place." 66 "As well as if they were my sisters." "Aint I in luck!" cried Skeffy, in exul tation. "I'd have gone to Tarnoff—that's the place Holmes was named consul at, and wrote back word that it didn't exist, and that the geography fellows were only hoaxing the office !-just fancy, hoaxing the Office! Hulloa!-what have we here? a four-horse team, by all that's stunning!" "Mrs. Trafford's. Draw up at the side of the road till they pass, Peter," said Tony, hurriedly. The servant on the box of the carriage had, however, apparently announced Tony Butler's presence; for the postilions slackened their pace, and came to a dead halt a few paces in front of the car. 66 My mistress, sir, would be glad to speak to you," said the servant, approaching Tony. "Is she alone, Coles?" asked he, as he descended from the car. "Yes, sir." Somewhat reassured by this, but at the same time not a little agitated, Tony drew nigh the carriage. Mrs. Trafford was wrapped up in a large fur mantle,-the day was a cold one,-and lay back without making any movement to salute, except a slight bend of the head as he approached, "I have to apologize for stopping you," said she, coldly; but I had a message to give you from Mr. Maitland, who left this a couple of days ago." "Is he gone-gone for good?" asked Tony, not really knowing what he said. 66 "I don't exactly know what for good' means," said she, smiling faintly; “but I believe he has not any intention to return here. His message was to say that, being much pressed for time, he had not an opportunity to reply to your note." "I don't think it required an answer," broke in Tony, sternly. "Perhaps not as regarded you, but possibly it did as respected himself." I don't understand you." "What I mean is, that, as you had de Lyle-Lyle! There was such a picture in the Exhibition last year of two sisters, Maud, or Alice, or Bella Lyle, and another by Watts. I used to go every morning, be-clined his offer, you might, possibly, from infore I went down to the Office, to have a look at them, and I never was quite certain which I was in love with." advertence or any other cause, allude to it; whereas he expressly wished that the subject should never be mentioned." "You were apparently very much in his confidence," said Tony, fixing his eyes steadily "You don't say so! And do you know on her. them, Tony?" "When I learn by what right you ask me that question, I'll answer it," said she, just as defiantly. Tony's face became crimson, and he could not utter a word. At last he stammered out, "I have a friend here, Mr. Damer: he is just come over to pay a visit at Tilney, and Mrs. Maxwell sends him a note to say that they are all ill there." 66 Only Bella, and she is better." "And was Bella ill?" asked Tony, eagerly. "Yes, since Tuesday; on Wednesday, and even up to Friday, very ill. There was a time this could scarcely have happened without your coming to ask after her." "Is it my fault, Alice? First of all, I never knew it. You know well I go nowhere. I do not mix with those who frequent grand houses. But tell me of Bella." "She was never alarmingly ill; but the doctor called it scarlatina, and frightened every one away; and poor Mrs. Maxwell has not yet recovered the shock of seeing her guests depart and her house deserted, for Bella and myself are all that remain." May I present my friend to you-he would take it as such a favor?" asked Tony, timidly. "I think not," said she, with an air of indolence. "Do let me; he saw your picture,-that picture of you and Bella, at the Exhibition,and he is wild to see yourself. Don't refuse Alice." me, "If you think this a favor, I wonder you have courage to ask it. Come, you need not look cross, Master Tony, particularly as all the fault is on your own side. Come over to Tilney the day after to-morrow with your friend." "But I don't know Mrs. Maxwell." "That does not signify in the least; do what I bid you. I am as much mistress there as she is while I stay. Come early. I shall be quite alone; for Mark goes to-morrow to town, and Bella will scarcely be well enough to see you." "And you'll not let me introduce him now?" 66 of my muff. Remember now, Saturday morning, without fail.” "Alice!" said he, with a look at once devoted and reproachful. "Tony!" said she, imitating his tone of voice to perfection; "there's your friend getting impatient. Good-by." As the spanking team whirled past, Skeffy had but a second or two to catch a glance at the veiled and muffled figure that reclined so voluptuously in the corner of the carriage; but he was ready to declare that she had the most beautiful eyes in the world, and "knew what to do with them besides." "You're in love with her, Tony!" cried he, fixing a steadfast stare on the pale and agitated features at his side. "I see it, old fellow! I know every shade and tint of that blessed thing they miscall the tender passion. Make me no confessions; I don't want them. Your heart is at her feet, and she treats it like a football.” Tony's cheeks grew purple. "There's no shame in that, my boy. Women do that with better men than either of us; ay, and will continue to do it centuries after you and I shall be canonized as saints. It's that same contempt of us that makes them worth the winning; but, I say, why is the fellow drawing up here? Is he going to bait his beast?" "No," muttered Tony, with a certain confusion; "but we must get down and walk here. Our road lies by that path yonder; there's no carriage-way up to our chateau;'"' and he gave a peculiar accent to the last word. "All right," said Skeffy, gayly. "I'm good for ten miles of a walk.” "I'll not test your powers so far; less than a quarter of an hour will bring us home. Take down the luggage, and I'll send up for it," said he to the driver. "What honest poor devils you must be down here!" said Skeffy, as he saw the car| man deposit the trunks on the road and drive off. "I'd not like to try this experiment in Charing Cross." "You see there is some good in poverty, after all," said Tony, laughing. No; I shall look more like my picture in a house dress; and perhaps though I'll "Egad, I've tried it for some years withnot promise be in a better temper too. out discovering it," said Skeffy, gravely. Good-by." "That," continued he, after a brief pause, "Wont you shake hands with me, Alice?"" it should make men careless, thoughtless, "No; it's too cold to take my hands out reckless if you like, I can conceive; but why THIRD SERIES. LIVING AGE. VOL. XXVI. 1202 |