remained untouched in the interval, and the surgeon, in a moment perceiving there was no hope of revival, directed it instantly to be removed from the spot where it lay to the poor-house of the village ere he examined it, first having, with unaccustomed delicacy on such occasions, covered the face with a large silk handkerchief from his pocket, to preserve the features from the gaze of unfeeling and idle curiosity, and remaining close to the vehicle, that his precaution might not be vain.

Arrived at the place of destination, he proceeded to examine the body, previous to the customary forms of ascertaining the cause of decease. Upon it were no marks of violence, to lead to suspicion of murder, or of self-destruction.

The features, though exhibiting upon inspection the contraction of death, had evidently in life been preeminently handsome, cast in the mould of manly beauty; as was also the form,-tall, muscular, and finely proportioned. The hair, adorning a head, and brow denoting acute intellect, but strong passions and a lofty spirit, was dark, and grew in a profusion of natural

wavy and glossy ringlets, plainly indicating that the beautiful gift of nature had received the greatest attention from the individual upon whom it was bestowed.

A gold watch, chain and valuable seals, with banknotes to considerable amount, reduced to a certainty that no robber had deprived his fellow-creature of life, to gain his property. The unfortunate stranger appeared scarcely to have passed the period of minority; his dress was an entire suit of black, apparently new or nearly so, and of fashionable make and superior texture, which, with the delicate fineness of his linen, corroborated the impression made by his figure and countenance, that he held no inferior station in society. No papers were discovered in any part of the dress, leading to elucidation who the deceased was, or from whence; but on removing the vest, for the examination of the body, a packet was found placed close to the heart.

The several papers of which it was composed appeared frequently to have been examined, the folds being in many places worn through, and many words

blotted and obliterated as by tears. A picture suspended by a small hair-braid, of beautiful auburn colour, was also found fastened round the neck. It was the miniature portrait of a youthful female, of soft and pensive countenance, bearing a mingled expression of vivid intelligence and subdued feeling, which rendered it irresistibly interesting and attractive.

On the back of the setting was engraved E. D. and the motto "Forget me not;" beneath (as if recently marked with an imperfect instrument and unpractised hand) were the words

"Forget thee! Never!"

The good Mr. Albury, and his equally worthy colleague, the Surgeon, felt a corresponding interest in the discovery of this unfortunate being, and immediately took the only means in their power to ascertain who it was who thus in the full vigour of youth had ended his mortal career in a place so sequestered, to which Providence seemed to have guided those who were appointed the humble means of his receiving the last Christian offices due to humanity. They advertised in a variety of papers of extensive circulation

the particulars of the discovery, but all means proved fruitless, and the remains of this stranger were consigned to the consecrated ground of the village cemetery, attended by a concourse of people; and though no relative eye witnessed with lingering grief the solemnity, though no tear of fond affection was shed over his premature fate, yet those of genuine sympathy abundantly flowed from the eyes of many an unsophisticated being.

The money found upon the person of this unfortunate was amply sufficient to defray the expenses of his modest obsequies, and to make up to the honest villagers their loss of time and even of property, a loss which had given keenness to poor William's eye, and speed to his benumbed limbs to overtake the supposed depredator; also to enable Mr. Albury to erect a plain stone, on which he caused to be engraved a memorial of the event, and the thought it suggested to his benevolent mind:

"Tho' no fond voice his parting soul could cheer,

"No pious hand his drooping eyelids close; "Yet there was One his dying pray'r to hear,

One, on whose mercy he might calm repose."

He also distinguished the spot in his simple churchyard, by surrounding the grave with weeping birches and cypress; the pensile and wavy branches of the one, and the dark and mournful umbrage of the other, awakened in the beholder a melancholy feeling, congenial with the fate of the unfortunate unknown, and together with a few of the simple flowers" forget me not," which grew at the foot of the grave (planted in allusion to the motto of the miniature), and a hardy myrtle, whose dark and glossy leaves, contrasted with the whiteness of the grave-stone, instantly caused the spot to be the point of attraction to the few strangers who visited a place so secluded as the village of A

and many a tear of genuine feeling has been shed upon the verdant turf that covers the remains of "the young, the beautiful, the brave."

The packet of letters remained inviolate, in the possession of the good Mr. Albury, for several years, excepting to ascertain if they contained any name likely to lead to a discovery of the parties concerned in them; but initials only appearing, nothing could be traced by their means, and an impenetrable veil of mystery still resting upon the circumstances,