ndicated that it was not without a struggle that the emotion was so immediately subdued. Her father, however, looked satisfied; and her mother, rising from her chair, said,

Now, my dear girls, if you are not tired with your early alk, you may go out with me into the garden. The proposal gave pleasure, as an evident relief of mind, and whilst they were preparing, I said to my friend,

As you have been confined some hours with your young pupil, you would most probably enjoy the air yourself, and to me nothing is more agreeable than to be out.

L thank you, if you really prefer it, as it is my custom at this time to walk, I will avail myself of Your company.

Being agreed, we were all together in the garden at once, and feeling inclined at that time to the company of the young people, I took one in each arm, and endeavored to communicate a little cheerfulness to them, by setting off down one of the wide walks with a brisk step.

O, stop! said Isabella, let us stop here; I am out of breath! O, what a delightful smell here is! What

does it come from? O, I see, that beautiful woodbine which is running up that lilac tree.

Our attention being directed to this object of admiration, I took an advantage from it, saying, Observe it well, Isabella; how it twines about the branch that supports it.

I do, I always admire the woodbine.

What is it like?

Ah! it is like me and my papa; dropping her voice as she made the comparison, seeing Mary's parents drawing near.

Isabella, it is worth your minute inspection; trace its windings from the root upwards.

She began to do so. It is difficult, she said, it is so intermixed with the branches of the lilac: and putting her hand to it, she continued, I actually cannot distinguish it here from the lilac. O, she exclaimed in an ecstacy of sentimental feeling, how like to me and my papa! they are like one!

Do not stop there, Isabella, observe further.

O, it now begins to be less luxuriant; here are a few fine young twining branches without support, but the head of the plant is thick and short, and bushy.

You perhaps do not see the reason. Observe, there

is above this strongly united part an evident decay of both the lilac and the woodbine. They have twined lovingly together, but the end will be the destruction of one or both. Now remark, there is no principle of true love in this strict union. The woodbine seeks that which is naturally needful for its own support, whilst its shoots are young and tender; but then they strengthen and thicken, and whilst increasing, it occupies the room necessary for the growth of the branch on which it hangs, till they each penetrate into the other, and mutual decay ensues.

Then it is no longer like papa and me!

Isabella, what must be done to save the life of these trees?

Untwine them.

You cannot now, they are one.

It should have been done sooner.

It should; and had the gardener been attentive, he would not have suffered it to have remained so long undone. By untwisting the shoots occasionally, and disengaging them when they are too close, they will strengthen of themselves, and yet remain in the kindly shelter and support of the stronger tree without injury to it; and by pruning away some superabundant

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