rived that Mr. Marlow should be invited also, though
neither by nature or habit a courtier. She obtained the invitation for
him skilfully, saying to the Royal Personage of whom she asked it, that
as he won a lawsuit against her, she wished to show him that she bore no
malice. He went, and found her the brightest in the brilliant scene; the
great and the proud, the handsome and the gay, all bending down and
worshipping, all striving for a smile, and obtaining it but scantily.
She smiled upon _him_, however, not sufficiently to attract remark from
others, but quite sufficiently to mark a strong distinction for his own
eyes, if he had chosen to use them. He went away to France, and Mrs.
Hazleton returned to the country; the winter passed with her in
arranging his house for him; and, in so doing, she often had to write to
him. His replies were always prompt, kind, and grateful; and at length
came the spring, and the pleasant tidings that he was on his way back to
his beloved England.

Alas for human expectation! Alas for the gay day-dream of
youth--maturity--middle age--old age--for they have all their daydreams!
Every passion which besets man from the cradle to the grave has its own
visionary expectations. Each creature, each animal, from the tiger to
the beetle, has its besetting insect, which preys upon it, gnaws it,
irritates it, and so have all the ages of the soul and of the heart.
Alas for human speculation of all kinds! Alas for every hope and
aspiration! for those that are pure and high, but, growing out of earth,
bear within themselves the bitter seeds of disappointment; and those
that are dark or low produce the germ of the most poisonous hybrid,
where disappointment is united with remorse.

Happy is the man that expecteth nothing, for verily he shall not be
disappointed! It is a quaint old saying; and could philosophy ever stem
the course of God's will, it would be one which, well followed, might
secure to man some greater portion of mortal peace than he possesses.
But to aspire was the ordinance of God; and, viewed rightly, the
withering of the flowers upon each footstep we have taken upwards, is no
discouragement; for if we shape our path aright, there is a wreath of
bright blossoms crowning each craggy peak before us, as we ascend to
snatch the garland of immortal glory, placed just beyond the last awful
leap of death.

Mrs. Hazleton's aspirations, however, were all earthly. She thought of
little beyond th