cient
reasons for his prolonged silence, and the lady was only too ready to
forgive it.

She went to town, accompanied by my father, arranged to remain in
England (finding a substitute as governess for her disappointed
employers), and two months afterward was married in our little village
church to one who has made her as happy as it is possible to be in a
world of trial and sorrow.

A very singular and painful _waiting for the post_ occurred at Malta,
some years since: it was related to us by a person concerned in the
affair, and we offer the reader the tale as it was told to us:

It was St. John's day, a festival highly venerated by the Maltese, who
claim the beloved disciple as their patron saint. The English troops
quartered in the island were to be reviewed on it, and as is usual, in
compliment to the faith of the islanders, the artillery was ordered to
fire a salute in honor of the day. It was a yearly custom; but the two
officers whose duty it was at this time to see it fulfilled thought it
savored of idolatry, and in the presence of the general and his staff
refused to order their men to fire. They were of course put under an
arrest for disobedience; but, the circumstances of the case considered,
the general in command hesitated how to proceed with them, and at his
request the governor of the island wrote to the commander-in-chief at
home for instructions in the matter, as it was a case of "tender
conscience." Some delay of course necessarily occurred in getting a
reply, and the anxiety with which the puzzled general and rebellious
officers awaited it may be imagined. Day after day did the eyes of the
former traverse the bright blue sea, across which must come the decision
of England, and day after day he waited for the post in vain. Foul
winds, bad weather, all sorts of causes, stayed the course of the
packet--there was no steam conveyance in those days--and before she
actually entered Valetta harbor he to whom the letter had been written,
the noble governor, was dead. It was judged expedient that the general
should, however, open the commander-in-chief's answer, to prevent
further unpleasant delay. Alas, it had been intended for the eye of Lord
H----only! The commander-in-chief blamed the general, "who ought," he
said, "to have tried and broke the officers on the spot--_nothing_ in a
military man could excuse disobedience to orders;" adding with reference
to the general (of course without intending that any