tly to speak of her past
life. "You see me here, sir," said she, "a poor, wretched, degraded
creature:--I was not always thus. There was not a happier heart in
wide Scotland than mine was, ten years ago. But my husband, sir, was a
Social Man!" A convulsive sob checked her words--her head sank back on
the pillow--her lower jaw fell--the death-rattle sounded in her
throat--and in a few moments the unfortunate woman expired.

THE TWO COMRADES.

Still and calm lay the sleeping waters of Loch Ard, as they reposed in
their beauty on the morning of the 17th of August, 17--. The hour was
early, and the rays of the rising sun had not yet dispersed the thick
mists that hung on the bosoms of the surrounding hills. The scenery
around, although of the most romantic character, and composed of the
choicest materials for the picturesque, had an air of gloominess and
rawness about it, that did but little justice to the thousand beauties
which its simple elements of wood and water, rock and hill, were
capable, by their various combinations, of producing. That scene yet
wanted the life and soul, the cheering, spirit-stirring influence of
the blessed sunlight, to bring out its loveliness, and to exhibit its
details in all their fairy brightness. This want was not long of being
supplied. The sun rose in all his splendour; the mist rolled away from
the face of the hill; the calm, placid surface of the lake, like a
mighty mirror, embedded in its rude and gigantic, but gorgeous
framework of wooded mountains, shone with dazzling effulgence; and the
hills and forests displayed themselves in their robes of brightest
green.

As every one who has visited these romantic regions knows, the road
that conducts to Aberfoyle from the west end of Loch Ard runs, for a
considerable space, close by the margin of the lake on its northern
side--and a most beautiful locality this is. The road is low and
level; on one hand is the bright, smooth, sandy shore of the loch,
with its clear, shallow water; and, on the other, steep mountains,
shaggy with primeval woods. We have directed the attention of the
reader to this particular point of the landscape, for the purpose of
saying, that, at the moment at which our story opens (namely, on the
morning of the 17th of August, 17--), two persons were seen, at the
early hour which our description would indicate, trudging silently
along by the margin of the lake. They were two young men, and
evidently prosecuting