ith her.

The birth of a child forced on a public announcement of this contract,
and ere long the granddaughter of Lady Aylesbury was openly received by
the Royal Family, and the people of England, as Duchess of York, and
sister-in-law of the sovereign.

Lady Aylesbury did not long survive this event. But ere she sunk into
the grave, at a ripe old age, she saw her descendants heirs-presumptive
of the British Crown. King Charles had married, but had no children,
and, accordingly, his brother's family had the prospect and the right of
succession. And, in reality, two immediate descendants of the poor
peasant girl did ultimately fill the throne--Mary (wife of William
III.), and Queen Anne.

Such were the fortunes of the young woman whom the worthy landlady of
"the Goat and Compasses" was fearful of encouraging to rash hopes by a
reference to the lofty position it had been her good fortune to attain
in life. In one assertion, at least, the hostess was undoubtedly
right--success in life must be laboured for in some way or other.
Without the prudence and propriety of conduct which won the esteem and
love of her wealthy employer, the sequel of the country girl's history
could not have been such as it was.

THE STORY OF GRIZEL COCHRANE.

_A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE._

BY W. R. C.

Sir John Cochrane of Ochiltree, the father of our heroine, was the
second son of the first Earl of Dundonald. He was a distinguished friend
of Sidney, Russell, and other illustrious men, who signalised themselves
in England by their opposition to the court; and he had so long
endeavoured in vain to procure some improvement in the national affairs,
that he at length began to despair of his country altogether, and formed
the design of emigrating to America. Having gone to London in 1683, with
a view to a colonising expedition to South Carolina, he became involved
in the deliberations of the Whig party, which at that time tended
towards a general insurrection in England and Scotland, for the purpose
of forcing an alteration of the royal councils and the exclusion of the
Duke of York from the throne. In furtherance of this plan, Sir John
pledged himself to assist the Earl of Argyle in raising the malcontents
in Scotland.

By the treachery of some of the subordinate agents this design was
detected prematurely; and while some were unfortunately taken and
executed, among whom were Sidney and Lord Russell, the rest fled from
the kingdom. Of the