s of the female
character; which, though to us inexplicable, we revere; and,
consequently, we sympathize with, and respect the ebullition of Mrs.
Ferguson's grief, as she wept over her charming daughter, when the young
and inexperienced girl was about leaving her protection. Many were her
parental admonitions to Kate for her guidance and good, and numerous her
injunctions to William for her care and preservation. Never was there a
kinder-hearted affectionate parent than this, and never were brother and
sister more fondly attached. The mother knowing this, and confident that
her son William would, if necessary, offer himself a self-immolated
victim, sooner than any evil should happen to his charge, felt little
apprehension for her daughter's safety.

The travelling party, consisting of Kate, her brother, and Mr. Wigton,
were shortly on the road, and journeyed till night without the
occurrence of any event worth recording; until, as darkness closed o'er
the landscape, they entered the town of Warwick, and put up at the
"Bullock's Head." Here William renewed the acquaintance of his old
friend the Warwick Ganymede, "Hopping Dick;" and after recommending to
the especial attention of Mr. Wigton and his sister the artistic display
on the coffee-room walls, the rural combination of beauty and innocence
on the mantelpiece, with their rotund neighbour, the guardian of the
"spills," he gave instructions to the landlord's representative about
their accommodation, and proceeded to the stable to satisfy himself that
his horses were being well looked after; knowing that, unless he did so,
the attention and provender they would receive would be scanty in the
extreme.

On the present occasion, fortunately for our friends, the bovine cranium
was empty, and William was in high spirits. He had had serious
misgivings at the outset of his journey in taking his sister to such a
place, from the scene he had on his previous visit seen enacted in it.
But the domiciliary selection having a contingency attached to it
similar to that which stultified the choice of that immortal, though, we
fear, mythical individual, yclept Hobson, he had no alternative but to
run the risk of annoyance in this favourite hostel. William, therefore,
was happy at the thought that there would be no fear of molestation;
and, Warwick being the only stage where they would have to quarter at an
inn, he felt no apprehension for his sister's comfort during their
further pro