force.' As to the volunteers, I would encourage them as
heretofore, and give them more honour and privileges than they possess
at present. Thus would an army be ever ready to spring into being at a
day's notice, and be _thoroughly_ capable of defending hearths and homes
in a few weeks.

"For our colonies and our authority at home, I would have a very small,
_well-paid_, and thoroughly efficient standing army, which would form a
perfect model in military matters, and a splendid skeleton on which the
muscle and sinew of the land might wind itself if invasion threatened.
For the rest, I would keep my bayonets and artillery in serviceable
condition, and my `powder dry.' If all Europe acted thus, she would be
not less ready for war than she is now, and would have all her vigorous
men turned into producers instead of consumers, to the immense advantage
of the States' coffers, to the great comfort of the women and children,
to the lessening of crime and poverty, and to the general well-being of
the world at large."

"My dear sir," said Nicholas, with a laugh, "you were born before your
time."

"It may be so," returned the other, lightly, "nevertheless I will live
in the hope of seeing the interests of peace more intelligently advanced
than they have been of late; and if the system which I suggest is not
found to be the best, I will rejoice to hear of a better, and will do my
best to advocate it in the _Evergreen Isle_. But now I must go;
Blue-eyes and Cyprus await me. Farewell."

U. Biquitous shook hands heartily, and walked rapidly away down the
avenue, where he was eventually hidden from our view by a bush of
laurel.

To return from this digression.

It is not difficult in these days to "put a girdle round the world."
Ivanka and I soon reached the village of Venilik.

It was a sad spectacle of ruin and desolation, but we found Dobri
Petroff and Marika in the old home, which had been partially rebuilt.
The blacksmith's anvil was ringing as merrily as ever when we
approached, and his blows appeared to fall as heavily as in days gone
by, but I noticed, when he looked up, that his countenance was lined and
very sad, while his raven locks were prematurely tinged with grey.

Shall I describe the meeting of Ivanka with her parents? I think not.
The imagination is more correct and powerful than the pen in such cases.
New life seemed from that moment to be infused into the much-tried
pair. Marika had never lost her