ea-flower proved to the lone girl a valuable legacy. She
had heard from Natalie, through the correspondence which for some time
she had kept up with our friend Harry Grosvenor, the which letters were
anticipated and perused with no common interest; indeed, her happiness,
scarcely realized by herself, was closely allied therewith. Mrs. Santon
looked upon these ever punctual letters, which appeared so frequently
among the post-boy's morning deposits, with an evil eye, yet they did
not serve to banish the schemes of her invention in regard to Mr.
Montague, as a favored competitor for the hand of the heiress; and it
was his unwelcome visits, which were not unfrequent, that counted among
the numerous trials which weighed more and more heavily upon her
spirits. Poor Winnie! each life is made of joys and sorrows.

The death of Mr. Delwood was a deep affliction to his son, for although
he was an austere man, forbidding in his manners, he had always
manifested a spirit of tenderness for his only remaining relative, and
Clarence now sought to dispel the loneliness which was creeping over
him, by directing his attention to his father's unsettled estates, which
was no light task, as Mr. Delwood had been a gentleman of great
property. The life-like specimens of artistical skill, executed by Mr.
Alboni, known only to Boston lovers of the fine arts as "the unknown
artist," were disposed of by Clarence Delwood, in accordance with the
wishes of Mr. Alboni, who, in entrusting the Madonna to his keeping
until his return, placed not only the likeness of the mother before him,
but it possessed him of a correct likeness of his betrothed.

The noble steamer Atlantic, after a most favorable passage of twelve
days, carried our friends safely to the desired port of Liverpool. As
Natalie stood once again upon terra firma, she could hardly credit that
over three thousand miles of ocean separated her from her home,--that
the same waves which washed the shores of her cherished island, broke
upon the shores of this Eastern world.

Mr. Alboni was in the happiest frame of mind as they made the tour of
England and Scotland, for from thence they would repair to his own loved
Italy. Over the mind of the tourist, visiting the Old World for the
first time,--countries where have transpired thrilling events recorded
in history, what an immensity of thought and feeling sweeps! It was thus
with Natalie; she could not realize that she was treading in the
foots