certainly do, you will be vastly glad that I did not listen to
your preaching!" Gabriel shook his head with a look of distrust. "And
what, my sweet young lady," addressing Amaranthe, "can beauty do for
you? I remember your dear mother the fairest of the fair, and yet her
lot in life was far from a happy one." "O dear Gabriel," interrupted
she, "you are ten times more disagreeable than the fairy. Here is the
very thing offered to me that I have all my life been wishing for, and
then I am told I must not accept of it. What evil can attend being
handsome? I shall like to look at myself in the glass; I shall like to
see other people looking at me; shall be pleased and happy all the day
long; and what harm is there in that?"

"Well," said Gabriel with a sigh, "I am still of opinion that your
cousin has made the wisest choice." "O yes, the wisest choice for
Claribel, doubtless. As long as she may go creeping unnoticed about the
world, taking no trouble herself, or being troubled by others, that is
all she desires. I have no notion of such tame satisfaction." To this
Claribel only answered by a smile.

They all retired at the usual hour to their beds, but to Adrian and his
sister it was not to rest. The thoughts of what the morrow would produce
kept them waking the greater part of the night. Soon as the sun darted
his first rays into the chamber, Adrian sprang from his bed, and looking
eagerly around, discovered the desired rose appearing with luxuriant
glow upon the toilet before him. Enraptured, he hastened to seize his
prize, when he perceived a folded paper lying by it, in which on
opening, he found these lines:

Since Adrian, spite of warning voice,
This specious gift decides thy choice,
Slight not the counsel that would fain
Preserve thee from remorse and pain.

While boasting coffers richly stor'd,
And plenty smiling on thy board,
In grandeur's costly garbs array'd,
With servile homage basely paid
From summon'd tribes of venal bands,
That wanton luxury commands,
Let thy untainted mind beware
And shun corruption's lurking snare.

If, when of long-sought wealth possess'd,
Thou fail to succour the distress'd;
And flatterers feed in splendid state,
Yet drive the needy from thy gate,
Soon will destructive vice impart,
Her baneful influence to thy heart,
Chasing those purer feelings thence
The meed of blameless innocence.
The