ou happen to know?"

"O, because she is constantly blushing and crying," Fred answered,
boldly.

"Is that the only method by which you judge?" I asked, quite lost in
admiration at his perceptible powers.

"Of course it is--innocence always blushes."

Let ladies take note that in the estimate of some men a blush is
regarded with more veneration than a hundred protestations of purity.
Where my friend obtained his knowledge of women I am unable to say, for
he was never married, although many times in love.

"What is she doing here at the mines?" I inquired.

"That I have not found out as yet, but I will interrogate her on the
subject," replied Fred, with much confidence.

He began his examination in such a delicate manner that the girl grew
more and more communicative, and revealed her history, which was not a
common one.

Her name was Mary Ann Purcel, and she was the daughter of a respectable
cordwainer of London. Her father, as usual with men of his kind of
business, had taken an apprentice to learn his profession, but it seems
that the young fellow had studied the beauty of the girl more than his
duties, which gave greater satisfaction to the lady than the parent, and
a quarrel ensued; and Robert Herrets' (the name of the apprentice)
indentures were broken or given up, and the young fellow was told that
he had better seek his fortune in some other quarter of the globe, or at
least attempt some other business besides that of being a cordwainer.

The lover did not relish the summary manner that his claims were
disposed of, and so intimated; but he was ridiculed for seeking to ally
himself with a man who could afford to give his daughter five hundred
pounds on her wedding day, and yet keep up his business.

Robert, like all lovers, did not despair of yet claiming the girl as his
wife, and to Mary he made known his plans. She was to remain single for
three years, and to await his orders, while he tried to push his fortune
in the mines of Australia; for they had just been opened to the world,
and thousands wore leaving the shores of England to suffer hardships,
privations, and perhaps death, to collect a portion of the dross. The
girl readily consented to any terms that he offered, and with tearful
eyes kissed her lover, and wished him God speed on his long journey of
thousands of miles across the salt ocean.

He arrived at Melbourne safe and well; and to convince us that, her
story was true she pulled from her