I'm not above eating cold meat if I were. Beggars
must not he choosers, you know; and I'm
little better than a beggar, as you also know.
Give me some wine. It isn't felony, is it,
though I have got into my step-father's house
through the window, and am drinking his wine
without his knowledge or consent?"

His tone was very painful to the faithful old
woman's ear. She looked at him wistfully, but
made no reply. He rose from the chair by the fire,
sullenly drew another chair to the table, and sat
down by the tray. Mrs. Brookes left the room,
and took her way along the white stone passage
which led to the entrance hall of the mansion.
Passing through a swinging door covered with
crimson cloth, she entered a spacious square
hall, decorated, after the fashion of country
houses, with stags' heads and antlers. The
floor was of polished oak, and uncarpeted, but
at each of the six doors which opened into it
lay a soft white rug. A bright fire blazed in
the ample grate; and through the open door of
the ball-room, light and the sound of music
poured into the hall. A number of servants
were standing about, some lingering by the fire,
a few ranged close to the door of the dancing-room,
exchanging comments upon the performances
with perfect impunity. Under cover of
the music Mrs. Brookes joined the group,
which respectfully gave way at her approach,
and ceded to her the front place.
She looked anxiously, and for some time
vainly, for her mistress. At length she perceived
her, but she was seated at the further
end of the room, in conversation with an elderly
lady of extraordinary magnificence in point of
apparel, and who required to be spoken to
through an ear-trumpet. Mrs. Carruthers was
not a skilful performer upon that instrument,
and was obliged to give her whole mind to it,
so that there was little chance of her looking in
any other direction than the uninviting one of
Mrs. Chittenden's ear for the present. Mrs.
Brookes looked on impatiently, and longed for
a break in the dancing, and a consequent movement
among the company. At length the music
ceased, the panting waltzers subsided into promenade,
and Mrs. Carruthers rose to place her
chair at the disposal of a young lady whose
exertions had told upon her, and who breathlessly
accepted the boon. As she stood for a
moment turned towards the door, she caught
sight of the housekeeper's face, and saw she
looked pale and agitated. Catching her mistress's
eye the housekeeper made a slight stealthy sign.
Very gracefully, and with perfect calm, the tall
figure, in its sweeping velvet dress, made its
way through the dispersed groups between it
and the door, from which all the servants had
precipitately retreated at the cessation of the
music. What was wrong? Mrs. Carruthers
thought. Something, she knew must be wrong,
or Ellen would not be there beckoning t o her. A
second gesture, still more stealthy and warning,
caused her to pause when within reach of the
housekeeper's whisper, without turning her
head towards her.

"What is it, Ellen?"

"Hush! where is master? Can he see you?"

"Yes, he is just beyond the screen. What
is the matter?"

"Turn round, and stoop; let me tie your
shoe — there!"

Mrs. Carruthers stood in the doorwav, and
bent her head, holding her foot out, and lifting
her dress. Mrs. Brookes fumbled with the shoe,
as she whispered rapidly:

"Come as soon as you can, to my room. Be
careful that you are not missed. Some one is
there who wants to see you,"

"To see me, Ellen? On such a night, and at
such an hour! What is wrong? Who is
there?"

The old woman looked earnestly into the
frightened face, bending over her, and said
rather with her lips than with her voice:

"Master George!"

A TOWN IN ASHES.

I ARRIVED at Drammen by the boat from
Christiania on the evening of Wednesday, the
11th of July, and left at noon on Friday, the
13th. Being a stranger to the place, and closely
occupied with business while there, I had little
time for acquiring local information, and can
merely relate what I saw.

Drammen is the principal place in Norway for
export of timber, and contained about thirteen
thousand inhabitants. It was situated on the
River Dramm, at the point where the river
empties itself into the Drammen Fjord. This
fjord is the western of the two branches into
which the Skager Rack, at its northern extremity,
divides itself, the Christiania Fjord being the
eastern branch. The Dramm here runs from
west to east, and from the junction onwards the
fjord expands into a lake stretching eastwards,
and surrounded by lofty hills. North and south
of the city itself rise similar hills, those on
the north side being rocky and precipitous.

A wooden bridge of about a dozen handsome
arches stretched across the river. The city extended
on both sides of the water for about half
an English mile above the bridge, and a mile
and a half below it, an island midway between
the two shores towards the east being also built
upon. Above bridge the river is scarcely wider
than the Thames at Hammersmith; but below
bridge the fjord may be said to commence, and
the water gradually gains a great expanse.

With the exception of eight or ten recent
buildings, the whole city was constructed of
wood; the houses being formed of pine-logs
laid horizontally, dovetailed and strongly
nailed at the angles, the exterior and interior
surfaces of the walls being neatly covered with
painted boards. The roofs were formed of pantiles
laid on a double thickness of planks.
The principal portion of the city, including
nearly all the shops and public offices, was on
the north side of the river. It is this part
which was burnt. The main street was very