advertisement in the London papers, worded
so skilfully that any one who might hold the
important documents should understand to
what it referred, and no one else. This was
accordingly done; and, although repeated, at
intervals, for some time, it met with no
success. But, at last, a mysterious answer was
sent; to the effect that the deeds were in
existence, and should be given up; but
only on certain conditions, and to the heir
himself. The young man, in consequence,
went up to London; and adjourned, according
to directions, to an old house in
Barbican; where he was told by a man,
apparently awaiting him, that lie must submit to
be blindfolded, and must follow his guidance.
He was taken through several long passages
before he left the house; at the termination
of one of these he was put into a sedan-chair,
and carried about for an hour or more; he
always reported that there were many
turnings, and that he imagined he was set
down finally not very far from his starting-
point.

When his eyes were unbandaged, he was in
a decent sitting-room, with tokens of family
occupation lying about. A middle-aged
gentleman entered, and told him that, until
a certain time had elapsed (which should be
indicated to him in a particular way, but of
which the length was not then named), he must
swear to secrecy as to the means by which
he obtained possession of the deeds. This
oath was taken; and then the gentleman, not
without some emotion, acknowledged himself
to be the missing father of the heir. It seems
that he had fallen in love with a damsel, a
friend of the person with whom he lodged.
To this young woman he had represented
himself as unmarried; she listened willingly
to his wooing, and her father, who was a
shopkeeper in the City, was not averse to the
match, as the Lancashire squire had a goodly
presence, and many similar qualities, which
the shopkeeper thought might be acceptable to
his customers. The bargain was struck; the
descendant of a knightly race married the
only daughter of the City shopkeeper, and
became a junior partner in the business. He
told his son that he had never repented the
step he had taken; that his lowly-born wife
was sweet, docile, and affectionate; that his
family by her was large; and that he and
they were thriving and happy. He inquired
after his first (or rather, I should say, his
true) wife with friendly affection; approved
of what she had done with regard to his
estate, and the education of his children; but
said that he considered he was dead to her,
as she was to him. When he really died he
promised that a particular message, the
nature of which he specified, should be sent
to his son at Garratt; until then they would
not hear more of each other; for it was of no
use attempting to trace him under his incognito,
even if the oath did not render such an
attempt forbidden. I dare say the youth
had no great desire to trace out the father,
who had been one in name only. He returned
to Lancashire; took possession of the
property at Manchester; and, many years
elapsed before he received the mysterious
intimation of his father's real death. After
that, he named the particulars connected with
the recovery of the title-deeds to Mr. S——- ,
and one or two intimate friends. When the
family became extinct, or removed from
Garratt, it became no longer any very closely
kept secret, and I was told the tale of the
disappearance by Miss S——- , the aged
daughter of the family agent.

Once more, let me say, I am thankful I
live in the days of the Detective Police; if I
am murdered, or commit bigamy,—at any
rate my friends will have the comfort of
knowing all about it.

LIFE IN THE BURRA MINES OF
SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

THE following letter has been confided to us
for publication, by a gentleman in London, to
whom it is addressed. It shows, vigorously,
what a young fellow, emigrating to Australia,
with the power and the will to work, can do
out of hand. It also shows (as this journal
has endeavoured to do, on previous occasions)
that those qualities are indispensable, and that
lazy incumbrances upon the face of the earth
have even less business in Australia than in
any other place— if, indeed, they can be said
to be less desirable in any one place than in
another, where they are corrupting nuisances
all over the world.

"North Kapunda, South Australia,
25th December, 1850.

"* * * it is now eight weeks since my
arrival in this colony. I have deferred
writing thus long, so as to be enabled to
state something decisive regarding both my
intentions and the prospects afforded by
the country I have adopted. I will give
you a detail of my movements since I landed,
feeling assured, from the ever kind interest
you have evinced on my behalf, it will not be
unacceptable.

"We made our passage here in fourteen
weeks—nothing occurring worthy of comment
during it. After a parting jubilee with my
messmates, I bade adieu to the good ship on
the 30th of October. Having been entrusted
with two letters for E. from his father, my
next care was their safe delivery, and to catch a
glimpse of the young fellow, whom I found, on
inquiry, was located with Mr.W., at Yankalilla,
fifty miles south of Adelaide. I walked there
in two days, handed him his letters, and much
surprised him by my appearance. He has
grown a fine strapping fellow, well cut out for
work; and I must do him the justice to say,
well inclined for it. I spent a day and night
there, and took the marrow-bone stage back
again for the town of Adelaide, so as to make