coat. He then roused himself to look out of
the window, and  judge, from the mud and
darkness, how far it might be to Berlin. For
the first time, he perceived that a muddy
young man was walking at a little distance
from his horses. Though more than reasonably
travel-stained, he trudged on as if his
limbs were strong and his heart light.
Through the drizzle and the darkness all that
could be seen of his face was sensible and
good-tempered. He had just finished a pipe
as he attracted the traveller's attention, and
was in the act of shaking out the ashes and
replacing the pipe in a wallet slung over his
back, when he heard himself addressed in the
manner following, and in rather an
authoritative tone of voice:

"Hollo! young man, whither are you
bound this stormy-looking night?"

"That is more than I can tell you, not
being at home in this part of the world. My
wish is to reach Berlin; but if I find a resting-
place before I get there-- to that I am bound,
for I am a-weary."

"I should think you must have a two hour's
walk before you," was the unsatisfactory
remark that followed.

The young man made no reply, and after a
short pause the stranger said;—

"If it pleases you to rest on the step of the
carriage for a few minutes, you are welcome
so to do, Herr What's-your-name."

"My name is Heinrich Meyer," replied the
young man; "one of those who wisely never
refuse the small benefit, because the larger
one is not to be obtained." He thankfully
accepted the not very clean place allotted to
him.

From inside the window the next question
put to Heinrich was:

"What are you going to Berlin for?"

"To hunt for some cousins," was the
answer.

"And pray who may they be?" asked the
unknown.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I have not
an idea who they are, or where to look for
them. Indeed, it is more than doubtful
whether I have so much as an acquaintance
in Berlin,much less a relation."

The questionner—who should have been
an American colonel—looked amused and
astonished,as he suggested;—

"Surely there must be some other motive
for your going to Berlin; or what could have
put this idea into your head?"

"Why," replied Heinrich,"I have just
become a clergyman, without the smallest
chance of getting anything to do in my own
neighbourhood; I have no relative to help
me, and not quite money enough to find me
in necessaries."

"But," said the Prussian," what on earth
has this to do with cousins in Berlin?"

"Well, now, who knows? Many of my
fellow-students have got good appointments,
and whenever I asked them to let me know
how it was done, the answer always was—"A
cousin gave it to me", or "I got it through
the interest of a cousin who lives at Berlin."
Now, as I find none of these useful cousins
live in the country,I must go without their
help, or else hunt for them in Berlin."

This was all said in a comical,dry way,so
that his listener could not refrain from
laughing, but he made no comment.
However he pulled out a piece of paper,and
began to write upon it. When he had
finished,he turned round to Heinrich,saying
that he observed he had been smoking,and
that he felt inclined to do the same,but had
forgotten to bring tinder with him. Could
Herr Meyer oblige him with a light?

"Certainly, with great pleasure," was the
prompt reply; and Heinrich,taking a tinder-
box out of his wallet,immediately began to
strike a light. Now, it has been said,that
the evening was damp,—it was so damp that
there seemed little enough prospect of the
tinder's lighting; moreover,the wind blew
the sparks out almost before they fell.

"Well, if your cousins are not more easily
to be got at,than your light is, I pity you,
young sir," was the sole remark to which
the stranger condescended, as he watched
Heinrich's laborious endavours.

"Nil desperandum is my motto," answered
the young man; and when the words were
scarcely uttered, the light had been struck.
In his delight at succeeding, Heinrich jumped
up on the carriage-step, and leaning through
the window, thrust the tinder eagerly in the
direction of the gentleman's face. "Hurra,
sir, puff away!"

After a short pause,during which time the
stranger had been puffing at his pipe, he
removed it from his mouth, and adressed
Heinrich in this way;—

"I have been thinking over what you have
been telling me; and perhaps in a humble
way, I might be able to assist you, and thus
act the part of the cousin you are seeking.
At all events when you get to Berlin, take
this note," handing him the slip of paper on
which he had been writing; "take this note
to Marshal Grumbkow, who is somewhat of a
friend of mine, and who will, I think, be glad
to oblige me. But mind! Do exactly as he bids
you, and abide strictly by his advice. If he
says he will help you, rely upon it he will
keep his word; but he is rather eccentric,
and the way he sets about doing a kindness
may perhaps seem strange to you. And now,"
he continued, " as the road is improved, I
must hurry on the horses, and so bid you
good evening, hoping you will prosper in your
new career."

As Heinrich began to express his thanks
for the good wishes of his unknown friend,
the signal was given to increase the speed of
the horses, and, before he had time to make
any acknowledgments, he found himself alone
again. The young man was no little astonished
at what had taken place; and as he