had formerly despised, did he become insolent and reproachful towards his associates. He railed bitterly against Miss Newlove.

"But for that piece of handwriting," he said, "which she writ and wanted to make pass for something prettier than it was, we shouldn't a been in this teetery fix. I don't like these smart gals, they are always takin' the wrong ox by the horns. It's a confounded shame that with those slim potato-sprout fingers of her'n she should be able to pull down the barn on the whole lot of us! I wish a hog had snapped 'em off afore the school-mister showed her how to write other people's names!"

But what were poor Emma's own feelings? How could that timid and sensitive girl who had always shrunk, even from the indulgent observation of friends, endure the consciousness that she had become the object of universal scorn and abhorrence? If she herself had been told a month before what a trial awaited her, she could not have believed herself capable of surviving it. But there were latent powers in her nature, which would never have been recognised, had not the occasion arisen which demanded their exertion. It is a cause for gratitude that Providence, all of whose dispensations are merciful, oftentimes keeps us in ignorance of some of the strength which is bestowed, lest the knowledge of the gift should only prove a continual torture by reminding us of future pain against which that strength is destined to support us.

Emma, frail and delicate though she was, did not sink beneath her burden. Even the subdued murmur which fell with fearful distinctness upon her ears, and gave warning that personal danger approached, might startle, but could not appal. The blood which left her check only retired, like a courageous garrison, to the citadel, to strengthen and animate her heart. Her father implored her to abandon Redland and return to the northern home, whose shelter his persuasions had so unfortunately induced her to leave. "How much better," he exclaimed, even to lose all that we have invested here, than to endure one moment longer this horrid suspense! Great as this loss is, it will not leave you poor. Enough will remain for our support

and a little, moreover, for charity. Let us go then at once. "Do not talk of it, dear father. Would you really have me fly to New York like a felon, and crouching under the brand of dishonor? Could you bear to be pointed at as the parent of a self-convicted forger?"

"But Emma, Emma, our enemies are too strong for us. By remaining we only put ourselves more and more in their power. Do you know that they even threaten an indictment? Think of being arraigned as a criminal, of being dragged into Court, of being exposed to public gaze and finally of being tried by a jury selected out of the creatures of John Astiville !"

Emma trembled, but her fortitude did not desert her. "I will do and suffer anything," she said, "rather than seem to acknowledge by my conduct, the justice of this foul accusation. There is law even here, I trust, to distinguish innocence from guilt?"

"Yet." replied the father, "what matters law or innocence, if you have no advocate ? Somers, it is clear, has taken us at our word, and seems resolved to shun us henceforward as if we had the plague, and I don't wonder at it. He sees that he cannot be our friend without incurring the hatred of everybody else. It is very natural that he should seize the first decent opportunity to get rid of us ?"

"Perhaps it is natural," said Emma. with an involuntary sigh, "Yet, I confess, I did not quite expect that Mr. Somers would leave us without a single word of farewell. It might become others to act so, but I thought him more kind and liberal. I would not ask him to return to him if he would but show a little symhis engagement-we have no right to ask pathy, I should be content. He cannot but know how desolate we are; he sees that all the world contemn and hate us, and his heart should tell him how precious in such circumstances is the sight of a friend."

Somers was but our lawyer."
Friend, Emma? How you talk. Mr.

"And was he then nothing more?" she murmured sadly.

"Well, so let it be," she added, recovering her self-possession, "let him forsake us if he will; let him find happiness

while we are overwhelmed with distress. I will not be sorry that he owes his escape to our free act. If he has now become cold and thankless, we should remember that he once made a sacrifice in our behalf."

"Whom will you take in his place," said Mr. Newlove.-" Mallefax ?"

go

"Then, Emma, be advised by me and back to New York."

"No, father-not till I stand free from reproach in the eyes of all. Mr. Somers though he now avoid us as polluted, shall learn to recognise us as pure and clear of blame. He He may think us crushed and helpless, he shall see that we can arise from the dust without his aid.”

Emma Newlove, thus distinctly aware of her situation, and too well acquainted with the character of her father to expect the least support from him, sought no other counsellor than her own resolute will. Hearing of the complaints of Schrowder, who, in truth, felt no delicate scruples about uttering his mind in her very presence, she invited him and Ralph Dubosk to call on her together, at her father's house. They came punctually; and she addressed the former thus:

"Mr. Schrowder, I am informed that you are dissatisfied with your present farm, what do you value it at ?"

"Well," he replied, "You know it cost eight dollars an acre and I've put five hundred dollars' improvement on it. Still its vally has dropped considerable sence I bought it. Nobody would be anxious to take it after these law fussifications, especially that article with relation to the survey which folks are very bold to call forged. Of course I don't wish to give in that argument exactly, as you are from the North, and never before behaved anyways unbecomin' that I h'ard of-though I won't make out but what I'm jubious

"You need not say anything more about that just now, Mr. Schrowder,-you have a thousand acres for which you paid eight thousand dollars. Now, if you are disposed to sell, I will take the tract off your hands, and give you nine thousand." "The mischief you say? What's put you up to this so sudden? May be the title's all built up square at last-ch? -is that it now?"

"No sir. I have learnt nothing new respecting the title. The motive of my offer is simply this: it seems to be supposed that a paper which I was instrumental in having introduced as evidence, has had an injurious effect upon the cause. Now, I am unwilling that any one should suffer by my error, if you will sell your land I will buy it."

"Sure now!-that's queer-dog my cats if it aint! But if you choose to take wild notions, I might as well profit by 'em as any body else. So here's my hand, and it's a bargain."

Miss Newlove turned to the sturdy form of Ralph Dubosk, and said, "You also, sir, have a thousand acres, for which I am ready to give the same sum that I have offered Mr. Schrowder-will you take it."

"No-not I!" replied Dubosk emphatically, "If any body else was to say he'd give me nine thousand dollars for the lot I don't deny I'd jump at it very quick, but I wont from you. People may wear their throats out in talking of forgery and all that nonsense, I don't believe a word of it. Accidents may happen in the best of families, and so its like enough some mistake has been made, but as to anything worse being done by you, Miss Emma, at any rate-I'll maintain, in the biggest man's face that it's an out and out lie." I thank you Mr. Dubosk. I am glad there is one person who does not think I deserve a cell in the penitentiary. Still sir, do not hesitate to accept my offer if you believe it for your advantage. I am quite willing to assume all the risk of the suit."

"I don't care if you are ever so willing," answered the farmer, "It takes two to make a bargain and I sh'nt be one of them. Ralph Dubosk is no very great shakes to be sure, but he'll never be the person to back out and leave the whole scrape on his partner. Whether the suit is to be lost or won, I'm in for it along with you."

"But you ought to consider, Ralph," remarked Schrowder, "that you can't stand the losing part of the business, altogether so well as the Madam here."

"That may be," replied Dubosk, “I know this piece of land is about all I'm worth in the world-but what then? If I lose it, I can start again, just as I did when the old man turned me adrift at the first, with only eight shillings in my pocket. The

A BOOK professing, like that before us, to give authentic details of Cuba, the queen of the American islands, can scarcely fail to awaken the curiosity of the reading public.

Making little pretension as a literary work, it is rather a representation of alleged facts; and invites an abstract more than a criticism.

To the mercantile, the agricultural, and the manufacturing classes, to the philosopher, the politician, and the philanthropist, the subject opens matter of deep interest; and fully impressed with its importance as the author appears to be, he is likely to acquit himself satisfactorily.

The main object of the volume is to show the political expediency of the annexation of Cuba to the United States. To this end, after deducing, from a variety of facts, the probability of the Spanish yoke being speedily thrown off, the author goes on to show how, in that event, Cuba must either remain independent, come under the protection of England, or join herself to the United States. The first he sets aside as being evidently less advantageous to the Cubans than either of the others; and by her geographical relations, he shows the value of a connexion with her to either England or the United States; and especially to us, as a point of defence in war, and a source of wealth in peace. He represents the impossibility of our permitting England to "erect a Gibraltar at the portals of the American sea ;" and lastly, admitting the unlawfulness of interference between Spain and her colony, suggests, as a method satisfactory to all parties, the purchase of the island by the United States.

The various arguments of our author tending to this central point, are brought from a circle of interesting, political, social, and domestic narrations, happily illustrating the position, feelings, resources, and prospects of the Cubans. It is these illustrations, apart from political question, which chiefly furnish material for our present article.

The position alone of Cuba, renders her, under any circumstances, an object of interest. Whether we look back over three centuries, to when Columbus first beheld her beautiful shores, and the lofty summits of Portobello and Cobre, rising, like beacons of safety and promise through the dreary uncertainties before him; or view her as she stands now, clothed with increased importance as the acknowledged "Bulwark of the Mexican Gulf," the sentinel of the American sea,-commanding, in the hands of whosoever may possess her, "the great highway to Mexico and South America, to Oregon, California, and the Pacific." Whether we bring to our imaginations the gentle and generous aborigines, whose hospitable courtesies welcomed the adventurous stranger to their shores, or mark where luxury, vice, and oppression walk, hand in hand, over the birth-right of the timorous creole, there is always something to excite curiosity and command attention; and as we pursue the minute details of our author we scarce know whether most to admire the beauty of the fair "queen of the Antilles," or to lament the degradation of her fetters.

With the first culture of sugar and tobacco in the island, the indolent aborigines being incapable of the labor, slavery was almost simultaneously introduced. Many

of the Spanish inhabitants of Jamaica removed, after its conquest by the English, to Cuba. An attempt was made on Havana about the same time; which, say the Spanish authorities, failed on account of a miracle performed in their favor by the land crabs and fire flies, the noise and light of which, mistaken for an enemy in ambuscade, caused the English to retreat with disorderly haste to their ships. The invasion of 1762 was more successful; and the island was conquered, but restored to Spain by the treaty of peace; which restoration is said to be regarded by the native writers as the true era whence the aggrandisement and prosperity of Cuba is to be dated. The captains-general who succeeded each other, at intervals of four years, during the thirty which followed this period, were men of energy and judgment; and the administration of Don Louis de las Casas, the founder of the "Patriotic Society," is represented as a brilliant epoch in the history of the island. The French revolution produced commotions, rendering the office of captain-general every year of greater responsibility. As the need of talent, honor, discretion, and humanity increased, the more difficult it became to find officers of superior worth. To such the office grew repugnant. The political changes made by the Spanish Government, and the jealous policy which came to dictate their despotic measures, caused it to fall, at length, into most incapable and polluted hands.

There was not, until the last twenty years, any serious precedent, or open effort, to justify a difference between the political rights of Cubans, and of Spaniards on the soil of Cuba. At the commencement of the nineteenth century the government of Spain over Cuba was liberal, and the Cubans, in return, were loyal; but the changes adopted in the mother country affected similarly her colony; and the sudden passage from an absolute to a republican government, producing infidelity, served only to tear the veil of decency from the debased and corrupt state of society.

manners conciliated all parties, and caused him to be held in high estimation.

In 1823 the command was held by General Vives, afterwards raised to the dignity of Conde de Cuba, under whose auspices the temple was erected, on the Plaza des Armes of the Havana, on the very spot where, according to tradition, the first christian rite was performed in the New World. The temple is now opened only once a year, on the anniversary of the day that mass was first said there in the presence of Columbus.

General Vives, after the restoration of Ferdinand, desirous of impressing the constitutional party with the idea that they might be carried farther than they meant to go, made it appear that a plan had been devised for throwing off the Spanish yoke. The royal order of 1825, investing the Captain General, with the whole extent of power granted to the governors of besieged towns, brought upon the island all its subsequent misfortunes. At that time the country was in its most flourishing and healthy period; and rapid, indeed, must have been the encroachment of despotism to bring it to the present state, as represented by our author.

After Vives the notorious Tacon came into office, and set the example of that mean and tyrannical administration, so closely followed by the unprincipled O'Donnell and others; and which, more than any other, promoted and aided the abuses that brought the island to its present condition.

Geronimo Valdez forms a noble exception. "Valdez had the courage and honesty to issue, during his short command, upwards of a thousand grants of freedom, illegally withheld by his predecessors, from so many Africans, who, according to the treaty, had become free. He left the palace of the Captains General of Cuba in the same high-minded poverty in which he had entered it."