After All.

" There , there , my darling , don't give way to weakness ; you distress me . Try to be patient ; I will talk it over with father . Trust in God , and all will yet be well . " So Olivia wiped away her tears , and thanked her mother in silence . Day after day she went through her household duties with a worthy patience akin to resignation , and the change in her character was very perceptible .

Her parents sought to divert her mind , and amuse her in every possible way , not altogether without success ; but she could not forget Arthur Humberton , the bright , the loving , the good . Until she had seen him she had been happy , cheerful , and contented in her quiet home ; but now new feelings had been aroused , and she longed for something better . Her former lovers had been but playmates , and she had therefore felt their loss less keenly , and had soon forgotten them . But now it was different , and she could alone be happy with Arthur Humberton .

Let us take a leap of three years , in which little that was startling had happened in the career of any of our characters . Humberton was ' now earning one hundred and sixty pounds at his business ( to the intense disgust of Bulliker , who hated him more than ever for it ) , and still more b y the musical profession , and yet he never went to the Phanes ! Merrisslope had become a favoured visitor there . On one occasion he and Humberton quarrelled over the subject ; but Arthur ' s grounds for angerjust

, enough in one sense , were not tenable . However , Merrisslope had left his situation in consequence ( very soon after Humberton had so summarily dealt with the double-faced Cribton ) , and he was now a frequent visitor at Manville Villa .

The fates seemed against Arthur , strive how he would . In the case of Merrisslope he had no redress , for both the family and Olivia seemed to encourage his presence . The case seemed too apparent to require further investigation ; and , besides , he was then powerless to interfere . Poor Arthur ! it was hard work fighting , single-handed , against all these untoward circumstances ; and , was Olivia to be lost ? In the meantimeViolet Cumberland , who had so painfullfascinated him

, y against his will at their musical soirees , had at last awakened to the fact that Arthur did not love her . She felt her case almost hopeless ; and despite the deceptive veil of love , perceiving that she only distressed him b y her presence , she heroically resolved to leave the Society for ever ! What anguish it cost her ardent and impulsive nature none could tell . But it must have caused the genuine-hearted girl many a severe struggle against her more than usuall

y strong inclinations . To Arthur , though he sincerely pitied her , it was a great relief . He had long wished that their relations could be altered , though he knew not how to effect it . Time had solved the difficulty . Of course the Society felt a blank when Miss Cumberland left it ; and though her pretext had been ill-health , they guessed at the real reason . Strange to say , among those affected in the region of the heart was Herbert

Redtaper , who had formerly so enthusiastically ventilated his theories on the advantages of single life . Such is human weakness . He was fascinated even more than the rest , but until now had kept honourably in the background . When , however , she had made this last resolve , he determined , if possible , to make her happy himself by winning her for his own . All his cold , calculating philosophy fledand he thought only how he might accomplish his object .

, During the three years that followed he assiduously endeavoured to gain the affection of his idol on every occasion , but without the sli ghtest success . She haughtily spurned his every advance , and nothing could move her in his favour . He was very dejected at this unwelcome treatment , and so downhearted that he began to believe again in his old theories that he had been intended for a bachelor . But the thought of Violet ' s beauty only drove