The Adventures Of Don Pasquale.

Baron Bechner , a gay "Tyroler , " who happened then to be also lokiug at Eome , and Avith Avhom ah his later years Avere so closely connected . Stanelli n as one of those charming natures—fresh , free , gay , impetuous , loyal ,

—Avhich so often bless us , and help us along the dusty and dirty highway of life . For them friendshi p means friendship ; for them friendship is no cold , calculating profession ofpolished or frivolous societyhut is a real thing , a most living actuality .

Such a friendship transforms earthl y isolation into closest companionship , ancl casts the halo of congenial unison over warm-hearted and intelligent minds . He Avas , as the foreigners say , very " simpatico , " a good mate , an agreeable

companion , a true friend . Baron Bechner had travelled much and long . A retired soldier , now holding his ancestral possessions and an old castle , he possessed that gay polish and that amount of pleasant information , which you ei'erfind

amongst cultivated soldiers . A stupid soldier is a great bore , a man Avho has no interest in his profession is in my opinion an ass , but a soldier AVIIO understands his profession , and likes it , and is an observant , genial citizen of the lvoiid ; at the same time , is mostly not only very good company , but a most trustAVorthy and kindly associate .

It Avas not long before all three , living together " eubuon camaraclo , " found themselves one clay in the pleasant garden of the Allegri House . The Allegris Avere mutual friends of aU . And UOAV Avhat shall I say of the young ladies 1 The eldest was Annathe youngest

, Ai'as Eva , ancl tA \ 'o more charming , if strikingly contrasted beings , it Avas impossible to see . Whereas Anna Avas a brunette , all fire and vivacity , the sparkling eye , the gloaming hair—a sort of purple MackEva was the blondest of the blonde

, , calm ancl demure , silent and reserved . You ahvays kneAv Avhat Anna thought ; you seldom understood what Eva felt . Ancl Avhereas the one put you at your ease from the very first—if she liked you , —the otherthough courteouskept you at a

dis-, , tance , until she was certain of your good qualities , ancl then no truer friend could be found than Eva , though ahvays in the same undemonstrative ivay . \ Vhen then

all these various figures formed part of the fantastic scene , Ai'hen these differing dispositions amalgamated in daily converse in hourly intimacy in that close ancl con ! genial Hving together which is so pleasant for many a poor Avayfarer , here it Avas impossible but that some little difficulties should arise .

Paesiello , AVIIO ivas both young and sen . timental , attached himself to Eva . Don Balthazar ivas mightily struck with tho '' cspiSgle"' and merry Anna ! But , as often happens , the little god , bent on mischief , had already equally

affected the careless Stanelli , who had become the devoted servant of Eva , Avhile the graver Bechner had been equall y allured by the innocent , witt y , and pleasant Anna . The good mother , comely in her comelinessand kindly

, in her kindliness , smiled on all these little matters , and good and sensible warmhearted Avoman as she AA'as , unlike some I have met AA'ith in life , left the young people to " suit themselves . " For , as she used to say , " I did not like people

interfering ivith me Avhen I Avas young , and why should I , AVIIO have had my day , bother these girls of mine , who are quite able to choose for themselves , and , aboi'e all , quite able to take care of themselves . " HOAV much better it Avould be for us all

if everybody woidd act on such befitting principles , but the love of interference seems almost innate in us all , and especially in mammas ancl maiden aunts , and elderly married females ! But I must leave this gay coterie for awhile , and revert to an incident ivhich for a time

greatly worried Paesiello . Bartolo , the abbe , had a friend—the Abbe Pantaleoni—a keen and learnt Jesuit , and no sooner had he seen Paesiello than he " marked him for his own . Bartolo , Avho grieved for his youthful friendand did not admire that remarkable

, body of men , did not venture openly to resist his influential acquaintance , and so poor Paesiello Avas daily plyed ivith arguments as to his duty to do something k > i ' Eeligion , which meant , " selon" Pantaleoni ; Jesuitismandin factif Pantaleoni

; , , could have bad his way , our hero AVO « M have become a member of that secret an « sagacious order . Not indeed as that able man AVOllld so }';