as usual on the mantel of his recitation room, found in the book: and, not suspecting its character, he thought he would run it over before commencing the lesson. The hand-writing being apparently the President's, Clarence, conceiving that his master had chosen this way to lecture for some over-sight, looked for no signature. And, therefore, he read till the ending, when the absence of all signature so perturbed him, that he got through with the recitation mechanically and by instinct !

Great was his distress :-could it be that Bloduplex was so cowardly and vile to write such a letter! ordering him to resign, and threatening if he would not! Yet, his was the hand-writing!-the style !-the very expressions !the every thing!-but the signature, and that was wanting!

When this letter was thus found, it was a time of restored peace and renovated confidence-for, Clarence, being then a man of implicit faith and trustfulness of spirit-(having faith in man! according to the modern doctrine of Lyceums)-had, child-like, looked over the past, and hoped afresh for the future; * * * Down went he, after recitation, as usual, to the Doctor's study-but, accidentally, the door was locked! Then called he Harwood from his room, and, without uttering a word, put the letter into his hand. That gentleman read, and trembled as he read, and, when Clarence asked

"Who do you think wrote it?" he answered

"I am afraid to say! but it seems like the Doctor,-the style-the hand-writing-the expressions-are so like his!"

Hastening home, Clarence handed the letter to his wife, and without word or comment. She read; but, soon bursting into tears, she voluntarily exclaimed

"Oh! Charles !-the Doctor must have written this!" Harwood had now joined them: when the anonymous letter was compared with several letters written by Blodu

plex to Clarence, and the most remarkable similarity, as to the hand-the style-the words-the expressions-was apparent nay, in some things, was an identity. And all this, even Dr. Sylvan afterwards acknowledged; although with characteristic caution, he expressed no opinion as to the authorship.

"I must, Harwood: external enemies and mistaken men, I could and can resist, and face ;—but this domestic traitor

"Perhaps, after all, it is not he."

"Perhaps so; yet, I cannot endure the suspicion. And, suppose he learns or guesses our suspicion-mutual confidence can never be again after that. No. I am now awake and let me say, dear Harwood, that that man has some plan for you when he is rid of me."

:

"Oh! you are too much alarmed-he cannot be meditating that ;—we shall be too strong for him

66

Depend on it, I am right. What we have heard of his character is true: and he that has, by indirect means, gained victories over ecclesiastical courts, will, by the same, gain them over us. I must and will resign."

"At least, see the Doctor first."

“I will—but I know the result:-it will end in my resignation, and in your final overthrow."

Clarence accordingly, taking the letter, waited on the President, who, meeting him at the door of his dwelling, did himself thus begin :—

"You received an anonymous letter, Mr. Clarence, I hear?" (Who told him?)

“Yes, sir; and I have come to you for advice." "Let us walk up the lane. Have you the letter with you?"

"Here it is."

The letter was taken by the President, but not read all

carefully and indignantly over, as by the others! And yet, at a glance, he learned all its items, and that so well, as to talk and comment on them! But still, after what he designed should pass for a searching scrutiny, in a moment he exclaimed," I know the hand writing-it is Smith's !"

"How you relieve me, Doctor Bloduplex," said Clarence; "Harwood was right to prevent me from sending in my resignation.-I shall continue

"Mr. Clarence,” replied the President, "Smith, I know, is your bitter enemy; and I am told you have many more, and especially among the young gentlemen that came with me now, this letter shows a state of great unpopularity, and I do candidly advise, all things considered, that you had better resign!!"

"Doctor, pardon me, my first belief is returned-I know the author of this letter, and it is not Smith."

"Who then, sir?"

"Come with me, Dr. Bloduplex, and I will satisfy you in my study."

"I cannot now, sir, but will call in the course of the day."

After a while the President called, when Clarence, con ducting him into the study, said:

"Dr. Bloduplex, from my inmost soul I do hope you may remove my suspicion;-but I much fear that you yourself are the author of this letter!"

"I!—the author! how could you ever entertain so unjust a suspicion ?"

"God grant, sir, it be unjust-but I will now give you the grounds of my suspicion."

"Name them, sir,—I am curious and patient."

Here Clarence went over all that the reader has been told, but to a much wider extent, and with many arguments and inferences not now narrated; and then spread out the

Doctor's own letters, to be compared with the anonymous one. Upon which the Doctor said:

"Well, Mr. Clarence, there is no resemblance between them, or but very little."

"But is there not some? Has not the writer tried to imitate your hand-your style-your very grammatical pe

It does, indeed, Doctor Bloduplex; and now look here!-the seal is stamped with the key of your desk!"

Here the President coloured; of course in virtuous indignation and surprise at such roguery, and in some little confusion exclaimed :

"The wicked dogs! they have stolen the key of my desk!"

Clarence was here affected to tears; that one the other day almost loved and trusted as a father could be by him no longer so regarded. Ay, hoping against hope that the man could not be so fallen from high honour, and looking towards him with streaming eyes, he said:

"Only assure me, Doctor, on your word of honour and as a Christian that you did not do this base action, and even now will I burn this letter in this very fire-(it was a cold day) before your face."

"Mr. Clarence," said he "I solemnly declare I did not write the letter; but stay, do not burn it-let me have it and I wil. try and find the writer."

The worthy President then carried away the letter and retained it three days in his surtout pocket; after which he returned the paper-but alas! the friction of the pocket, or something else, had so worn away the seal that the impression of the desk-key was no longer visible !

Of course, then, the letter was not written by the Reverend Constant Bloduplex, d. d.-for he had the best right to know; and he said, soleinnly, that it was not. Yet

Clarence," all things considered," did that very week send his resignation to Dr. Sylvan; offering, however, to remain till the meeting of the Board. At that the Board offered him nearly double salary to remain some months longer till a suitable successor could be found; to which proposal Clarence acceded. When that gentleman leaves the stage,

our history, dear reader, is concluded.

Meanwhile pass we to the next chapter and refresh ourselves with the Guzzleton Barbecue.

"Now, my co-mates, and brothers in exile,

Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
Than that of painted pomp ?"

BEFORE his marriage, John Glenville had located on the river; where, being part owner of a tract of land, it was determined to make the village of Guzzleton. And of all places in the world this was a-place. It abounded in wood and water, and was convenient to the river, or-could be so; the county road went within half a mile, and if desired would, no doubt, come right through the town; and there might be rail-roads and canals across it, in every direction. Nay, all the advantages of Paperville itself would in due time concentrate in Guzzleton! Yea, it would eclipse Woodville! Ay, and if some folks

did not look

sharp, the Legislature would remove to Guzzleton the State College, or at least create there a branch College !