There ai'e people in this world whose intellects remind one of the lamjß too scantily supplied with oil. The little feeble flame in them burns and flickers, certainly, but it is but a dull sort of dead light after all. Now Minnie Bodkin's spirit-lamp, if the phrase may be permit ted, illumined everything it shone upon, and there were some persons who found it a great deal too dazzling to be pleasant.
It is not at all bright at this moment for Algernon Errington, who, seated close beside her couch, is giving her. sotto voce, a humorous imitation of the psalm-singing in old Max's parlour ; and describing, with great relish, his mother's cool suggestion that the family prayers should be put off until she should be ab sent at a whist-party,, "Poor dear mother," said Algernon, smiling, "she can't forget that she is an Ancram ; and sometimes comes out with one of her grande dame speeches, as if she were addressing my grandfather's Warwicksliire tenantry forty j'ears ago !" At which simple, candid words Minnie shoots out a queer, keen glance at the young fellow from under her eyelids.
