Instigated by the desire to repair, as far as in her lay, the injury she might have caused this young woman, the old lady determined to take her into her service, and try her; and never had she cause to regret having done so. She now revealed all to the nephew, and expressed her full belief in the innocence of her servant, and desired them always to retain her in the family, and not to reveal her secret. The next day the old lady died, leaving about two hundred thousand francs to her nephew. The nephew came a short time ago to Paris, to pass a few months of the winter season; he went to an hotel in the Rue du Helder, where he established himself very comfortably. One evening, after returning home, he heard, in the room adjoining that in which he was, the sound of voices and laughter; evidently his neighbors were in high glee. Overhearing some words, his curiosity was piqued, and he approached the partition, in order to hear more distinctly; (and yet there are some men who pretend to say that it is only women who are curious!) In this laudable attempt, our hero discovered that there had formerly been a door of communication between the room he occupied and that in which his gay neighbors were enjoying themselves. The hole where the lock had been was filled up with sealing-wax, so that there was no chance of seeing through that: but his curiosity was excited, and in looking about he saw that there had been a space at the top of the door, which was stuffed up with old paper. He pulled it out, and his curiosity was gratified with a view of his next-door neighbors. His efforts being thus crowned with success, he went to bed, and fell asleep. The next morning, wishing to remove the proofs of his curiosity, he took the packet of old newspapers, with the intention of replacing them, when, in so doing, out fell the fourteen _billet de mille_ francs, evidently those of his aunt. The master of the house was called. He remembered perfectly the circumstance. The servant was sent for; she recognized the room. The young man offered to make public reparation, and establish her innocence; but the poor woman preferred letting all the affair rest in oblivion. The story was forgotten, she said: why revive it? The young man handed her over the _billets_, which had been the cause of so much sorrow to her. After all, they were hardly earned. [Illustration] THE NEEDLE IN THE HAYMOW. A STORY FOR HOUSEKEEPERS. BY H. D. R. "YOU must have help, that is certain," said Mr. Harding, as he laid a letter which he had been reading upon the breakfast-table, and began to sip his coffee. "With all this company upon your hands, and warm weather coming on, it would be madness for you to try to get along alone." "That is true," sighed Mrs. Harding; "but the question is, where to get it. The whole vicinity has been searched over and over, and there is not a girl to be had."