With these little interruptions they were not on the whole deficient in family harmony, and Providence blest their loves with a daughter, who, followed by no sister and interrupted by no brother, was destined heir of the estate of Etterick and the money of Sourkrout, both considerably increased by the œconomy of her parents. Mrs. Sourkrout passing the summer in Scotland generally wintered at her house in Doncaster: there she was at this time situated. The laird not having for many years seen his brother, proposed to fetch the dowager, and with his wife and daughter to visit the colonel. Accordingly they set out, and in due time reached the abode of our hero’s parents. The colonel and his son were abroad on a visit; and Mrs. Hamilton, having completely forgiven the machinations of the quondam Miss Sourkrout, now received her with a cordiality and kindness of a sister-in-law, and was no less affectionate in her treatment of the laird and their young Miss. The heiress of Etterick was now about fifteen years of age but a very forward plant, combining her father’s height with her mother’s breadth and rotundity: she also inherited the maternal locks with a ruddy complexion and sanguine aspect. Though father and mother did not coincide in every subject, they agreed respecting Sukey; both indulged her without restraint or moderation. The old lady, though it must be confessed not very prone to kindness, cherished this her heir and representative with more boundless fondness than even her parents themselves. Miss Sukey was accustomed to speak without reserve whatever she thought or felt. She had not been half an hour in the house before she asked Mrs. Hamilton if they had many fine young men about the place? and whether her cousin William was not very handsome? The lady of the house having smiled without returning a direct answer, she went on to an account of the different gentlemen she knew, with an accurate description of their respective features, face, height, and shape. She was standing by a window expatiating on these subjects, and her aunt and mother were sitting at some little distance, when suddenly stopping and gazing out for a minute she exclaimed, “Good Lord! mother, what a lovely youth!” but before the mother came to make her observations, the young man was out of sight. A few minutes after, colonel Hamilton entered the room; and after a very affectionate meeting with his brother, and paying his respects to his sister-in-law and niece, he sent a servant to the doctor’s to summon his two sons. Henry, the youngest, first made his appearance; a fine, active, blooming boy of fourteen, with the carelessness about dress incidental to boys before the ideas of commencing manhood give them different sentiments. Soon but not immediately after arrived William, and was recognized by his cousin to be the person whom a little before she had so lavishly praised. William was now entered the eighteenth year of his age, with