The Brother Clerks; A Tale of New-Orleans.

met the glance, Della suddenly clasped her hands to her face, and, with an exclamation of horror, fell back fainting.

Minny sprang wildly to her feet-'Oh, Miss Della!' she exclaimed, as she bent over the senseless form before her, pouring out her passionate accents as if there was an ear to hear them. 'Oh, Miss Della, how could you crave this knowledge to-day, of all other days? Had it been yesterday morning, or ever before in all our life here together, I would not have known, and you would have never known. To-day, of all days! Oh, I have broken this poor, sensitive heart; woe is me, woe is me! Oh, if I had only died before I learned this dreadful secret, only died! only died!'

With trembling hands, and eyes raining down their gushing tears, Minny bathed the pale brow, and brought rare perfumes, and chafed the little hands.

'Miss Della! Miss Della! I knew it would kill you-and you only guessed; I never told you-oh, no, never, never, never!'

Slowly Della returned to consciousness, and as her eyes unclosed, they fell upon the agonized face of her weeping attendant. She closed them quickly, and raised her hand so as to wave her from her sight, but it dropped listlessly back into her lap, and she lay still in the large chair, apparently as weak and helpless as an infant.

'Oh, Miss Della! God forgive me for what I have done, though I never meant to do it-never thought to do it. What could have turned your thoughts on this to-day?'

'Go away,' murmured Della, faintly; 'go away, so that I may open my eyes and not see you.'

Minny moved a few paces back.

'I can see you in the glass yet; go away so that I can't see you anywhere, Minn.'

Weeping bitterly, Minny retired to the other apartment; and Della, with folded hands, sat quite still with downcast eyes and pallid cheeks, looking like a statue of meditation.

A little French clock upon the mantle-piece struck the hour, and went on with its monotonous tick, tick-that unobtrusive voice of warning and admonition-until the half hour was sweetly chimed, and still Della sat there, pale, and still thinking. At length she rose, and with an energy unusual with her, walked hastily back and forth across the room. It had a soothing effect, and her brow was calm and resolute, yet shadowed as if with some new lesson of life, harshly forced upon her. She seated herself once more before the mirror.

'Minny, I am ready for you now.'

Minny came, with her face calm and corpse-like, and once more essayed to bind up the rich bands of hair.

'Place my wreath a little more front. My cheek needs the shade of that bright rose to relieve its pallor-so-that effect is charming.'

'Your hair is dressed, Miss.'

Della sprang to her feet like one who resolutely tossed some load from the heart, and taking the hand-mirror from the table, surveyed the arrangement of her hair altogether.

'Beautiful! Minny, you have excelled yourself to-night.'

'Thank you, Miss. What dress?'

'My India mull, and the rose-colored ribbons.'

The dress was brought, and Della stood before the full-length mirror while Minny fastened it.

'Tie my shoulder-knots in your prettiest manner, Minny.'

'Yes, Miss; and my reward shall be a rehearsal of the list of conquests?'

'I suppose so,' smiled Della; 'Minn, I pet you a great deal too much.'

'I know it, Miss; and make me love you a great deal too well.'

Della sighed.

At this moment there was a tap at the door, and Mrs. Delancey, in full evening costume, entered the room.

'Most ready, dort, darling?'

'Yes, mamma, I will be down in a few minutes.'

'You look very sweetly in that simple dress; what prompted you to choose that to-night, treasure?'

'An instinctive knowledge, I presume, mamma, that I would look very sweetly in it,' replied Della, archly.

Mrs. Delancey was a fine-looking woman-very fussy and very French. She smiled, and displayed her brilliant teeth at her daughter's answer, then stooped, and kissed her brow. Mrs. Delancey loved her child, with all the strength of affection she was capable of feeling. She was even first in her heart in some moments of pride and ambition, and second never, save to her love of fashion and display.

'Clasp this string of pearls about your throat, it will relieve the plainness of your attire.'

'I'd rather not have it relieved, mamma.'

'What a strange whim,' returned the lady, proceeding to fasten on the necklace.

As the toilet was declared finished, Mrs. Delancey stepped back to observe the effect.

'Charmante, ma chere!' she exclaimed. 'Remember, love, your father and I wish you to be particularly agreeable to General Delville this evening. He is a splendid match, rich as a Jew, and of such fine family!'

'He is the gentleman who was of age when papa was born, isn't he, mamma?'

'Hush, child; what of that! He may be a little old, but all the better-you'll be left a charming young widow the sooner.'

Della lifted a bracelet from the table, and fell to examining it with the closest inspection, while her little satin-slippered foot kept up an unconscious, nervous tapping upon the carpet.

Mrs. Delancey looked at her watch-'Nine o'clock, Della; the guests will begin to arrive, shortly. You need not come down till your father comes for you. Remember, ma chere, General Delville, particularly.'

So saying, the proud mother swept from the apartment.

As the door closed upon her, Della stepped through the open window, and passed out upon the balcony. Minny busied herself with putting aside the jewels which had not been wanted, and other unnecessary articles of dress, which the capricious fancy of her mistress had drawn from their proper places during the process of preparation.

A half hour passed before Mr. Delancey sought his daughter's apartment; when he entered, Della was seated gracefully on an ottoman, arranging a bouquet of orange flowers and mignonnette. It was a sweet picture, and the father stopped to look upon it.

Della looked up, and her eye went quickly from her father's to Minny's face, then dropped again upon her flowers.

'Are you ready, Della?'

'One minute, papa.'

'You are looking very lovely to-night, my daughter. Be careful and have your manners to correspond with your looks. My choicest friends are here this evening, and I wish to see you Queen of Hearts.'

'Especially to General Delville?'

'Especially to General Delville, Della. I shall be very happy to see you his wife, and it is in your power to become so if you choose.'

'I should like to know how many wives he has already, before I take that step, so that I may know how strong a fortification my eyes need against finger-nails.'

'Fie, Della! the General has never been married, and you will no doubt occupy the first place in his heart.'

'I have always hoped that when I married such might be my lot, but it cannot be in this case, I know. If General Delville has lived in New-Orleans till he has grown old enough to be my grandfather, he can't have much of a heart left.'

'Della, you astonish me!' said her father, with the frown deepening. 'One would think you had no ambition whatever to make a good match.'

'Papa, do you love me at all?'

Mr. Delancey started at the abrupt question, and gazed upon his daughter in surprise.

'Love you, Della? the whole of my heart is centred in you.'