nothing seemed to be going on but the clocks and they had such drowsy faces such heavy lazy hands and such cracked voices that they surely must have been too slow


the very dogs were all asleep and the flies drunk with moist sugar in the grocers shop forgot their wings and briskness and baked to death in dusty corners of thewindow


rumbling along with most unwonted noise the caravan stopped at last at the place of exhibition where nell dismounted amidst an admiring group of children who evidently supposed her to be an important item of the curiosities and were fully im pressed with the belief that her grandfather was a cunning device in war


the chests were taken out with all convenient despatch and taken in to be be unlocked by mrs jarley who attended by george and another man in velveteen shorts and a drab hat ornamented with turnpike tickets were waiting to dispose their contents consisting of red festoons and other ornamental devices in uphol stery work to the best advantage in the decoration ofthe room


they all got to work without loss of time and very busy they were


as the stupendous collec


tion were yet concealed by cloths lest the envious dust should injure their complexions nell bestirred herself to assist in the embellishment of the room inwhich her grandfather also was of great service


the two men being well used to it did a great deal in a short time and mrs jarley served out the tin tacks from a linen pocket like a tollcollectors which she wore for the purpose and encouraged her assistsnts to renewed exertiomn while they were thus employed a tallish gentle man with a book nose and black hair dressed in a military surtout very short and tight in the sleeves and which had once been frogged and braided all over but was now sadly shorn of its garniture and quite tlhreadbaredressed too in ancient grey pan taloons fitting tight to the leg and a pair of pumps in the winter of their existencelookdd in at the door and smiled afably


mirs


jarleys back being then towards him the military gentleman shook his forefinger as a sign that her myrmidons were not to apprise her of his presence and stealing up close behind her tapped her on the neck and cried playfully boh i what mr slum i cried the lady of the was work


lor i whod have thought of seeing you here i pon my soul and honour said mr slum thats a good remark


pan my soul and honour


thats a wise remark


who would have thought itl george my faithful feller how are you


george received this advance with a surly indif


feresce observing that he was well enough for the matter of that and hammering lustily all the time


i came here said the military gentleman turn log to mirs


jarley pon my soul and honour i hardly know what i came here for


it would puz


ae me to tell you it would by gad


i wanted a little inspiration a little freshening up a little change of ideas sndpon my soul and honour s id the military gentleman checking himself and looking round the room what a devilish classical thtling that is i dy gad its quite minervian i sitll look well enough wlhen it comes to be finished observed mrs jarley


well enough said mr slum


will you believe me when i say its the delight of my lirfe to have dabbled in poetry when i think ive exercised my pen upon this charming theme


i by the way any orders


is there any little thling i can do for you l it comes so very expensive sir replied mrs jarley and i really dont think it does much good


hush i


no no i returned mr slum eleva


ting his hand


no fibs


ll not hear it


dont say it dont do good dont say it


i know better i i dont think it does said mrs jarley


ha ha i cried mr slum youre giving way youre coming down


ask the perfumers ask the blackingmakers ask the hatters ask the old lottery office keepersask any man among em what my poetryhas done for him and mark my words he blesses the name of slum


if lies an honest man he raises his eyes to heaven and blesses the name of slummark that


you are acquainted with west


minster abbey mrs jarley yes surely


then upon my soul and honour maam youll find in a certain angle of that dreary pile called poets corner a few smaller names than slumn retorted that gentleman tapping himself expres sively on the forehead atoimply that there was some slight quantity of brails behind it


ive got a little trifle here now said mr slum taking off his hat which was full of scraps of paper a little here thrown off in the heat of the moment which i should say was exactly the thing you wanted to set this place ou fire with


its an acrosticthe name at this moment is warren but the ideas a conver tible one and a positive inspiration for jarley


have the acrostic


i suppose its very dear said mrs jarley


five shillings returned mr slum using his pencil as a toothpick


cheaper than any prose


i couldnt give more than three said mrs jarley


and six retorted slum


come


three andsix


mrs jarley was not proof against the poets in sinuating manner and mr slum entered the order in a small notebook as a threeandsixpenny one


mr slum then withdrew to alter the acros tic after taking a most affectionate leave of his patroness and promising to return as soon as he possibly could with a fair copy for the printer


as his presence had not interfered with or inter rupted the preparations they were now far advanced and were completed shortly after his departure


when the festoons were all put up as tastily as they might be the stupendous collection was uncovered and there were displayed on a raised platform some two feet from the floor running round tihe room and parted from the rude public by a crimson rope breast high divers sprightly effigies of celebrated charac ters singly and in groups clad in glittering dresses of various climes and times and standing more or less unsteady upon their legs with their eyes very wide open and their nostrils very much inflated and the muscles of their legs and arms very strongly developed and all their countenances expressing great surpise


all the gentleman were very pigeon breasted and very blue about the beards and all the ladies and all the gentlemen were looking intensely nowhere and staring with extraordinary earnestness at nothing


when nell had exhausted her first raptures at this glorious sight mrs jarley ordered the room to be cleared of all but herself and the child and sit ting herself down in the armchair in the centre formally invested her with a willow wand long used by herself for pointing out the characters and was at great pains to instruct her in her duty


that said mrs jarley in her exhibition tone as nell touched a figure at the beginning of the plat


form is an unfortunate maid of honor in the time of queen elizabeth who died from pricking her finger in consequence of working upon a sunday


observe the blood which is trickling from her finger also the gold eyed needle of the period with which she is at work


all this nell repeated twice or thrice pointing to the finger and the needle at the right times and then passing on to the next


that ladies and gentlemen said mrs jarley is jasper packlemerton of atrocious memory who courted and married fourteen wives and destroyed them all by tickling the soles of their feet when they were sleeping in the consciousness of innocence and virtte


on being brought to the scaffold and asked if he was sorry for what he had done ihe replied yes he was sorry for having let em off so easy and hoped all christian husbands would pardon him the offence


let this be a warning to all young ladies to be particular in the character of the gentlemen of their choice


observe that his fingers is curled as if in the act of tickling and that his face is re represented with a wink as he appeared when com


mitting his barbarous murders


when nell knew all about mr packlemerton and could say it without faltering mrs jarley passed on to the fat man and then to the thin man the tall man the short man the old lady who died of dancing at a hundred and thirtytwo the wild boy of the woods the woman who poisoned fourteen families with pickled walnuts and other historical characters and interesting but misguided individuals


and so well did nell profit by her instructions and so apt was she to remember them that by the time they had been shut up together for a couple of hours she was in full possession of the history of the whole establishment and perfectly competent to the en lightenment of visitors


mrs jarley was not slow to express her admi ration at this happy result and carried her young friend and pupil to inspect the remaining arrange ments within doors by virtue of which thie passage had sbeen already converted into a grove of green


baize hung withthe inscriptions shite had already seen mr slums productions and a highly orna mented table placed at the upper en for mrs jar ley herself at which she was to preside and take the money in company with his majesty king george the third mr grimaldi as clown mary queen of scots an anonymous gentleman of the quaker persuasion and mr pitt holding in his hand a correct model of the bill for the imposition of the window duty


the preparations without doors had not been neglected either for a nun of great personal attractions was telling her beads on the little portico over the door and a brigand with the blackest possible head of hair and the clearest possible complexion was at that moment going round the town in a cart consulting the miniature of a lady


it now only remained that mr slums composit ions should be judicously distributed and that the pathetic effusions should find their way to all pri vate houses and tradespeople and that the parody commencing if i knowd a donkey should be confined to the taverns and circulated only among the lawyers clerks and choice spirits of the place


when this had been done and mru


jarley hiad waited upon the boardingschools in person with a handbill composed expressly for them in which it was distinctly proved that waxwork refined the mind cultivated tire taste and enlarged the sphere of the human understanding that indefatigable lady sat down to dinner and drank out of the suspicious bottle to a flourishing campaign


to be continued


catholicism in new york


during the colonial dependence of the province of new york on the british government the exercise of the roman catholic religion was prohibited under the severest penalties


the declaration of american independence announcing the startling doctrine that all men are created equal bears the date of july th


in accordance with the equitable principle involved in this first act of the american people in their confederated capacity the constitution of the state of new york adopted on the th april provided among other things that the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship without discrimination or preference shall for ever hereafter be allowed within this state to all mankind


but this provision was as far as related to the catholic religion inoperative in the city of new york by reason of its occupancy by the enemy until the final evacuation of the city by the british authorities on the th november


the population of the city of new york was at this time small the number of catholics very few but of stout hearts filled with joy by reason of their recent emancipation


they lost no time in raising a temporary altar for the performance of the christian sacrifice according to tihe tenets of their faith


the rev andrew nugent officiated as the first minister of this little band thie nucleus of the roman catholics now worshipping in their nine churches in this city


the first act of incor poration of tlhe roman catholic congregation in the city of new york was procured from the legislature of the state in the year


in the commence ment of the following year five lots of ground were purchased from the trustees of trinity church and the foundation stone of st peters roman catholic church promptly laid an earnest that the catholics were bent on quickly availing themselves of the discontinuance of a persecution now no more


on the fourth day of november in the same year the first roman catholic church and the thirteenth church of any denomination then in this city was opened for divine service and mass pub lic celebrated by the reverend pastor in presence of a large auditory of persons of various religious persuasions


a second charter was sought and ob tained from the legislature of the state in the year


in the year the revwilliam obrien succeeded mr nugent as pastor of st peters church


this divine entered zealously on the pas toral duties of his station and contributed by personal labour and by travel into foreign parts to promote the religious and temporal interests of the church he attained to a good old age


his remains are interred beneath this church of which he continued pastor to the time of his death which occurred may th


the congregation of st peters increased with a surprising rapidity insomuch that the church soon literally overflowed


efforts to relieve it by the erection of other catholic churches were inadequate church after church was built but yet st peters overflowed


to enlarge or rebuild had been for years a favourite topic the inadequacy of means or the doubts as to the best course to pursue led the trustees from time to time to defer the subject


at length the evident decay of a part of the materials of which the church was built caused alarm


a review of the building was ordered by the trustees


this review was made on the th april by three competent builders who united in their report that it was unsafe for a congregation to assemble in the said church in its present condition


the correctness of this report was shortly afterwards verified by the falling into the body of the church at a time when the congre gation was happily absent of the entire of the flat portion of the ceiling


the church could only have been repaired at a considerable expense and would be then inadequate to the accommodation of its large congregation it had to be totally abandoned or rebuilt on an enlarged plan


the latter was resolved on


without scrip or purse the trustees relying on the support of the congregation and countenanced by the worthy rector resolved to pro ceed to rebuild the church


the resolutions for this purpose were passed on the th day of june


on the next day the removal of earth was commenced


on the th day of august the first stone was placed in the foundation


on the th day of august mass was celebrated for the last time in the old church


on the th day of oc tober the corner stone was laid by the right rev bishop du bois assisted by the rector of the church the very rev dr john power who delivered an excellent address suitable to the occasion and by other attending clergy


the activity with which this heavy undertaking was prosecuted will be best evinced by the fact that on the first sunday of september the service of the mass was according to the rights of our creed performed in one of the basement rooms of the new church


on the th february the interior of the new church being finished it was opened for public ser vice


the ceremony of consecration was performed by the itight rev bishop hughes


the very reverend pastor in a strain of eloquence in which it may be said he exceeded himself preached to an audience of more than persons who occupied not only every pew but all the aisles and every spot where man could find a place to sit or stand


many were excluded for want of further space


this was a glorious day for the catholics of new york


a church of great architectural beauty of studied solidity in all its parts in size more than


double that of the church that had been lately removed was at great expense built within little more than one year


this edifice a monument of the zeal and public spirit of the congregation is not only a great convenience but an ornament to the city elevating the catholicse both as men and as christians in the esteem and respect of their dissenting brethren


scottish music


the first reputed inventor of scotch music is john the arch chanter said to have brought it with him from rome when he settled among the northumbrians


this opinion seems chiefly to depend on a forced construction of the account furnished by the learned bede de musics theorica by whom we are certainly told that john the precentor of st peter in rome was sent over by pope agatho in the year to in struct the monks of weremouth in the art of singing and particularly to acquaint them with the manner of performing the festival service throughout the year as was practised at rome and that he after wards opened schools for teaching singing in other places of the kingdom of northumberland but that does not warrant the belief in his being the actual founder of the music of a nation who pos sessed their kingdom upwards of years


the supposition is however materially weakened by a decided contradiction of tassoni who says that in his time a prince from scotland had imported into italy a plaintive kind of music from his own coun try and thlat he himself had composed pieces in the same spirit


we have here a chasm of years when the invention of scotch music is awarded to james i in whose reign it must be admitted that music advanced to a high degree of perfection


ihe first introduced music into the cathedrals and abbeys of scotland and was both a poet and theorist in music as well as an eminent performer on the harp and lute


of his musical taste and science we have the testimonials of major fordun and tassoni


among us moderns says the latter we may reckon james king of scotland who not only composed many sacred pieces of vocal music but also himself invented a new kind of mtusic plaintive and melancholy difjereat from all others in which he has been ioitated by carlo gesualdo prince of venosa who in our age has improved music with new and admirable inventions


this coincidence would almost induce us to believe that italy had its music from scotland nathans musurgia


secret societies in germany


the austrian observer contains the following cor respondence from frankfort dated the st of no vember the numerous arrests which have taken place almost simultaneously in different towns of germany have naturally fixed the public attention and given rise to much comment


we are again assured that the individuals who have been arrested were in relation with the secret societies of france


it is however added that these arrests have been principally confined to young men belonging to the working classes


there have nevertheless been arrested at frankfort some masters of ateliers


nothing further is known with precision as to the plans and projects of these societies whose existence however as now no longer a matter of doubt


the seizulre of papers at paris has given rise to very minute enquiries throughout germany and the circumtnstance that those societies are kown to have an understanding with those of france has caused much uneasiness


ftlaster


utnpirtgu lorrt


o


personal adventures of master humphrey


thb old curiosity siiopciiapter xlyv


trie throng of people hurried by in two opposite streams with no symptom of cessation or exhaustion intent upon their own affairs and undisturbed in their business speculations by the roar of carts and waggons laden with clashing wares the slipping of horses feet upon the wet and greasy pavement the rattling of the rain on windows and umbrella tops


the jostling of the more impatient passengers and all the noise and tumult of a crowded street in the high tide of its occupation while the two poor strangers stunned and bewildered by the hurry they beheld but had no part in looked mournfully on feeling amidst the crowd a solitude which has no parallel but in the thirst of the shipwrecked mariner whotossed to and fro upon the billows of a mighty ocean his red eyes blinded by looking on the water which hems him in on every side has not one drop to cool his burning tongue


they withdrew into a low archway for shelter from tne rain and watched the faces of those who passed to find in one among them a rayof encou ragement or hope


some frowned some smiled some muttered to themselves some made slight gestures as if anticipating the conversation in which they would shortly be engaged some wore the cunning look of bargaining and plotting some were anxious and eager some slow and dull in some countenances was written gain in others loss


it was like being in the confidence of all these people to stand quietly there looking into thgir faces as they flitted past


in busy places where each man has anobject of his own and feels assured that every other man has his his character and purpose are written broadly in his face


in the public walks and lounges of a town people go to see and to be seen and there the same expression with little variety is repeated a hundred times


the working day faces come nearer to the truth and let it out more plainly


falling into that kind of abstraction whichsuch a solitude awakens the child continued to gaze upon the passing crowd with a wondering interest amounting almost to a temporary forgetfulness of her own condition


but cold wet hunger want of rest and lack of any place in which to lay her aching head soon brought her thoughts back to the point whence they had strayed


no one passed who seemed to notice them or to whom she durst appeal


after somne time they left their place of refuge from the weather and mingled with the concourse evening came on


they were still wandering up and down with fewer people about them but with the same sense of solitude in their own breasts


abd the same indifference from all around


the lights in the streets and shops made them feel yet more desolate for with their help night and darkness seemed to come on faster


shivering with the cold and damp ill in body and sick to death at heart the child needed her utmost firmness and resolution even to creep along


whiy had they ever come to this noisy town when there were peaceful country places in which at least they might have hungered and thirsted withless suffering than in its squalid strife


i they were but anatom here in a mountain heap of misery thevery sight of which increased their hopelessness and aut feting


n lthe child had not only to endure the accumulated hardships of their destitute condition but to bear the reproaches of her grandfather who began to murmur at having been led away from their late abode and demand that


they should return to it


being now penniless and no relief or prospectof relief appearing they retraced their steps through the deserted streets and went back to thewharf hoping to find tile boat in which they had come and to be allowed to sleep on board that nightl but here again they were disappointed for the gate was closed and some fierce dogs barking at thein approach obligedthem to retreat


i we must sleep in the open air tonight dear said the child in a weak voice as they turned away from this last repulse andtomorrow wewill beg our way to some quiet part of the country and try


to earn our breadtat some very humble work


r why dad you bring yme here returned the old


man fiercely


i cannot bear these close eternal streets


we care from a quiet part


why did you force me to leave t


because i nmusthave that dreami told you of no more esaid the child with a momentary firmness that lost itself in tears


and we


must liveamong poor people orit


will come again


dear grand


father you are old and weak know but lookat me


i neverwvill complain if you will not but have some sufferling indeed


a ah i poor houseless wandering motherless chlild i cried the old man clasping his hands aind gatingasif forthe first time upon her anxiousaface her


travelstained dress and bruised andswollen feet


hasall my agony of care brought her to this at last


was a happy man once and have i lost happiness andall


i hll d for thisllt i


if we were in the country rtiv said thieohild with assumed clheurfulness as they walked ibn looking about them for asahelter


we should find somo good old tree stretching out his green armsnas if ire loved us and nodding aird rustling is if lie would have us fall asleep thinking of hint while he watched


please god we shall be there soon to


morrow or neaxt day at the farthest and in the mean time let us think dear that it was a good thing we came here for we are lost in the crowd and hurry of this place and if any cruel people should pursue us they could surely never trace us further


theres comfort in that


and heres a deep old doorwayvery dark but quite dry and warm too for the wind dont blow in herewhats that uttering a half shriek she recoiled from a black figure which came suddenly out of the dark recess in which they were about to take refuge and stood still looking at them


speak again it said do i know the voice


no replied the child timidly we are strangers and having no money for a nights lodging were going to rest here


there was a feeble lamp at no great distance the only one in the place which was a kind of square yard but sufficient to show how poor and mean it was


to this the figure beckoned them at the same time drawing within its rays as if to show that it had no desire to conceal itself or to take them at an advantage


the form was that of a man miserably clad and begrimed with smoke which perhaps by its con trast with the natural colour of his skin made him look paler than lie really was


that he was naturally of a very wan and pallid aspect however his hollow cheeks sharp features and sunken eyes no less than a certain look of patient endurance sufficiently testified


his voice was harsh by nature ibut not brutal and though his face besides possessing the chlaracteristics already mentioned was overshadowed by a quantity of long dark hair its expression was neither ferocious nor cruel


how came you to think of resting there he said


or how he added looking more at


tentively at the child do you come to want a place of rest at this time of night


our misfortunes the grandfather answered are the cause


do you know said the man looking still more earnestly at nell how wet site is and that the damp streets are not a place for her i know it well god help me he replied


what can i do


the man looked at nell again and gently touched her garments from which the rain was running off in little streams


can give you warmth libe said after a pause nothing else


such lodging as i have is in that house pointing to the doorway from which he had emerged but shie is safer and better there than here


the fire is in a rough place but you can pass the night beside it safely if youll trust yourselves to me


you see that red light yonder they raised their eyes and saw a lurid glare banging in the dark sky the dull reflection of some distant fire


its not far said the man


shall i take you there


you were going to sleep upon cold bricks i can give you a bed of warm ashesnothing better


without waiting for any further reply than he saw in their looks he took nell in his arms and bade the old man follow


carrying her as tenderly and as easily too as if she had been an infant and showing himself both swift and sure of foot be led the way through what appeared to be the poorest and most wretched quarter of the town not turning aside to avoid the over


flowing kennels or running water spouts but holding his course regardless of such obstructions and making his way straight through them


they had proceeded thus in silence for some quarter of an hour and had lost sight of the glare to which he had pointed in the dark and narrow ways by which they had come when it suddenly burst upon them again streaming up from the high chimney of a building close before them


this is the place he said pausing at a door to put nell down and take her hand


dont be afraid


theres nobody here will harm you


it needed a strong confidence in this assurance to induae them to enter and what they saw inside did not diminish their apprehension and alarm


in a large and lofty building supported by pillars of iron with great apertures in the upper walls open to the external air echoing to the roof with the beating of hammers and roar of furnaces mingled with the hissing of redhot metal plunged in water and a hundred strange unearthly noises never heard else wherein this gloomy place moving like demons among the flame ar smoke dimly and fitfully seen flushed and tormented by the burning fires and wielding great weapons a faulty blow from any one of which must have crushed some workmans skull a number of men laboured like giants


others reposing upon heaps of coals or ashes with their faces turned to the black vault above slept or rested from their toil


others again opening the white


hot furnace doors cast fuel on the flames which came rushing and roaring forth to meet it and licked itup like oil


others drew forth with clash oing noise upon the ground great sheets of glowing steel emitting an insupportable heat and a dull deep ligjit like that which reddens in the eyes of savage beasts


through these bewildering sights and deafening sounds their conductor led them to where in a dark portion of tihe building one furnace burnt by night and day so at least they gathered from the motion of ihis lips for as yet they could only see him speak not hear him


l he man who had been watching this fire and whose task was ended for the present gladly withdrew and left them with their friend who spreading nells little cloak upon a heap of ashes and showing her where she could hang her outer clothes to dry signed to her and the old man to lie down and sleep


for himself he took his station on a rugged mat before the furnace door and resting his chin upon his hands watched the flame as it lshone through the iron chinks and the white ashes as they fell into their bright hot grave below


the warmth of her bed hard and humble as it was combined with the great fatigue she had under


gone soon caused the tumult of the place to fall with a gentler sound upon the childs tired ears and was not long in lulling her to sleep


the old man was stretched beside her and with her hand upon his neck she lay and dreamed


it was yet night when she awoke nor did sele know hlow long or for how short a time she had slept


but she found herself protected both from any cold air that might find its way into the building and from the scorching heat by some of the workmens clothes and glancing at their friend saw that he sat in exactly the same attitude looking with a fixed earnestness of attention towards the fire and keeping so very still that he did not even seem to breathe


she lay in the state between sleeping and waking looking so long at his motionless figure that at length shite almost feared he had died as he sat there and softly rising and drawing close to him ventured to whisper in his ear


he movedand glancing from her to the place she had lately occupied as if to assure himoself that it was really the child so near him looked inquiringly into her lace


i feared you were ill she said


the other t men are all in motion and you are so very quiet


they leave me to myself hie replied


they know my humour


lhey laugh at me but dont harm me in it


seesyonder therethatsmy friend


the fire said the child


it has been alive as long as i have the man made answer


we talk and think together all night long


the child glanced quickly at him in her surprise buthe had turned his eyes in their former direction and was musing as before i its like a book to me he said the only book i ever learned to read and many an old story it tellsme


its music for i should know its voice among a thousand and there are other voices in its roar it hlas its pictures too


you dont know how i many strange faces and dilferent scenes i trace in the redhut coals


its my memory that fire and shows me all my life


the child bonding down to listen to his words could not help remarking with what brightened eyes be continued to speak and muse


i yes


iheo said with a faint smile it was the same when i was quite a baby and crawled about it till i fell asleep


my father watched it then


lied you so mother asked tile child


sno she wasdead


women work hard in these parts


she worked herself to death they told me and an they said so hen the fire has gone on saying the same thing etersince


i suppose it was true


i have always believed it


wgre you brought up here then said the child


rsumner and winter he repilied


secretly at first but when they bound it out they let him keep molhere


so the fire nursed methe same fire


it a bhas ti dever gone out


u you are fond of it said the child


of course i anse he died before it


i saw him fall downojnst there where those ashles are burning nowand wondered remeteber


why it dutnt help him


shlnave you heen heso ever sincel asked the child


ever since i came to watch it but there was a while between and a very cold dreary while it was


it burnt all the time though and roared and leaped when i came back as it used to do in our play days


you may guess from looking at me what kind of child i was but for all the difference between us i was a child and when saw you in the street toniglht you put me in mind of myself as i was after he died and made me wish to bring you to the old fire i thought of those old times again when i saw you sleeping by it


yo should be sleepiing now


iie down again poor child lie down again


hil that he led her to her rude couch and coveting her with the clothes with wlih she hail found herself enveloped when sile woke returned to his seat whence he moved no more unless to feed the furnace but remained motionless as a statue


the child continued to watch him for a little time but soon yielded to the drowsiness that came upon her and in the dark strange place and on the heap of ashes slept as peacefully as if the room had been a palace chamber and the bed a bed of down


when she awoke aneain broad clay was shining throughi the lofty openings in the walls and stealing in slanting rays but midway down seemed to make the building darker than it had been at night


the clang and tumult were still going on and the re morseless fires were burning fiercely as before for few changes of night and day brought rest or quiet there


her friend parted his breakfasta scanty mess of coffee and some coarse breadwith the child and her grahdfather and inquired whither they were going


she told him that they sought some distant country place remote from towns or even other villages and with a faultering tongue inquired what road they would do best to take


i know little of the country he said shaking his head for such as i pass all their lives before our furnace doors and seldom go forth to breathe


but there are such places yonder


and far from here i said nell


aye surely


hlow could they be near us and he green and fresh


i


the road lies too through miles and miles all lighted up by fires like oursa strange black road and one that would frighten you by night


we are here and must go on said the child boldly for she saw that the old man listened with anxious ears to this account


rough peoplepaths never made for little feet like yoursa dismal blighted wayis there no turning back my child


there is none cried nell pressing forward


if you can direct us do


if not pray do nor seek to turn us from our purpose


indeed you do not know the danger that we shun and how right and true we are in flying from it or you would not try to stop us i am sure you would not


god forbid if it is so said their uncouth pro tector glancing from the eager child to her grand


father who hung his head and bent his eyes upon the ground


ill direct you from the door the best i can


i wish i could do more


he showed them then by which road they must leave the town and what course they should hold when they had gained it


he lingered so long on these instructions that the child with a fervent blessing tore herself away and staid to hear no more


but before they had reached the corner of the lane the man came running after them and pressing her hand left something in ittwo old battered smoke encrusted penny pieces


who knows but they shone as brightly in the eyes of angels as golden gifts that have been chronicled on tombs


and thus they separated the child to lead her sacred charge further from guilt and shame and the labourer to attach a fresh interest to the spot where his guests had slept and read new histories in his furnace fite


to be continued


the story of the campaign


written in a tent from tho crimea


from blathckxtt magazine


past cuaptbr xvh


excdlpatoby


continued from our last


in tho earlier chapters i have rather avoided comment confining myself to a plain narrative of the course of events as they flowed one into another


the public bad been more than content with the cam paign and demanded only an intelligible and detailed account of the occurrences which bad led to such pleasing results


bui opinion bad begun to exercise so large an influence on llie war that a record of its progress would be defective in which this new element should be left unrecog nised


the dull expanbe of the siege unrelieved after inkermann by any bright red spots of victory in the foreground was kept in cessantly before the eyes of the public in its most dismal and lurid colors


inflamed by the letters from bo camp and leading article with which every newspaper teem ed descriptive of the sufferings and losses of iho army and charging the authorities military and ministerial as the chief sources of disaster the nation joined in one indig nant outcry against tbe government and the general


the plaudits of anticipated victory were changed to threats forebodings and de spondency


where a speedy triumph had been expected there bad been comparative failure where national glory was to have been cheaply obtained there had been losses and misery amounting to national disaster therefore there must be blame


such was the process of reasoning conduct ing to a conclusion almost unanimously assented o the clamour swelled daily mr roebuck gave notice of his motion of inquiry into tbe conduct of tbe war lord john russell suddenly quitted the goverment and the ministry defeated on roebucks motion by a majority of two to one went out amidst such a clamour as greets the last moments of a criminal on the scaffold


amid the din of invective those who read the parliamentary debates and leading articles of the time will be puzzled to de tect the true ground of censure


they will sec that the nation was dissatisfied and with whom but will havo some diffi culty in knowing why


everybody has been ready to indicate the culorits


but none to specify tbe crime except in the general terms of neglect ignorance and apathy


but though tho accusers were confessedly in want of specific charges yet tho causes of our failure in those points where we had failed having been divined or imagined to be divined it was easy to ask why those causes had been allowed to exist


for instance it was known that the se verest hardships of tho army had arisen from the want of a communication between balaklava and the camp and it was asked why a road had not been made


it should hare been made it was urged at the com mencement of the siege and should have been the first thing thought of


now at the commencement of the siege and for six weeks afterwards the roads were hard and good


before us bsj a place which we hoped to take after a short cannonade and notwithstanding that all the men available were employed in the trenches and batteries and transporting armament and material for the works the delay still seemed very tedious to tho im patient troops


the trendies once con structed must be manned sod thinned as tbe army was by sickness to do this adequately absorbed all our available teen


to make a road miles long was no light melt even if men and time could hare been spared for it


after a time it began to be seen and admitted by tho press that the army once larded in the crimea the events up to the ond of october followed in a sequence easily accounted for without fixing culpa bility on the chief actors


it was seen bat lo hitve occupied the first period of tbe in vestment in making a road would bavc railed forth deservedly a charge of defer ring the completion of tho enterprise in order to carry on an extensive work which might never bo wanted


as the season wore on the days between us and winter like the sybilhno books grew in value with each diminution of their number and not one could bo spared from be business of the siege


the enemy were seen throwing up their defensive works and unless we kept pace with them we must expect to break ground under an ovcnvbelming fire


on tho other hand to have pushed the enterprise to a rash ter mination by assaulting tho town without waiting for the battering train to do its work would have entailed even with suc cess he yet more serious charge of incu ring an unnecessary waste of life when a little patience and trouble spent in availing ourselves of the means we possessed might secure a comparalively bloodless victory a charge which all but men of surpassing selfreliance would naturally shrink from the risk of


viewed in retrospect it is easy to detect our crrorb and to point to a better course of action and the least sagacious and re solute ereneral of the allied armv would if tho problem were again set before him apply the lesson of experience in the alter native of a speedy assault or deliberate provision for wintering on the heights


it is a cheap sagacity and pleasant to ex ercise which points out the faults of tbe past


in fighting our battles over again mediocrity becomes infallible and doubt and difficulty are no longer elements of warfare


if then it is gi anted that up to the end of october things had gone as well with us as could fairly bo expected let us take that as the startingpoint of imputed error


it is arid ibaf it being then clear that no prospect remained of a speedy cap ture of the place measures should at once have been taken to provide against winter


a road should havo been made provisions stored and huts and stables constructed all very desirable measures but unfortu nately not practicable


as already mentioned the duty of the trenches exceeded our means when guards pickets and the covering force were pro vided for and our men were already dying of fatigue


therefore in order to begin other works men must be taken from the trenches


but to guard the trenches in sufficiently would be worse than not to guard them at all it would be adding the slaughter of men to the loss of guns there fore they must be abandoned and to with draw the guns and ammunition and dis mantle the batteries would havo been of itself a considerable labor


but our lines once abandoned the french could no longer hold theirs as they would have been liablo at any time to be taken in reverse there fore the whole siegeworks must havo been given up to be ltconstructed at a more convenient season while the russians augment their defences without any inter ruption


would this have suited cither army or either nation


or would it have been considered preferable to the sevcro losses we bavc suffered


besides our attention was no longer confined to tbe siege


tho army in the field against us was daily in creasing and had already attacked our position twice


such were the circum stances under which it is said roads ought to have been made provisions stored and the troops sheltered


the asserted superiority in the condition of the french army was cited as proof that we were in much worse state than wo need be


it is by no means certain that our allies were much better provided than ourselves at the same lime it is difficult to compare with accuracy the condition of tho two armies because the french sys tematically represent their own affairs in tho most favourable light


and without presuming to doubt the advantages of a free discussion by the public press of our military system and operations yet we must admit it to be if a weakness yet a natural one on the part of our allies to veil tbeir own proceedings as much as they possibly can from an equally severe scru tiny


assuming therefore that inquiries made from the french as to the progress rein forcements and general state of their army did not always elicit unadulterated facts we may still find indulgence for the mo tives which tinged those facts with a rose ate hue


to hear that its army was dis organised famished and dying of disease and to be held up to the world as an ex ample of disastrous military policy might however interesting to the public be some what obnoxious to the vanity of a warlike nation proud of its achievements aud fond to excess of glory


there is no doubt that during the early part of the campaign tho french suffered more from disease than we did


if during the winter thn case was reversed the change is easily accounted for


large and constant reinforcements from france light ened the labors of the siege and left plenty of men for tho construction of the road from kamiesch to their camp


while our men from the fewness of their numbers were often two even three nights in suc cession in the trenches the french spent four nights out of five in their tents


six days enabled them to communicate with marseilles and or more to procure from thence any supplies which might be suddenly found needful


it was said we ought to have insisted on the labors of the siege being propor tioned to the strength of tho two armies respectively


but at tho commencement of tho siege we rather outnumbered tho french wbo offered us our choice of the


right of the attack with balaklava as a port or the left with kamiesch


wei chose the right principally for tho sake of j holding bslswavo which was altogether in our hands and its harbour filled with our vessels


when reinforcements arrived to the french they had a greater extent of trenches to occupy than we owing to the nature of the ground in their front permit ting a nearer approach to the place


the whole of tho french troops with the ex ception of bosquets division which was posted near thu woroneoff road encamped in rear of their own lines where however convenient for the relief of their trenches and for supplies from kamiesch they were at a great distance from any point of the position liablo to be attacked


it would certainly appear to have been more desir able that they should bave contributed a larger proportion to the covering force and after the battle of inkermann they sent troops of all arms to reinforce our st r iid nd divisions and placed a brigade of infantry in tbe lines of balaklava


at the beginning of february tbe french numbering more than which was five times our effective force took the whole of the lines and fieldworks on the hills around inkermann while we armed the batteries with guns and furnished ar tillerymen to work them


had tbe army been all french or all english of course every reinforcement would have lightened the burdens of tho whole but in the ab sence of any express stipulation for such a contingency it was natural that the french should avail themselves of their superior numbers to relieve our men and forward our works only so far as was feasible with out detriment to their own


the commissariat of our army has re ceived a cood deal of censure


tbe only school in which its officers can learn any part of their duties ib in our foreign garri sons and colonies where their bubness is to issue pay to the troops to make con tracts for provisions and to see that these are of good qualify


this is obvious a somewhat slender preparation for the duty of supplying an army in the field and many among the juniors had not even this advantage


those members of the service with whom i am personally ac with indolence or incapacity


in offering the foregoing remarks i by no means intend to say that every possible measure was taken to alleviate the dis tresses of our troops


better order might probablj have been established aud the insufficient means at their disposal turned to heller account


but i do intend to say that in the absence of large reserves of good troops and an efficient transport corps no sagacity or foresight could have obviated to any extent tho evils which have befallen us


the government may or may not have exerted itself to the utmost in carrying on the war if it possessed the means of re medying the deficiencies i speak of it ought to bave been called to account long ago for neglecting to do so


but let the condemnation be on just grounds the protraction of the siege amid suffering and loss is in itself no fair proof of incompe tence


the british people hardest of taskmasters demanding bricks where they have denied straw look only to results and the ministry and the general who com mence a war must always unless aided by fortune to an extraordinary extent incur the national displeasure at the first arduous undertaking of tbe campaign and it will be well for the country if it possesses men capable of efficiently replacing them


such has been the fortune of tho first actors on the present stage censure has been loud and general and the difficulties encountered never fairly taken irto account


in front a city of great and dailyincreasing strength wilh a numerous garribon and offering un usual natural obstacles to a regular attack an army in the field threatening us our forces thinned by sickness and clad in worn out summer uniforms while winter was press ing so cose that wo felt his breath on osr cheeks supplies daily less attainable men and horses daily dying and no retreat for them


what a problem to set before a general an army and a government trained amid the expericne s of a forty years peace


i the genius of napoleon combined with that of chatham might have gained lustre by a tri umjihaut solution


it will be said that the conditions enumerated ought never to hare bsen allowed to exist but i have in some measure anticipated the objection in a former chapter xrv


it is very natural that those who saw our gallant army quit england splendidly equip ped elate and cagor for battle should feel sorrow and indignation at the miserable end which so many of these noble troops have met


it is natural that when men of talent have exerted all their descriptive power to set the sufferings of tho army in the strongest possible light their readers would be excited to a pitch of sympathy even beyond that which an actual bight of the horrors so vividly depicted would produce


with advancing civilisation human life has risen in value and consideration to an unpre cedented extent our soldiers no longer ac counted as food for powder are thought of as equal in all rcspecs superior in some to thobe citizens of ancient btatrs who have made fa mous the names of thermopylae plates and marathon and thoeo ytbo would scruple to deprive the worst criminal of existence cannot hear of bo many bravo men perishing without horror


the expression of theso feelings under the circumstances is natural and inevitable


not so tho contrast bo frequently drawn and so btronicly dwelt on between our army and that of the french and which coming from our selveb cannot have failed to efface soino of the respect which the sight of the battery at the alma where three russians lay dead for every englishman of tha cargo at balaklava where our heavy brigade of oavatry met and put to flight three times their number of horse menand of tbe bloody resistance at inker mann so signally produced


ib it politic to insist so strongly on our inferiority p cr if politic is it jubt p i have beard of letters from paris alluding to others received from the french camp in which tho french army is described as being entirely occupied with taking care of tho icng usk


tho continental states taking us at our word begin to affect compassion for the military system of the nation which is strongor in resources now than it was when it saved europe


cannot uoceasary reforms be effected with out such depreciatory outer


p might not the coiap risons i speak of be drawn with greater fairness


l gions of fresh troops were al ways ready to rover and more than cover the losses of ac french


england and franco arc friends long may they continue so nor should any subject be hinted at which is cely to excite jealousy between them but let us be just to ourselves


nothing has yet occurred to prove that our ancient reputation in arms is endangered


c to be continued


chapter vi coiipnrsks amonc ottieb imfohtint uatters lecksniffian and aci tectujtal ax exact ihflatiost of till


nogn


kss made uy mil


inch ik


the confidence and fjuekdshll of the new lulil


it was morning and the beautiful aurora o ivbom so much batb been written said and sun did kith her rosy fingers nip and tweak miss pecksniffs nose


it was the frolicsome costume of the goddess in her in tercourse with tbe fair cherry so to do or in more prosaic phrase the tip of that feature in the sweet girl s countenance was always very red ut breakfast time


lor the most part in deed it wore at that season of the day a scraped and frosty look as if it had been well rasped while a similar plicuomenon developed itself in her humour which nas then observed lo be of a sharp and acid qualitv as though an eitrn lemon figuratively sneaking hal been this additional pungency on tbe part of the tn such


ight consequences ab tbe copiouu dilution of mr piucbs tea or to bis coming off uncommonly short in respect of butter or to other the like results


but on tbe morning lifter he installation banquet she suffered biln to wander to and fro among the eatables and drinkables a perfectly free and unchecked man so utterly lo mr pinchs wonder and contusion ttiat like ttle wretclied captive who recovered his liberty in his old age be could make but little use of his enlargement and fell into a strange kind of flutter for want of some kind hand to scrape his bread and cut him off in the article of sugar with a lump and iay him those other little attentions to which he was accustomed


there was some tbingalinristawful too about ihe selfiosbession of tbe ne pupil who troubled pecksniff lor the loaf and helped himself to a rasher of lint gentlemans onn nurticulnr nd private bacon with all tbe coolness in life


he even seemed to tbink that lie was doing quite a re gular thing and to expect that mr pinch would follow his example since be took occa sion to observe of that young man that be didut get on a speech of so tremendous a character that tom cost down bis eyes invo luntarily and felt as if be himself had com mitted some horrible deed and heinous breach of mr pecksniffs confidence


indeed the ogony of having such on indiscreet remark addressed to him before the assembled family was breakfast enough in itself and would without any other mutter of reflection have settled mr pinchs business and quenched liis appetite for one meal though be bad been never so hungry


tbe young ladies however and pecksniff likewise remained in the very best of spirits in spite of these severe trials though with something of mysterious understanding among themselves


when tbe meal was nearly over mr pecksniff smilingly explained tbe causa of their common satisfaction


it is not oflen he said martin that my daughters and desert our quiet home to pursue the giddy round of pleasures that revolves abroad


but we think of doing so today


indeed eir i cried martin


yes said mr pecksniff hipping his left band with a letter which he held in liis right


i have a summons here to repair to london on professional business my dear martin on professional business alone and i promised my girls long ago that wheneverthat happened again they should accompany me


we shall go forth tonight by tbe heavy coach like the dnvi nt nlil


mv dear martin and it will be a week before we agaiudepositour olivebrancbeb in the passage


when i say olivebranches observed mr pecksniff in explanation i mean our unpretending luggage


i bope tbe young ladies will enjoy tbeir


oh


tbat


msure we shall cried mercy clapping her bands


good gracious cherry my darling the idea of london


aruenl culiai saiu lur ieummm graiug on her in a dreamy way


and yet tbere is a melancholy sweetness in these youthful hopes i it is pleasant to know tbat they never can be realised


i remember thinking once myself in the days of my childhood that pickled onions grew on trees and tbat every elephant was born with an impregnable castle on bis back


i have not found the fact lo be so far from it and yet those visions have comforted me under circumstances of trial


even when i have had the anguish of discovering that i have nourished in my breast an ostrich and not a human pupil even in tbat bour of agony they have soothed me


at this dread allusion to weatlock


pinch precipitately choked in bis tea for be bad tbat very morning received a letter from him as mr pecksniff very well knew


you will take care my dear martin said pecksniff resuming his former cheerfulness that the house does not run away in our ab sence


we leave you in charge of everything


there is no mystery all is free and open


unlike the young man in tbe eastern tale who is described as a oneeyed almanac if i am not mistaken mr pinch a oneeyed calendar i tbink sir said pinch


they ore pretty nearly tbe tame tbing i believe said mr pecksniff smiling compas sionately or they used to be in my time


unlike that young man my dear martin you are forbidden to enter no corner of this bouse but are requested to make yourself perfectly at home in every part of it


you will be jovial my dear martin and will kill tbe fatted calf if you please there was not the leabt objection doubtless to the young mans slaughtering and appro priation to liis own use any calf nit or lean tbat chanced at that time to be grazing on mr pecksniffs estate this request must be con sidered rather ns a polite compliment than a substantial hospitality


it was the finishing ornament of the conversation lor wuen ue had delivered it mr pecksniff rose and led the way to that hotbed of architectural genius let me sec lie said searching among tbe papers bow you can best employ yourself hartin while i am absent


suppose you were to give me your idea of a monument to a lord mayor of jxmdon or a tomb for a eberiff or your notion of a cow bouse to be erected in a noblemans park


do you know now said pecksniff folding bis bands and looking at his young relation with an air of pensive in terest that i should very much like to see your notion of a cowhouse


but martin by no means appeared to relish this suggestion


a pump said pecksniff is very chaste practice


i have found that a lamppost is calculated to refine the mini bnd give it a classical tendency


an oruamenlal turnpike lias a remarkable effect upon tbe imagination


what do you say to beginning with an orna mental turnpike i whatever mr pecksniff pleased baid martin doubtfully


slay said that gentleman


come as youre ambitious and are a very neat draughts man you shall ha ba you shall try your hand on these proposals for a grammar school regulating your plan of course by tbe printed particulars


upon my word now said mr ecksniff merrily shall be very curious to see what you make of the grammar school


wbo knows but a young man of your taste might bit upon something impracticable and unlikely in itself but which i could put into shape


for it really is my dear marlin io tbe finishing touches alone that long study m great experience in these matters tell


a a bal now it really will be continued mr pecksniff clapping bis young friend on tbe back in uis droll humour an amusement to me to see what you make of tbe grammar martin readily undertook tbis task and mr pecksniff forthwith proceeded to entrust him irilb tbe materials necessary for its execution dwelling meanwhile on the magical effect of a few finishing touches from che bands of a master which indeed as some people said and these were tbe old enemies again ii was unquestionably very surprising and almost miraculous as there were cases on record in wbicb tbe masterly introduction of an ad ditional back window or a kitchen door or halfadozen steps or even a waterspout had mode the design of a pupil mr pecksniffs own work and ljad brought substantial reirard into tbat gentlemans pocket


but sucb is tbe magic of genius which changes all it bandies into gold i when your mind requires to be refreshed by change of occupation said mr pecksniff pinch will instruct you in the art of survey ing tbe back garden or in ascertaining the ue u level oi me ruau ueiweeu iuo iiuubb mm tbe finger post or in any other practical and pleasing pursuit


tbere ere a cart load of old bricks ard a score or two of flower pols in tbe yard if you could pile them up into any form which would remind me on my return eay of st peters at rome or tbe mosque of st sophia at constantinople it would be at once improving to you and agrecableto my feelings


and now said mr pecksniff in conclusion to drop for the present our professional re lations and advert to private matters i shall be glad to talk with you in my owu room while pack up my portmanteau


to le continued


the portland guardian and normanby general advertiser


published every monday wednesday friday to protect our rightsnot to infringe upon those of others


wednesday december


adventures and observations in australia


by alister macalister gent chapter x melbourne


when the landlord set the brandy on the table and retired to provide dinner my companion rallied me upon being moody and silent


i bore his flippant banter for some time without deigning to answer but my patience was at last fairly ex hausted and i said with considerable asperity you have presumed to treat me as an idiot incapable of making moral dis tinction or as a fool indifferent to such distinctions and your late conversation with the landlord in my presence i can look upon in no other light than as a posi tive insult


what am i to understand by this conduct on your part after i have at your urgent request agreed in the most friendly spirit to our companionship


i do not assume to be your equal in talent in education or in knowledge of the world but i had a right to expect that my prin ciples opinions and feelings with which you are conversant would obtain some respect at your hands and it appears suffi ciently plain to me that if this is not to be the case the sooner we part the better


your very preference of this house which is or which has recently been the haunt of the most infamous blackguards but ill accords with your professed kindly regards for myself


he listened quietly till i had finished without appearing to be hurt at my re marks he then deliberately drank off half a tumbler of raw brandy and replied my dear friend for whatever nonsense to the contrary may have got into your head i esteem you as a friend and would serve you to the utmost of my poor ability must i repeat that you are the only living being i care for and that i would sooner put my head in a tigerscage than do you injury either directly or indirectly


if it be any relief to your selfesteem which pemit me to say is somewhat prominent for me to make the avowal i frankly admit that i neither consider you an idiot nor a fool but rather a clever goodhearted young gentleman with a very fair portion of scholarly attainments


so i beg that you will disabuse your mind of the thought that i fail to appreciate your worth


it is true you have some whimsi cal thoughts on religion which slightly deteriorate from your excellence nay you need not frown as i do not propose to disturb you by trenching on this forbidden subject


i hope then you are fully satis fied with this plain and candid statement of my high consideration and that you will never again do me the injustice of calling it in question


there was a frankness and heartiness in these declarations which irresistibly im pressed a sense of their sincerity but how were these to be reconciled with the ugly fact of the obnoxious conversation and with the no less ugly fact of our being in this criminal den


i waited expecting an explanation but as my companion did not immediately afford it i said i am sorry if i have given way to unreasonable temper


i thank you for your warm ex pressions of friendship for myself which i believe to be genuine and you encourage me to use the privilege of friendshipto speak without reserve


i use this privi lege therefore when i honestly say that i am not yet satisfied


well he answered that is only exercising half the privilege of friendship if as you state it be the privilege of friendship to speak without reserve


for you have just spoken with an important reservation when you tell me you are not satisfied and do not tell me the cause of your dissatisfaction


do not leave me to conjecture nor belie your own open nature but speak out at once with that boldness which is always becoming in a true friend and rest assured that whatever you may think proper to say i will not feel in any degree offended


you speak in all fairness i replied but you might surely have saved me the apparent rudeness of putting disagreeable questions


you cannot but be aware that i feel uneasy at that conversation which would seem to make you the familiar asso ciate of thieves and murderers and at your bringing me into this evidently most dis reputable house


doubtless you can ex plain these mysteries satisfactorily nor do i allow that i presume too much when i avow that i anxiously desire explanation


now he answered had you spoken thus at first it might have prevented a little unpleasantness


explanation how ever must be made at the expense of your vanity but as you are determined to have it you must blame yourself for the inflic tion


you surely do not for a moment suppose that i would enter on the conver sation with the landlord which you so much reprobate without a sufficient motive


can you think that i did so merely to make myself hateful in the eyes of my young friend


i will not hold you chargeable with so gross stupidity


what then was my motive


it was one which contemplated your welfare


i saw not withstanding your natural sagacity that you were raw to the world and that in this town which contains a large propor tion of the worst characters you were exceedingly likely to fall into the hands of sharpers and it occurred to me that a con versation with the landlord of the pig and gridiron would do more to put you on your guard than all the instructions ex hortations and warnings i could privately furnish


this is the simple secret of the conversation which has set your virtue on fire and i may add that excepting one individual i have not the least interest in any of the parties then mentioned


i was nettled at this simple secret and replied i am certainly obliged to you for your considerate care but you appear to have entirely forgotten that i am not a raw ignorant country bumpkin to be readily imposed upon by either knaves or villains but an educated young man of nineteen years of age who has resided in the city of glasgow and has seen some thing of the world


i was certain


he answered with a provoking smile that i would hurt your vanity but i regret this the less as the lesson is now given


it seems to have made a deep impression and i trust it will be profitable


and having told you the simple secret i am not without hope that you will have the candour to allow that i have been actuated by a pure and disinterested motive


i saw that to continue to shew anger or pettishness was only to continue to render myself ridiculcus and that whatever i might think of my companions original plan of irnstruction i had no reason to question his good intention and therefore said as mildly as i could as i do not challenge your motive in acting as you have done i should be pleased not angry and you have my best acknowledgments


you at last speak sensibly he re plied and though you may have ground to boast of your present attainments i do not despair of your future improvement


but i must not permit you to believe that i have been the familiar associate of thieves and murderersthat is that i have been associated with them in the practice of their peculiar professions


no


it is true that i have been associated with them but for a purpose of my own


need i tell you what that purpose was


it was to wring from them some of their illgotten gains


a love of gambling the strongest passion that overmasters man led me to court their societybut i never robbed but at play never stabbed never shot but in fair fight never


never


his face flushed and the veins of his temples swelled as he uttered these words with fearful excitement and i actually trembled as i looked upon him


why did i bring you here


he went on


for your own goodi care for you


bahi need to be cared for myselfyou talk of a devilha


ha


a devil


there are more than onegambling is a devil and this


this


he almost shrieked wildly seizing the brandy bottle this will sink me to perditionperdition


no canta methodist liea bugbear to frighten childreni drink confusion to superstitionwill you not pledge me


you wontbut it matters noti can stand alone and here i defy fate


as he uttered these words he hurriedly filled up his tumbler with the burning poison till it overflowed the brim


i instinctively rose to snatch it from him but he instantly marked my motion and shouted out back


boy back


would you resist destiny


and before i could make any effectual effort to prevent him he had drained the dangerous draught to the dregs


he leaned back in his chair with a kind of maniaclaugh and in a few seconds fell heavily on the floor in a state of insensibillty


although much alarmed i did not lose my presence of mind


i knew the land lord was not to be trusted and i knew that my poor friend kept his pocket book in the breastpocket of his coat


when he fell before even attempting to ascertain his condition i quickly opened his coat which was buttoned took the book has tily and had scarcely put it ought of sight when the landlord entered i was bowing over the surgeon when he did so who was as unconscious and helpless as a dead man and who i was beginning to think was really beyond the need of human as sistance


the publican had heard a noise of what he believed to be scolding at which he had not been greatly disturbed being as he complacently told me above taking any notice of the little quarrels of gentlemen but he said that he never liked heavy falls following high words for that they frequently ended in bringing serious trouble upon all concerned and that the keeper of such an establishment as his own was like that of a spotless virgin whose reputation was very easily sullied


these intimations were quite laconic and given within the compass of a short sentence


gazing for a moment on the prostrate man and shaking the empty bottle he appeared to be at once relieved and his tote was completely changed


arrah now he said arent you the mischevous boy to frighten a man out of his seventane sinses


by the piper that played before moses and all the saints and angels in this versal arth if i didnt think you had made could pork of the leech but its all right as the prutestant praest said when he took pat otooles ould cow for tythes


he has only got a touch of a dacent dis timper and will never be kilt by kissing a small quart of nate and handsome brandy


but och isnt be a baste not to wait till i had served up the dinner for two


i felt irritated at these remarks and told the speaker that he would be better em ployed in assisting me to carry the sur geon to his bedroom than in talking non sense and that i very much feared there was something seriously wrong as my friend breathed with great difficulty


is it your friend you spake about he an swered thin my jewal you dont know that same gintleman so well as i do or you wouldnt spake as if we were going to have a wake in the house or had never sane a gintleman fall aslape with a com fortable sup of genevine good liquor


but lind a hand and well toss him down gintly in his dacent room up stairs and if he isnt axing for another bottle in three hours i wont be after axing you anything for the iligint dinner for two


when we had carried our senseless bur den up stairs and laid it in a much better furnished apartment than i expected to see


i returned with anything but pleasant feel ings to to the publicroom


my first care however had respect to the surgeons pocketbook which i was not fond of re taining upon my person and i puzzled myself for sometime to discover a means of safely concealing it till i had an op portunity of restoring it to the unfortunate owner if indeed he should ever be able to receive it at my hands


it at last occurred to me to put it behind one of the clumsy gilt picture frames which seemed to afford a convenient hiding place that was not at all likely to be suspected


i had scarcely contrived to effect what was really a very judicious concealment and was sitting in a state of musing perplexity on my strange and unenviable condition when the land lord hastily entered the room and i soon felt confident that i had not acted without due caution


sure he said the leech who has been so long at say must have had lashings of money


i have jist searched all his clothes to kape it aisy and safe for him but as i hope to go to glory devil a baparth has he got to bless him sell


i affected to be highly indignant at his presuming to make the search which had proved so fruitless and told him that he had committed himself by his acknow ledgement and that i had merely his own word to satisfy me that he had not robbed my friend


this roused the rascals choler beyond all bounds and he answered fiercely do you mane to insinivate that i am a thaef you smoothtongued dirty purtato


bad cess to you but there is a thaef between us and out of this he doesnt go till he be detected


so jist kape your self aisy dear till i sind for a peeler


i replied that he was perfectly welcome to do what he thought proper and that i had no doubt whatever that there was one thief in company


upon this he changed his manner to coaxing entreaty and ap peared to conclude that i was nearly as clever a rogue as himself


and sure its miself he said that admires a sharp boy but an ould hand like me must go snacks or i peach


let it be a fifty and i will be blind and deaf as the old kilkenny staaple which has got no bell to spake and barrin that same i wont be after axing how big is the grab i imprudently lost my temper at this honest proposal and replied you old thieving scoundrel how dare you take me to be as great a knave as yourself


if justice had been done i am certain you de serve to have been hung long ago from that curious irish steeple you have just mentioned


you have saved the labour of the home hangman but there will be an astonishing oversight if you do not soon give employment to an australian jack ketch


and is it traiting me he an swered as if i were a new chum you are


you crow as cruise as the widow malones cock did before his neck was twisted but an ould government man is not to be done brown without biting and perhaps a dacent peeler may serve for a fathercon fessor and help you to fork out handily


i shall jist agitate the communicator and kape you company till he come


so say ing innocent barnabas orourke rung the bell which was immediately answered by tom the potboy


tom he said to the gaping boy you lazy varmintwont you run like tunder and lightning and catch a bluebottle and bring the devil here in no manner of time


tom trotted off on his message and the lardlord planted his back to the door of the room to prevent any attempt at escape


i did not try to re monstrate but waited silently and sulkily the result of this disagreeable procedure


the boy speedily returned with an officer


i willingly submitted to be searched but nothing was found to criminate me


the man in authority refused to take me in charge till he had questioned the party affirmed to be robbed and whilst it was to be hoped the said party was getting so ber he sat down beside me and with gratuitous supplies from the landlord was in the fair way of getting drunk


rctsttfi astlealkegend i of terror tsart


i kept my sefreti tit seriont nmust tow qualifyiky iftorfftie ir nt tes days of prostratioiion


msick led made me ins myh arery


heplessness glad ofa con fidaf andil chose asi


ght natural ly be ew


x pected my nurse


so heuay f dwing the catastrophe which i have recorded my old schoolfellows took thirdepadluae teving me restlesejileaind feveied to the cae of nimther and iicy deacon


tne former delicate and nervous was an ety sii abugs atsfs ailltiau toon but


her


want ofr slt and attention vasploih epsated fortiy telie itensess and assiduity ofthelatter whs having been raised to the post of the ladysun maid was thus perlaps fortuiataely broiught into fa inilisr cotiimuilcatn a with her formerly tboughtless persequor


she aas not long in rinrinfep


nimineu mittethat elghed


so heaily y onimy hearta an spit ier care and fondness threwa cnntiniia looin over my otlherwisirecoverihn frmie of mind aind ody


she advisedinieto hhold an interiiew with an ancient crone whose knovledemt


he traditions and mysteries of cornishl fiimily ienmoirs was considered to le unrivalled


i folsent d ncdnlflie followrxifag


toiidtbetty abin seated by my bedside recounting the storsy which lnoir ubjoin andlihich iroin a natural object connected iithits most im portant event i shalldesignate


literature


a tale of two cities


im thrkb books


by charles dickent continued from the jlgt of july


book the first


recalusd to lifb


chapter in


tee niqiit shadows


a wonderful faot t reflect upon tbas every human creature is constituted to be that profouad


leoret and rayatery to every other


a solemn consideration when i enter a great citjr by night thai every one of those darkly clustered houses enoloaea its own secret that every room in every one of them enolosea its vn seoret that every bettting heart in the hundreds of thousands of breasts there t


in some of its imaginings a seoret to the heart nearest it


something of tlieawful ness even of death itelf is referable to this


no more can i turn the leaves of this dear book that i loved and vainly hope in time to read it all


no more can i look into the depth of thia unfathom able water whereiu as momsntary lights glanced into it i have had glimpses of buried treasure and other things submerged


it was appointed that tho book should shut with a spring for ever aud for ever when i had read but a page


it was appointed that the water should be looked in au eternal frost when the light waa playing on its surface and i stood in ignorance ou the shore


my friend is dead my neighbor is dead my love the darling of my foui is dead it is tho inexorable consolidation and perpetuation of the secret that was always in that individuality nuil which i thall carry in mine to my


lifes end


iu any of the bnrial places of this city through which i pass is there a sleeper more inscrutable tliun its buny inhabitants are in their innermost pmsonality to me or than lam to them


as to this his natural and not to be alienated inheritance the messenger on horeebajk had ex actly the rauia popseesions as the king the first miuiater of state or the richest merchant iu lon


dim so with the three pasaeugers shut up in the narrow cnmpiia of one lnmberiug old mail coach lhy were mysteries to one another as complete as ii eaeh had beou in his own coach and eix or his own ootich and mxy with the breadth of a coouty between him und the next


the messenger rodo back at an easy trot


btopping pretty often at alehouses by th way to dtink but evincing a tendency to keep hi own counsel and to keep his hat cooked over hia eyes


he had eyes that assorted very well with that decoration being of a surface black with no depth in the color or form and muoh too near together as if they were afraid of being found out in something singly if they kept too far apart


they had a sinister expression under an old cocked hatlike a threocornered spittoon and overagreat in filer for tho chin aud throat which descended nearly to the wearers knees


when he stopped for diinkbo moved thia muffler with bis left hard only whil he poured his liquor ia with his right as soon ua tiwt wasi done he muffled again


no jerry no faid tho messengrr harping on oiif


theme as ha rode it wouldnt do for you


jerry


jerry you honest tradesman it wouldnt suit your line of business t r oailid


bust me if i dont tlink hed been a drinking


his menage perplexed his mind to that degree that he was fain several times to take off his hat to tcralch his lieid


except ou the cro wn which was ragged y bald he jind stiff black hair stand ing jagtf


dly ull over it and growing down hill nlmoit to his broad blunt nose


it was so like finiths work so much more like the top of a strongly spiked wall than a held of hnir th it the lest of playeta at leupfrog might have deolined liitn as the most dangerous man iu the world to go over


while he trotted back with tho mrbsge he was lo deliver to the night watobman in his box at the door of tellsunti bank by teuiplebar who was to deliver it to greater authorities within the shadows of the night took such shapeb


io him as arose out of the messuge and took such shapes to tho mare ua nrose out of her private topics of uneasiness


they seemed to be numerous for she shied at every shadow on the road


what lime the mail coaoh lumbered jolted rat tied and bumped upon its tedious way with its three follow ineorntubles inside


to whom like wise the shadows of tbe night revealed themselves in the forms their dozing eyes and wandering thoughts suggested


telhond bank had a run upon it in tbe mail


afl the bauk passenger with an arm drawn through the leathern strap which did what lay in it to keep him from pounding against the the next pas sengor and driving him into his corner whenever th ooach got a special jolt nodded in his place with halffihut eyes tho little coaoh windows and th


cctich lamp dimly gleaming through them nnd the bulky bnndle of opposite passenger became the bank and did a great t stroke of business


the rattle of the harness was t the chink of muney and more drafts were honored f iu five minutes than even tellsona with all itb foreign and home connection ever paid in thrice the time


then the strens rooms underground at tellsona with such of their valuable stores and secrets as were known to the passenger and it was not a little that he ucev abnnt them opened be fore him nnd he went among theai with the great f kejeand the feebly burning candle aid found tlim sale and strong aad uuuaj nnd still just as h had last seen them


bat though the bank wm


almost always with bim aud though the coach in a confuscd way like the presence of fain under an oput was always with him here wa another current of im pression that bevcr ccascd to run all fbrouph the nieht


he wm on his waj to dig some one out of a grave


now which of the multitude of faces that showed themselves before him was the true face of the buried person the shadows of the night did not indicate but they were all the face of a man of five and forty by years and they differed prin cipally in the passions they expressed and in the ghastlineas of their worn


and wasted state


pride i contemp defiance etnbbornness submission lamentation succeeded one another so did varieties of sunken cheek cadaverous colour emaciated hands and figures


but the face was in the main one face and every


head was prematurely white


a hundred times the dozing passenger inquired of this spectre buried how long


the answer was always the bama almost eighteen years


you had abandoned all hope of being dug tf long ago


you know that you are recalled to life


they tell me so


i hope you care to live v i cant say


shall i show her to you


will you come and see her the answers to this question were various and contradictory


sometimes the broken reply was wait


l


it would klllme if i saw her too boon


sometimes it waa given in a leader raiu of tears and then it was take me to her


sometimes it wad staring and bewildered and then it was i dont know her


i dont understand


afrer such imaginary discourse the passenger in his fancy would dig and dig dig now wilh a spade now with a great key now with his bands to dig this wretched creature out


got out at last with earth banging about his face and hair ha would suddenly fall away to dubt


the passenger would then start to himself and lower the window to get tho reality of mibt and rain on his cheek


yet even when his eyes were opened on tbe mist and rain on the moving patch of light from the lamps and the hedge at tbe roadside retreating by jerks the night shadows outbide the coach would fall into the traiu of the night shadows within


the real banking house by templebar the real business of the past day the real strongroomb tbe real express eeut after him and the real mes sage returned would all be there


out of tha midst of thtm the ghostly face would xise and he would accost it again


buried how long


a most eighteen year


hope you caro to live v i caui bay


dig dig dig until en impatient movement troui one of the two pabengerb would admonish iiim to pull up the window driw his armseenrely hrougb the leathern strap and speculate upon the t wo numbering forma until his mind lost its hold of them and they ngaiu slid away into tbe bank and tbe grave


buried how long v


atuiodt eighteen years


vcu bad abandoned all hope of being dug out long ago


the words were still in his ears as just spoken diatinotly in hia hearing as ever spoken words had been in his life when


the weary passenger iturted to the consciousness of daylight and found that the shadows of the night were gone


he lowered the window and looked out at tbe ru nrninnlii lnj nrtth nuu iucic n a uugo u a plough upon it where it had been left last nigbt when the horses were unyoked beyond a qniet coppice wood in which many leaves of burning red and goldan yellow


btill remained upon the trees


though the earth was celd and wet the eky was clear and the sun rose bright placid aad beautifml


jiiigiiteen years said the passenger looking at the aun


graoious creator of day i to be buried alive for eighteen years excitino beau fight


the petaluina journal tells the following bar story david hopper who resides on the coast near fort ross had a spirited little brush with a cin namon bear on the morning of the th may while out hunting in the neighborhood of his ranch


coming upon the track of a bear he set his dogs upon the trail and following them up lie soon came up with a fine sized cinnamon bear


without further introduction he raised nis rme anu nreu


aim uau girikiiig uie animai in the liind leg merely broke the limb and served to arouse his bearsliips anger


at this stage the dogs closed in and thinking it a favorite time for the use of his re volver mr hopper approached and fired his pistol hoping to cripple the bear by wounding him in the loins


in this he failed this ball also lodging in the hind leg and serving butto still further arouse the already infuriated beast


seizing one of the dogs in his paw he hurled him a distance of some thirty feet and then rushed forward at the hunter


as the bear ap proached mr hopper aimed a third shot at him the ball this time grazing the jaw


the pistol now hung fire and finding that his only hops of safety lay in his hatchet he drew it from his belt and prepared to meet his antagonist face to face ana hand to hand


with a terrible growl the bear rushed to the conflict


as he approached within reach the hunter raised the hatchet and with a cool and collected mind and a stedfast eye upon


the bear with one powerful sweep he buried the blade deep into the brain of the beast


with a howl of pain he tottered and rolled over dead at the feet of the hunter


mr hopper who is an adept at corraling these varmints he having killed no less than ferty within the past twelve months says he has had many exciting bar hunts in his day but this last one just lays over them all


s m herald


the cost or a kiss


the case of dawson v cnnnpr whinh wnq triflil nt


flip t i vnrnnnl onnrf of passage on saturday week excited consider able interest


it was an action to recover da mages for a kiss given under the following cir cumstances it appeared that some lawsuits were pending at the time and that the de fendant who is an attorney was engaged against the plaintiff


on the th of december last he called at the public house then kept by plaintiff and whilst there kissed the daughter a nice looking girl about fifteen years old


she im mediately told her mother what had occurred who rebuked the defendant for what he had done upon which he asked her where the mistletoe was and kissed her too remarking that it was the sweetest kiss he ever had to which she answered that it might be the dearest


the daughter was called and stated that she had told her mother a dirty old jew had kissed her


laughter


she slapped liis face several times for taking the liberty


mr brett made a humorous speech for the defence in extenuation of his clients conduct


mrs coopers curls he said tickled the defendants cheeks and poor man


the temptation was too strong for him especially as it was christmas eve


the learned assessor summed up and the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff damages


love and duty


a marriage was recently announced in our columns between a gallant son of neptune and the daughter of a respected slergyman of the church of england


after the nuptial ceremony the happy couple left town lo spend the honeymoon but scarcely had they leparted when a telegram from the admiralty eached the bridegrooms residence directing liiu instantly to join his ship in an english port is it had been ordered to sail the following morning on foreign service


no time was lost in despatching the telegram after the newly married couple whom much to their consterna tion it soon reached but the order was imperi liyo and with that devotion to duty so charac teristic to the british officer the bridegroom at slice tore himself away from the arms of his iveeping bride and within three hours after his marriage was bowling along at the rate of some thirty or forty miles an hour en route to head quarters leaving his better half to return to tho shelter of her paternal roof till the arrival of more peaceful times


scotsman


marie antoinette ob the chevalier of the red house


continued from colonial times sept l


chapteb xliy


on leaving the tribunal the queen was rein stalled in the conciergerie on reaching her cell she took a pair of scissors and cut off her long and fine hair which had become even more beautiful since the use of powder had been interdicted


she inclosed it in a piece of paper and inscribed on the back of it


tobe divided between my son and daughter


being completely exhausted the trial having lasted eiuhteen hours she dropped into a chair and fell fast asleep


at seven oclock in the morning the screen rattled as it was removed and suddenly awoke her


she looked round and perceived before her an entire stranger


what is it you want asked she


the man approached and bowed as politely as if she had been queen


my name is sansn the queen slightly shudderedandarose


the very name to her was as instructive as a laboured introduction


you come very early sir said she could you not have waited a little later


no madam i must obey orders and he again approached the queen


everything connected with this mans appearance as well as the circumstances in which she was placed appeared terrible and expressive


ah i i understand said the prisoner you wish to cut off my hair


it is absolutely necessary madam replied the executioner


i knew it sir replied the queen and i have saved you thetrouble


my hair lies on that table


oaiisoii looaeu wuere sue pointea only continued she wish it to be con veyed to my children this evening


madam said sansn that is none of my business


however i imagined my business replied the executioner is to strip persons of their clothes jewels c unless they present them to me voluntarily


formerly au these things went to the salpetriere and belonged to the poor


an order from the committee of public safety however altered all these things


in short then sir insisted marie antoi nette may i depend upon my hair being re mitted to my children


sansn remained silent


i


i will endeavour to effect that said gilbert


the prisoner cast a look of deepest gratitude towards the gendarme


now said sansn since i only came to cut off your hair and as that business is settled i will if you desire it leave you alone for a few minutes


i beg you will do so sir said the queen for i must collect my ideas and pray


sansn bowed and re tit ed


the queen then found herself alone for gilbert had merely put his head in to utter the words we have recorded


whilst the con demned queen kneeled before a low chair serving tor an altar a scene equally terrible was passing in the parsonage belonging to the chut cb st landry m the cite


the priest had just arisen and his old house keeper was preparing his frugal breakfast when some onesuddenly knookedat thudoor of the parsonage


an unforeseen visit to a priest even in our own days always announces some important event


it is either u baptism n marriage wan necessity or a dying confession during the epoch the events of which e are relating a strange visit argued something still more serious


at this time the priest was no longer the messenger of god


however the abbe girard was one of those who had little to fear for he had sworn to the constitution


a sense of right had dictated to his conscience and guided bisections more than selfesteem or religious prejudice


the abbe admitted the possibility of progressive governments and re gretted those abuses which were committed in the name of divine right but whilst he was a republican in principle he never renounced his god dame jacinthe said he go and see who is knocking at our door so early in the morn ing and if i am not required upon some very urgent business indeed tell the person that i have been ordered to the conciergerie this morning and that i must gc there as soon as possible


dame jacintho was formerly called made line f


but she had assumed the name of a flower rather than her own as the abbe had accepted the name of citizen instead of cure


according to her masters request dame jacinthe hastened to the door pulled back tbe bolts unlocked the doorj and admitted a young man extremely pale greatly agitated but pos sessing a soft aud houest expression of coun tenance


does monsieur labbe girard live here


inquired he


jacinthe soanned his disordered dress his long beard and the nervous agitation of the visitor and drew from his general appearance a very unfavourable impression citizen said she there is neither abbe nor monsieur in this house


excuse me madam i mean the curate of st landry


jacinthe notwithstanding her patriotism was struck with the word madam which would not have been addressed to an empress however she replied


citizen you cannot see him he is at his breviary


in that case i will wait replied the young man


but replied jacinthe upon whom this per severance resuscitated the bad impression she originally entertained you will wait in vain citizen for he is summoned to the conciergerie and is about to set out immediately


the young man grew frightfully pale or rather from being pale he became livid


it is true then mutteied be


then speaking aloud that is madam the very subject which has brought mo here


then in spite of the old woman he passed her very quietly it is true but firmly and notwithstanding the prayers and menaces of dame jacinthe he bolted the door and entered the abbes chamber


the moment he perceived the stranger the abbe uttered an exclamation of surprise


k pardon me monsieur le cure said the young man i have something of great im portance to state to you


can we be alone for a short time


the priest knew by experience how to detect the evidence of strong passion


he read in the dejected appearance of the young man an over wrought passion and the strongest emotion in his thrilling voice


retire dame jacinthe said he


the young mau impatiently watched the housekeeper retiring who did so with great reluctance because she had been accustomed to participate in the secrets of her master


when the door was closed the stranger thus addressed the abbe sir you will no doubt require to be in formed who i am


i will tell you


i am a proscribed man a man condemned to death and


who only lives through the strength of his au dacity


i am the chevalier of the ned house


the abbe sprung up from his chair


fear nothing said the chevalier no one has seen me enter or if any one has they did hot recognise me


i am much ohanged during the last two months


in short citizen what do you want asked the abbe


are you not going to the conciergerie this morning


yes i have been summoned thither by the governor


do you know for what purpose


to visit some sick person to console some one on their deathbed or perhaps to accom pany some condemned prisoner to the soaffold


the latter is correct


a condemned person awaits your presence


the abbe looked at the chevalier with astonishment


but do job know who this is resumed the chevalier


no i do not


well it is to attend the queen


the abbe uttered a groan


the queen


oh my god


yes sir said the chevalier it is the


queen


i ascertained the name of the priest who was to accompany her to the guillotine and finding it was you i hastened to meet you


what do yon want with me asked the priest alarmed at the excited utterance of the chevalier


i wishno sir i do not wishi come td


implore youto supplicate you


to do what


to take me with you when you visit the queen


you are road


exclaimed the abbes you will sacrifice me and compromise your own safety


fear nothing


the poor woman is condemned and all is over with her


i know that


it is not to save her that i wish to see her once more


it ishear me fatherwill you hear me


i cannot listen to youyou demand an im possibility


i cannot hear you because you act like a madman and alarm me


father do not be alarmj said the young man endeavouring to subdue his own excite ment


father believe me i am in my per fect senses


the queen is lost i know it but let me only cast myself at her knees for a moment that will save my life


if i cannot see her i will commit suicide and as you will be the exciting cause of this act of desperation you will sacrifice at one and the same moment body and soul my son said the priest consider that you demand from me the sacrifice of my own exist ence old as i am it is still useful to the un fortunate old as i am to hazard my life rashly is committing suicide


do not refuse me father implored tho chevalier