mr britain also rose and saluted the guest


will you please to walk up stairs sir


theres a very nice room up stairs sir


thank you said the stranger looking earnestly at mr britains wife


may i come in here


oh surely if you like sir returned clemency admitting him


what would you please to want sir


the bill had caught his eye and he was reading it


excellent property that sir observed mr britain


he made no answer but turning round when he had finished reading looked at clemency with the same observant curiosity as before


you were asking me he said still looking at her what you would please to take sir answered clemency stealing a glance at him in return


if you will let me have a draught of ale he said moving to a table by the window and will let me have it here without being any interruption to your meal i shall be much obliged to you


he sat down as he spoke without any further parley and looked out at the prospect


he was an easy wellknit figure of a man in the prime of life


his face much browned by the sun was shaded by a quantity of dark hair and he wore a moustache


his beer being set before him he filled out a glass and drank goodhumouredly to the house adding as he put the tumbler down again its a new house is it not not particularly new sir replied mr britain


between five and six years i old said clemency speaking very distinctly


i think i heard you mention doctor jeddlers name as i came in inquired the stranger


that billjremuidsime of him dont happen to know something of that story by hearsay laid through certain connexions of minerals the oldman living


yes hes living sir said clemency mnjchanged m n sine when sir i returned clemency with remarkable emphasis and expression


j sincehisdanghferwent away


i j xe eaffeatychanged since then said clemency hes grey and old and hasnt the same way with him at all


but i think hes happy now


he has taken on with his sister since then and goes to see her very often


that did him gaol directly


at first he was sadly broken down and it was enough to make ones heart bleed to see him wandering about railing at the world but a great change for the better come over him after a year or two and then he began to like to talk about his lost daughter and to praise her ay and the world too and was never tired of saying with the tears in his poor eyes how beautiful and good she was


he had forgiven her then


that was about the same time as miss graces marriage britain you remember


mr britain remembered very well


the sister to mained then returned the stranger


he paused for some time before he asked to whom clemency narrowly escaped overseeing the tea board in her emotion at this question to be continued


chapter ii


poor indeed thou must be if around thee thou no ray of liht and joy canst throw if no silken cords of love hath bound thee to some little world through weafand woe


mrs dean had a large family


the boys when mere infants mounted a horse and rode out after the stock and the


girls ran in a great measure wild


they were all tall grown children with fresh ruddy complexions for we were in a district where snow fell in winter and the air was at all times bracing and pure


they were not shy for though they saw few strangers they were accustomed to see those treated like friends and made much of and i soon found myself surrounded by cheerful faces and young voices rising in their eagerness to interest me in pet calves and foals and other little possessions


my dears you will trouble miss varden run away and play


polly take the little ones


i honoured that mother when i saw how promptly she was obeyed and how quickly the eager group dispersed and i rewarded them by promising to go soon and see their pets


mr deans dwelling was little superior to my uncles in structure but the hand of a good wife was every where present and the rude cottage wore an air of comfort peculiarly refreshing after my late residence


are you not very dull inquired miss fitzjames


very


you are used to a good deal of company probably but after a while you will find occupation and be more reconciled kindly hinted mrs dean


i am not used to society and do not require it i resumed quickly for i had always valued myself on being independent of every one even when i had togara my living i looked upon the matter as an equitable exchange which left neither the debtor


your relatives will be much benefited by your residence among them i have no doubt and that will endear them to you


e i do not see mrs dean how my presence can benefit them


our influence my dear girl affects perhaps insensibly those around us and our thoughts and pursuits cast a reflection upon them and theirs on us


the latter remark made me start


i had seen that lieutenant varden partook of large quantities of spirits although i had never seen him intoxi cated but prince was a confirmed drunkard


would i indeed become like them


hope i never may resemble either mr varden or his sons i exclaimed forgetful of the presence of miss fitzjames


mrs dean however quietly changed the subject and i rose and joined the children


when i returned to the sittingroom only the young lady was there


i am so glad that you have come to stay awhile she said


i thanked her and she began to talk of my friends how did i like them and what did i think of them


she had impressed me as weak minded ancm attributed her queries so frankly made to that cause till she said do j ou know angas varden has been paying me great attention


now i want you to tell me what you think of himis he well off and considered much in the district


i believe that i drew up my lip in utter scorn


the hardships of my childhood had embittered my spirit but i had always believed love something pure and true


had she said is he good and amiable can look up to and honor him


i could have sympathised happily mrs dean entered and i carefully avoided all confidential conversations during the fortnight i stayed there


two or three days after i had become her guest mrs dean reverted to the subject of remark the first day of my arrival


she asked me if i was aware that my uncle and cousin were intemperate


my dear miss varden she added li i feel for you very truly your position is a dangerous one


eemember the vilest drunkard did not become so suddenly or in one day it is a habit that often grows slowly but surely


the occasional soon becomes the regular glass the one a day easily becomes two and so on and the more the constitution is injured the greater the exhaustion and craving till the intemperates thirst is insatiate


all the crimes on earth do not destroy so many of the human race or alienate so much property as drunkenness lord bacon said


tll hate intemperance


i will never be a drunkard i returned in proud selfreliance


i hope not my dear


may god indeed give you grace to guard against it but i would strongly recommend you to discontinue the occasional glass now while it is a matter of indiffer ence


whb turn a teetotaller


and i laughed in ridicule


yes rather than lay a foundation for what you justly acknowledge you hate


from my very heart i despised all feebleness of purpose and wavering resolves


to renounce the occasional glass appeared to me an acknowledg ment of want of power to govern the appetite and my pride forbad it


oh weak pride which lays the stepping stone to ruin for many in this and in other ways


hitherto i had never mixed familiarly with pious persons


true many of the ladies i worked for were considered christians but i either saw too little of them to be influenced by their example or i witnessed what prejudiced me against the principles they professed for the worldly always blame not the error of the individual but religion


i knew that mrs pitt was a zealous collector for missions and spent much time working for christianised blacks and that a caffre girl somewhere in africa had been named arabella pitt after her arid was under her patronage but i had seen her children neglected and left to hirelings almost as devoid of piety as the caifres in their kraal


and mrs dawlish i had seen leaving sermons and homilies of the church in the cottages but i had heard her lowering the price for work of the consumptive dressmaker and eagerly i seized upon their shortcomings to excuse my owft neglect of sacred subjects and christian labours


oh


christian beware of the example you are setting the world watches you with keen eyes


these things ought ye to have done but not to have left the others undone


mrs dean was a consistent christian she made no loud professions but she acted out what she believed


as i witnessed the family affection and union that existed in her household i could but exclaim behold how these christians love one another


my trust in my own goodness was shaken aud i heard of a saviour full of love and compassion for the sons of men with new emotions


to be continued in our next


lady affectedly where


in the name of wonder doctor could i have got such a nose as this


doctor aout of the decanter maam


alcohol was first invented and used to stain the cheeks of he ladies of arabia years ago


it still red dens portions of the human face


marie antoinette on


the chevalier of the red house


continued from our last


chapter xxii


succeeding the events we have recorded another scene piesentcd itself as the complement to this drama hose gloomy changes were being gradually unfolded


the oman tison was thunderstruck by what had occurred


she wns abaudoned by those who had escorted her for there is something odious even in involuntary crime more especially when a mother through excess of patriotic zeal kills her own child


she remained motionless during a con siderable period then raised her head cast a wun deiing look around herand pciceiving herself alone she uttered a loud cry and rushed towards the door


several curious persons who were more provoked than the mass were stationed at the door


they separated when they perceived her approaching and pointing their fingers at her suid to one another do you see that romani the woman tison uttered a cry of despair and darted off in the direc tion of the temple


having traversed about a third of the street jmichellecomtc a man stood befoic her and ob structed the passage at the same time concealing his figure within his cloak


are you satisfied saidhe you have killed your child


killed my child killed my child i exclaimed the wretched mother


no no


it cannot be pos sible


it is so lion c cr for yourdaughtcr is arrested


and where have they led her asked she


to the conciergerie


from theuce she will be taken before the revolutionary tribunal and you know what becomes of those who pay a visit there


stand aside said the woman aud let me pass


where are you going to the conciergerie


what do you intend doing there to see her once more


you will not be permitted to enter


they will let me lie down at the door live there sleep there


i will remain there until she comes out and thus at least i shall see her once more supposeany one promised to restore you your daughter


what do jou mean i ask you j supposing some one promised lo restore your daughter would you do whatever you were ordered lo do


everything for my daughter everything for my ileloise exclaimed the woman tossing her arms in despair evervtmw pwh mur innig


hear mc continued the unknown j it is heaven that punishes you


and wherefore for the torments you luvte inflicted on a poor mother like yourscf


of whom do you speak


what do you mean


you have often brought your prisoneis to the brink of despair where you are being lim lied yourself at this moment through your own bruta lity und disclosuics


god punishes you in taking away the daughter whom you love


you said there was one who could save lier where is the man


what docs ho wish


what does he ask


ile wishes you to cease persecuting the queen and to ask pai don for the outrages of which you have been guilty


moreover if you pprceivc that this oman who as a mother herself suffering and weeping in despair should attempt to escape as she may do under cover of some miracle instead of opposing her flight assist it as much as lies in j our power


hcarme ciuzcn said the woman youio the man yourself


is it not so


well


you promise to sa c ray daughter


the un know lemained silent


will you promise to do this


will you en gnge to do it


will you swear to do it


answer me


i shall do everything that man can do to save a womanto rescue your child


ile cannot save her exclaimed the woman tison uttering howls


he lied when he promised to do so


do whatever you can for the queen and i shnll do my utmost tor your daughter


what is the queen to me


she is a mother and her daughter is beside her that is all


but should any one happen to be beheaded it will be my child not her


thcymayguillotiuemciftlieyviu only save my daughter


let them lead mc to the scaffold on condition that not a single hair of her head shall fall and on my way to tho guillotine i shall sing ah i a ira a ira a ira


euch aristocrat drag to the lamppost


the woman commenced singing in a frightful voice then all at once shebroke through her song with a loud burst of laughter


tho unknown seemed alarmed at these incipient symptoms of madness and stepped backwards


ohl you shall not escape in that way said the woman desperately seizing him by the cloak i you must not ay to a mother do tliis do that and will savo your child and afterwards remark perhaps i will rescue her


yes i will


when then on the day they conduct her from the con ciergerie to the scaffold


but why wait


why not do it to night


this very evening even this very moment


because i cannot ah you know it well you know it well exclaimed the woman tison you know you can not do it


but i can what can you do interrupted the man


i can persecute the prisoner as you caliber


i can spy upon the queen as you call heraristocrat that you are


i can visit her at any hour day or night and i will do all that


as for escaping we shall see


ah i we shall sec since my daughter is not to escape whether she shall or not madame veto has been ajqueen irknowitwell


hcloise tison is only a poor girl but beneath the guillotine wo are all equal


will you weigh head against head


well be it so said the unknown save the queen and i will save your daughter


swear it


x i do swear


upon what upon anything you please have you a daughter no


well said the woman dropping lier nrm by lier side much discouraged


in that case upon what can you swear


hear me i swear before god


uab i answered tbc woman tison


you know well enough that tho old one is dethroned and tlioy have not yet made a new one


i swear by my fathers grave


never swear over the tomb


that is bad


oh god


oh god when i think that perhaps in three days i may have to swear over the gravo of my daughter my poor hcloise and the miserable woman uttered the last woids in such an agonised yet echoing voice that several windows were sud denly opened


no sooner bad this occurred than a man glided from the shade and advanced towards the unknown


you can make nothing of this woman said the last comer she is mad no said the other the is a mother and he led away his companion


the woman perceiving them retiring recovered herself


where arc you going exclaimed she


arc you going to rescue hcloise


wait then for i will accompany you


wait will you


wait


for mc then


the mother pursued them howling all the time but on tnrning the corner of a sticet she lost sight of them


she remained an instant undecided as to the direction she should toke


gazing around her on every side on perceiving that she was left alone in the silence of the night whose gloom appeared to her like the symbol of death she uttered a piercing cry and fell senseless upon the pavement


at that moment it struck ten


as the same hour sounded from the temple clock the queen w as seated beside a lamp in that chamber so familiar to the reader having her daughter anil sister on either side


the latter feigning to embrace her concealed the queen from the view of the munici pals


she was reading a small note the paper being the thinnest that could possibly be found and the writing so delicate that the queen whose eyes were drenched with tears could with difficulty decipher it


the note contained the following tomorrow tuesday ask leave to descend to the garden


permission will be readily granted seeing that ordeis are given to accord youthat favour whenever it is demanded


after taking a few turns pretend to be fatigued approach the canteen and ask madame plumeau to permit you to lcstyomself


wlieu seated there a few moments feign increased illness and pretend to faint


tho door will then be closed to procuic you assistance and you will be left with mandnme elizabeth and madame lloyal


at that moment the trnpdoor of the cellar will open


you your sister and your daughter must preciptatc yourselves into the opening and all of you will escape


good heavens i said madame royal can our unfortunate destiny at length be exhausted


or may not this note remarked madame elizabeth be some snare


no no said the queen those characters have always revealed to me the presence of a mys teiious but biave and faithful friend


ia it from the chevalier asked madame royal


from himself answered the queen


madame elizabeth folded her hands together


let us each read over the note again resumed the queen so that if one of us should forget any thing another may remember it


they all read it over


just ns they finished they heard borne one opening the chamber door


the two princesses turned lound


the queen alone remained as she was only by an imperceptible movement she raised the piece of paper lo her bead and concealed it amongst her hair


it was a municipal who opened the door


what do you want sir asked madame


eli


zabeth and madamo royal together


hum said the mimicipnl


it seems to me that you aie very late in going to bed to night


is there then asked the queen turning towards him with her accustomed dignity a new communal decree which decides at what hour i shall go to rest


no citizen replied the municipal but if it was necessary one could bo made


ia tho meantime sir observed marie an toinette i ask you to respect the chamber i will not say of a queen but at least of a woman


the fact is giumbled the municipal these aiistocrats always speak as if they were something


ii


o


l


r


rol jljv uiabuiglll fied bearing which was so haughty during the days of her prosperity but which three years of suffering had so considerably calmed


slioitly afterwards the light was extinguished and the three women as was customary with them undressed in the dark so that the obscuiity might become a veil to their modesty


the following morning at nine oclock the queen incloted within her bedcurtains reperused the letter so that none of the instructions it con tainedbhouldescapeher


she then torc itin pieces and reduced those to impalpable atoms


having dressed and awoke her sister she entered her daughters chamber


immediately afterwards she came out and called the municipals on guard


what do you desire citizen asked one of thom appearing at the door whilst his companion chscussqd his breakfast perfectly unconcerned at the royal summons


sir said marie antoinette


i have just left my daughters chamber


the poor child is very ill indeed


her limbs nie swelled and painful ft oin want of exercise


you are awaie sir that i myself condemned her to this inactivity


i was authorised to take exercise in the garden but on descending i had to pass the door of the chamber formerly inhabited by my husband


my heart failed me and i letmncd restiicting myself after wards to walk upon the terrace


now i find this limited exercise to be insufficient to my daughters health


i therefore beg you citizen municipal in my name to recpicst general s nterrc to grant mc the liberty i was formerly permitted to enjoy


i shall be grateful if you do so


the queen spoke with such a sweet and attractive accent and avoided so studiously every term that waa calculated to wound the republican pride of the municipal that he although lemained covered ac cording to the custom gradually raised his cap of libei ty from his head as she was speaking and gravely saluted her as she concluded remarking remain perfectly al your case madam the permission you desire shall be equcsted from the citizen general then ns he retired to convince himself that he ceded to equity and not to weak ness he repeatedtis justtis very just indeed what is just asked the other municipal


that this woman should take an airing with her sick child


what thenwhat does she want she wishes to walk in the garden for an hour


bnhl remarked the other municipal


let her beg to go on foot from the temple to the place do la revolution plycc of executionahe will then havo a better airing


tho queen heard the observation and grew palo but she deiivcd from that remark increased courage to meet the great event which was at hand


the municipal finished his bicakfast and des cended


the queen on the other hand requested leave to take hers in her daughters chamber which was permitted


madame royal to confirm the report of her ill ness remained in bed whilst the queen and her sister sat by her bedside


at eleven oclock ac cording to his habit santerre arrived


his ap proach was as usual announced by the drums and the cntiance of the relief battalion and the munici pals


when santerre had inspected tho battalions retiring from and entering upon duty be paraded his heavy squatfooted horse in the court of the temple and then paused


this was the moment to prefer any request or make any denunciation or report


the municipals took advantage of it and advanced towards him


what do you want said santerre abruptly


citizen said the municipal i como to in form you in behalf of the queen


the queen


whats that interrupted santerre


ah i true baid the municipal astonished at himself that ho had gone so far


what am


i saying


am i a fool


i mean on behalf of ma dame veto


very good replied sunterre i understand that


well let us see


what have you got to say


i have to inform you that the little veto is bick in consequence as it would seem of want of air and exercise


well is there any necessity to trouble the na tion about that


lias she not been allowed to walk in the garden


she refused


good day


that is the very thing she now repents and requests you will allow her to descend to the garden


i see nothing to prevent that do you hear there said santcrre addressing tho battalion widow capet is going to walk in the garden


the nation permits it but take care she docs not get over the walls for if she does i will cut every ono of your heads off


a peculiar laugh answered the generals plea santry


and now said santcrre that you are warned adieu


i um going to the convention


it seems they have attacked roland and barbaroux and it is rumoured they will receive a joint pass port to the other world


it was this news which had put the citizen gene ral into such n pleasant humour


santcrre gal loped away followed by the battalion off guard


the municipals on duty exchanged the clief guard having received their instructions relative to the queen


one of them piesentcd himself before mario antoinette and informed her of the decision


the queen thanked the municipal and in doing so perceived that her daughter blushed wiijlst her sister mentally returned thanks to god


oh i ruminated marie antoinette looking towards heaven through the window oh lord is your wrath appeased and is your terrible right arm at length wearied with pressing upon us


thank you sir said she turning townrds the municipal with that charming smile which lost bernare and drew so many out of their senses thanks


then turning towards her little dog which capel ed before her on its hind legs as if it understood from her looks that something extraor dinary lind occurred said come along black come along we arc going out to walk


the little dog begnn to balk and bounded about playfully then having steadily scanned the muni cipal it doubtless attributed to him the joyous news which rendered his mistress so happy for it approached in the same sport ive mariner waviug its grateful tail and even hnzarded to caress him


this mun who most probably would have re mained insensible to the pi ayers of the queen was moved by the caresses of the little dog


if it as only for this little dogs sake citizen capet remarked he you ought to go out moie fiequently humanity requires us to protect every cicature


at what hour do we go sir asked the queen


do you not th nk the noonday sun will do us good


you may go when you think proper answered the municipal thcie is no particular instruction on hint bend


however if you wish to go out at noon it is the appointed time for changing guard und will cause less disturbance in the tower


well midday be it said the queen pressing her hand upon her heart to restrain its benting


she then looked at the municipal who was less harsh than his companions and who in return for his condescension to his prisoner might lose his life in the struggle which the conspirators meditated


but at the vi ry moment when a certain compassion softened the heart of the woman the soul of tho queen awoke and she thought of the th of august wheu the corses of her friends were strewn over the carpets of her palace


she thought of the nd of september and of the princess dclambulles head dancing on the summit of n pike before her own window


hie thought of tho st of january when her husband perished on the scaffold his voice being drowned amidst the thundering of drums


finally she thought of her son poor child whose erics of suffering more than once had leached her chamber without the chance of her protecting him and her heart was hardened


ainsi murmured she misfortune is like the blood of the ancient hydras it is fruitful in in creasing evils


to be continued


the streets of sydney with some account of the houses thereof and the people who dwell therein


by hooke


y walker a very extensive traveller


chapter ix


the perils of pittstreet


life in the hay market


arts and sciences


doings in the outsider horse market


flats and sharps


turning the tables and squar ing accounts


pittstreet is one of the main arteries of city and as a necessary consequence full of blood which from certain inferior mixtures cannot be termed pure or its denizens to use a sporting term thoroughbred


its southern end looks out upon a large open space dignified by the title of the haymarket and a number of inclosed pens or wooden animal prisons the most conspicuous of which is the pound


in this quadrupedal bastille may be seen daily divers specimens of errant horses cows goats and pigs trophies of policemens vigilance and prowess whose downcast looks and emaciated frames prove the severity of the penance they are per forming for violations of street laws


their illegal foraging has brought them upon very short commons where vegetation is not more luxuriant than on the ground floor of an irish mans cabin or a wellworked stone quarry


additional misery is inflicted upon them by the proximity of drays laden with hay far beyond the reach of the utmost elongation of neck and the constant peltings of little ragged shoeless urchins tyrants in miniature who punish only because they have the power


occasionally some better spirits venture to enquire how would you like it


but as this interrogatory turns the shower of missiles upon themselves the champions of animal rights are few in fact an almost extinct race


as the child is father to the man the compassion of the adult community is not likely to be materially increased by the past nonage of these juvenile despots


the haymarket is not arcadian it does not abound in gentle rustics and piping shepherds and shep herdesses with loving eyes and peaceful mien


it it a locality where blaspheming bullock drivers and bleareyed hags perform their bacchanalian orgies where vitriolic poison is poured out beneath the shade of madness and murder and infamy boldly walks abroad defi ant of the day


it is a species of pandemonium to be painted only by a demon artist


the portion of pittstreet which lies between park and marketstreets is peculiarly worthy of observation as it seems to me


there rises that magnificent edifice the school of arts where tyros strive to talk themselves into debaters where amateur lecturers plunge into the ocean of metaphysics and the hidden mysteries of nature with the same confidence exhibited by them when taking a bath at robinsons volun teer to give fresh reading of poets whom they know but by name and throw new lights upon objects which they have scarcely skimmed where they cram to parrot and having said their lesson forget it as readily as their auditors do where electrobiologists astonish weak nerves and magic lanthorn exhibitors dazzle weak eyes where managing committees quarrel and libra rians fail te keep in their good books where there is form without spirit and matter without mind whilst vanity and selfconceit are ever striving to become ruling powers and by artifices to strangle arts


there are thugs in all de partments who flatter the victims they have marked out for destruction


livery stables and horse auctioneers abound in this quarter but the most marked feature is the number of horses which are illegitimately exposed for sale in the open street


it reminds me of the scene at the old smithfield market in london on fridays when the races as they were termed took place


the scale is smaller unquestionably but the principle or want of it is remarkably similar


the same tricks of the trade are adopted to throw dust into the eyes of the unwary and the hawks are equally keen in searching for pigeons


there is no friendship in horsedealing is an axiom but with these outsider salesmen no fairness might be added


want a hoss sir said one of this slippery fry to me one day as i stood conning the pro ceedings


i knowed you was arter a good un


look at this here beauty vunce the pro perty of a gennelman as went off in a fit last wensdy was a week else he wouldnt a let him go at no price


his widder couldnt bear the sight on him arterwards it allers brought her husbin back to her which wasnt altogether pleasant you know


only five year old sir try his mouthi see youre a judge


reglar thurrybred got by the ported arab hoss sheikory out of the hunnerabel mister miler mokes tiddlewink dam shuvapenny granddam grandsire mr gullys hookem snivywide stud book


innicent as a lamb and playful as a kitten and no more wice about him than a suckin baby


warranted to hang up for hours at a stretch if there was fifteen carts o manure goin by him every minnet


ill pound him to gallup twenty mile an hour trot sixteen walk and canter as easy as a harm chair


hes ekewally good in saddel or arness and if youre a cultiwator o ground ill back him for a hundred to plough more nor any four bullocks on your farm


my good friend i do not want a horse i replied in answer to this catalogue of merits which the appearance of the animal fearfully belied


now dont you though he remarked with something uncommonly like a sneer


what a pity ven you could have him sich a bargain only five and forty pound


but perhaps your good lady might fancy him carries a lady beautiful he continued somewhat hopefully


i am not married i rejoined


ant you though


then youre werry on and a deal wus off than the savwages thats all i can say


youll excoose me sir but a man at your time o life as ant married ought to be bedded down upon nettels grubbed on thissels and rubbed down with prickly pear


not being anxious to hear any further observ ations from the coper with respect to my proper board and lodging i was about to move away when my attention was arrested by the approach of two persons who seemed to be bent on busi ness


one was a tall dissipatedlooking indi vidual clothed in a suit of faded halfsporting costume negligently put on and apexed by a glossy silk hat which was ornamented by a roll of black crape after the most approved dog fancier style


he was evidently a liver upon his and his companion one of the number from whom he derived his professional income


gent was stamped upon no in the most unmistakeable manner and one could swear to his being of the greenfinch breed at a casual glance


he sauntered or rather dragged himself along as if bored to death occasionally


his teeth with a light silver mounted running his fingers through a furzy pair of whiskers or using them to smooth down a moustache


a glance passed between the taller of the two and the horsedealer which me that they were confederates con sequently i determined to watch the progress of the game and its results and for that purpose a short distance from them taking care to keep within earshot of their conversation


fernal nuisance mace this eqnine felow mights well be woasted or put out of his miswy at once as pawade widiclous way


used up quite pon my word drawled forth the miserable morsel of who had the misfortune to be fed from pap spoon


take it easy replied mr mace gaily rome wasnt built in in a day miffs


dem wome twoy had more to do with a horse


replied mr eustace fitzosborn montagu miffs in a very burry vernacular


capital excellent


youre a regular wag hook was a fool to you said mace as he laughed immoderately at the miffs classical joke


dont know the falow some dem poor bwute of a witer i spose bwought up in a gawwet


i dont patwonize such scwubs


poor theodore


i thought how much better for thee if the fortuned class at whose shrine thou wast selfimmolated had been obdurate and unpatronizing as e f m mitts esq


ha joe is that you exclaimed mace in wellfeigned surprise to the horse dealer then turning to his friend he continued the very man to mount you joe smart is a treasure keeps nothing but the right sort and as honest as the day


extwaordinavwy vevwy responded miffs


not at all the devil isnt half so black as he is painted


is the cob for sale joe


whats his figure enquired mace


why sir you see he am and he arnt in a manner of speakin


not as i should be agin sellin on him if so be the price come up to the mark only i give a gennelman a sort o half promise to shew him first you see and i shouldnt like to disappoint you see


he be longed to the guvnor got by runningnose out of miss figgins grandsire old bishop grand dam aroarer said the highly respectable mr smart with a knowing look at mace


dem his pedigwee


the fernal falow would twace him down to noahs ark bravo miffs youre the chap to cut things short


a fig for his pedigree


how about his performances joe thems warious mr mace


won the trial stakes at old bailey park beating bigwig and twelve others in a canter


won the green cloth purse at nick common beating hazard and the whole box and dice of em holler though the odds was two to one agin him at startin


won the winchester stakes at headem lodge beating halfpenny uppem and spinnem by chalks


won the dem the falow said miffs in a snappish way did he never lose anything


only once sir replied joe touching his hat respectfully and that was a accidence he lost hisself in a sawpit and couldnt find his way out agin


he ought to be good at timber after that joe suggested mace who rather prided himself on his punning powers


my word hes all that and an ounce and a half over


hes the nag for a bullfinch or a rasper


well up to fourteen stone


i should say the gennelmans a trifle under said joe glancing slyly at the threadpaper looking mr miffs


i genewally wide jockey weight said mr miffs proud of his sporting knowledge which was principally derived from two or three visits to epsom in which he had signalized himself by the immoderate use of peashooters and pro pulsion of rotten eggs against passing vehicles


and for which by the way he had been com pelled upon one occasion to undergo a severe horsewhipping from an irate bagman


the gennelmans a trump cried smart en thusiastically hed be a cunnin cove as ud de ceive him in a bit o hoss flesh


rather remarked mace quietly


im pwetty fly i wecken annotated miffs who recollected hearing the marquis of watch houseford make a similar remark at the picca dilly saloon with considerable applause whilst engraving pictorial illustrations upon the coun tenance of an overcharging waiter in a case of champagne and lobster salad


of course said mace anxious to come to business


he had put mr miffs on most excel lent terms with himself and was too good a tradesman to let the iron cool before the proper blow was struck


of course but how about the cob smart can he gallop can he gallop echoed joe as if mortally wounded by the indignity of such an interro gatory


yes i know like a greyhound without turn ing a hair


but what i mean to sayis he the real thing and no mistake


is he the real thing and no mistake


vy what a question


certainly he is and all that old mat milton used to say was wanted in a hoss widelliset


hes got the countenance intrepidity and fire of a lion


the eye joint and nostril of an ox


the nose gentleness and patience of a lamb


the strength constancy and foot of a mule


the hair head and leg of a deer


the throat neck and hearing of a wolf


the ear brush and trot of a fox


the memory sight and turning of a serpent


the cunning suppleness and innocence of a hare and if them qualities ant worth a fifty pound note vy then breeders may as well turn gold diggers and hoss dealers shut up shop


mr mace after whispering what i imagined to be a few recommendatory observations in miffs ear resumed the conversation with smart


say fiveandforty and tis a deal joe


not a farden under fifty


a gennelman here just now as came all the way from the east ingees on purpose offered me fiftynine nine teen and eleven three but i vouldnt bate


vot


i axes i has or keeps him and no harm done


dem the falow pay him the pwice mace


if the wascals pwad turn out wong hell do for cutting up into beef sausges


glorious fun kill some fernal dowager with horse nails


and mr miffs positively went through the painful operation of laughing at his little witticism


the anticipated decease of an elderly lady by such means was so excwuciatingly funny


very good miffs fork out and talking of horses there was a pony between us last night at loo


you may as well throw it in when youre at it said mace benignly


dem sharp memowy yours replied the vic tim extracting the possibles from his pocket book and depositing them in the hands of his friend who gracefully bowed an acknowledg ment by way of a receipt in full


miffs then expressed his intention of pwoceeding to the woyal hotel for the purpose of taking a hovwi bly extensive feed while he left mr mace to manage the remainder of the animal transaction


the pair being rid of his presence eyed each other suspiciously and reminded me of two cocks about to give battle


not a bad days work for you joe hand me over a score in exchange for the fifty said mr mace


a what


vell i dont know tom joe positively familiarized thus but i think a ten ner is your fair whack


do you


i entertain a different opinion and ill tell you why


the brute is screwed all over hasnt a point about himall blemishes and furthermore you only gave a ten pound note for him yesterday with the saddle and bridle chucked in for a makeweight replied mace cavalierly


but consider the price of hay tom


i do one nights turning out in a bare paddock price one and six


werry good


now spose i sticks to him and refuse to deliver youll be put into the hole mr mace you see remarked the smart coper with a growl


quite different joe


i shall tell my friend you are an infernal scoundrel and there will be the end of that said mace coolly


vell youll be forced to return the coves blunt and therell be an end of that said smart triumphantly


out again joe you are thick in the clear this morning


i thought you had more sense


i shall borrow the fifty of him which is about the same thing as sticking to it


ive tumbled over many spice merchants in my time but mr mace you beats em all


joe could not forbear expressing his intense admira tion of such brilliant abilities although they told against himself


yees i flatter myself upon my proficiency in the game and am delighted to hear it is satis factory to you who ought to be a firstrate judge of the art


come no gammon hand over its all settled


not quite replied mace quietly i like the look of the saddle and bridle and as i want such articles at the present time they must fall to my lot


ill be if they do


dont swear tis a bad practice and rather ungentlemanly joe


do as you would be done by


i didnt bag birds for your table


in a word the pigskin and etceteras or the bargain is off


youve cotched me on the hop this time but if ever you gets the best of me again may i easy does it joe start slow theres a long journey between us yet


hand over the fifty thats done


theres a twenty for you and now continued mace vaulting into the saddle as if afraid of a writ of estoppal the whole affair is complete and im oph


i hope you may be off and break your neck cried smart sullenly


no fear of that joseph


this pittstreet arabian will take me as far as the stable after that i shall cut the acquaintance of mr joseph smarts thoroughbred got by screw out of dunbrown coper


mr mace then put the animal into a four mileanhour pace turned the corner and disap peared leaving the discomfited dealer to chafe and fume at leisure


when i departed he was sawing the air with a heavy whip with a pecu liar significance which i construed intoi just wish your back mr mace was under this here whalebone


to be continued


a new series


the mysteries of sydney or the revelations of sin shame and sorrow


chapter xxi


arrival of the great professor fishing for a husbandwon derful effects of electrify alloyegrand crash awful smashimposing denouement and disposition of the charac ters


all sydney rang with the fame of professor brayly


the seven wonders of the world were paltry and insignificant compared with the mo dern magician the lions of the drawing room shrank into retired corners when this fierce one stalked majestically in


their claws were clipped and their former roarings dwindled down into the gentle purrings of a cat


the city was in a tumult high and low rich and poor professions and trades mechanics and laborers rushed with their offerings to the brayly altar


there was but one objectionist the rhadamanthus of me diciners doctor moses but his voice was drowned in the exulting shouts of the braylyan devotees


not only were the males stricken with the mania but the softer sex became its victims


with them the professor was a dear creature


a duck


a darling


an angel in dress coat pants and patent leather bootees


his very name threw them into a state of nervous excitement and at the sound of his footsteps hearts fluttered to such a degree as almost to suspend inspira tion


professor brayly was the newest fashion caps bonnets shawls ribbons and the intermin able items of feminine costume were christened in his name and went off at extensive prices with marvellous rapidity


as ladies never do things by halves he was completely the rage with them


there was nothing very wonderful in the pro fessors power over the softer sex inasmuch as he was a most personable man


science gene rally makes its appearance with silver locks fur rowed face staid deportment and stooping frame clad in curiously cut garments and clumsily con trived shoes not so with him


his hair was black as the ravens wing and glossy as ma cassar pomade and pomatum could make it round his mouth disclosing teeth of ivory white ness played one unvarying smile


his figure was elegant and elaborately garmented


in fact never did learning wear such a pleasing outward appearance as in timotheus brayly professor of electrifyalloye


the professor was domiciled at migration lodge a circumstance equally gratifying to mrs osqueeze and miss katie although the reasons of their delight were dissimilar


the mother took a commercial view of the affair and thought only of the profit to be extracted from her lodgers pocket the daughter thought of a set tlement in life and angled for the professor with admirable dexterity baiting the hook with little cupids and other tempting lures but he would not bite


she grew melancholy the professor smiled she sang sentimental songs at him yet he smiled she was often surprised in tears he smiled still manipulated her head gently touched her chin patted her cheeks playfully pinched her ears and bade her be gay


he was not to be caught


but katie persevered in her design she was early taught the force of that profound saying continual dropping wears away the stone therefore she determined that constant weeping should soften the professors marble heart


she was sitting one day at the piano with her hair in exquisitely arranged disorder and as the well known step was heard upon the stair she com menced to sing the ancient lachrymose ballad my mother bids me bind my hair the words of which she had altered to suit her own scheme and particular fancy


my mother bids me bind my hair or place it in a net lace up my stays with greater care and give my frock a set


she recommends schottische quadrille waltz polka and the play id rather sit and weep my fill when brayly is away


tis sweet to think of childhoods days when like a busy bee i gathered honey in the ways of learnings a b c my primer ceases now to please my dolls aside i lay een crochet needles give not ease when brayly is away


swate innocent said the professor softly and sweetly as an irish melody


he had entered the room but not unperceived by the young lady who got up a delightful little scream in which surprise agitation shocked modesty joy and a few other ingredients of the passion were artistically blended


oh mr brayly how could you sobbed katie as if her heart were breaking


her con tenance was not visible through the folds of a white cambric handkerchief lace bordered and odoriferous its expression was therefore left to the imagination


how could i miss osquaze


is it me youre asking such a quistion


miss osquaze i couldnt for the life of me


how beautifully susciptible you are said the professor enthu siastically


alas too much for my peace of mind sighed the young lady


not at all


impossible


what would the world be widout susciptibility


science must stand still the great mysteries of nature would be locked up for ever in impinitrable caves and the gates of knowledge barred if it were not for susciptibility


take the mitals for instance the veins in the human frame attract the veins of various mitals and they are then found out to be susciptible to the pick and cradle and other miners implimints


belave me my swate young iady that copper zinc galvanism susciptibility comether and attraction form the principal parts of the grand braylyan discovery of electrify alloye


you are too attractive said miss katie as if soliquizing then uttering a tiny little shriek she hid her face in the useful cambric after this irrepressible burst of emotion


and yit i have found many persons over whom i have no power remarked the professor gravely


oh why was i not one


alas


what have i said


have i discovered my secret


pardon me i am so confusedso startledso confiding so thoughtlesssososovery childish i really do not know what i am talking of


and once more the youthful fair one resorted to a fit of weeping


there is nothing to forgive


said the pro fessor soothingly


you are young and tinder hearted miss osquaze and unfit to thravel in the thorny and rugged paths which lade to the maximumbonumomniumgatherum the high timple of the immortal alchymicomystico where the great hermes presides upon his calo melic throne


what is the man talking about thought katie behind her cambric screen


no continued the professor warming up with his theme it is not for such as you to plunge into coal pits and copper mines your life depinding upon the stringth of a rope a bucket and sir humphry davys lamp it is not for you to trust your charms to the insecurity of a diving bill to


the depths of the adelaide gallery ocean such dangers are mine alone to incoun ther but whin you have been widded as long as i and are you really married


exclaimed katie with a sudden start of unaffected sur prise and revealing her countenance at the same moment


long widded


replied the professor seri ously though he experienced considerable diffi culty in restraining his laughter at the young ladys evident disappointment


my gracious how provoking what a mis take


why mama always said you were a single man


really mr brayly it is very vex atious a person always should be what he seems remarked katie testily


and is a man who has been widded to science for many years an objict to be dispised asked the professor in the same quiet tone


to science


i thought you meant a living lady


ii proficient as she was in dissi mulation and boldness katie was unable to ex tricate herself from the meshes she had woven she really blushed and wept naturally for once


luckily nips made his usual polite entree which afforded her an opportunity of quitting the room but not before she excited the attention of that observant individual


hallo


my hankypanky gennlman vot av you bin a doing of to the young un


there must be somethink queer up to send her avay like a veepin viller considerin shes genrally for the most part as dry as chips


how dare you address me in that style you vagabond said the professor angrily


vell i may be a bagobones for the feed as i gets below ant to say up to vuns knees in clover and the vork as i does on it ant werry good trainin for an aldermans berth cos you see it keeps vun rayther fine but about bein owdacious enough to arx you a civil question concernin of famly matters vy i dont see much in that considerin ive shooked hands vith sigi nor blitz vich


i thinks is werry considerable your betters in the let the eye vatch the hand game


my vord the siginor is a conjurer some folks as i could name ant to my thinkin re plied nips accompanying his commentary with certain pantomimic gestures in imitation of the celebrated wizards card performances


i shall certainly inform your mistress of this impertinent conduct and request her to discharge you said the professor in evident illhumour although the smile still played around his mouth


nips performed a saltatory and terpsichorean movement known amongst the lower classes as the straight fives to which he whistled a shrill and sharp accompaniment much to the annoy ance of the professor whose dignity was consi derably invaded


when the intelligent youth had let the steam off by means of this brisk pedal motion he broke out afresh in the oratorical line vell you must be a precious new chum to think as how missus voud part vith me volun tary vy i vent avay of my own accord fourteen times since last epiphny and she sent the lord mayer vith a coach and six to bring me back and that ere respectable gennlman vas obliged to go down on his knees in the mud afore id give him a favorable arnser


discharge me


that is a good un vat voud they do at migracious lodge vithout me i should like to know


you might as vell arsk guvment house to do vithout sir charles


ill tell you vot it is master hanky panky ive been werry quiet vith you but a vorm will turn if you pinch his tail and i shouldnt vonder much if you found a peg or two inside your boots tomorrer


professor brayly was fairly puzzled how to act with this remarkable specimen of the human race


it was a new genus which bothered him as much as the bones of the dinornis did professor owen


after a little thought he fancied the soothing sys tem might be the better one to adopt


faith youre a strange lad a real curiosity a lusus natur heres halfacrown for you which i preshume you will condiscind to accipt said the professor coaxingly


i dunno it might wanish in a cloud of smoke like doctor fostiss


hands off now shove it on the table i ant a goin to be cotched hold of by your sink holes and coppers games i know too much of em


youre a werry nice young man i dessay but if i vants to scratch my head i shant borrer anybody elses fingers to do it and if i vants to lose my senses ill try missusses particular vine


thats all right the halfcrowns in my pocket and iii send it by the fust gold conweyance to the nevolent sylum for distressed orphians


i shant say a vord to missus about the young un cos vere quits on that pint but pegging the boots is a nopen question at present as they say in parliment but vich may be ar ranged if agreeble to all parties and theres no oppersition on my part


in the name of all the saints what the divil brought you here exclaimed the professor relapsing into an angry mood at the impertur bable coolness of his tormentor


are you not aware i am expicting company


thats the werry thing as did bring me here


theres a whole mob awaitin below and kickin their heels in the hall


my vord vont they say them new arriwals allers brings out a fresh parcel of manners


you disagraable little scoundhril quit the apartment or ill kick you down stairs exclaimed the professor smiling ferociously


kickings dont go vith vages if so be you kicks it reckons in the extrays and helps to pay the vashin bill


there now keep your temper and fight low im a goin off as the outside pas senger said ven he saw the coach vas a up settin


will you depart or must i quite different as the cove vot squinted said to his eyes


go my good lad said the professor appeal ingly


sharps the vord as the carvin knife said to the round of beef


i shant be a minute just re wolve that boot pegging business the comfort of your corns is dirt cheap at the money


nips retired whistling and shortly afterwards returned ushering in dr blarney ensign sparks of the line john turnover esq of the police department jack stunner and mr ticklelass melson


these distinguished visitors were spe cially invited by the professor to test the truth of the electrifyalloye theory which as previously observed was questioned by dr moses


the medical man was expected to sign a certificate of the success of the experiments to be made upon the four gentlemen who accompanied him and so crush the mosaic scepticism in the bud


nips having placed chairs in the form directed by the professor the latter smiled blandly and requested the parties to seat themselves


this portion of the ceremony was performed in silence as it was understood that the vibrations of sound causing undulations in the air would have the effect of sending the electric fluid on a flying visit to the lightning conductor in the next street from whence its recovery for electrifyallo ye purposes was questionable


the beefs sent to the bakers and the wedge tables is a bilin so i spose i may stop and see the show said nips at the same time throwing himself into an arm chair


certainly my lad replied the professor and i will commence my experiments with you as the youngest in the room


not young enough for that exclaimed nips jumping up as the professor approached with a circular plate of metallic substance about the size of a shilling


try the big uns theres mr stunnin as is a neck or nothin


sort o chap hell go fust at anythihk


very well my lad ill reserve you till the last only keep quiet


dumb as a soused mackrel replied nips reseating himself


the professor then explained the theory of electrifyalloye shortly in reality it was impos sible to be more brief upon the point because he was in the position of that wellknown character who being requested to recite his tale naively answered story


i have none to tell sirs


it is the practical part gintilmin exclaimed the professor which carries conviction to the philosophical and scientific mind


hold these small plates in your hand for twinty minutes and i pledge you my word youll be astonished at the ifficts


these directions were strictly complied with meanwhile the professor walked round and about the patients patting their heads rubbing their necks examining their eyes and performing sun dry mystic evolutions which were faithfully copied by nips who occasionally threw in a little pan tomimic performance of his own supposed to convey the idea of taking a sight


at the expiry of the time it was announced that all were susceptible and to use a nautical term the decks were cleared for action


stand up mr turnover said the professor in a stern tone of voice and mr turnover stood up


do you know who you are


of course john turnover clerk in the policeoffice replied the party addressed


you are not sir you are the police magis trate


i


sir


no sir no replied mr turn over in great distress of mind


you are sir


the professor gracefully waved his hand thrice


certainly i am and i get very badly paid for my labours replied the electrifyalloye ele vated clerk


we will see you righted soon said the pro fessor


the sooner the better for really my duties are very harassing and the unpaid magistrates excessivelv slow in yielding their services said the new pm seriously


true sir


perhaps you will be good enough to give your judgment in the case of skittles versus knockemdowns


certainly if the attorneys are present


i make it a rule not to deliver judgment in their absence


they are before you sir mr borey and mr queer


you see them


the professor rubbed the pms forehead


oh yes i see them


gentlemen i have deferred giving judgment in this case for a month in order that i might consult all the available authorities upon the point at issue which appears to me to involve most important interests


my learned friend mr chambers who sat with me was of opinion that it came under some of the clauses in the vagrant act but after examin ing that admirable law most minutely he was unable to find anything which could by the most remote possibility apply to it


he therefore considers it right for me to mention the fact in order that a provision may be made in the amended vagrant act to fit that and every thing else


less noise in court one can scarcely hear oneself speak


there is a case in woods reports ball versus floorem which hits skittles versus knockemdowns to a nicety


a doubt certainly was raised in doubleball versus broadskiver but that was set on one side by lord chief justice bowles decision in lawn billiards versus bumblepuppy and ninepins versus fourcorners does not run on all fours with the present case by any means carroll shut that window


i am therefore guided by wood and recommend each party to pay his attorneys costs and both to play the game over again


call on the next case the free list first if you please mr wearin the liberty of the subject is not to be trifled with the summons list is a secondary consideration


the professor once more manipulated the new pm who descended from the bench to the office chair with lightninglike rapidity


he was complimented on all sides upon his magisterial ability but being extremely diffident he sank into his seat covered with burning blushes


mr sparks cried the professor suddenly i am ashamed of you sir you are intoxicated positively drunk


do you mean to insult me sir exclaimed the ensign staggering up


you cant stand


i defy you to do the goose step


goooose step


gad old feeellow i have forgotototten it replied the ensign hiccuping strongly


try this sodawater sir it may relieve you said the professor handing him an empty cup


let him try missuss cape warjuice which she calls best sherry my vord thatll sober him edged in nips


the ensign drank heartily of the barmecide festal cup and expressed the sodawater first rate


three magic waves of the hand and he was as sober as any military gentleman need be before supper


the learned doctor looked aghast at the wonderful effect of electrifyalloye and shifted his chair a little further from the great magician


even nips felt a sinking in his re gard for his beau ideal of a conjuror signor blitz


mr kitely said the professor to jack stunner i want a little conversation with you


by plutuswould i were kitely replied jack


you are sir dont deny it because i happen to need your assistance my name is stunner sir said the professor making a few passes


well stunner what do you want enquired jack briskly


i wish you to discount this bill for me tis only a hundred and fifty


a mere trifle would it were ten times as much anything to accommodate you my dear boy


wait till i get my cheque book you are a very worthy fellow stunner very worthy of unlimited trust unlimited i repeat


crikey shouted nips ant mr stunnin a gammonin thats just what muster kitely would saynot


the professor appeared to be of opinion that jack was not altogether susceptible he there fore left him for a time and turned his attention to mr ticklelass melson who was most sensibly affected by the electrifyalloye process


mr brayman of the general post office i believe said the professor


precisely replied mr melson bowing po litely


i have reason to enquire about the mai con tracts


the divil a bit i know of em


if tis the famale conthracts ye mane im wid yez


devotedly attached to the fair sex i per cave a glass of champagne with you and well toast the ladies said the professor gallantly


och the dear craythurs we cant do widout them shouted mr melson and he quaffed imaginary quantities of the sparkling out of an empty ink glass with extraordinary gusto


i call upon you to return thanks mr bray man


wid pleasure


mr chairman and gintil min though there are many in the field more capable of doing justice to the cause than mesilf yet i defy the world to fale greater inclination


if it were not for the darlints we shouldnt be here and if it were not for them the divil a fig or a snap of the fingers would we care about re maining here


hear hear from jack stunner


i am proud to hear you coincide wid my sintiments


my father my grandfather my great grandfather and all my posterity on the male side were ladies i spose they wore the blooming costume suggested nips


a decided bull shouted jack stunner


not at all resumed the fictitious brayman


i was about to remark they were ladies men and the statistics of the population of ireland will prove it


from cape clear to the giants causeway yell find the hoofs of the braymans imprinted in the soil


lightly tread tis boggy ground said jack


mr chairmani see the company is impa tient i therefore shall only say that i began wid the ladies and bedad


ill finish wid them plaze the pigs


all right remarked the professor and mr ticklelass melson was himself again


hold this in your hand my lad said the professor to nips presenting him with a magic disc keep your eyes on it for a short time and be particular


the effects are quite harmless you observe i see as the mole said to the trap


but afore you plays any tricks upon me id advise you to drore it mild im a orphian as cant anser for hisself and them pegs in your boots will be a trifle longer if you makes yourself disagree ble


are you convinced of the truth of my elec trifyalloye enquired the professorin a whisper to dr blarney


quitequite responded the doctor as he retired in evident trepidation to the most remote corner of the apartment


the professor smiled and not without good reason


colonel meadowbloom said the professor bowing respectfully to ensign spark and mak ing a few passes before his face and a touch or two behind his back i am proud to make your acquaintance


a waterloo man i think


i am sir replied the ensign drawing him self up to his full regimental height and i flatter myself a worthy one


decidedly so


perhaps colonel you will favour us with a slight description of the battle


yees fire smoke shot steelcharge steel shot smoke firedown


fire smoke shot steel charge steel shot smoke fireget up and at em and the battle was won


i said to the duke peace to his manes quite familiarly we were schoolfellows arcades ambo etonians both boney has napped it today


egad meadowbloom he replied you will have your joke


you fought devilish well to day youll certainly be gazetted for the bath


not before i want it arthur for i look considerably more like a chimney sweep than a cast of the apollo


dont kill me outright meadowbloom with your funniments you certainly are a few shades above your original colour


better so i replied promptly than be with shades below


oh carry me out and bury me dacently cried ar thur while he was ready to die with laughter


so passed the night of the battle


but were you made a knight of the bath


noooo not exactly i declined the honour it was a wishywashy sort of affair altogether


in point of fact there were some rum dukes with whom i could not associate and so i changed from colonel meadowbloom into ensign sparks said the professor


the trans formation was made and the dye on the ensigns coat was surpassed by that on his cheeks


during the recital of this heroic tale nips was carefully watched by the professor who owing him a grudge was extremely anxious to pounce upon him when he manifested the proper state of sus ceptibility


but the lad was equally wary and determined to affect an electrifyalloye virtue if he had it not


the professor went through all the necessary manipulations and chuckled in wardly as he pronounced him fit for exhibition


gintlimin said the professor in my ex pirimints upon the lad you will see the grand triumph of the science he is more than ordinarily susciptible


in ardint timpiramints like his the electric fluid possesses a greater degree of vola tilizibilityniss as will be eximplified immediately


now sir shut your eyes


nips did as he was bid


now sir i defy you to open your eyes


the lids were hermetically sealed


now sir open your eyes look at me and tell me what you see


the professor waved his hand the lad looked at him fixedly without uttering a word


no obstinacy sir i command you to tell me what you are looking at


a calfs head replied nips hesitating as if the answer were wrung from him


the pro fessor was taken a little aback


no wonder when he anticipated this response the hand somest man in the world


shut your mouth sir said he then turning sharply round he addressed mr turnovera word with you


no really sir i had rather not i had indeed


come here sir


mr turnover dragged his slow length along


now mr henry burton i am surprised you dont keep your animals in better order


you see there pointing to nips major john downey tearing the rug to pieces take this whip and chastise him


give it me sir replied mr henry burtons fetch and ill carry it to him before you can say trapsticks


crikey thought nips heres a lark muster brayly has made me a monkey and im blowed if i dont pelt him vith coker nuts in the shape of them chimbley ornaments


theyre a deal o trubbel to clean ill have a shy at him if i lose my stick


and the pegs in his boots to morrer


oh cri


major john cried henry burtonjunior come here and be whipped


but major john was obstinate and did not fancy an invitation so like that of mrs bond to her ducks


as henry burton junior advanced the monkey of a minutes growth receded play ing the most remarkable antics


the company was convulsed with laughter especially the pro fessor who called upon henry burton junior to be quicker in his movements


under the table over the table under the sofa over the chairs went major john closely pursued by his master whip in hand


at last he allowed himself to be driven into a corner henry burton junior ap plied the whip the first lash was major johns cue he hit his master slap on the nose and spoiled the beauty of that useful organ for ever


he then swept the mantel piece of its mis cellaneous ornaments crockery swiss girls dancing dogs italian brigands and bo hemian bandits flew about in all direction and the busts of her precious majesty and her spouse were most disloyally treated her majesty added the bump of acquisitiveness to dr blarneys head and prince albert took the shine out of the professors left eye


in vain the learned lecturer cried all rightall right stopstop


it was all wrong major john would not stop his monkey was up


smish smash


crash


dash was the order of the day but the crowning effort remained to be done


a small jar containing dried rose ieaves attracted major johns attention he discharged it with unerring certainty at the chimney glass which was smashed into a thousand bits as mrs osquaze and katie attracted by the unusual sounds rushed into the room


murder


fire


thaves


villians


mon sters


barbarians


police


police shouted mrs osquaze at the very top of her voice


katie went into hysterics


who did it


who did it cried the matron


professor brayly hung his head and pointed to nips


och the thafe of the worrld


ill tear his eyes out


let me get at him


keep off said nips or itll be vorser for you


how could i help it


i told that ere hankypanky cove to drove it mild stead o that he vips his allmyeyenoledgy into my head and trarnsmugrified me into a shocking young monkey


whispered jack to mr ticklelass melson who enjoyed the fun


we drop the curtain on the scene leaving the disposition of the various parties to the ima gination of our readers


to be continued


random recollections of an elderly emigrant


twenty j cara havo wrought strango alterations


soirciicy


chapter ithe voyage


ayo


twenty years have indeed wrought strange alterations in the men manners and thiuga appertaining to lhis adopted kind of ouih tho mighty have been laid lowthe humblo havo been exaltedhilo many who have held on in the even tenor of their way remain in stutu quo neither the bettor nor tho worse for the ehangelul events by which they have been sur rounded


of thispei imps tho happiestclass i reckon mjsolf and


being olan observant if not a truant disposition it has occurred tome that my recollections random though they be might provo amusing if not instructive to that numerous class of judicious readers ho support the colonial times but i must prate and gossip after my own pioper fashion premising that i shall endeavour to avoid as much as possible tho intolerable sin of dulnesi and commence at tho beginning commencer commencement as the french say with my voyage out


although fo many years have gono hy every incident of that memorable adventurefor adven ture it wasis indelibly impressed upon my me mory from the excellent bon kommie ana brusque supremacy of the woithy skipper


captain lo the grotesquo louiiculities of the black cook sambo smut and the superfine airs and extra ordinary graces of my fellow passengers who in i their own opinion at least wcio thu most super lative of mortal beings


i may observe that my attention was first directed to van diernens land in rather a curious manner


lu tho mercantile house with which i was connected was a young man tho only son of n widowed mother who had formorly moved in very good society her husband holding a situation of considerable emolument in the treasury being of a gay and careless dis position mr t lived up to if not beyond his income und arter his death his amiable widow and child found themselves in a situation of utter destitution charles f hul received a good education and being extremely intimate willi the family i piocured his admission into our houso as a junior clerk and as his mother received a pension from ho government thoy were enabled to hvo in a genteel and comfortublo style


charles had been with us about a j car when i acciden tally discoietcd that a system of weeding had been carried on but so adroitly as to lender detection difficult the detection however was effected and charles was the delinquent


i used every means to avoid a prosecution but the employers wcro ineorable a duo regard to jus tico they said impelled thora to prosecute they did so and my young friend received a sentence of fourteen years transpoi tation to van diernens lind from which circumstance i myself was in duced to emigrate to its shores


i should mention thal i had for some timo meditated emigration to some of our colonies and had furnished myself with information respecting tho canadas the west indies c but thought not of far distant van diernens land until charless unfortunate ac cident nliich induced rae to read mark leam and inquire into its history climato capabilities c willi a result highly favourable to its allure moiita


my mind being made up thd engagement of a passage in thu gooil ship l dipt


m then lying in st kathcriues docks was shortly effected and being a single man without iu cuiubruuce my preparations for the voyoge were soon completed my adieux given and returuedand my unworthy suif m the cuddy oftlie with uboutadozen fellow passengers waiting in tho dowiisfor a fair wind


on tho day boforo wo started a ship with female emigrants bound for now south aloa anchored miar us and it turned out that hur commauder captl g had for merly served as a mato with capt al in a convict ship to van diemen land having as certained this our worthy skipper determined to go on board und inviting mo to go with him to see his old friend g who was as fine a fellow


as ever lived only rash and passionate we were toon on board


on gaining tho deck the scene which pieseutod itself was not a little curious and amusing the deck was crowded with young females of ovorysort aud complexion intr mixed willi somo few elderly dames who it ap peared hadembarked with their husbands some with their sons and thuir children tho most per plexing confusion prevailing the dock was co vcrcd with lumber and the men as thoy hurried hither and thither had a joke a sly pinch or oven a gento squeeze for the fair emigrants as they brushed bythom


in the cuddy wo found capt gj making some nautical calculations ono fof the matos writing his log and the cabin passengers getting their lunch of bread and cheese and bottled alo


the greeting between the two skippers was sailorliko and cordial and i was welcomed intrue bcamanliko fashion the spiritstand was produced moro bottled ale or dered and somo capital pott and madeira placed on the table with a hearty desire that wo should do as wo liked


as hie general cargo was of so motley a character the cabin passengers were scarcely lesi so for thoy wcro all oificors con nected with the expedition which i learnt had been fitted out nt the solo expense of the biilish govoromeit as a colonization experiment


prim and apparently puritanical and sitting bolt up right on her chair nibbling a biscuit snt the matron and hy lier side her daughter who looked like a faded governess with a long and lather pinky nose and dark sandy locks


a small man dressed in black with long and wiilo skirts to his coat and a narrow white cravut tied light round invnoak announced a person of canonical cha racter and was in fact the chaplain to the expe dition and closo to his sidealmost indoed upon hiukueesat one of thefunuioat little oldfasliiuued bodies i had over seen evidcntlyonjoying with a vcritablo gusto tho creamy delight of lud and smiths best palo ale this good lady was the chaplains wife


on the opposite side of tho tnblo sat a lady apparently in ill health and attending to tho croaturo comforts of a fino little boy about thrco or four years of age ho with infantile sclfhhness was teazing his mother with all his might this was tho doctors wife the doctor himself haing gone ashore at deal to obtain somo necessary medicines for the voyage


i have been thus minute in my description as many ot the passengers by this vessel erontually located themselves in this colony and there aro somo oennow in hobart town who will recognize the sketch i have drawn j and did it accord with my design i could a talo unfold with respect to tho voyage of that emigrant ship which would mightily exemplify tho wisdom of the british go vernment aud tho sad fate of several of the emi grants but i havo other matters to attend to moro immediately connected with my colonial life and adventures


we parted with captain g with mutual good withes


captain al very kindly


and most encouragingly telling his old friend that ho would not undertake his voyage for a thousand pounds over and above all his perquisites and profits for ho saw with the experienced eye of a practised skipper the many and various ovils which must cumio from so illassorted and uncon trolled a collection of womankindan opinion which as fully verified by the disastrous result of the voyage


at daybreak on tho th april l an un usuul hustle on deck betokened a change of wind and announced the recommenoement of our voyage and i had scarcely roused myself from a very comfortable sleep hen captain m knocked at my cabin door and cried out a fair wind mr were off


hastily dressed myself and walked on deck to enjoy a beautiful morning and to behold piobably for the last time the receding shores ot albion


the wind ca i led us about eight knots the sun robe warm and bright the worthy skipper was in excellent humour and the men sang cheerily at their work as they trimmed the vessel to the faouring breeze


my fellowpassengers with tho excep tion of a smart young fellow who joined us as an experienced surgeon but ho in fact was a mero neophyte in the second year of his pupil age remained seasick in their berths so that the captain the doctor and myself had the poop to ourselves and enjoyed ourselves as only those can enjoy themselves ho taking leave ol care aud entering on a new and alluring oxistence felt on perfectly good terms with themselves and the wholo world


to captain moven this tem porary blight spot in tho horizon was exhilira tingfor well begun is half done was a standing maxim ith our skipper


to tho doctor as i afterwards learnt the world was all boforo bim where to choose and an economical passago in the good ship l for value received or to be oceived in the way of professional services and the prospective advantages of a speedily acquired fortuno in van diemens land ere matters suf ficiently gratifying to bring forth all tho best qualities of temper and disposition hilo in ac cordance with my on


careless and easy dispo sition


i was sufficiently influenced by thoonjoyment of the passing scene and moment to bo in an exceedingly good humour and we joined such of our companions as roso to breakfast in n mood oil calculated to do tho most ampio justice to the substantial refreshments providedfor us


there are but two kinds of voyages to distant countriesthopleasant and tho miserable and in those days tho latter largely predominated for as yottliat


fine class of i egular traders w hose trips me now so punctual and so quick and whoso coiumundors aro so highly esteemed for their ex cellent character and qualities were not


tho arrival of largo vessels as liko angel visits few and far between and as there was neither competition nor rivalry the accommodations ero execrable j the character disposition and con duct of tho skippers highly objectionable and a vojago to that colony not to be undertaken with out jue precaution and courage


fortunately our voyago was as pleasant all circumstances considered as it w eil could be


captain m im experienced commander and used to the east india trade as unremitting in his attention to tho comfort and accommodation of his passengers anditwas their own fault if thoy did not benefit byhis exertions


true there were thosow horn nothing could pleasenothing could satisfyand who ore extremely wroth if tho usual dietary routino of the ship was occasionally interrupted by a gale of wind or the shipping of a sea but then captain m was


so extremely good tempeied that thoy had no loophole for com


plaintand so kt pt their grumblings to themselves acknowledging as they could not but acknow ledge that the captain was a deuced good fellow


but a long voyago be it ever so agree ablo is tedious and weariful and a feeling of uni veisal gladuess filled every heart when on the one hundred and eighteenth day we raado the land of tasmania and this feeling was by no moans diminished as wo sailed through tho channol and up tho derwent under the jovial pilotage of mr kelly till wo droppod anchor in sullivans covo on our bafo arrival at hobart tonn


to be continued


chapter


v a jaunt to the lookingglass prairie and back


i may premise that the word prairie is variously pronounced paraaer parearer and parourer


the latter mode of pro nunciation is perhaps the most in favour


we were fourteen in all and all young men indeed it is a singular though very natural feature in the society of these distant settlements that it is mainly com posed of adventurous persons in the prime of life and has very few grey heads among it


there were no ladies the trip being a fatiguing one and we were to start at five oclock in the morning punctually


i was called at four that i might be certain of keeping nobody waiting and having got some bread and milk for break fast threw up the window and looked down into the street expecting to see the whole party busily astir and great prepa rations going on below


but as everything was very quiet and the street presented that hopeless aspect with which five oclock in the morning is familiar else where i deemed it as well to go to bed again and went accordingly


i woke again at seven oclock and by that time the party had assembled and were gathering round one light carriage with a very stout axletree one something on wheels like an amateur carriers cart one double phaeton of great antiquity and unearthly construction one gig with a great hole in its back and a broken head and one rider on horseback who was to go on before


i got into the first coach with three companies the rest bestowed them selves in the other vehicles two large baskets were made fast to the lightest two large stone jars in wicker cases tech nically known as demijohns were con signed to the least rowdy of the party for safe keeping and the procession moved off to the ferryboat in which it was to cross the river bodily men horses carriages and all as the manner in these parts is


we get over the river in due course and mustered again before a little wooden box on wheels hove down all aslant in a morass with merchant tailor painted in very large letters over the door


having settled the order of proceeding and the road to be taken we started off once more and began to make our way through an illfavoured black hollow called less expressively the american bottom


the previous day had been not to say hot for the term is weak and lukewarm in its power of conveying an idea of the tem perature


the town had been on fire in a blaze


but at night it had come on to rain in torrents and all night long it had rained without cessation


we had a pair of very strong horses but travelled at the rate of little more than a couple of miles an hour through one un broken slough of black mud and water


it had no variety but in depth


now it was only half over the wheels now it hid the axletree and now the coach sank down in it almost to the windows


the air re sounded in all directions with the loud chirping of the frogs who with the pigs a coarse ugly breed as unwholesome looking as though they were the sponta neous growth of the country had the whole scene to themselves


here and there we passed a log hut but the wretched cabins were wide apart and thinly scattered for though the soil is very rich in this place few people can exist in such a deadly atmosphere


on either side of the track if it deserve the name was the thick bush and everywhere was stagnant slimy rotten filthy water


as it is the custom in these parts to give a horse a gallon or so of cold water whenever he is in a foam with heat we halted for that purpose at a log inn in the wood far removed from any other residence


it consisted of one room bareroofed and barewalled of course with a loft above


the ministering priest was a swarthy young savage in a shirt of cotton print like bedfurniture and a pair of rugged trousers


there were a couple of young boys too nearly naked lying idly by the well and they and he and the traveller at the inn turned out to look at us


the traveller was an old man with a grey gristly beard two inches long a shaggy moustache of the same hue and enormous eyebrows which almost ob scured his lazy semidrunken glance as he stood regarding us with folded arms poising himself alternately upon his toes and heels


on being addressed by one of the party he drew nearer and said rub bing his chin which scraped under his horney hand like fresh gravel beneath a a nailed shoe that he was from delaware and had lately bought a farm down there pointing into one of the marshes where the stunted trees were thickest


he was going he added to st louis to fetch his family whom he had left behind but he seemed in no great hurry to bring on these encumbrances for when we moved away he loitered back into the cabin and was plainly bent on stopping there so long as his money lasted


he was a great politician of course and explained his opinions at some length to one of our com pany but i only remember that he con cluded with two sentiments one of which was somebody for ever


and the other blast everybody else which is by no means a bad abstract of the general creed in these matters


when the horses were swollen out to about twice their natural dimensions there seems to be an idea here that this kind of inflation improves their going we went forward again through mud and mire and damp and festering heat and brake and bush attended always by the music of the frogs and pigs until nearly noon when we hailed at a place called belleville


belleville was a small collection of wooden houses huddled together in the very heart of the bush and swamp


many of them had singularly bright doors of red and yellow for the place had been lately visited by a travelling painter who got along as i was told by eating his way


the criminal court was sitting and was at that moment trying some criminals for horse stealing with whom it would most likely go hard for live stock of all kinds being necessarily very much exposed in the woods is held by the community in rather higher value than human life and for this reason juries generally make a point of finding all men indicted for cattle stealing guilty whether or no


the horses belonging to the bar the judge and witnesses were tied to tempo rary racks set up roughly in the road by which it is to be understood a forest path nearly knee deep in mud and slime


there was an hotel in this place which like all hotels in america had its large diningroom for the public table


it was an odd shambling lowroofed out house halfcowshed and halfkitchen with a coarse brown canvas tablecloth and tin sconces stuck against the walls to hold candles at suppertime


the horseman had gone forward to have coffee and some eatables prepared and they were by this time nearly ready


he had ordered wheatbread and chicken fixings in preference to cornbread and common doings


the latter kind of refection includes only pork and bacon


the former comprehends broiled ham sausages veal cutlets steaks and such other viands of that nature as may be supposed by a tolerably wide poetical construction to fix a chicken comfortably in the digestive organs of any lady or gentleman


on one of the doorposts at this inn was a tin plate whereon was inscribed in cha racters of gold doctor crocus and on a sheet of paper pasted up by the side of this plate was a written announcement that dr crocus would that evening deliver a lecture on phrenology for the benefit of the belleville public at a charge for admission of so much a head


straying up stairs during the prepa ration of the chicken fixings i happened to pass the doctors chamber and as the door stood wide open and the room was empty i made bold to peep in


it was a bare unfurnished comfortless room with an unframed portrait hanging up at the head of the bed a likeness i take it of the doctor for the forehead was fully displayed and great stress was laid by the artist upon its phrenological developments


the bed itself was covered with an old patchwork counterpane


the room was destitute of carpet or of curtain


there was a damp fireplace without any stove full of wood ashes a chair and a very small table and on the last named piece of furniture was displayed in grand array the doctors library consisting of some half dozen greasy old books


now it certainly looked about the last apartment on the whole earth out of which any man would be likely to get anything to do him good


but the door as i have said stood coaxingly open and plainly said in conjunction with the chair the portrait the table and the books walk in gen tlemen walk in


dont be ill gentlemen when you may be well in no time


doctor crocus is here gentlemen the celebrated doctor crocus


doctor crocus has come all this way to cure you gentlemen


if you havent heard of doctor crocus its your fault gentlemen who live a little way out of the world here not doctor crocuss


walk in gentlemen walk in


in the passage below when i went down stairs again was doctor crocus him self


a crowd had flocked in from the court house and a voice from among them all called out to the landlord co lonel


introduce doctor crocus


mr dickens says the colonel doctor crocus


upon which dr crocus who is a tall finelooking scotchman but rather fierce and warlike in appearance for a professor of the peaceful art of healing bursts out of the concourse with his right arm ex tended and his chest thrown out as far as it will possibly come and says your countryman sir


whereupon doctor crocus and i shake hands and doctor crocus looks as if i didnt by any means realize his expecta tions which in a linen blouse and a great straw hat with a green ribbon and no gloves and my face and nose profusely ornamented with the stings of mosquitoes and the bites of bugs it is very likely i did not


long in these parts sir says i three or four months sir says the doctor


do you think of soon returning to the old country sir says i doctor crocus makes no verbal answer but gives me an imploring look which says so plainly will you ask me that again


a little louder if you please that i re peat the question


think of soon returning to the old country sir repeats the doctor


to the old country sir i rejoin


doctor crocus looks round upon the crowd to observe the effect he produces rubs his hands and says in a very loud voice not yet a while sir not yet


you wont catch me at that just yet sir


i am a little to fond of freedom for that sir


ha ha


its not so easy for a man to tear himself from a free country such as this is sir


no no


none of that till ones obliged to do it sir


as doctor crocus says these latter words he shakes his head knowingly and laughs again


many of the byestanders shake their heads in concert with the doctor and laugh too and look at each other as much as to say a pretty bright and first rate sort of chap is crocus


and unless i am very much mistaken a good many people went to the lecture that night who never thought about phrenology or about doctor crocus either in all their lives before


from belleville we went on through the same desolate kind of waste and con stantly attended without the interval of a moment by the same music until at three oclock in the afternoon we halted once more at a village called lebanon to inflate the horses again and give them some corn besides of which they stood much in need


pending this ceremony i walked into the village where i met a fullsized dwellinghouse coming downhill at a round trot drawn by a score or more of oxen


the publichouse was so very clean and good a one that the managers of the jaunt resolved to return to it and put up there for the night if possible


this course decided on and the horses being well re


freshed we again pushed forward and came upon the prairie at sunset


it would be difficult to say why or how though it was possible from having heard and read so much about itbut the effect on me was disappointment


look ing towards the setting sun there lay stretched out before my view a vast ex panse of level ground unbroken save by one thin line of trees which scarcely amounted to a scratch upon the great blank until it met the glowing sky wherein it seemed to dip mingling with its rich colours and mellow ing in its distant blue


there it lay a tranquil sea or lake without water if such a simile be admissible with the day going down upon it a few birds wheeling here and there and solitude and silence reign ing paramount around


but the grass was not yet high there were bare black patches on the ground and the few wild flowers that the eye could see were poor and scanty


great as the picture was its very flatness and extent which left nothing to the imagination tamed it down and cramped its interest


i felt little of that sense of freedom and exhilaration which a scottish heath inspires or even our en glish downs awaken


it was lonely and wild but oppressive in its barren mono tony


i felt that in traversing the prairies i could never abandon myself to the scene forgetful of all else as i should do in stinctively were the heather underneath my feet or an ironbound coast beyond but should often glance towards the dis tant and frequentlyreceding line of the horizon and wish it gained and passed


it is not a scene to be forgotten but it is scarcely one i think at all events as i saw it to remember with much pleasure or to covet the lookingon again in after life


we encamped near a solitary loghouse for the sake of its water and dined upon the plain


the baskets contained roast fowls buffalos tongue an exquisite dainty by the way ham bread cheese and butter biscuits champagne sherry lemons and sugar for punch and abun dance of rough ice


the meal was deli cious and the entertainers were the soul of kindness and good humour


i have often recalled that cheerful party to my pleasant recollection since and shall not easily forget in junketings nearer home with friends of older date my boon com panions on the prairie


returning to lebanon that night we lay at the little inn at which we had halted in the afternoon


in point of cleanliness and comfort it would have suffered by no com parison with any village alehouse of a homely kind in england


rising at five oclock next morning i took a walk about the village none of the houses were strolling about today but it was early for them yet perhaps and then amused myself by lounging in a kind of farmyard behind the tavern of which the leading features were a strange jumble of rough sheds for stables a rude colonnade built as a cool place of summer resort a deep well a great earthern mound for keeping vegetables in winter time and a pigeon house whose little apertures looked as they do in all pigeon houses very much too small for the ad mission of the plump and swellingbreasted birds who were strutting about it though they tried to get in never so hard


that interest exhausted i took a survey of the inns two parlours which were decorated with coloured prints of washington and president madison and of a whitefaced young lady much speckled by the flies who held up her gold neckchain for the admiration of the spectator and informed all admiring comers that she was just seventeen although i should have thought her older


in the best room were two oil portraits of the kitcat size repre senting the landlord and his infant son both looking as bold as lions and staring out of the canvas with an intensity that would have been cheap at any price


they were painted i think by the artist who had touched up the belleville doors with red and gold for i seemed to recognise his style immediately


after breakfast we started to return by a different way from that which we had taken yesterday and coming up at ten oclock with an encampment of german emigrants carrying their goods in carts who had made a rousing fire which they were just quitting stopped there to refresh


and very pleasant the fire was for hot though it had been yesterday it was quite cold today and the wind blew keenly


looming in the distance as we rode along was another of the ancient indian burialplaces called the monks mound in memory of a body of fanatics of the order of la trappe who founded a desolate convent there many years ago when there were no settlers within a thousand miles and were all swept off by the pernicious climate in which lamentable fatality few rational people will suppose perhaps that society experienced any severe deprivation


the track of today had the same fea tures as the track of yesterday


there was the swamp the bush the perpetual chorus of frogs the rank unseemly growth the unwholesome steaming earth


here and there and frequently too we encoun tered a solitary broken down waggon full of some new settlers goods


it was a pitiful sight to see one of these vehicles deep in the mire the axletree broken a wheel lying idly by its side the man gone miles away to look for assistance the wo man seated among their wandering house hold gods with a baby at her breast a pic ture of forlorn dejected patience the team of oxen crouching down mournfully in the mud and breathing forth such clouds of vapour from their mouths and nostrils that all the damp mist and fog around seemed to have come direct from them


in due time we mustered once again before the merchant tailors and having done so crossed over to the city in the ferryboat passing on the way a spot called bloody island the duellingground of st louis and so designated in honour of the last fatal combat fought there which was with pistols breast to breast


both combatants fell dead upon the ground and possibly some rational people may think of them as of the gloomy madmen on the monks mound that they were no great loss to the community


some passages in the life of a beauty


from tub mnoni ms chapter iv


faded and frail i lie glorious form and changed i he soul within


while pin nnd grief and sliife nnd storm told ibe dark secret sin m j j two years are fled and where is the beauty now time lias sped on with rapid pinion since lntly a lion inore was the helle of florence nnd j though shall not seek o follow her through nil her protean forms or the lobyrinlliine mazes of duplicity mid deceit i shall recount her next meet ing with land percivnl


shall i confess a boyish admiration to account for any interest i might vtcl in the fate ot one so lovely and so loved


i trust ihut for the sake of human nature it will not he neces sary for me to do so


would that on earth there might he an interest created in ilio bosoms of ninely and nine for every one that wanders from the path of rectitude


would that every man now breathing could see into the deep recesses of the human heart whilst be thoughtlessly minis ters to the gratification of his own li eolioiia passions illlu supports a course of life that he ought to recoil from with horror