No sooner were they out of the building than Bob and I, with wonderful despatch, began to pack away our apparatus in the readiest way we could; for the thoughts of the vengeful nature of the Drittenbrookians filled our minds, and sympathetic aches began to rise in the bones of our memory.

In a quarter of an hour they were all stowed away (with some damage certainly) and secured about the carriage which stood close by the gate. Into this vehicle he forthwith hurried the professor, who was solacing himself with a glass of wine with the parson in the vestry, and, himself mounting the box, took the reins, and urged the two hacks to their extremest speed, never relaxing the pace till we reached the roadside alehouse I have alluded to.

But the fun was not yet over.

On the following Monday we were again in the apparatus room. The professor was with us, arranging some lenses for an optical instrument, part of which was likewise under the hands of my chum, whilst I stood by, in respectful silence looking on. On hearing a carriage draw up in front of the building, the professor, who was near a window, looked out, and suddenly started up, crying

"Red coats! Bless me, Mr. Whyte, I'm mistaken if this is not Colonel Queerfiz and his officers come to view the University! Run and receive them-show them to the museum first, while I snatch a moment to make myself decent. No! it can't be; they have round hats it must be sportsmen-foxhunters, I'll be bound, come to present us with some rare specimen in their peculiar line-an extraordinary fox, or a cub with a head in place of a tail-"

("A cubec equation," whispered Bob, attempting the pun mathematical.) "Or something of that sort-but it's all the same: run out and show them this way."

But he was anticipated, for presently, marshalled along the passages by the gatekeeper of the institution, they approached the room where we were, and, the door being opened, in they came.

And now a spectacle presented itself which set the old professor's wits altogether abroad, utterly confounding his ideas for a space, during which he stood with his hands behind his back, gazing blankly at the strangers, with features expressive of amazement, strong curiosity, and complete "nonplussation "-(somebody coined this word, not I)-apparently unwitting what to say, or how to say it, to creatures of so remarkable an exterior.

Never in my life was I witness to a scene so absurd!

Six individuals stood before us, every one to appearance in greater mental tribulation than his neighbor, and all evidently as much at a loss how to begin the palaver as the professor himself. Four of them had faces as black as the Prince of Pandemonium's waistcoat, and their red lips and white eyes appeared to grin a smile at their own ludicrous aspect, which, in spite of a misery their sable features also testified, they could not for their lives suppress. The other two had countenances of a piebald complexion, but were in all other respects in similar plight with their fellows.

Every one sported, beneath his diabolic physiognomy, a snowy-white neckcloth, and had the upper part of his frame enveloped in a roomy, broadskirted coat of the brightest crimson hue, the rest of the apparel consisting of various articles of more or less rustic description.

They stood sliding and shifting about, winking and whispering, and knocking each other's elbows, seemingly at a loss who should be spokesman-now forlornly grimacing, with a mixture of mirth and dismay, as they looked at each other, anon giving a hurried and horrified glance at what they could perceive of their own exteriors.

I could not believe my eyes at first, and acknowledged that for a moment I shared in the doubt and amazement of the professor-I could hardly conceive that our scheme could have been carried to such ludicrous perfection; but when I became cognizant of the full truth, I own that the perspiration came out on my brow, and I felt dizzy with attempts to keep down the shout of laughter that was springing to my mouth. But I had to give way and out it came, to the scandalization of the professor's gravity, who joined with complete abandonment in the "guffaw," being seconded by Bob, and at length by the objects themselves, till the roof echoed again, and the glass apparatus everywhere about quivered and rang to burst after burst of rattling merriment.

The tears ran from our eyes, and holding our sides, we fell against the walls and pillars of the room, till the worthy proff, after many attempts, succeeding in a frown, came out with

"This is too absurd! My good people, who are you-why do you come here-what do you want with ine ?"

"Oh, sir!" cried one, now that the ice was broken, "it's the electricity-the shocks-ye ken, that hae done this to us. Isn't it a dreadfu' sicht? We're no the same men. Think on our wives-they're distracted; our weans are terrified, and rin frae us to hide themselves; our neighbors are mad wi' daffin, and hae lost a' respec' for us. Look at this

noo.

Here he glanced with piteous ogle over his shoulder, at the same time turning half round to bring the gloomy red of his back full into the light, when the strong contrast it presented to his sooty physiognomy was richly perceptible.

"But who are you? that's what I want to know."

"We are the governors of the Drittenbrook Literary and Scientific Institute."

66

Oh, the deuce you are! And what do you want coming here in this ridiculous masquerade ?"

"We want you to change us again--to take your cantrip off us. We have been to the minister for a word o' prayer, but deil a bit the better are we. Oh, sir! for guidsake, take your apparawtus and mak' us as we were before."

"My good friends, I am altogether at a loss to understand what you would be at. Mr. Whyte, can you explain this strange phenomenon?" Bob Whyte thus called upon for an explanation, took his Jacobin club from a nail where it hung, and, catching up an old box from a corner, marched up to the metamorphosed heroes of Drittenbrook. Then staring

them full in the face, and drumming upon the bottom of the box, he commenced whistling, with ear-piercing loudness and amazing glee, the identical tune that had erewhile drawn down upon him their direct hostility, while the professor looked on in astonishment at this unaccountable prank of his assistant, which he was as much at a loss to understand as he had been to see through the other events of the day.

But their conduct was no less remarkable. They started-looked at one another—then at once the recollection and identification of my chum and myself seemed to come upon all their minds with a simultaneous stroke. The sound of his whistling entered like iron into their souls, and, as more loudly and more clearly still he poured the absurd melody upon their ears, they turned with crest-fallen and humiliated demeanor, and, woefully sighing, marched in Indian file one after the other out of the room, unconsciously keeping time to the cadence. As they went along the passage, we sent after them a farewell peal of laughter that must have sounded in their ears like the hiss of old Drury in those of an author whose farce is damned.

Then running to the window, we saw them enter the old rickety postwaggon in which they had come, amid the admiration and entertainment of a group of passers-by who halted around them, unable to make out for dear life who or what such strange looking creatures could be.

"Mr. Whyte," said the professor, turning to us with more anger than I ever else beheld upon his countenance, "I am afraid this is some practical joke of yours. You have been amusing yourself at the expense of these poor people. I trust that, the next thing of the kind you play off, you will have better taste than to involve in it me of all the people in the world. As the thing is, if it come to the knowledge of the Committee of Managers, I would not guarantee your continuing to hold your situation in the university."

But a few days after, when he came down quietly to the workshop to enjoy his pipe, Bob explained to him the whole circumstance, from beginning to end, when he laughed heartily, and averred that the only thing that excited his wonder was, how luck had seemed in everything so much to coincide with our wishes.

As for the sufferers, I never saw them again. I have been informed, however, that the citizens of Drittenbrook since then have become remarkable for civility to strangers, and that the tune and song alluded to have ceased to possess the power of exciting their wrath, but rather seem to have acquired a tendency quite the contrary way.

Reader, forgive the digressive and unconnected nature of this paper. It is like the excursion, and describes a production of youth-vague, extravagant, without rule, and hardly with reason. Yet I cannot consider, that, if chastened under a regular plan, it would have been equally pleasing to you in perusal-I know it would not have been to me in its composition. Its style is as our wanderings were-now wild in its fun, again melting in its sorrow, anon incredible in its absurdity—at one time erring

from the strait path to sketch tree or tower, at another halting to list the tales of others, with which haply, itself has no connexion.

Does it not recall to your memory the recollection of your own early days? and is not the recollection sweet to your mind among the cares of mature life, as is the breath of a hay or clover field to one whirled along the cuts and tunnels of a railway? If I can persuade myself it has this effect upon you, the delight it has afforded to me will be increased tenfold, albeit, whilst the polar star shines upon the scenery of which it is descrip tive, the rays of the southern cross fall upon the paper as I write.

The Eate of the Parricide.

SOMETHING about half a century ago, the inhabitants of "The Thorn," a village on the borders of Wales, remarked the appearance among them of a mendicant, who had never before been observed to frequent that neighborhood. She was a woman, and bore with her a child, whose extreme squalor and unhealthiness of aspect attracted compassion to mingle with the disgust excited by her own filthy and debauched character and appearance. She was tall, thin, and pale. Her clothes were tattered and dirty to an extreme degree, and she was continually in a state of semi-intoxication. Her language, too, and general deportment, were of a most abandoned description,-indeed, such as would have ensured her being stoned out of any orderly place, instead of obtaining charity. But it was the child that was her bread-winner: the poor little thing was so tiny and delicate, so dirty, naked and skinny, and appeared by its looks to feel so acutely the wretchedness of its case, that pieces of copper money were plentifully thrown to them as they sat by the hedge-side-for the road through the village was much used, the Thorn inn being the first stage from a pretty large country town.

The mother used to sit, mechanically repeating over, if she were sober enough, a whining petition for charity, while the little girl crouched to her side, and looked up in the faces of the passengers, her large gray eyes having such a pleading expression that words of pity were copiously bestowed upon her from those who could not afford more substantial indication of their benevolence. She was about four or five years old, and appeared so thin, debilitated, and continually shivering and shrinking, that one wondered how she could stand or walk. It was a most disagreeable sight to look at the sickly, fleshless child, dirty and cold, and the tall, slouching and more filthy and disgusting parent, with her lack-lustre, drunken eye, as they staggered along-the latter frequently stopping to beat the poor unoffending little thing, and she again, taking it all with an

tear.

air of patient resignation, uttering no complaint, hardly even shedding a In fact, the creature was so wasted, that one could scarcely guess where tears in her could have a source. I have said that coppers were liberally bestowed upon them;—all went for liquor, to satisfy the crav ings of the mother; nor this alone-whatever she could lay her hands on, and exchange for money or drink, she recklessly appropriated, stealing útensils even from the outhouses where charitable people were prevailed upon to allow her shelter.

At that time public charity was hardly so strictly managed as now, and this woman was allowed to beg publicly, and even to take possession of two rooms of a dilapidated building about a quarter of a mile distant from the village. In a short time indolence and drunkenness confined her to this place, and her daughter was sent out daily, alone, to beg for their support. The disgust of the woman's presence being removed, people began to question the child. They found her remarkably intelligent and sagacious, and very grateful for such little kindnesses as housewives were disposed to grant her. Her name was Leah, she said, Leah Meriel; her father had been a soldier, but she had no recollection, save of being carried about to beg.

This child displayed a singular desire for instruction, collecting together all sorts of ballads, printed notices, and such things, and being mightily pleased when any one would take the trouble to name to her the letters, and show her how to join them into words. The gift of an old book, torn and boardless, delighted her; if it contained pictures, she was in ecstacies; and things like these she hoarded up in a corner of the old building, where, when the weary travail of the day was over, and her brutal mother sunk in drunken senselessness, they served her for companions and playmates.

A year passed, and she became better known about the district. She was now more warmly clad, and a little taller, but still exceedingly thin, wan, and unhealthy, with a look of care on her sickly, childish features, most unnatural and unpleasant to see. She never affected the society of children of her own age, or mingled, or would have been allowed to mingle in their play. They were her enemies; by them the poor, frail beggar-child was hunted and stoned. She more desired the company of grown-up women, and would hold lengthy and serious conversations with them at times, not a little to their amusement. From such traits, as well as from her loathsome appearance, she began to be called, by most in thoughtlessness, but by some in earnest, a fairy changeling, and the name Fairy Leah attached itself to her thenceforward.

But there was one place to which, in her daily round of bitterness, she drew near with a feeling of something that surely was pleasure. It was a large house, inhabited by the paper-manufactory of Whitestream, from which most of the inhabitants of the Thorn derived their bread. Here she was always sure of copper coin, haply some cast-off clothing, or cold dainties of the table; but the chief charm was, that the young master, a quiet, studious boy, would come to the drawing-room window, and amuse himself by holding long discussions with her. To him she was indebted for explanation of the mystery of old English and German letters, and for