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woke like the larks refreshed for the morning's duties, Peter's voice was missing. His mother drew the latch of his sleeping room-she entered-it was empty. She shrieked, and the old man, who had descended to the weaving room, for the purpose of breaking up a faggot, hearing her, left the half lit fire, and met her, falling and fainting in his arms. Not imagining, at the momentary impulse, the real cause, he called loudly for his son-but hearing no reply, feared the worst. As soon as Nelly was brought to, their eyes seemed to inquire, what has become of their dear, poor Peter!-They searched round about, and looked among their neighbours in vain. None could give any information respecting Peter. All the folks, so deeply interested were they for his welfare, set their feet in all directions. Three days and corres ponding nights' anxieties and bewailings were unhappily employed to no purpose. Some affirmed that he had gone after the soldiers and was enlisted; while others said, Ah! poor Peter was too good to be long in this world." A week had elapsed, and the old couple were wearing out their sands of existence with the most silent and sure expedition, when the squire's gamekeeper entering, disturbed their calm meditations, by informing them "poor Peter was found!" They rose at one impulse, and looked unutterable wildness, when they asked, "Alive?" "Nay; not exactly so," said the gamekeeper, humanely softening down their calamity"This dog," patting the unconscious animal, yes, Carlo discovered him as I was out shooting this morning round the castle. By the aid of Tom the shepherd, we dragged poor Peter out of the mire, and he was at peace' when we left him, and his lodging, poor fellow, is on the cold, cold ground!" Here he wiped away a tear, and his anditors trembled in dumb distraction.

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True was the account, and soon realized in all its bearings. But it would be tedious to narrate the subsequent effects of an endearing son lost, and a humble and heart-broken pair of selfaccusing parents, who, in their utter despair, attributed the fatal result from their filling their son's head with fantasms they could not explain. Though the old couple went out of time without an elucidation of the cause of the Will o' the Wisp; yet, in after years, the rising generations met with a full proof of it. But no sooner was Peter buried

than, of course, his ghost was seen wantonly attacking the Will o' the Wisp here and there about the castle's site. This was not all-whoever ventured that way over the bridge by moonlight could see the youth's form distinctly musing over the place of his death. Nay, more-his voice could be heard (so it was said) distinctly in the lapse of the cadent waters, accenting the melancholy tones of "Poor Peter!"

A literary gentleman, in the vicinity' of Castle Coombe, determined to realise the truth, or dispel the fiction of Poor Peter's posthumous interposition. By repeated visits near the spot, he first accounted for the actual presence of the Will o' the Wisp; and, secondly, proved, by the removal of the stump of a tree from the spot, that Peter's ghost ceased to inhabit it with an untoned spell. This tree, certainly, before it was plucked up as a brand, resembled a form in shade, by moonlight only, of a human being. We are, therefore, bound to demonstrate the agents, ere we fix our belief in the subject of the departed returning to our mortal career for no apparent cause than feeding credulity, and wrapping the mantle of ignorance round the half-cowled terrors of superstition.

Varieties.

AMERICAN TAVERNERS.-A six foot Kentuckian was not long since travelling in the interior of Pennsylvania, when he put up for the night at a Dutch tavern, where he was excessively annoyed by those tormentors of human flesh and blood which, time out of mind, have been the peculiar denizens of unclean beds." In the morning, when the rest of his fellow-passengers had paid their fare, our Kentuckian stepped up to the landlord, and in a voice of thunder inquired the price of beef in that vicinity. "De price of beef?" responded the half frightened and half wonderstruck tavern-keeper. Yes, what is beef a pound in your village?" "Why tish, let me see now-tish sixpence de pound." "Here, then," said the Kentuckian, "take that," at the same time throwing down on the counter a silver dollar, "Dat! and vat ish dat for, Mynheer six footer ?" "Half of it is for my bed and board, and half to purchase beef." Beef!-for vat?”— "For the d-d hungry bugs in your beds-they came near eating me up alive-look here, and here, and here!' said he, at the same time shewing the

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bites and marks of blood on his face, arms, and legs, "Do you mean to insinivate that my beds are buggy!" said the landlord, stepping round in a great passion. "Buggy! to be sure I do; and that you are but one door off from being a murderer: had it been a thin consumptive fellow that had slept where I did last night, instead of me, he would have been a dead man before morning; and to guard against such a catastrophe, I make a present to you of that money buy beef with it, and feed your bugs every night before putting any body into your beds." The Dutchinan was forced to submit to the joke, the Kentuckian all the while looking fiercely at him in the face, and keeping as cool and determined as if it were a case of life and death.

New York Constellation. THE GAME OF THE TINKELER'S SHOP as played in West Cornwall :

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"A large iron pot, with a mixture of soot and water, is placed in the middle of the room, one of the party acts as master of the shop, having a small mop in his left hand, and a short stick in his right, as his comrades have also; each of these assumes a name, as Old Vulcan, Mend-all, Tear'em, All-my-men, &c. They all kneel down round the vessel; the master cries out, "Every one and I;" they then all hammer away as fast as they can, some with ridiculous grimaces; the master suddenly cries out, "All-ny-men and I," "Mend-all and 1," or any other name he chooses, upon which all are to cease working, except the individual named. If any of them fail in attending to this, they are treated with a salute from the mop, well soaked in the sable liquid; and as the master contrives to puzzle them by frequently changing the names, and sometimes calling two or three together, the faces of most of the party are soon reduced to a state that would make even Warren's jet blacking look pale with envy.

CURIOUS SOUTH AMERICAN PAINTING OF THE LAST SUPPER.-Here the cherubins and seraphims have undergone a terrible degradation, for instead of being represented, as is usual, in heaven, they are figuring as cooks and scullions. They are drawn as all head and wings, but busily employed:-one is scouring a dish in a kind of mo dern European kitchen; another is blowing the fire in the Spanish man

nera a third is frying eggs; in the back-ground some are officiating as waiters, handling the plates, and making all necessary preparations.

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THE SMOKING DOCTOR. Dr. Aldrich's excessive love of smoking was well known to his associates; but a young student of his college, finding some difficulty to bring a fellow-col legian to the belief of it, laid him a wager, that the dean, Aldrich, was smoking at that time (about ten o'clock in the morning). Away went the latter to the deanery. After being admitted to the dean in his study, he related the occasion of his visit. The dean, instead of being disconcerted, replied in perfect good humour, "you see your friend has lost his wager, for I am not smoking, but only filling my pipe." The story, however, is not quite correctly told; the wager was, that the dean was either smoking, stopping, or filling his pipe. The parties called on him, and he who made the bet immediately exclaimed, "I have lost my wager, I perceive;" for the doctor was not smoking but had his hand in his waistcoat pocket, "You have won it," said the dean, to whom the matter had been explained, "for," said he, withdrawing his hand from its place of concealment, “ I am filling my pipe at this very moment," his pocket being his tobacco-box.

TOADS--The common toad, which is generally esteemed the most loathsome of British reptiles, and which boys too often heedlessly pelt with stones, as if it were a creature injurious to mankind, is an animal of considerable use in the economy of nature, being evidently created for the purpose of destroying and clearing away worms and other small vermin which would injure vegetation. The character of this inoffensive creature has recently been well described by Mr. Fothergill, a naturalist. "The common food of the toad (says he,) is small worms, and insects of every description but its favourite food consists of bees and wasps. When a toad strikes any of these insects, however, deglutition does not immediately take place, as in other cases, but the mandibles remain closely compressed for a few seconds, in which time the bee or wasp is killed, and all danger of being stung avoided. The mandibles are provided with two protuberances, which appeared to be des tined for this office. Although capable of sustaining long abstinence, the toad is a voracious feeder when opportunity offers. To a middle-sized one the writer has given nine wasps, one immediately after another; the tenth it refused, but in the afternoon of the same day it took eight more. To see the toad dis

necessary to discover it in its place of of ground in the Strand, within the

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ERRATA In the article on the Panorama of Stirling in our 20th Number, for vernalries,' read vernalries-for lurid' read lucid-and for roads' read walls.

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Hlustrated Article.

THE SPECTRE OF THE MIST.*

Ar a coffee-house in London I became acquainted with a gentleman whose singular life is worthy of being related. From the first moment I felt interested in the stranger; the naval uniform, and his handsome sunburnt countenance, showed he had visited foreign climes. We generally dined at the same table, but seldom addressed each other. A circumstance, however, brought us intimately acquainted. In disposition had for some time confined me to my apartment; when I returned to the coffee-room I found my friend in his usual place. He welcomed me with a kind smile, saying, "You have been a long time absent, sir; I am afraid you have been unwell; and indeed, from your paleness, I fear you suffer still." The restraint which at first existed between us being thus removed, we soon became intimate, and the more I saw of my new friend, the

* From the United Service Journal. VOL. X.

See page 357

more I esteemed the qualities both of his head and heart. One day he invited me to take a sail with him as far as Greenwich, and we soon reached that noble hospital, which is a refuge for more than 2,000 i invalid seamen. We had scarcely entered the court, when I observed that the eyes of my companion were anxiously in search of some one. With hasty steps he approached an old sailor, with snow-white hair and a weather-beaten countenance, who was seated on a bench warming himself in the sun. The moment the old man saw the captain, he instantly rose and touched his hat. old shipmate," said the captain," you seem to be lying quietly at anchor here; you have tumbled into a secure and peaceful haven after the storms of life."

Why, my

Thanks to my king and to you, sir," said the old man, with a cheerful smile, while he again resumed his seat, "** still sail with a fair wind, and hope to enjoy a few more years yet in this quiet haven. This day twenty-five years since," he continued, with a significant wink, "6 we little thought to live to see

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this day, or to reach such a secure port, and to think that I still sail with a fair, wind, and have anchorage in this good haven here to rest from all my toils and cares, is more than I could have looked for. Take it not amiss that I speak thus freely; but our meeting this day brings back many a long yarn." "Yes, yes, Tomkins," said the captain, "this day twenty-five years since was a dreadful day; and I would not have given sixpence for either of our lives; but courage and firmness often overcome danger, as the Spectre found who so obstinately persisted in taking up his quarters with us." Tomkins gave a significant nod in reply; and my friend having spoken a few words aside to the old sailor, slipped some money into his hand, and we left him.

On our return my friend informed me that Tomkins had served many years under him; that he was steady and faithful and that he owed to him his life. This account gave me a desire to hear more of his history, and I requested my friend to gratify me. "Yes," said my companion with a thoughtful look, it is indeed a wonderful story, of which I have never yet spoken; but to you, my young friend, I will confide what has never yet crossed my lips :"About twenty-five years since I served as lieutenant on board the Minerva. Our ship had gone as convoy to some merchant vessels bound to Canton, and it was our intention to return the same way as soon as they had taken in their lading. The season was far advanced, and we were prepared to encounter many dangers. The captain, of the Minerva was of a stern and determined character, and so obstinate that he would listen to no one's advice. Avarice was his ruling passion; and from this vice the crew suffered great privations, as he never laid in stores sufficient for the voyage, but trusted to receiving a supply from the merchantvessels should it be required, without reflecting that if we were to be separated from them, our situation would indeed be dreadful. As we lay at anchor at Java, I thought it my duty to warn the captain of what might take place; but he replied that it was no business of mine to meddle in matters that did not concern me; and that unless I wished to bring punishment upon myself, I would instantly desist from my impertinent interference. Upon this I was silent; and although we had the fruitful coast of Java before our eyes, yet no one dared approach the island.

At length we put to sea, and sailed between Sumatra and Malacca, through the dangerous straits. Here it was that our captain showed his skill and courage. With the greatest ability he piloted us through the numerous rocks and sand-banks by which we were encircled, and the merchant-vessels followed in our course. We safely passed the dangerous sound; but we had hardly reached the open sea, when a dreadful storm arose, which raged during the whole of the night. Our vessel, though good, and strongly built, yet sustained some damage, though fortunately not of much consequence. But you may ima. gine our horror, when daylight broke, on finding that the ships under convoy had all disappeared. Not a sail was to be seen. For the first time, the captain seemed anxious and discomposed. All on board were aware that the cutter had only provisions for a few days; the evil which I had anticipated had now overtaken us; and with one voice the crew insisted that we should return, and procure provisions at the first port. This proposal recalled the captain to himself. A dark shade overspread his countenance, while, with a voice of thunder, he exclaimed, Silence, every man of you! The first who dares to murmur, I shall hang at the yard-arın. I know my duty; I command here; my orders shall be obeyed, though every soul should go to the bottom." To this none had the courage to reply. I myself could not but wonder at this bold speech.

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"For some days we continued to cruise in the Eastern Ocean, without meeting a single sail, and always receding from the coast. The daily rations at length were so diminished that, from exhaustion, the crew were disabled from working the ship. I now remarked that the captain had become extremely irritable; his countenance alternately changed from the flush of fever to the paleness of death. The orders which he formerly issued with determination, were now given with intemperance, and if not instantly obeyed, the crew were severely punished. Amongst others, Tomkins was harshly punished for a very trifling fault; but on my remarking that this was from the effects of fever, he thought no more of the matter. The same day, the captain died. His body was the first that was food for the fishes; but many were to follow. Already had the Spirit of Destruction marked us for his prey.

"After the captain's death, I assumed

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