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Having provided for the ladies, we took the liberty of borrowing some dry mattresses, our own being completely soaked, and threw ourselves down on them in the hall on the ground floor in which we had supped.

carubba, and the large berried juniper or oxyædrus, are also abundant in this smiling vale. From Cinisi to Murodi Carini, the ancient Hyccara, celebrated as the birth-place of the famous courtezan Lais, is about four As the house was full of furniture, contain- miles. From hence we proceeded to the ing immense wardrobes, chests of drawers, town of Carini, a small place, but beautifully and other valuable property in most of the situated on an elevation overlooking some of chambers, we were inclined to believe that it the richest country in Sicily. We reposed could not have been left without a custode. here during the heat, and, in the evening, Pasquale next day told us he was pretty sure passed on to Capaci, a charming spot, on a there were people in the house, who had pro- hill towering over the Pianura di Campo bably taken us for robbers, and kept them- Pietro. From Capaci we rode about four selves concealed until our departure; in fact, miles through the lovely and luxuriant Conca we perceived signs in the kitchen, of the man- d'oro, to the magnificent capital of Sicily, and sion having been very lately occupied; per- were conducted by the Count to his Palazzo haps the keeper may have been accidentally in Via Macqueda, where we were hospitably absent at the time-he must have been sur-entertained for the space of ten days, beyond prised on his return to find what tenants had introduced themselves in his absence; certain it is, we neither saw nor heard any one except our own party.

In the morning, having put every thing in order, cleaned the apartments, and left a polite note for the proprietor of the house, with a handsome present for his servants, we made all secure, Pasquale fastening the door and retiring by the window as he entered, we resumed our course, highly delighted by the romantic adventures of the preceding evening. The stormy night, which had been succeeded by a tranquil and lovely morning, had served to refresh the air, and to double the pleasure of this day's journey. As our guides had conjectured, we found that we had mistaken the road. We now soon regained the right path, and proceeding through a spacious and fertile plain, reached Castelamare, a town containing four thousand inhabitants, which gives its name to a deep bay, formed by the points of San Vito and Sferracavallo, at the bottom of which it is situated. Alcamo, a thriving place, reckoning ten thousand souls, lies under Mount Bonifato; it is of Moorish origin, and indebted for its existence to Alcamach, a Saracen general, who A. D. 827, founded a city on Mount Bonifato, which was afterwards destroyed by Frederic II., who built another at the foot of the same mountain, transporting to it the inhabitants of the former, who gave it the same name. The adjacent country is very rich in olive I also noticed the myrtle-leaved sumach in great quantity. Partenico, posted at the mouth of the valley so called, is a neat little town, it is the ancient Parthenicon. From this place to Valguarnera, a village built on an eminence called Raccali, we rode through the Val Partenico to the shore. We had some thoughts of sleeping at this place, but hearing that the air was far from good, we took up our quarters about a mile farther on, at a village to which we were recommended by the gentleman to whom we brought letters at Valguarnera; but we were by no means so well lodged as on the foregoing evening.

groves;

We breakfasted next morning at Cinisi, a small town situated in a fine and fertile vale, at the foot of Monte dell' Ursa, rich alike in vines, corn, and olives. The manna tree, the

which, our stay in the island being limited, we were unable to remain; we then took leave of our kind and esteemed friends, the urbanity of whose manners, and the charms of whose society, will never be effaced from my recollection.

LE TAILLEUR ET LA FÉE.

DANS ce Paris plein d'or et de misère,
En l'an du Christ mille sept cent quatre vingt,
Chez un tailleur, mon pauvre et vieux grandpère,
Moi nouveau né, sachez ce qui m'advint.
Rien ne prédit la gloire d'un Orphée,

A mon berceau qui n'était pas de fleurs,
Mais mon grandpère accourant à mes pleurs,
Et cette fée avec de gais refrains
Me trouve un jour dans les bras d'une fée;

IN

Calmait les cris de ines premiers chagrins.

THE TAILOR AND THE FAIRY.

Paris' motley city, you must know,
A tailor lived, my grandsire was the man,
And in his house some fifty years ago,

The varied history of my life began.
Nought then foretold the future Orpheus' fame;
No flowers around my cradle flung their charms,
Till first I cried, and then my grandsire came,

And found his nursling in a fairy's arms:
And the kind fairy, with a magic lay,
Lulled all my cries and charmed my tears away.
The good old man, with some anxiety,

Then asked how fate my future course would
mark,

The sprite replied, "The infant first will be

A

Boots at an inn, then printer, then a clerk ;*
thunderbolt will strike him from the skies,
But all anxiety at once dismiss,
For Heaven will spare him, and the boy will rise
To brave all other storms as well as this.

"All the delights that joyous youth afford

Shall wake his lyre to cheer the midnight hour; Your grandson's songs shall bless the poor man's board,

And give a zest to opulence and power.

* Garcon d'auberge, imprimeur, commis voyageur.

But future wrongs the poet's fire will check,
His country's glory, freedom, all will go,
Still like a seaman who escapes the wreck,
He will survive to tell his tale of woe."

Then thus the tailor-" Must my grandson be
Maker of patchwork poetry? Why, zounds!
Better by far to sit and stitch like me,

Than like an echo, die in idle sounds."*

"Bah!" said the sprite, "a truce to useless fear;
A wreath of bays shall grace your grandson's
head,

Each song he sings some Gallic heart shall cheer,
And soothe the tears our hapless exiles shed."
Thus the kind fairy, with her magic lay,
Lulled all my cries and charmed my tears away.
JOHN WARING.

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High throned all height above," was perfectly shut out from my view as I walked briskly along Regent Street. The pavement offered no sure resting-place for the sole of my feet, and the ludicrously earnest looks of those I met, who were sprawling about like shell-shod cats, testified to the difficulty of advancing. I wended on, however, with many internal execrations, until I found myself immediately behind a lady-form of peculiar grace, as far as I could judge; and the spirit-demon, if you will-of curiosity, suggested that it would be advisable to obtain a view of her face. I pushed forward, when suddenly the lady placed her tiny foot upon a more lubricated spot than common, slipped, and I do not precisely know what she might have broken, had I not received her in my arms. As it was, she only broke my watchglass. This, I think, a most orthodox and interesting way of beginning a story.

body; and, as the lady is now my wife, the
disclosure would be particularly impertinent.
At that time, however, I had far more idea of
extending my connections than of falling in
St.
love, and so, upon reaching No.
James's Street, I merely begged to be al
lowed to inquire after Miss Emily
other day, threw my card to the porter, and
proceeded to attend the King's Majesty at
Westminster.

an

Lying, more meo, "twixt sleep and wake," the following morning, meditating the operations of the day, I remembered the occurrence I have mentioned, and the recollection fairly awoke me. Having waited till a decent hour for appearing abroad, and having inflicted a respectable but decisive knock (an acquirement not easily gained) upon the door of the house aforesaid, I was admitted without hesitation. The owner of the mansion, Sir Fitzroy -, was seated in his library, and upon my entrance, thought proper to express his particular obligations for the service I had rendered his niece. All due and civil things having been said, the Baronet, for he was no less, requested me to permit him to write a note of some importance; and while he was thus engaged, I had leisure to mark the features of a distinguished leader of fashionable society. That he had succeeded to the title and family estates on the sudden death of his brother, who, with Sir Fitzroy, was at the time engaged on a continental tour, I had learned through the ordinary newspaper channels. But I was a little surprised at his appearance, and indeed was puzzled to account for the deepened furrows on the brow of a man whom the baronetage told me could not be more than thirty. A full formed and noble figure, and a piercing eye, which lit up handsome, though not extraordinary, features, and I have mentioned all that struck me in Sir Fitzroy We parted, when he gave me an unlimited invitation to his house, a permission I was not slack to use. I must pass over the next year and a half, during which time I was a frequent visitor in St. James's Street, and Sir Fitzroy had more than once called upon me, and indeed entrusted to me some matters of small moment, and proceed to an extract from my "Minute-Book" of the 12th of May, 183—. Sir Fitzroy was announced. He took a seat, and we conversed for some time upon indifferent matters, when the newspaper caught his eye.

"Any news to-day, Mr. R- -?" and he glanced along the columns, when something I hope it will not be supposed that I was arrested his gaze, apparently agitating him walking abroad because I had nothing to do much. He rushed to the window, and seemed at home. This is a conjecture particularly to re-read the passage, and, as if to be assured disadvantageous to a young solicitor, and of its reality, he more than once passed his therefore I need say no more on that head. hand before his eyes. The next minute he Having replaced the object of my attentions threw down the journal, snatched up his hat, on her feet, I took the liberty of presenting and wishing me a hasty farewell, said, “I my arm, and of escorting her to the house she must be off to the continent instantly," and named as her residence. What we said to left the house. each other during the walk, can concern no

* Mourir en vains sons.

I took up the paper to endeavor to discover what had so disconcerted him; the mark of his nail had been violently impressed against

the following lines, an extract from a foreign journal.

66

The body of the English gentleman, Mr. Hawker, who disappeared so mysteriously about two months ago, has been found by some fishermen in the Lake of Gerouinne. It is supposed the unfortunate person had been bathing, and had incautiously ventured beyond his depth," &c. &c.

Of course, the effect of this notice upon Sir Fitzroy was a perfect mystery to me, by no means explained by a note from Emily, received the same evening, which was to ascertain whether I could give her any account of her uncle, who had not returned to St. James's Street since the morning. The following day I made an inquiry at his banker's, where I found that he had entered apparently in great mental distress immediately on leaving me, and had drawn a considerable sum of money. Beyond this I could obtain no clue. Further measures were rendered unnecessary by this note, put into my hand by a very muddy courier, towards three o'clock.

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Well," thought I, "this is a singular thing." This was no very original idea, but it was my first. "I am here in goal, with my Emily's uncle, (I have spared my readers my love story,) who is imprisoned on a charge of murder, and with whom, three nights ago, I was playing at chess in St. James's Street:" so I sat down to listen, not knowing what else to do. Sir Fitzroy told

"MY DEAR SIR,-Pray come to me instant- his story with an unbroken calmness of voice, ly.

"Wednesday."

"F.

but his eye was as restless as the reflected light that sparkles from water on the wall.

"You know that I accompanied my brother, who was nearly twenty years my senior, in the journey to Geneva, in which he died, but I believe I never told you that, both before we set out and while travelling, some serious differences arose between us. I insisted upon taking with me my servant, or rather page, an incumbrance he violently opposed while he knew this person was a mere attendant. But I carried my point, and the affair wore off, until on reaching Paris, Sir Frederic accidentally discovered that my page was neither more nor less than a female. He was himself a man of staid, and what he termed moral habits, and his wrath at such a dereliction of duty on my part knew no bounds. The alternative he offered me was an instant separation from Anna Crosby or from himself, and he hinted at wills and settlements. You know I am not fond of listening to dictation, and I answered him in his own way. We were both exceedingly loud, and attracted the attention of some other persons in the hotel, and "—

I am accustomed to obey instructions when I find it convenient to do so, and after a hard ride of four hours, I found myself before the prison from which Sir Fitzroy's note was dated, exactly ten minutes too late for admission that night. In vain did I exert my eloquence upon the keeper, he was inflexible; and a golden key only opened his lips so far that he promised to send my card up to the Baronet. This he did; and I was fain to betake myself to mine inn and order dinner, having first ascertained that I could see Sir Fitzroy at ten in the morning. The time passed even more dully than time at a country inn generally passes. It had been fair day at and while waiting for my meal, I watched the smockfrocks and straw hats till I thought them the most hideous garb in the world; and when the smoked chops and inky port of mine host of the Carp and Candlesnuffers did arrive, I fear my temper delighted not much the bedizened Blowsalinda who brought them. Then the night; but I must forget this, atleast upon paper; and suffice it to say, that ten o'clock "I beg your pardon for this interruptionfound me at the prison-gate. After some may I ask whether your feelings towards difficulty I was ushered into the dark, ill-your protégée were concerned in this quarrel?" furnished apartment, which the Baronet's My pride was, I rather think-nothing manner, and probably his purse, had pro- else; for the girl was a great plague, had cured him. Sir Fitzroy was seated at a forced herself upon me in the journey, and little table, scoring figures in the dust, which compelled me to let her accompany us, and I had apparently rested there for months. On should, at another time, have been glad of a my entrance he started with some nervous- good excuse for giving her up. But of course, ness, but rose to welcome me with as much under such circumstances, I chose to resist cordiality as I had ever seen in his drawing- my brother's orders, and he worked himself room in town. into a most violent passion. After a hasty supper he retired to bed, and died in the night." "It was very sudden."

"Ah! this is kind, R. You did not think of finding me here when we parted yesterday."

"Indeed I did not. What, in heaven's name, does this mean?"

66

"Very," said Sir Fitzroy, looking steadily at me. "I then, of course, took the necessary steps for proving his death, and

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finding he had left your little friend Emily woman's deposition were true, nay, if I even almost unprovided for, I soon afterwards imagined adopted her. In doing this, it was of course necessary that I should get rid of my torment, Miss Crosby, a thing I was by no means sorry to do. I therefore pensioned her off, (after tears, and threats, and protestations on her part, too numerous to mention, as auctioneers say,) through an English gentleman at Paris, named Hawker, who has lately died."

"Hawker!” said I, my mind reverting to the newspaper," What, Sir Fitzroy, disturbed you so much on reading the account of that gentleman's death?"

"Enough, my dear sir, I fully believe you, and but for my having such confidence I should not have permitted, shall I say, sanctioned your visits to the daughter of this very brother whom I am accused of -" and Sir Fitzroy leaned his head upon his hands, and I fancied he wept.

I immediately took the requisite measures for the defence. The trial would take place at the ensuing assizes, which were fixed for about a month from his arrest. The reader would find little interest in a detail of my operations, conducted, as they were, under the eye of the great who, with two other men of much talent, were secured for the trial. They did not allow a single doubt on their case to exist for a moment, and Sir Fitzroy was equally confident.

"Sir!" said the baronet, in a loud voice, "I am not accustomed to be cross-examined. Pooh-ah-I beg your pardon,' he continued, instantly changing his tone, "forgive me; the fact is, he was an old and dear friend, and his loss startled me a good deal. Pray, may II visited him on the evening before the judges ask how you discovered the paragraph to be the cause of my emotion?" "You marked it with your nail, Sir Fitzroy," said I, coldly.

"Did I strange. But I must tell you, that as I was on the very eve of sailing for Calais the other day, in order to follow my friend's body to the grave, I was arrested on the charge-you will hardly believe it-of murder of the murder of my brother."

"Of Sir Frederic -!" L'exclaimed in the utmost surprise. The words came upon me like a sudden blow. I had almost expected to hear of the removal of the baronet's mistress, even by violence, but for this, I was totally unprepared.

66

Ay, of fratricide; and the charge made by the ungrateful viper, Crosby: why, I cannot in the faintest way imagine; and what she can dream of adducing as proofs, I am equally at a loss to conceive: we must do something, however."

"I will instantly send a retainer to Sir and a request that he will come down. What the wit of man can do in such a case, he will advise. What magistrate committed you? I will write for the depositions?"

"I obtained a copy as a personal favorthey are here."

I looked through the papers; it was explicit and direct, charging Sir Fitzroy with the murder of his elder brother, by poison, at the Hotel, Rue des Cranbouges, Paris, and signed by Anna Crosby. I looked at Sir Fitzroy.

arrived, and was much assured by the calm way in which he criticised the points of his defence, and by the preparations he spoke of for leaving immediately. We parted for the night to meet again in the court.

None but those who have been actually éngaged, know the fierce excitement of a court of justice. Even in mere questions of land and money, the interest in the decision is immense, and its evidences-flush and paleness

succeed each other with harrowing quickness, not only in the faces of the contending parties, but even in those of men more remotely concerned. But this can be nothing to the emotions raised in a court of criminal law, where, upon a single sentence, may depend the life or death of a fellow-being. I, for one, have never been able to acquire the hardened indifference sneered at by modern writers as the hired advocate's badge, nor do I believe in its existence to any extent. "The court was convened, the counsel were met, The judges all ranged a terrible show."

The building was crowded to excess, and after the usual formalities, Sir Fitzroy was placed at the bar. I was rejoiced that his case was the first. His step was firm, and his whole demeanor that of decided confidence of his acquittal. The crown council commenced his speech with professions of grief at the painful duty on his hands, and concluded an able harangue of two hours by calling Anna Crosby. A very beautiful woman appeared in the witness-box, whose charms, though somewhat faded by time, had lingered sufficiently long to show what she was in youth, and would be till age had far advanced. Her evidence did not differ much from her depositions. I fancied that a residence beneath a foreign sky had given something of foreign energy and animation to her manner. So clearly and admirably "Sir Fitzroy "said I, “whatever I did she tell her story, that the opposite advodo in this matter, and I will do all for you cate with much address abstained from inthat can be done, must be fairly and openly terrupting her by questions, and the interest performed; and I tell you further, that if I in court was intense, as she turned to Sir had the slightest suspicion that this wretched Fitzroy, who was leaning with much compo

"What think you of it?"

"It is clear and straightforward, and evidently the work of no novice."

"There is one thing occurs to me," said the baronet, "this Crosby,-would it not be the shortest and safest method to get her out of the way at once?"

while

"Will Sir Fitzroy

deny this ?" The paper was handed to the court, and while the venerable judge was looking through it, both Sir- and I turned to the prisoner. His lip quivered; he was ashy pale; he leaned against the front of the box for support-he had recognised the paper.

"You have but half instructed us, Sir Fitzroy," said the advocate, who instantly saw how matters stood, in a tone which, though low and confidential, was expressive of the deepest reproach.

"I-I-had forgotten this. Save me, save me, Sir save me, gentlemenmy fortune is yours-I-let me see the document?" he exclaimed in a loud voice—“ a forgery, no doubt, well worthy of the producer."

sure against the side of the prisoner's box, upon her,) holding out the document the and with sparkling eyes and finger pointed at the baronet, she exclaimed"Yes, you, Sir Fitzroy you who, by false oaths, and promises you determined to break even while you were uttering them, enticed me from a mother's roof to ruin and ignominy, who caused the transportation of my only brother for having presumed to question your treatment of his sister,-who, weary of the victim when she had lost the power to amuse you, cast me off to one of your libertine associates in exchange for a release from a gambling debt,-who again endeavored to be rid of me by more violent means in the streets of Boulogne,-who allowed the pension fear had wrung from you to be discontinued, little dreaming that I should escape starvation to impeach you here, -you, Sir Fitzroy are now before a tribunal of your own country for murder-for The paper was given him. He looked at the murder of a brother-for a murder you every line as if with intent to discover the dare not deny. The poison that destroyed falsehood, and I observed he brought it, by a him you obtained long before that night,-you very natural motion, nearer his eyes. Feigncarried it about you concealed in the hollow ing to look at a particular word more closely, of a pencil case, and on the evening of your he folded back the note, for such it seemed, so last quarrel with your brother you drew that as to reduce it to a small compass, and made pencil out, on pretence of sending a note for a most rapid effort to thrust it into his mouth. me: as he turned his head you threw the I clasped my hands in agony at his folly-it powder into his glass. I knew what would was vain, for the wary officer near him had be the result of Sir Frederic's having discov- anticipated his purpose, seized his arm, and ered my sex-I was watching you deny it the document was rescued. This action of if you dare." the prisoner's must have much altered the matter, had not the sessions-house clock at that moment struck one.

And what effect could this have had upon the trial? says a gentle reader, should I be so fortunate as to find one. Why, my dear young lady, you are perhaps not aware that at that hour the judge of an English court retires for five minutes to refresh himself with a glass of wine, the counsel crack jokes,-the attorneys stretch themselves, and open the papers of sandwiches with which their affectionate wives have lined their pockets,-and the public in general, in the hall of justice assembled, elbows and pushes its individual members unawed by the majestic solemnity of the ermine robe. In these five minutes, the aspect of affairs was changwith that forethought

A half suppressed laugh from Sir Fitzroy followed this speech. It was instantly checked by a look from his leading counsel, who inquired whether the crown had any other witnesses. The reply was in the negative, and Sir proceeded to cross-examine Anna Crosby. She underwent a most searching and rigid inquiry without varying in a single particular, and after a fruitless attempt to confuse or disconcert her, the acute advocate sat down, and Sir Fitzroy was called upon for his defence. It is well known, that though the forms of law, do not permit the prisoner's counsel to argue in his behalf, the written defence read by the prisoner is composed for him under the very best advice. The Baronet, in a tone sometimes slightly varied by an expression of the deepest con- ed. Sir tempt for his accuser, commented on her for which he is to this day remarkable, had character, her long-delayed testimony, and come into court provided for the very worst, every other point we had imagined could and thought justly offended at the half conbear upon the case. He concluded, after fidence reposed in him by Sir Fitzroy, dehinting at the fact of his having adopted the termined to make a last effort in his client's daughter of his alleged victim, by an impas- behalf. He beckoned my clerk to him,—a sioned appeal to the breasts of those before whisper succeeded, and the young man diswhom he stood, much in the style which long covered that he had deposited his hat in a practice has shown to be most availing with corner of the court which was only attainmen, who, with all their differences, have able by passing through the jury-box. The been of the same blood and passions in every bystanders supposed that Sir age. The defence produced a decisive im- had intrusted him with a number of letters pression, and the judge was about to sum up, for the post, for after tumbling among the when the witness, Crosby, drew a small piece legs of the twelve wise men more than once, of paper from her bosom, on which a few Mr. Hendon appeared to have accomplished pencilled lines appeared, and rushing up to his purpose in obtaining his hat and leaving the box, exclaimed rather in a scream of rage, the hall. than aught of ordinary speech, (for the bitter sarcasms of the prisoner had not been lost

The learned baron re-entered, summed up the evidence, and having alluded to the sin

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