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"Why, then, mum," added Colin, "I heard Palethorpe kissing you as hard as he could.”

"Kissing me!-kissing me, you young rascal!" and the face of Miss Sowersoft became as red as the gills of one of her own turkey. cocks at the discovery. "If you dare to say such a thing as that again, I'll strip the very skin off your back,—I will, you caitiff! Kissing me, indeed! A pretty tale to tell, as ever I heard!"

"I'm sure it's true," blubbered the boy; "for I heard it ever so many times."

"Oh!" exclaimed the virtuous Miss Sowersoft," so we have got it out of you at last. What!-your mother has set you to watch your mistress, has she? That's all her schooling, is it? But Mr. Pale. thorpe shall learn you to spy about this house,―he shall, you dog! That worthy was now about to pounce upon his victim, but was again arrested by his mistress.

"Stop, stop!—we have not done yet," pulling the letter before mentioned from her bosom; "there is a pretty budget here, I'll be bound to say. After such as this, we may expect anything. There is nothing too bad for him."

While Palethorpe held the culprit fast by one hand, and the lantern in the other, he and Miss Sowersoft enjoyed the high gratification of perusing together the authenticated letter which follows:

"DEAR MOTHER AND FANNY,

6

"As I promised to write if they would not let me come on Sunday, which they did not do, I take this opportunity after tea to tell you all about it. I like this house very well, and have caught fourteen rats with traps of my own setting, besides helping Abel to shoot foomards, which he fired at, and I looked on while. I can harness a horse and curry him down already. But when I first got here I did not think I should like it at all, as Palethorpe flew at me like a yard-dog because I spoke to him, and Miss Sowersoft was mangling, and as cross as patch. I did think of co:ning home again; but then I said to myself, Well, I'll lay a penny if I do, mother will send me back; so it will be of no use, and I shall have my walk for nothing.' I do not like mistress a bit. When she was at our house, she told you a pack of the biggest fibs in the world. I never heard of a bigger fibber than she is, in my life; for all the good victuals she made such a bother about are made up for Sammy, and I have to eat his leavings. He is like a masterpig in a sty, because he crunches up the best of everything. Mistress seems very fond of him, though; for after we had had a shindy the first night, and Palethorpe made my nose bleed, I went to bed, and saw her tie her nightcap on his head, and feed him with a posset. could not help laughing, he looked such a fool. Then I heard her courting him as plain as sunshine; for she tries as hard as she can to get him to marry her; but I would not have her, if I were him, she is

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so very mean and pretending. But then he is a savage idle fellow himself: and as Abel said to him, said he, You never touch plough nor bill-hook once a-week,'-no more he does. Our mistress backs him up in it, and that is the reason. I shall come over as soon as I can, as I want to see you and Fanny very much.

"Yours affectionately,

"COLIN CLINK."

At all events the murder was out here, and no mistake. The letter dropped from Miss Sowersoft's hand, and she almost fainted in Mr. Palethorpe's arms, as she faintly sighed,

"Oh, Sammy, Sammy!-he 'll be the death of me!"

When Miss Maria was somewhat recovered, Palethorpe turned in great wrath towards Colin, uttering a more fearful asseveration than I can repeat, that if he could make no better use than that of his eyes when he went to bed, he would knock them out of his head for him. Seizing the boy ferociously by the nape of the neck with one hand, and a portion of his clothes with the other, he lifted him from the ground, like a dog by head and tail, and carried him straight into the yard, dashing him violently into the horse-trough, very much to the satisfaction of the indignant Miss Sowersoft, who had suddenly recovered on beholding this spectacle, and followed her favourite with the lantern. While Palethorpe held him down in the trough, Miss Sowersoft proceeded with great alacrity to pump upon him very vigorously until her arms were tired.

The boy's cries soon brought several of the domestics of the estab lishment together. Sally rushed out of her kitchen inquiring what Colin had done to be ducked.

"Spying after the private things of meesis !" exclaimed the wrathful Mr. Palethorpe.

"Spying!" echoed the maid.

"Yes, spying!" added Maria, in corroboration of Palethorpe's statement. "We have caught him out, according to his own confession, spying after the secrets of everybody about the premises, and sending it all in writing to his mother!"

"Ay! I'd souse him well!" observed Sally, who began to fear that some of her own secret interviews with Abel had very probably been registered in black and white, for the edification of the good people of Bramleigh.

"What has he been a-gate of?" asked Abel, who had just come up in time to catch the end of the above conversation.

"Oh, he's been watching you come into the dairy when I was there!" added Sally, accompanying her remark with a broad simper, and a sly blushing glance at Abel, which caused Abel to shuffle on his feet, and dangle his legs about, as though at a loss what to do with them.,

"Then a sheep-washing will do him no harm for sheep's eyes," rejoined Abel, rounding off his sharp-pointed wit with a broad laugh.

When the ducking was concluded, they drove him, bruised, drenched, and weeping, into the kitchen. Old George, who had been a distant and silent spectator of the scene, stood at the door as he entered.

"Ay, poor boy !" said he, pityingly, as the child passed by him "they'd more need to nurse him by the fireside than half drown him this way. It's sad wages-sad wages, indeed, for a nest-babe like him! But they don't heed what I say. I'm an old man, and have no right to speak."

Miss Sowersoft seized the earliest opportunity she could to place Colin's letter upon the fire, which she did with a spoonful of salt upon it, in order that the flames should be of the same colour as its contents.

In the meantime Colin had shuffled off his mortal coil of wet clothes, and in a moist skin gone silently off to bed. At supper-time old George carried him up a pint of warm ale which had been served out for himself. Colin accepted it, less because he relished it, than because he knew not how at the moment to refuse the hand by which it was offered; and within ten minutes afterwards, notwithstanding all his troubles, he fell into a sound state of repose.

TO A YOUNG GIRL.

TRANSLATED FROM VICTOR HUGO.

"Pourquoi te plaindre, tendre fille,

Ses jours n'appartiennent-ils pas à la première jeunesse."

ALL infancy's sweet joys thou canst not tell;
Yet, envy not, fair child, our riper years,
When the heart bleeds or struggles to rebel,
And e'en our smiles are sadder than thy tears.

Thy gentle age passes without a trace,

Softly, as sighs that mingle with the breeze,
As joyous sounds which distance must efface,
Or Halcyon floating o'er the summer seas.

Let thy thoughts blossom in their later hours,
But now enjoy the dawn! Enjoy the spring!
Thy days are like a wreath of budding flowers,
Spare them, till scatter'd by Time's blighting wing.

Await the future,-fate, alas! for thee,

As for us all,-has deep regrets in store;
Falsehood, and every ill, we blush to see,

And worthless pleasures, that we should deplore.

Yet, laugh! unconscious of all evil now,

No shade should cloud the azure of thine eyes!
The peaceful innocence of that fair brow
Reveals thy spirit, and reflects the skies.

M. T. H.

BENTLEY'S

MISCELLANY.

AUGUST, 1839.

Contents.

JACK SHEPPArd, with illuSTRATIONS BY GEORGE CRUIKSHANK,"

Page

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151

RAMBLES AMONG THE RIVERS. NO. V.-THE THAMES AND HIS

TRIBUTARIES,
BY CHARLES MACKAY
Twickenham.-The Poet's Grave.-Pope's Grotto.-Relics of Genius-Strawberry
Hill.-Etymology and Chronology.-The Heart of Paul Whitehead.-Swans upon
the Thames.-The tragical story of Edwy and Elgiva.-An odd petition of the in-
habitants of Kingston.

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VINCENT EDEN; OR, THE OXONIAN,

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66

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172

BY QUIP Chapter VII. The Hierokosmion. An Avowal. A Nuneham Party. The Brothers. RECOLLECTIONS OF THE ALHAMBRA, (THE ABENCERRAGE. A SPANISH TALE,) BY THE AUTHOR of THE SKETCH-BOOK 185 LEGENDS OF THE LOCHS AND GLENS, NO. II.—THE PHANTOM FUNERAL, COMMUNICATED BY THE AUTHOR OF THE SUBALTERN."

COLIN CLINK,

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46

BY CHARLES HOOTON

Chapter XIV. The benefits of being soused in a horse-trough. Some farther speci-
mens of Miss Sowersoft's moral excellence. An unlooked-for discovery is partially
made, which materially concerns Miss Fanny Woodruff and Dr. Rowel.
Chapter XV.-Fanny is deceived by the doctor. A scene in Rowel's "Establish-
ment for the insane" at Nabbfield.

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