which they have been afflicted. Grizzy's there was any one thing more ominous of usual mode of procedure, in consulting ill, in Grizzy's eyes than another, it was her oracle, was this. With a darning this-that a light should be asked for beneedle, stuck in her pillow for the purpose, fore any article had been sold. She gave she every morning opened her Bible at the light with a sad heart, muttering to random, and carefully observed the verse herself, "a' luck's game for this day!" or sentence on which the point chanced The day passed over, nevertheless, without to alight. As the tenor of the passage the concurrance of any thing particularly was pleasing or otherwisie, so, Grizzy was annoying. Still, when evening came, Grizsure, would the events of the day turn out; zy remembered so forcibly the unfortu and then she would run to her dumb neigh-nate matter of the light, that she resolved bour, and endeavour, from her signs, to not to close her shop that night till she got learn what some of those coming events a proper luckpenny. To explain this, it is were to be. With a sort of inconsistency necessary to state, that it was our superin her superstition, Grizzy was also in the stitous huckster's custom to keep her shop habit of resorting to the cards, for the dis- frequently open till a late hour, waiting covery of things to come! Not that she for the entrance of a favourite customer, kept any articles of this kind herself; on or some person of prepossessing appearthe contrary, she was wont to inveigh ance. The money received from that peragainst them with great venemence, styl- son, she called the luckpenny, and nothing ing them the "devil's books." Yet she more would she sell that night. But, on was repeatedly known, of a morning, to the occasion adverted to, nine o'clock consult Mrs. MacIvor, an old Highland came, and no customer of the proper sort woman who lived close by, and who kept had appeared. On the contrary, about a pack, as to what the day was likely to haf hour a woman entered, whom Grizzy bring forth. Of this woman Grizzy stood knew to have a mole on the left side of her in the greatest dread, supposing her to be neck-a sure sign that hanging was to be a witch, because her means of living her doom, This woman's money was were not well known and because some frightfully unpropitious, and down the unof her sagacions predictions-founded, happy shopkeeper sat to her wheel, deterprobably, on some less ambiguous basis mined to wait for something better. As than the cards-had been wonderfully she trimmed her lamp impatiently for the verified. The Highland prophetess tasted twentieth time, St Gile's clock struck ten the benefit of her skill in many a present and another woman entered. To the horwhich her credulous neighbour gave to ror of Grizzy, whom former conversation secure her good graces. Grizzy, however, had made but too well aware of the fact, while thus endeavouring to conciliate fa- the new entrant was plain-soled. Mrs. vour, took care at the same time to keep Hutcheon could have thrown the acquired a horse-shoe nailed on the back of her twopenny cut of salt fish at the unlucky door, in case the dangerous Mrs. MacIvor flat-foot's head, but, knowing her customer should ever feel inclined to play cantrips to be one who did not stand on trifles, Grizon her benefactor. Thus, between the zy prudently abstained, from a fear of remain-chance and her superstitious tenden- taliation, and contented herself with mutcies, were the whole thoughts of Grizzy tering something about "some folks not Hutcheon, huckster in the Cannongate, being able to take their supper at supdaily and hourly employed, in continuous per-time, like other folks." The murmuralternation. A serious change came at ed reflection fell unheeded on the ear of length over the face of her affairs, induced the late-supping demoiselle. partly by the one and partly by the other Fate was against Grizzy Hutcheon on of her prevailing foibles. One morning, this memorable evening. Still she reso after she had gone through her customary lutely struggled against its awards, conendeavours to peep into the daily future, tinuing to drive her wheel unwearedily, in she took her station in her opened shop, the hope that an unexceptionable luckpenwaiting anxiously for some propitious ny might yet arrive. Alas! the next cus opening of business, when, lo! a neighbour tomer was still worse than the preceeding ❤ntered and asked for a light. Now, if ones. It was a little girl, the daughter of t ( 1 a Highland porter, seeking "twa steepit remain until morning within her premises. herrings" on credit, Credit! Grizzy's The request naturally started her at first, vexation of spirit was so aggravated by but the men proceeded to tell her that the the demand, that she threw down her sack contained a quantity of tea which wheel, bounced around the counter, and had been brought from Holland and turned the girl out by the shoulders, bawl-landed in the Figgit wings, without leave ing at the same time in ungovernable ire, being asked of the custom house, and that "Gang hame to them that sent ye, and tell they wished to carry it to Lawmarket, them I want nea dealings wi' Highland but durst not then attempt it, for fear of papishes. Let them pay the auld at ony being caught at Luckenbooths by the rate, or they try to tak on the new?" In meddling bodies of the town-guard. The her wrath, at this moment, Grizzy forgot tea, too, was "none of the common kind, Mrs. MacIvor, but she was quickly and (the men declared,) but the finest Pekoe, fearfully reminded of the dreaded High-such as the Duches of York gave to her lander. On turning into her shop, after guests down by at the palace," and if venting her passion, Grizzy beheld a large Grizzy would keep it safe only till morgrey cat spring past her, and make direct-ning, she should have two or three pounds ly for the shelf where some of her largest of it for her trouble. After several arguherrings were stored. The sight horrified ments of this kind, Grizzy's cupidity got the poor woman. The cat, she instantly the better of her fears, and she permitted concluded, could be nothing else than the the men to bring in the sack, and set it notable witch Mrs. MacIvor, transformed, down beside her own bed, which stood and come to revenge the words uttered at within a little closet or recess formed by the door. At all times afraid of Mrs. a curtain hanging from the roof. The deMacIver, Grizzy was ten times more so, positors of the tea then departed, with a when that personage chose to assume the promise to return in the morning. shape of a long-clawed quadruped. She The cat, or Mrs. MacIvor, having been stood in her door, in an agony of alarm, scared away on the entrance of the men, now looking inwards at the metamorphos- Grizzy hastened now to shut up her shop, ed Mrs. MacIvor coolly munching a her- contented with the prospect of the tea ring, and now gazing up and down the instead of the luckpenny for which she street in the hope of seeing some one come had waited so long that night. After all to her relief. But the hour was now very was close, she began to reflect on the late, and Grizzy for some time saw nobody turn the events of the day had taken, and pass, excepting Lady Spinnet, attended on the reward promised to her. As she on her way home from a concert, by a lac-meditated, a doubt sprang up in her mind quey carrying a lantern. To such a migh--that the smugglers might not give her ty lady, Grizzy, sore pressed as she was, enough to compensate fairly the risk she could not venture to speak. just at this was taking. This doubt pressed on moment, as if to iucrease her already in- Grizzy's mind, until, at last she arrived calculable terrors, a dog began a long at the conclusion, that the best way would wailing howl in the precincts of Holyrood, be for her to take her remuneration beforeannouncing to her ear, as plainly as lan-hand, since she had it in her power. Away guage could speak, that the spirit was at accordingly, she went to the sack, and unthat instant flitting from some human tied the strings with which the mouth was breast! bound. She then plunged her open hand In this pitiable state of superstitious into it, determined to fetch up a good dread was Mrs. Hutcheon standing, when handful, and drew out-horrible to relate! two men issued from the mouth of an-not a quantity of tea, but a dead man's adjoining entry, and made up to her, car-head, by the hair! When the poor, rying between them a large and seemingly weak, yet "Greedy" woman beheld the well filled sack. The presence of human hedious countenance of the corpse rising beings greatly relieved the shopkeeper, beneath her hand from the sack, she gave and she listened with tolerable composure a fearful scream and fell back into a to the men, who addressed her with a re-swoon. In the terror of her trepidaquest that she would permit the sack toltion, she had kept hold of the head, and therefore, in her fall, she had brought over she had been conveyed by order of the the body with her. It fell right across civil authorities, on their being apprised of her chest ; and thus it happened that when the circumstances under which she had she recovered her consciousness, the head been found; the body also had been taken of the body was the first thing she saw, under charge by the same parties. It lying close to and above her own. This bore evident tokens of having been disenrenewed her swoon, and so on she went.erred; and therefore, great as the wonder alternately fainting and recovering for of all was, there was no idea of murder several hours without the ability to alter in the matter. her position. Grizzy, on first becoming able to think That the two resurections-for such of all that had passed, had sense enough the pretended tea smugglers were-inten- to send for her two best friends, her old ded to come back to Grizzy's for the spoil master and her landlord, to whom she which they had taken from the grave, is told the whole truth. These gentlemen very probable, as they could only have left advised her to repeat the circumstance, it where they did, in consequence of being exactly as they occurred, to the magis temporarily prevented from disposing of it, rate before whom she was to appear the a denouncement had taken place, such as next morning. This, accordingly, Grizzy they could not have anticipated. did with great simplicity and candor.Čustomer after customer knocked, in Her superstititious kee ing the shop open the morning after this events, at Gizzy's to such a late hour, was what the worthy door, usually the first open in the street. bailie, presiding in the court, found most The knocks were all in vain; neither an difficult to interpret in any way favorable swer nor admittance followed. At lastic the unlucky Grizzy. He could not the attention of the neighborhood was comprehend, He said, how any person fairly roused; a crowd gathered in front possessed of con mon sense could keep a of the shop; and finally, some one propo-shop open til long past midnight, and sed that a smith should be sent for to consume night and fuel, for all the benefit break the door open, as Grizzy might be likely to accrue, at such hours, from the either dying or dead. This was accor ostensible trade. The bailie did not know, dingly done, and in rushed a host of meu. as the reader now does, that Grizzy Hutch women, and children, into rs. Hucheons, eou had not common sense upon some premises. No Grizzy was to be seen and point! In this emergency, her master the people were in the greatest possible a and landlord came forward to vouch for maze. However, a boy who had seenGrizzy her general respectability of character.many a time, and oft deposited her trecle- The magistrate said that the evidence of can behind the curtain in the recess, chan-two such persons would weigh so far with ced to think this a first-rate opportunity him in the matter; but Mrs. Hutcheon, for tasting a little of that most delectable permitting her to have had no previous substance, and drew away a corner of the connection with the resurrectionists, had curtain in order to search for it. As soon confessed to her having connived at what as his eyes could discern any thing she believed to be smuggling; and therewithin-for the lamp had long since burnt fore he would adjudge her to pay all exout the youngster exclaimed, "Eh!penses connected with the reinterment of here's Grizzy!" The attention of all was the body in whatever way the claimants thus directed to the proper place, and of it, if ary appeared, might wish the cerGrizzy Hucheon was speedily found emony to be conducted. stretched on the floor, moaning and insen sible, with a dead body in a sack pressed across her chest. A DISCOVER BY ACCIDENT,-The chief Here was indeed a mysterious state of discoveries in the arts have been made by things. Grizzy was speedily raised, but accident, not from fore thought or a deep was, at first, totally unable to give an ex-knowledge of the principles of its nature. planation of the matter. When she was it is related that the discovery of glassrestored to complete consciousness, she making was effected by seeing the sand found herself it the guard-house, whither vitrified, on which a fire had been kindled. dental. 535 The discovery of the manufactory of plate France, he waited upon a banker, and, afglass is said to have been equally acci- ter stating his intention, inquiring how Blancourt relates, as the mode long six thousand pounds would last him in which the casting of plate-glass was in Paris." Why," replied the banker, "if discovered, that a person who was mel you visit the gaming table, it may last ting some of his materials in a crucible, you three days; if you do not, it will last accidentally spilt it, while fluid, on the you six weeks." THE DANGERS OF CONTENTMENT.-The the ground. The metal ran under one of the large flag stones wherewith the place was paved, which obliged the workman to take up the stone in order to recover virtue of contentment is one which the the glass. He then found it in the form rich are always very anxious to find in the of a plate, such as could not be produced poor. in the ordinary course of blowing. The ent chief, as he pours out his seventh glass "Noble conduct! says some affluman's attention being roused by this fact, of claret, with reference to the tranquility he was unable to sleep, and conceiving at with which his cottagers submit to the once the superiority of this method of for- privations and sufferings of a hard and ming mirrors, he immediately commenced employmentless winter. experimenting, and before the day ap- well-disposed lady, who has taken a mòr"Ah!" sighs the peared, had proved the practicability of ning walk to the bed-side of some poor the improvement which the purest chance anguished wretch who regales her with had thus placed within the sphere of his some common-place respecting the duty observation. of resignation, "Ah that we could take a lesson from the placidity of the really miserable! Well would it be for us to be 66 HOW TO CURE A HUSBAND.-A woman, placed in the same situation, if we could who used frequently to be beaten by her be as cheerful and submissive!" On the hushand, went to a cunning man, to en- other hand, there is nothing which a rich quire how she might cure her spouse of man or woman looks upon with greater this barbarity. The sagacions soothsayer horror than the least trace of discontent heard her complaint; and, after pronounc amongst the poor. "It is so ungrateful. ing some hard words, and using various Only see what is done for them, and yet gesticulations, while he filled a vial with they grumble.'. And immediately after, a colored liquid, desired her, whenever the complainer may be heard expressing her husband was in a passion, to take a the greatest chagrin at not being invited mouthful of the liquor, and keep it in her to a certain eighbouring nobleman's tamouth for five minutes. The woman. le, or that he cannot afford to have those quite overjoyed at the simplicity of the charming ponics for the carriage. The remedy, strictly followed the direction rich man, indeed, is constantly acknowl. given her, and by her silence,escaped the edging, as an abstract proposition, that usual chastisement. The contents of the the more that man has, the more he would bottle being at last expended, she returned have, and that the upper walks of life are to the cunning man, anxiously begging to full of ambition, rivalry, and dissatisfachave another, possessed of the same virtue. tion. But somehow this never appears to "Fool!" said the man. "There was thing in the bottle but brown sugar and self personally. He, as judge, seems to no-him as involving any charge against himwater. When your,hubsand is in a pas feel exempt from all judgment on this sion, hold your tongue, and my life for it, point. But when a discontented poor man he will not lay a finger upon you." is spoken of, the case is very different. He then feels as if he were accused or threatMONEY HAS WINGS.-A young dashing about the beauty of humble, virtuous, conened and bursts out with a great tirade lording recently visited Paris with a con- tented poverty, and how rascally it is for a siderable sum of money, which he was fellow with nine shillings a week, and as determined to spend before his return. many children, to feel in the least uneasy. Upon his arrival in the capital of la belle] When we shall see men resigning sta tions in which they believe there is nof contentment, and settling into those humbler plaees where they profess to believe that it is or ought to be found, we shall admit that this is one of the virtues. In the mean time, it seems to us very much one of those absentee sentimentalities! which have not been seen on earth since the conclusion of the Golden Age. If we examine those cases in which contentment appears to exist, we shall either find that we have been deceived, or that the feeling is one, which were better absent. Things will sometimes occur to make a man say, "Now, I am contented." But this is a mere expression of the gratification he feels in consequence of some fulfilled wish, or of a benefit which he had not any reason to expect. The joyful impression soon passes from his mind. As soon as he has become familiar with the new blessing, he looks out beyond it for something else. From the Amulet THE QUIET MIND. BY THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE PEASANT. THOUGH low Iny lot, my wish is won I have a friend I value here- Iwish not it was mine to wear Flushed honour's aunny crown; She frowns, and let her frown; I have no tast for pomp and strife, I only wish the bliss of life- The trumpet's taunt in battle-field, The great man's pedigree- I mourn not that my lot is low I sigh not that fate made me so, I am content, for well I see, What all at last shall find, I see the great pass heedless by, I never mock'd at beauty's shrine, And come what will of care or wo, As some must come to all, Nor mourn that they befall: When friends depart, as part they must, A prop and friend I still shall have, One day Mr. Curran said to Father O'Leary the well known Roman Catholic Priest, "Reverend Father, I wish that you were St. Peter." "And why Counsellor, do you wish that I was St. Peter?" asked the Rev. gentleman. "Because, Reverend Father, in that case you would have the keys of heaven and could let me in." "By my honour and conscience, Coun sellor," replied the Divine, "it would be better for you that I had the keys of the other place, for then I could let you out." Curran enjoyed the joke, which he admitted had a good deal of reason in it. On a grave-stone in the cemetery of Pere-la-Chaise is the following singularly prudent inscription, which, in its praise for the dead does not forget the living "Here lies N-, the best of fathers, the most tender of husbands. His disconsolate widow still keeps the fancy shop Rue Richelie, No.-" |