up!-at a cab. I wonder what becomes of cabs when they are not on service. Did you ever see a gigantic "cabbery?" I once in my prowls came upon an extraordinary back-yard, in which there were seventeen hansoms without horses or drivers; they seemed as if they were holding a special meeting of the Society for the Suppression of Cruelty to Cabs. I never saw anything so ghastly or appalling. I was as much startled and horrified as if I had strolled into a hospital dissecting-room by mistake, and I ran away, not daring to look behind me in case I might find myself pursued by a troop of infuriated, noiseless, driverless hansomcabs trying to gore me with their shafts.

been given to understand that that is the most favourable period for burglars. Now I come to think of it, that smell of burning is certainly getting stronger-very much stronger! I hear mysterious thumpings and rattlings about the house that I cannot account for. I just become conscious that I am very hungry. If there is one thing that is more annoying than another it is being hungry in the middle of the night. I really am prodigiously hungry. I could do with a few slices of cold tongue and some bread and butter. Shall I boldly get up and go down-stairs in search of it? No, I think not. My kitchen in the dead of night is not a cheerful place, I can tell you. Besides, I have been considerably frightened with the burglaristic noises I have heard ever since I was in bed. No, I will not go down. But what a lot of nice things I begin to think about. A good thick, lean chop, with potatoes such as Paddy Green used to give you; a Welsh rarebit to follow, and a pint of stout out of the pewter. Dee-li-cious. Num! Num! Num! Num! Num!! NUM!!! And to think that if I had not been an absolute donkey I could have been enjoying my supper at the club at this present moment. What an idiot I have been! I begin to toss about and feel very feverish. My tongue begins to get dry and feels as if it had been sand-papered. I would give anything for a cider cup-a cider cup, craftily compounded, just as they give it you at the Carnation Club. Bah! What is the use of wishing? I bury my head in my pillow and resolve that I will either go to sleep or be suffocated. I do neither, but presently find myself sitting bolt upright in bed and staring about me.

I have given up all idea of going to sleep now. It is of no use whatever. All my senses have become painfully acute. The least noise gives me an alarm of burglars. I fancy I can detect a smell of burning, and the lurid reflection of the street lamp becomes almost as painful as a pattern on the brain. I never knew my bed-room was so draughty before. There are about fifteen different draughts coming from all sides at once. Directly I put my head outside the clothes I seem to put it into an air needle-bath. I can not go to sleep. Why have I not something to help me? Why have I not Indian hemp, chlorodyne, hydrate of chloral, opium, laudanum, hasheesh, syrup of poppies, brown brandy, or bottled stout? Why have I not all these things arranged in a goodly row along my mantelpiece? Why? Simply because I never required any artificial stimulants to sleep till I was such an ass-such a silly ass— -I-say-as to go to bed early. I am not going to be treated this way. I will endeavour to put in practice all the receipts II try hanging my head over the foot of the bed, have heard of for provoking somnolence without recourse to narcotics. I will trace the course of a river from its source to its mouth. Of course I think of the river I know best, and I begin at the source of the Thames. Then I think of people dwelling on its banks. I think of the Bonnybelle girls. I then remember that they are coming up to town next week, and I promised to get them some stalls at the theatre. I have forgotten all about it. Upon my word, I must see about this the first thing, the very first thing to-morrow morning. This throws me into a state more wakeful than ever, and I begin to wish that the morning were come in order that I might rush off to the boxoffice at once. The morning, indeed! The morning is so far off that I look upon it as the year after next.

It has just struck half-past twelve. In the usual way I never think of leaving the club till after this time. I am told that the majority of fires always take place between twelve and one, and I have

and putting my feet on the pillow, but only succeed in getting icy cold feet and a determination of blood to the head. I then roll myself up tightly in the blankets and pretend to be a mummy. I toss about, I roll, I gnash my teeth, I groan, I hear one o'clock strike in all its varieties-two, three, four, five! Just as it begins to be getting light I feel to be a little drowsy, when suddenly I am startled with a tremendous rapping and ringing. The burglars at last-or the fire engines, I say to myself. I do not hurry myself, for I am really feeling somewhat sleepy. The rapping and ringing continues. At last I hear a shout of "Sur-weep!" from below. Let them rap and ring, I say to myself, I dare say they will get in somehow. And I suppose they do, for presently I am again awakened by brushes rattling up the chimney and a general smell of soot everywhere. I get comfortably off to sleep about. eight and get up about eleven. I miss an important appointment at ten, I feel very unwell and am fit for nothing all the next day.

THE DEMON SHIP.

WAS off the Wash-the sun went down-the Still on it came, with horrid roar, a swift pursuing sea looked black and grim,

Titanic shades! enormous gloom !-as if the solid Its briny sleet began to beat beforehand in my night

A snowy sheet, as if each surge upturned a sailor's A face, that mocked the human face, before me shroud:

Behold yon fatal billow rise-ten billows heaped Oh, never may the moon again disclose me such a

Of fever; and most frightful things have haunted His sooty crew were like in hue, as black as Afric in my dreamsslaves! Hyenas-cats-blood-loving bats-and apes with Oh, horror! e'en the ship was black that ploughed hateful stare

Pernicious snakes, and shaggy bulls-the lion, and she-bear

the inky waves !

"Alas!" I cried, "for love of truth and blessed mercy's sake!

Strong enemies, with Judas looks, of treachery and spiteDetested features, hardly dimmed and banished Where am I? in what dreadful ship? upon what by the lightdreadful lake?

Pale-sheeted ghosts, with gory locks, upstarting What shape is that, so very grim, and black as any from their tombs

coal?

All phantasies and images that flit in midnight It is Mahound, the Evil One, and he has gained my gloomssoul!

Hags, goblins, demons, lemures, have made me all Oh, mother dear! my tender nurse! dear meadows aghast,that beguiled

But nothing like that GRIMLY ONE who stood My happy days, when I was yet a little sinless beside the mast!

His cheek was black-his brow was black-his eyes and hair as dark :

His hand was black, and where it touched, it left a sable mark;

child,

My mother dear-my native fields, I never more
shall see:

I'm sailing in the Demon's Ship, upon the Demon's
Sea!"

His throat was black, his vest the same, and when Loud laughed that SABLE MARINER, and loudly in I looked beneath,

return

His breast was black-all, all was black, except his His sooty crew sent forth a laugh that rang from grinning teeth.

stem to stern

A dozen pair of grimy cheeks were crumpled on They crowed their fill, and then the chief made the nonce-

As many sets of grinning teeth came shining out

at once:

answer for the whole ;

"Our skins," said he, "are black, ye see, because we carry coal;

A dozen gloomy shapes at once enjoyed the merry You'll find your mother sure enough, and see your fit, native fields

With shriek and yell, and oaths as well, like Demons For this here ship has picked you up-the Mary of the Pit. Ann of Shields !"

TWO ADVENTURES.

[From "The Small House at Allington." By ANTHONY TROLLOPE.]

OHN EAMES, with a little hesitation,
walked down the garden.

First of all he went the whole way round the walks meeting nobody. Then he crossed the lawn, returning again to the farther end; and there, emerging from the little path which led from the Great House, he encountered Lily alone. "Oh, John," she said, "how d'ye do? I'm afraid you did not find anybody in the house. Mamma and Bell are with Hopkins, away in the large kitchen-garden." "I've just come over," said Eames, "because I promised. I said I'd come before I went back to London."

"And they'll be very glad to see you, and so am I. Shall we go after them into the other grounds? But perhaps you walked over and are tired."

"I did walk," said Eames; "not that I am very tired." But in truth he did not wish to go after Mrs. Dale, though he was altogether at a loss as to what to say to Lily while remaining with her. He had fancied that he would like to have some opportunity of speaking to her alone before he went away;-of making some special use of the last interview which he should have with her before she became a married woman. But now the opportunity was there, and he hardly dared to avail himself of it.

"Uncle Christopher is not there. He is about the farm somewhere."

If you don't mind, Lily, I think I'll stay out here. I suppose they'll be back soon. Of course I should like to see them before I go away to London. But, Lily, I came over now chiefly to see you. It was you who asked me to promise."

Had Crosbie been right in those remarks of his ? Had she been imprudent in her little endeavour to be cordially kind to her old friend? "Shall we go into the drawing-room?" she said, feeling that she would be in some degree safer there than out among the shrubs and paths of the garden. And I think she was right in this. A man will talk of love out among the lilacs and roses, who would be stricken dumb by the demure propriety of the four walls of a drawing-room. John Eames also had some feeling of this kind, for he determined to remain out in the garden if he could so manage it.

"I don't want to go in, unless you wish it," he said. "Indeed, I'd rather stay out here. So, Lily, you're going to be married?" And thus he rushed at once into the middle of his discourse. "Yes," she said, "I believe I am.”

"I have not told you yet that I congratulated you."

"I have known very well that you did so in your heart. I have always been sure that you

"You'll stay and dine with us," said Lily. "No, I'll not do that, for I especially told my wished me well." mother that I would be back."

"I'm sure it was very good of you to walk so far to see us. If you really are not tired, I think we will go to mamma, she would be very sorry to miss you."

This she said remembering at the moment what had been Crosbie's injunctions to her about John Eames. But John had resolved that he would say those words which he had come to speak, and that, as Lily was there with him, he would avail himself of the chance which fortune had given him. "I don't think I'll go into the squire's garden," he said.

"Indeed I have. And if congratulating a person is hoping that she may always be happy, I do congratulate you, But, Lily——' And then he paused, abashed by the beauty, purity, and woman's grace which had forced him to love her.

"I think I understand all that you would say. I do not want ordinary words to tell me that I am to count you among my best friends."

"No, Lily, you don't understand all that I would say. You have never known how often and how much I have thought of you; how dearly I have loved you."

"John, you must not talk of that now."

"You will forget it all when you meet some to draw a scrap of comfort. If Crosbie would girl that you can really love."