between the time of rising and breakfasting, in the pellucid fountains which chequer the emerald carpeting of the mountain vallies.

I was thus upon one delightful summer morning, pursuing my accustomed sport, and patiently awaiting the timid approach of a large trout which I could perceive now and then cautiously emerging from his residence, under a large rock in the branch. At my back was a small grove of trees, and the sound of voices seemingly in deep consultation proceeding from thence, arrested my attention. At such an early hour this was an uncommon circumstance, and I endeavoured to ascertain what it meant from the conversation; but it ceased, and in a moment afterwards a couple of pistol shots rent the air. Urged by an irresistible impulse, I rushed into the thicket, and in a narrow opening among the trees discovered a sight calculated to unnerve the stoutest heart, and the remembrance of which, even at this time, often strikes a damp upon my feelings. A young man apparently not more than twenty-one years of age, was lying upon the ground and faintly endeavouring to support himself upon his elbow. The blood was pouring from a wound in his breast, and the hue of death was upon his face; he made a feeble effort to grasp the pistol which had dropt from his hand, and with a convulsive struggle instantly expired."

"Poor fellow," exclaimed my uncle and the sailor in concert. "His antagonist," continued the young Minister, "was standing unhurt but a few paces from him, and in spite of efforts to maintain his composure, I could perceive that violent mental

agitation shook his frame, and a tear hastily burst from his eye. The seconds stood close at one side for a moment, gazing in silent sorrow upon the corpse, until one was proceeding to pay the last sad duties to his friend, when the scene was interrupted by a new and interesting spectacle. An aged gentleman, with a beautiful female of sixteen, hastily advanced to the fatal spot. They were the father and sister of the unfortunate youth, who had just been offered as a victim at the shrine of duelling: having heard of the intended rencountre, they had hurried to prevent it. But alas! too late was their arrival. They had wandered in uncertainty whither to seek the combatants, when the report of the pistol shots attracted them to the scene of death: and when she found her worst fears verified, when she saw her only and beloved brother lying dead in his blood, the hapless maiden sunk with a faint scream upon the earth, in a death-like swoon.

The venerable parent, overcome by this sad prostration of all his hopes, when he saw the sole son of his love cut off in the prime of his life, when like a bud of promise he was opening into the perfection of manhood, he made a faint and ineffectual effort to restrain his feelings. He clasped the hand of the corpse and burst into a flood of grief: groans of anguish like the dissolution of his nature, arose from his breast, and the incoherent prayer, which escaped his lips for the soul of his murdered son, was mingled with a malediction upon the head of this successful duellist. The feelings of the aged mourner were, however, even at this time, enviable in comparison

with those which agitated the more fortunate combatant, who for some time looked with an air of distraction upon the miserable group before him, until with an effort of desperation he rushed from the spot. Humanity with me, however, superseded every other consideration, and with the aid of the second 1 succeeded in raising the old gentleman from the body of his lifeless son, and by the soothing language of sympathy and of reason, endeavoured to restore calmness to his agitated mind. The beauteous maiden like the statue of Pygmalion, slowly awoke from the swoon which had wrapt her senses; but she was aroused to a consciousness of misery more appalling than utter insensibility.

Some months afterwards I was passing through the little village of F-, near the scene of the duel. As it was not the Sabbath, I was somewhat struck with hearing the solemn toll of the village church bell, which swung heavily to and fro as if sounding a dirge for some departed spirit. A slow moving procession conveying the corpse of some unfortunate child of earth caught my attention as I turned the corner of a street. Always impressed with a deep sense of respect for the last ceremonies which belong to the bodies of the dead, I joined the throng that slowly accompanied the corpse to the grave. An aged gentleman who stood by the Minister near the grave caught my attention as chief mourner : I recognized in him the father of the ill-fated youth, whose tragical departure from life I had witnessed a few months previous. He stood with an abstracted air by the Minister until the religious rites over the

corpse had terminated. When the coffin was lowered into the earth, I enquired in a whisper of one standing by, who was its unfortunate occupant? He replied in the same tone, that it was the only daughter of the old man who stood by the grave; she had died heart-broken for the loss of her brother, who was killed in a duel. A mist came over my senses, and it was sometime before I rallied sufficiently to notice the progress of the interment. The old gentleman, with a feigned air of composure, watched the operations of filling the grave. But his whole frame was agitated and seemed upon the point of dissolution; he attempted to speak, but a flood of tears checked his utterance. He hastily seized a spade and assisted with restless minuteness in smoothing the narrow mound upon the surface of the grave. At length he ceased, and turned to depart, but nature was exhausted; the current of life had ceased to flow, and when the by-standers raised him from the earth where he had fallen, he lay a breathless atom in their arms."

The young Minister ceased his narration, and a dead silence for some moments ensued. His voice towards the close of his tale had subsided to a whisper, and a deep expression of sadness darkened his features. He faintly smiled as he wiped away the tear, which the recollection and recital of his sad story had caused to burst from his eye. My old uncle showed excessive marks of agitation throughout the recital, and even the gallant captain, by his deep meditation, gave marks of strong sympathy. The backwoodsman, however, seemed to listen to the tale

as one of common occurrence, and sipped his wine with the most perfect indifference. It was some time before the conviviality with which the entertainment commenced, was again restored. The Minister, however, at length retired, and the melancholy ideas which had been excited by his story, were soon dissipated by mirth and merriment.

The day was rapidly closing; "fast and furious grew the mirth," till the major part of the company proposed a departure ; but my uncle protested against it, till they should have heard another tale or song ; and turning to me, declared, "as I was an attorney who followed a lively profession, something merry might be expected. That the research after pleas and demurrers, and the circumstances connected with casas and fifas, no doubt afforded many an excellent adventure or legend; one of which I should recount." I happened at the moment to be thinking of an old school-mate and friend, whose vexations in the outset of his life, and subsequent success, had often impressed me with a profound reverence for dame fortune; and as their recital amused my uncle and his guests, they are now presented to the reader.

THE POOR ATTORNEY.

"From no affliction is the poor exempt;

He thinks each eye surveys him with contempt,
Unmanly poverty subdues the heart,

Cankers each wound and sharpens every dart."
F. Lewis's Translation of Callimachus.

When in the fervour of Catholic indignation the

wrathful Dr. Slop poured forth his denunciations of