visit of most interest was that to Abbotsford. It is graceful answer, she wrote another from the natural thus recorded in the journal of its gifted host. The dictates of her first intention. This acceptance of Wizard of the North,' under date November 25, 1825. his offer brought the Duke, to Holly Lodge." "Mrs. Coutts, with the Duke of St. Albans and No time was now to be lost; the Duke behaved Lady Charlotte Beauclerk, called to take leave of us. nobly "respecting settlements," leaving all to the When at Abbotsford his suit throve but coldly. She generosity of the bride; and Mrs. Baron-Wilson is made me, I believe, her confident in sincerity; she of the belief that those who imagine that the Duke had refused him twice, and decidedly; he was merely married solely from mercenary motives are greatly on the footing of friendship. I urged it was akin to mistaken. It is certainly greatly to his honour that love; she allowed she might marry the Duke, only she did not make him her heir. The Duchess's she had at present not the least inclination that way. wedding gift to her young lord was thirty thousand "Is this frank admission more favourable for the pounds! or about a thousand for each year she was Duke than an absolute protestation against the possi- older than her husband. We do not notice here, bility of such a marriage? I think not. "If the Duke marries her, he ensures an immense time, that the happy pair claimed and obtained the though we recollect seeing in the newspapers at the fortune; if she marries him, she has the first rank. If Dunmow Flitch at the end of their first year of wedbe marries a woman older than himself by twenty ded felicity. [thirty] years, she marries a man younger in wit by twenty degrees. I do not think he will dilapidate bans in London, Brighton, Cheltenham, &c., &c., are The magnificent doings of the Duchess of St. Alher fortune; he seems good and gentle. I do not they not blazoned in Sunday newspapers, think she will abuse his softness of disposition—shall mortalized in fashionable magazines? so we leave and im1 say, or of-head? The disparity of ages concerns them in their glory. To the greatest riches, she had no one but themselves; so they have my consent to now added the highest rank; but the thing did not marry if they can get each other's. Just as this is work well. The lucky woman never seems to have written, enter my Lord of St. Albans and Lady been the happy woman. Charlotte, to beg I would recommend a book of have been a series of heart-burnings, bravado and Her life would appear to sermons to Mrs. Coutts. Much obliged for her good mortification. She cut Cheltenham in a rage. She opinion: recommended Logan's. One poet should discarded ungrateful Brighton in disgust; nor, though always speak for another. The mission, I suppose, the public authorities entreated almost, on their official was a little display on the part of good Mrs. Coutts knees, that she would come back and shine upon of authority over her high aristocratic suitor. I did their eclipsed town, could she be moved to relent. not suspect her of turning devotee; and retract my consent as given above, unless she remains burly, man's story to the dispassionate reflection of the We may safely leave the moral of this lucky wobrisk, and jolly.' The Duchess did not need to turn devotee; she lignant and envious feelings of her great good forreader. We trust that, instead of indulging in mawas always eminently pious. The first day on tune, readers will see that there was much to pity in which, as a peeress of the realm, she was to attend her life, and little to envy. the opening of Parliament, so occupied had she been distinction was enormous wealth, and it failed to Her only substantial all the morning with the pomps and vanities of the acquire for her either love, reverence, esteem or true toilette, and other matters of ducal state etiquette, enjoyment. And does her conduct merit no blame? that she had forgotten to say her prayers. Just When she formed the scheme of securing old Coutts, when stepping into the carriage, the tender-con- she had not even the poor actress's plea of poverty to scienced Duchess remembered the sin of omission-palliate disreputable artifices and sordid ambition. dismissed the carriages-returned into her house-She was already in good and improving circumlaid aside her diamonds and satins-and did penance, stances-rich for Harriot Mellon, and at this time or made amends to heaven for some hours, in plain honourably so. From the first hour of that connexion, grogram! She, so favoured of heaven, to forget the every step was retrograde from respectability and gratitude she owed in return! It must have been from happiness. We are not going to debate the quite a scene. Can there be any question of the en-exact nature of the connexion; it is enough that the lightened Christianity and moral principles of so world will ever believe that it was quite as pure and pious and self-denying a Duchess; who, moreover, platonic as suited Mr. Coutts' principles and tastes, ranked the then Bishop of Derry and his lady among and neither more nor less so. her dear friends?

The skittish widow was as capricious, and hesi- the poor Duchess became at last; striving, with A pitiable drudge in the galling harness of fashion, tated as much about accepting the addresses of her failing health and sinking spirits, against the heavy noble and youthful suitor as she had done about mar-load; and bitterly feeling that all was vanity and rying her octogenarian "patron." First, the Duke vexation of spirit! A gentleman at Brighton, who was sentenced to a year's probation, which trial, we seems grateful and well-disposed to her, relates a presume, he had stood with courage and firmness; good deal about her private life in her latter years. and then she accepted and then refused, and then "From the crowd and heat of those festivities,

again repented her stern refusal; and, as there was both of which were very apt to be oppressive, her this time no convenient Mr. Raymond, sent a mes-Grace would sometimes seek a respite by taking me senger post-haste after the groom, who carried her aside, and chatting about olden times, green-room cruel missive, and who luckily-the Duchess was jokes, popular actors, plays and play-writers; ber always lucky-overtook him. delight she took in these reminiscences. beaming features and melodious laugh attesting the

"The world would say that she had tried for a Duke and failed!' for who would credit the folly she had just committed! .. On regaining the un-the

Twice, in instances of this nature, and nearly in same words, has her Grace exclaimed- Ah,

those were pleasant days!-those were pleasant artless Duchess "would, for the remainder of the days! Few persons have seen so much of the va- morning, be as happy as a child whose playmate rious aspects-1 may say of the two extremes of had returned." Now, some hard-natured persons life-as myself; and few persons, therefore, can be may be tempted, Mrs. Baron-Wilson fears, to believe better judges of the difference between great poverty that "this is all very well acted;" but no-"a deeper and great wealth; but, after all, this does not, by insight into her character always brought the conany means, constitute the chief and most important viction, that at all times there was not a sufficiency distinction between the high and low states. No of acting in her artless nature even to procure from the signal, the striking contrast is not in the external the world common justice, much less a false reputacircumstances, but in the totally opposite minds of tion for sentiment." This passes! Our mouths are the two classes, as to their respective enjoyinent of shut, and we take leave of our author in the hope existence. The society in which I formerly moved that, before she writes another biography, with better was all cheerfulness-all high spirits-all fun, frolic and fuller materials, she may also have seriously inand vivacity; they cared for nothing, thought of quired, in what good fortune in life should really be nothing, beyond the pleasures of the present hour, held to consist. Mrs. Siddons, with splendid genius and to those they gave themselves up with the keen-in her profession, was an instance of true good forest relish. Look at the circles in which I now move; tune; for she was beloved and respected for her can any thing be more weary, stale, flat and unpro- virtues. Mrs. Inchbald, a woman of much higher fitable, than their whole course of life? Why, one genius, industriousness, frugal, charitable, unselfish, might as well be in the treadmill, as toiling in the devoted to her relatives, maintaining her integrity in stupid monotonous round of what they call pleasure, the face of great temptation, we also consider an but which is, in fact, very clieerless and heavy work. eminent instance of true good fortune. From her Pleasure, indeed! when all merriment, all hilarity, obscure lodging, blessed with competence, and even all indulgence of our natural emotions, if they be of with moderate wealth, honourably acquired, she a joyous nature, is declared to be vulgar.'

"Sometimes she was obliged to retire at a very early hour, or not appear at all, being confined by indisposition to her couch in her own room, while the whole mansion, echoing to the sound of bands of music, and the merriment of the dancing crowd, was at the same time pervaded by the fumes of the preparing banquet; accompaniments to which no other invalid would have willingly exposed herself for the sake of gratifying her acquaintance."

could afford to look serenely down and pity the rich banker's favourite, or the uneasy Duchess driving to Court in her blazing equipage. No, no, we are well content to take Mrs. Coutts as she was, with all her faults and failings, "burly, brisk and jolly:" but we repudiate the artificial puffed-up personage presented to us in these volumes. This may be Mrs. Coutts' funeral sermon, but it is not her memoirs. And the simple truth would have made a much more popular and interesting book.

The will of this celebrated lady was quite in keepThe gratification of her vanity had now become a ing with her character. She seems to have regularly habit, and her passion for eclut might be at least kept an account of the large sums she generously equally interested with the desire to oblige. The disbursed among Mr. Coutt's daughters during her Duchess of St. Albans, when Dr. Brewster, one life, which she was in the habit of showing to her evening, sent his pretty toy, the kaleidoscope, to the friends and visiters. Instead of devoting any part of universal patroness of the arts and sciences, related the great wealth, of which she had obtained the an anecdote of her childhood. The shrewd girl had command, to public objects, or to some purpose of been wont to exhibit some such thing to her childish humanity; instead of even dividing it fairly and companions, at the rate of a couple of pins for a judiciously among the numerous descendants of Mr. peep; with which pins she forthwith hastened to an Coutts, she chose, like the dying old man in St. old woman to exchange them for lolly-pops. The Leon, to transmit her perilous gift to one young story is illustrative of her life of restless, unsatisfy- lady, who, we should hope, may have the virtue to ing grandeur; with this material difference, that the feel humbled at being preferred, by the mere caprice loppy-pops of fashion and luxury, bought with her of this vulgar woman, to all her own family, and the cleverly acquired hoards, were no longer sweet to other grandchildren of Mr. Coutts. This is the only the taste, though the appetite for them had not way in which enlightened morality and common sense must regard the extraordinary will, by which the Duchess must have intended to create, with an enormously rich heiress, a prodigious posthumous

abated.

Her biographer must pardon us for saying that she kept up her affectations of sentiment to the last, or that they had become part of her nature. Mr. sensation. Coutts, who, in his dotage, was as romantic, super- Let us conclude by inquiring, if there be any one stitious and sentimental as herself, or as she chose to wise or feeling woman, who can envy her prosperity; make him, had on his death-bed promised to revisit or, looking to her whole life, any one man of honour her as a little singing bird-of all the poetical incar- and sense who would calmly desire for his daughter nations of connubial love. She was always looking or his sister the brilliant lot of the unfathered beggarout for him from her boudoir window in Stratton child, and poor strolling actress, who died at last the Street; and if a bird (ten to a hundred a sparrow) richest woman in England, and the most noble Dudid enter her room, tempted by the offered food, the chess of St. Albans ?

From the Metropolitan.

A SCENE IN MALAGA.*

89

moreover, in the very heart of a populous city, which was anything but agreeable while it lasted, and had well-nigh proved fatal in its result.

Malaga was the scene of my triend's adventure, and bade fair to witness his last; but finally his better genius prevailed, and he escaped from the knives of the assassins.

BY MAJOR HORT, OF THE EIGHTY-FIRST REGIMENT. THERE is scarcely an Englishman who, in the preGentle reader, have you ever visited Malaga? If sent age of steam and velocity of travelling, has not not, a view of the town from its beautiful and placid deposited himself and portmanteau on board one of bay will well repay the troubles of your journey. the many hundred vessels daily leaving the Thames There is something about Malaga which, to my imfor the Mediterranean, and instead of sauntering agination, has ever appeared more attractive than away his time in the libraries of Margate and Rams- many larger and far more magnificent Spanish towns; gate, listening to the squalling voice of some "infant the picturesque appearance of the old fort, towering phenomena," or "precocious genius," and at the over the many-coloured buildings beneath, and the same time losing his money in raffles to obtain prizes massive walls and still unfinished turrets of the wholly devoid of utility, now speeds his way to- cathedral, cannot fail to attract the attention of all wards Lisbon and Cadiz, and frequently extending travellers. The latter edifice is a stupendous pile; his voyage to the Rock of Gibraltar, considers his it was commenced by Philip II., and in all proba wanderings as but half completed without strolling bility will be completed-never; certainly not as through the beautiful Alameda of Malaga, or gazing long as the abuses exist in every department of this with admiration and awe at the elaborately deco- misgoverned and distracted Spain.

rated "Patios" of the Alhambra.

The interior of the building is, in point of size,

Wines of

Ten days from London, and frequently a lesser truly magnificent; and had the plan and intentions period than a week from Falmouth, suffices to carry of the original projector been carried on and executed the adventurer to Gibraltar, including a sufficiency by his successors, it would have ranked as one of the of time allowed on the voyage for enjoying a cursory finest cathedrals in the country. glance at Lisbon and Cadiz. So far the veriest The time to visit Malaga is in the fruit season; cockney within sound of Bow bells may journey then it is, more particularly than at any other period, without hindrance or interruption; the steam-vessels that the streets and quays are crowded with persons, are manned by Englishmen, the passengers from all engaged in freighting the vessels in the bay with home are mostly of the same nation, and until the the produce of the neighbouring soil. traveller leaves the Rock in a Spanish boat, and many descriptions, far too various to enumerate, and ploughs the deep blue waves of the Mediterranean, boxes upon boxes of the far-famed raisins, meet you his own language is sufficient to carry him through at the turning of every street, while huge baskets of all difficulties, and amply provide for his wants. figs and enormous packets of lavender wend their Once, however, with the Straits behind, and ra- way from out the various storehouses of the merpidly fading in the fast-increasing distance, every- chants, and are borne along to one common goal, the thing assumes a different hue; the vessel is much quay. And then the pleasures of a quiet stroll down smaller, and consequently far less convenient than the broad pathways of the shady Alameda, when the the English steamers; the accommodation bad, the cool evening breeze springing up is so gratefully provido's department capable of considerable im- hailed by those who have been compelled to underprovement, the sallow complexion of the passengers go the burning heat of the mid-day sun-the handdisown them as the children of our father-land; and some houses on either side of the well-filled promenthe language which on all sides assails the ear of ade, the plashing of the fountains, the sound of the the wanderer gives little intimation of the sense of distant guitar, the gay apparel of the men, and, the speaker's conversation; in fact, all and every- above all, the bright eyes of the beautiful womenthing around is Spanish; and if the aspiring traveller all tend to cast an influence over the senses, which has not made himself in some degree conversant with we never can experience during an evening ramble the tongue, or, what is still better, provided himself through the most celebrated of any of our country with a companion versed in the ways and customs of towns.

the people, it would he far more advantageous to him- It was on such an evening, and after having enself were he to turn his steps towards his old sum-joyed the pleasure of gazing on the various animated mer-quarters at Margate, rather than boldly dare the groups that slowly sauntered by, that my friend, dangers of a foreign clime.

warned by the thick shadows of evening fast closing It is not, however, always the stranger who meets around, should have prepared to leave the rapidly with disagreeable adventures and mishaps, for very thinning walks; lights were beginning to glimmer frequently the Spanish "caballeo" himself is made to through the curtained lattices of the lofty ventanas, deliver over part of his worldly possessions, at the party after party disappeared, and in a brief space risk of being anatomized with a sharp-bladed cuchillo nothing remained to break the stillness of the night, in case of refusal. In brief, not many months have save ever and anon the gay strains of distant music passed away since a gentleman, who for years had as it came floating on the breeze, or the joyous laugh been resident at Gibraltar, and whose knowledge of of happy childhood, or the more melodious voice of the Spanish language was perfect, encountered a some fair senorita warbling one of the beautiful balmeeting with two natives of Andalusia, and that, lads of her native Andalusia.

Lured by the delightful coolness of the evening, and yielding to the influence which was fast gaining the ascendency, my friend was insensibly led into a

strain of musing, carrying him far back among scenes until the unwelcome assailant had swept by, our be of other days-which, alas! never, save in imagina- nighted wanderer fancied he perceived the figures of tion, can return, to the total extinction of all recol- two men in the distance, who to all appearance were lection of the lateness of the hour, and also of the stationary as himself, and possibly from a similar darkness which reigned around. What may have motive.

been the precise nature of the gentleman's cogitations Now, the visible proof of two persons walking in I cannot take upon myself to determine, neither the public throughfare of a large city would not, would I boldly assert that he had not for some time during daylight, excite any feeling of astonishment; past been actually asleep; however that may be, but at the hour when my friend discovered their prewhen he at length roused himself from his recumbent sence, the knowledge of the fact was the reverse of position, the lights, which had previously glittered agreeable. Should they have any design upon him, from so many casements, were now rapidly with what chance had he against two persons, who, in all drawn, all sound of mirth and music had long since probability were well armed, whilst he had not so passed away, and striking his repeater, he discovered much as a walking-stick wherewith to defend himthat it wanted but a brief period of midnight. self in case of emergency? Yet, after all, was it not To walk through the streets of London at that possible that they were harmless individuals wendhour would not present the slightest difficulty to the ing their way home, and probably in as great awe of mind, but to wander through the narrow alleys and him as he possibly could have been of them? blind passages of a Spanish town, between eleven Thus soliloquizing, the gentleman turned towards and twelve o'clock, is an affair of a very different his dwelling, and recommenced his walk, yet not complexion. In the one case you are actually in- fully satisfied with the appearance of the individuals commoded by the number of policemen who at every he had discovered. My friend, every now and then, lamp scrutinize your features as though they expect-turned his head to ascertain if he was followed; ed to see "housebreaker" stamped on your forehead; when, to his excessive annoyance, he perceived that, while in the other you are equally liable to incon- whether he proceeded fast or slow, the figures mainvenience, but from a very different cause, since you tained the same distance from him as when first he might as well expect to meet the whole of the me- observed their presence. To prove the fact more tropolitan force, as anything approaching either in fully, my friend stopped suddenly in the street-so duty or appearance to a watchman; in short, no such did the others; and when, determined to ascertain functionary exists: the principal gentlemen who stroll whether they were purposely dodging his steps, he about at so unreasonable a period being confined to walked towards them, the figures steadily retreated those whose inordinate appetite for the property of as he advanced.

others induces them to sally forth when darkness His feelings now partook of a sensation somewhat favours their designs, and also affords good opportu- allied to alarm; and having by this time again reachnity of enjoying a feeling of gratified revenge by ed the consul's door, it occurred to him that, as a poniarding an intimate acquaintance, who may chance prudential measure, it might not be altogether unto possess the unenviable notoriety of enjoying a advisable to knock, and obtain some weapon wheregreater portion of some lady's favour than had fallen with to defend himself, if attacked. With this view to the lot of another. Neither of these characters he entered the lofty archway of the building, and had were precisely those whom my friend felt desirous of already raised his hand to demand admittance, when encountering; yet, having reached Malaga but on the the natural aversion which a man has to being susprevious day, he deemed it more than improbable pected of timidity, induced him to pause ere he sumthat in so short a time he could have given cause for moned any of the inmates to his aid; besides which, the most passionate to entertain a feeling of jealousy the very act of the figures retiring, as if alarmed at against so inoffensive a person as himself; and as re-his having turned back, was strong presumptive evigarded his property, he felt perfectly at ease on that dence of an anxiety, on their part, to avoid him as score, conscious that a few dollars were the extent pertinaciously as he was desirous of getting rid of of the sun which at that moment he carried about them. Moreover, should it afterwards appear that him. Unhesitatingly, therefore, did the meditative the objectionable persons were actually acquaintances gentleman pursue his homeward way, which abode, of his own, the story of having called up the consul we must premise, was situated in a street leading to in the middle of the night to afford him protection the quay, to reach which it was absolutely necessary would undoubtedly be published throughout Malaga, to pass the mansion of the English consul, an excel- as a most extremely pleasant story to relate, and a lent house in itself, but surrounded by many various pretty strong instance of the weakness of his nerves. dismal-looking entrances, leading whereto it might| Cogitating to this effect, he released the knocker be difficult to assert. It was now about twelve from his grasp, and was about to leave his sanctuary, o'clock; the wind, which before had merely added which was completely hidden in shade, when his its refreshing coolness to the atmosphere, was rapidly departure was arrested by hearing the sound of aprising, sweeping in its way long and thick eddies of proaching footsteps, and in a few seconds the very dust round the many angles of the streets. The night persons he so much dreaded passed him by. The had become extremely dark, and the very few lan- cautious manner in which they progressed showed terns-which by-the-bye were erected by the English the little confidence they placed in the safety of the merchants-scarcely sufficed to point the road. streets, and for the instant during which they stood My friend had just reached the house of her Bri- under the solitary lamp, which is intended to illutannic Majesty's consul, when a strong gust of wind, mine the open space, our adventurer was enabled to bearing in its vortex a mass of dust and rubbish, in- remark their contour and their dress. By the latter, duced him suddenly to wheel round rather than en- they were evidently peasants of Andalusia; and by counter the nuisance. With his face thus standing the former-if honest men-certainly under small

obligation to nature for having inscribed "rogue" of one syllable would most indelibly increase the most legibly on the countenances of both; one, the pressure of the blade.

least repulsive-looking of the two, was a man up- So sudden and effectual was the attack, that even wards of six feet in height, while his companion was had our acquaintance been prepared, it would have extremely short, and gifted with as villainous a been impossible to ward off the discourteous emvisage as could be invented for the direst imp in a brace; and when by close scrutiny he recognised the Christmas pantomime. faces of the wanderers, and by the smarting of the

The Spanish "ladron," or robber, however, is not divided skin covering his windpipe was enabled to precisely the style of gentlemen which romantic judge pretty correctly as to their intentions, the young ladies are apt to image to themselves, neither unhappy prisoner gave himself up for lost, though is that most respectable member of the community determined, as far as in his power lay, to struggle to correctly represented by those intellectual individuals the utmost for liberty and life.

on our stage, who stalk forth with well-rouged faces Acting on this principle, he commenced an exand black moustaches, having their backs and postulation in far from moderate terms, but the effect shoulders protected with an exuberance of curls, as of his harangue proved diametrically opposite to that was the fashion in the days of Charles II., while on expected; for, finding their prisoner bent on exclamathe summit of their heads what is technically termed tion, the smaller ruffian of the two thrust his, hand a large Spanish hat figures to considerable advantage, into his sash, and pulling forth an enormous circular ornamented with a long drooping feather, descending cork, such as is used to stop up the apertures of large half way to the ground. So far from such an appear-oil-casks, drove it into the mouth of the sufferer by ance approaching to the costume of the present day, main force with the hilt of his knife. the two worthies who, on the occasion related, The agony resulting from this operation must have stealthily took their way past the consul's door, were been intense, for the mouth, though stretched to its habited in the high steeple-crowned hat peculiar to utmost limits, was incapable of holding so huge a the province, and not unlike the sombre beavers substance; the horrid consequence was, that the commonly worn in the time of Cromwell, saving that, sides of his face were actually torn by the brutality instead of the enormous brim, a peculiarly-fashioned of the wretch, and while hardly able to breathe, the and very small upturned ridge was substituted; the blood flowed so copiously from the wounded cheeks remaining part of the dress of the before-mentioned of their victim as to place him in momentary dread of persons was picturesque enough, if viewed when suffocation. beautifully delineated on paper, but when seen in its native squalidness was dirty and unprepossessing in the extreme.

Then commenced a systematic pillage; and so bitterly enraged was the lesser robber at the insufficiency of the booty, notwithstanding that the gold Be it remarked, however, that round the body each repeater fell a sacrifice to their rapacity, that, uttering wore the thick coarse red sash wherein it is the a horrid imprecation, he again unclasped his knife, custom of the country to carry money, cigars, or what-rushed upon his prisoner, and had it not been for the ever necessaries may be required, not excepting the interference of his accomplice, the unfortunate object never-failing accompaniment of the Spaniard, his in their power never would have seen the sun of constant companion—the knife.

reward.

another day. As it fortunately chanced, the latter of Truly glad was the benighted gentleman on be- the two bravos most strenuously objected to further holding the departure of such undesirable companions, force being used, adding, that although their spoil and as they appeared steadily to bend their course in had proved far less valuable than they had anticipatthe way which it was his object to traverse, he ed, yet it was worse than frivolous to add murder to deemed a few minutes well spent in his present re- robbery, since no benefit could thereby arise to them; treat, confident that each moment so expended would but, on the contrary, the perpetration of the act increase the distance between the strangers and him- might, and most probably would, lead to certain self. Thus determined, my friend lingered on, until detection, and consequent strangulation for their conjecturing that the obnoxious persons must have long since passed away, he noiselessly vacated the Thus apostrophised, the greater ruffian of the two, shady archway wherein he had esconced himself, albeit by far the smaller man, reluctantly and with and fearlessly and with speed passed onwards to- much abuse returned his knife to the sheath; but wards his home. naturally savage, and worked up to a pitch of fiendHaving been thus detained considerably longer like brutality, he thrust his bony knuckles within the than his accustomed hour in the streets, our adven-neckcloth of his victim, and twisting the handkerturer found the increasing coldness of the air, and a chief with his utmost strength, would most undisnaturally good appetite, gradually becoming sharper; putably have placed my acquaintance beyond all and as the anticipation of rest and refreshment which necessity of rescue, had not the latter sinner again awaited him at his domicile passed through his mind, stepped forward and preserved his life. he gradually increased his pace until but the lapse of Let any one, whose good fortune hitherto has proa few moments more were sufficient to bring him to tected him from such a fate, picture to himself what his door. But such a consummation was not readily the feelings of the wretched man must have been. to be achieved, for when within fifty paces of his At that hour of the night it was impossible to expect dwelling, and grasping the latch key in his hand to aid from any quarter, and left in the grasp of two prevent any unnecessary delay at the portal, our un- determined villains disappointed of a rich booty, one happy pedestrian found himself, as if by magic, of whom had twice attempted his life, what could he encircled by a pair of athletic arms, while at the same expect from such hands but death, and in all probamoment a sharp knife was passed loosely across his bility a death of the most appalling description? throat, with the voluntary promise that the utterance In a short time his person was again subjected to