after, while the watch-dogs far and near responded in hoarse gruff tones to Towler's musical bay. "The banks were rugged and beetling; some of our dogs pried warily beneath them with nose and eye, while others beat landward round, and we, with pole and pike, searched about the roots of every old tree that bathed in the water,-disturbing the lurking Jack from his lair, and driving the mottled trout like arrows up the stream. In less than half an hour old Brandy, the mother of the subscription pack, spoke in a gleeful and decided tone! Every eye and ear was turned towards such prime authority; those who were on the opposite bank dashed into the stream, and in a few moments men and dogs were all assembled round the pack-mother. Meantime she was driving her clear, melodious voice into a hole about the size of a barley-straw, some four feet or so from the water's edge. There was evidently an otter's haunt beneath, and we sturdily set about thwacking and thumping the ground with our poles. The true dogs parted off again: some betook themselves to the stream, paddling cautiously about within a yard or two of the bank; others posted themselves along the margin, all joyfully giving tongue and anxiously waiting for the burst. Out he came at last, and a chain of strong bubbles showed his course and velocity of dash, down the stream. There was a moment! There was a time of shouting, hurrying, cheering, and heart-beating! Away went the dogs after the game, swimming with all their might on the track of his ventings, or following in full cry along the banks. Some of us cheered on the pack, while a few of the most active cut across to the shallows, and plunging hip deep in them, with ready poles and erected spears, waited the divers approach. Onward he bore in gallant style, maiming the dogs who headed him, snapping at spear and pole, and evading every jawclutch and thrust by dip or parry. Finding us drawn up in such formidable array on his course, he rose for a moment, opened his strong jaws, gasped convulsively, grinned at the nearest hound, and diving again dragged him by the leg under the water. The victim was brave. Towler a rough and a rigid-toothed dog, but what chance has tyke with otter in the bed of a river? I hooked him up with my pastoral, when almost at his last gasp. He was hurt in twenty places, bleeding from heel to wither, water-blind, deaf, and lame; but his nose was still alive, and on the otter's getting away again, spite of his disaster— 'Brave Towler led the cry.' Our game soon after took refuge under a shelving bank. There he kept the bravest at bay. He sallied forth occasionally, marked mementoes of the day on the legs of six of us, drowned two of our hounds, disabled five, and sent several with their tails curled under their bellies disconsolate, sorry, and yelping, towards home. Thrice did he 'scape us after we mooted him from the bank, and as often did our highnosed dogs reveal him again. At last, with Towler somewhat recovered, and hot with revenge, hanging on his gorge, while his own sharp teeth were making ribbons of Brandy's lug, I speared him. He was mine by the laws of brook and fen. I carried him to Shapcot's, and after laying the spoil at Ally's feet, in the presence of the frowning Justice, I dried my robes, adjusted my mitre, mounted palfrey Ned, slung Tommy across his withers, and trotted merrily away. Within a week I cut the bark off Hosea Butt's nose, after he had opened the pates of Mike and Bob at a single-stick match, and from that time who but Blaise the waddler was king paramount at Shapcot's, with all but the dame and Ally. I solaced them during the first three days of March-the deaf days, when they fear to sow corn (seed never growing that is buried at such time) and none lifted up so loud a voice as Ikey Wall at their harvest-home, when the old man, with sons, servants and assistant-neighbours about him, according to ancient custom, raised the garlanded oak-bough from earth towards heaven, in token of thanksgiving for his plentiful crops. Dozens whooped as the green branch was elevated, but my whoop was heard above all. The lass grew more kind, but she warmed to me slowly. The Justice I made a fool of, in the presence of Ally, regularly once a month; and whenever he sneaked down to the farmer's, I, to the horrible discontent, fretting, and fuming of the dame, was found perched upon the seat of honour allotted to his worship, from which, refusing to wag an inch, with gibe and song, I flouted him most respectfully. He never could find occasion to quarrel with me openly, so well did I manage my taunts and girds. But the bee stings sorely through his rose-leaf-the Justice felt my thrusts, though prettily veiled, and hated me most bitterly. One night, when the dame expected his worship, she persuaded Ally to hang the rind of a turnip, which she had contrived to pare off without fracture, on the latch of the door. Whoever first enters is fated to be the bridegroom of the lass who fastens up this charm; and the old woman was desirous of doing away with the idea in Ally's mind, that, having quaffed the gander's-foot-ash cider, she was doomed to be linked to Blaise-by his worship being notified, under the influence of a cantrip of equal power, as the future lord of her hand. I was at the next farm moulding spoons of the bits of metal which the women had hoarded, when my little ally warned me of my peril. You may wonder why Admonition was so true to my interest. Gratitude made her my friend. She had the hooping-cough three years before, and I, in pity to the child, plucked a few hairs from the brown streak that adorns my donkey's shoulder, sewed them up in a rag of my gown, and hung the charm with my own hands about her pretty neck. She was well in a week. But to proceed, his worship had already ambled down the hill from the village church when Addy came to me, but by a cross-path and good speed I reached the door before him. Oh! Saint Botolph! how she stared, the old dame did-and how she blushed, my beauty did-when I entered, and taking the rind from the latch unbroken to Ally's lap, snatched a hearty buss for my fee. Shortly after in rolled his worship, and the first thing he heard was little Admonition's tale, maliciously and shortly told, of the turnip charm. Sore was he at heart, though he affected to despise such follies; and I remember well, that on the same evening I gained a peg upon him thus: Ally, by accident, laid the bellows on the table whereupon his arm rested, and well the fat gentle knew, that she who places such an utensil on the board will be unlucky for three days after if she take it up again herself. Well he knew, too, that whosoever relieves the slut of that duty removes the ill-chance from her shoulders to his own; but fast he sat as roopy turkey-poult. I afforded him a fair opportunity to be galJant, but, finding him utterly currish, tripped at last across the floor and taking the bellows from his elbow hung it on its peg in the chimney. He repented when I touched it, but he was then too late. Thus obtained I a smile from my rose of the valley, and many a thorny look did she afterwards inflict on her cowardly suitor. The dame foamed, but I was merry with little Addy, and basked in the warm sunny looks of my love. Justice, thought I, to-day have I dealt thee a pong in the midriff. "He was a miserly rogue, and once when I came to his house in the way of my profession, on putting a handful from the heap which he warranted to be ashes of wood into my mouth, I knew, by the smack they left on my tongue, that they were vilely adulterated. "Your worship,' said I,' to every seam of your wood, you have burnt nine days gathering of cowdal from the moor, a hundred of turf, and many a square of tanners' leather-chips, as well as niggardly bricks of blended clay, small coal, and cinders-my palate tells me this; and yet you warrant the heap to be all hard-wood and coppice ash. Did you think my tongue was ignorant as a quarry-slate ?-Fie! fie!' This lie of his got abroad; he was nick-named for it, and I, by him, more hated than ever. He has a fish-pond in his grounds which, tradition saith, is the abiding place of a furious water-pixy for twenty days current at the conclusion of every century. I had heard of the sprite's tricks in the days of our grandads, and on the time of his re-appearance approaching, posted myself, night by night, near the pond, to watch his pranks. By way of amusing myself, I gutted the water, with the aid of Tommy, my otter, and feasted my friends with the spoil. They knew not where I obtained the fish-it was enough for them that they had it to prey on. Meantime I daily heard tales about the Pixy of Blackpool. He was described in a thousand different ways, and such feats were assigned to him as ear never heard before. I still fished in the watersTommy and I-but deuce a smiggott of aught wonderful saw we, save and except only a colossal carp now and then, during all our watchings. At last, his worship, while wandering with dame Shapcot about his lands to astound her with his rich possessions in beeve and fleece, unconsciously neared (about sunset) a hedge that fringed the bank of Blackpool. In the heat of an eloquent sally on the rare wool of his chilver-hogs then present, suddenly drops the uplifted cane from my gentleman's hand, he roars like a town-bull, and takes to his heels, most uncourteously leaving the dame to settle with his honour the Pixy in the best way she could. I was up to my belt in water when I heard his shout (he shouts well, his worship does) aiding Tommy to capture a fine fish. I was busied, to be sure, but I looked suddenly and carefully about me, and no pixy saw I-deuce a bit of one. The dame, however, vowed she did, and sorely terrified she was. I found her sprawling and praying on the ground-and most superfluous of kisses and kindness she became when I raised her up. As we walked towards home, she lavished curses, bitter as the words to which women are restricted could make, on the cowardly brutal Justice, for leaving a helpless woman in such a situation; and lauded me to the skies as a mirror of goodness and manhood. Ally despised his worship, and looked upon me as a living wonder, for my daring hardihood in rescuing her mother from the jaws of the terrible Blackpool goblin. I said nothing, but eh! me! how I chuckled! The Justice never showed his ruby nose at Shapcot's again, and matters went on swimmingly in favour of Blaise. One night Ally stole out with some other maids to sing— 'New moon! True moon-tell unto me, Who my love and husband shall be.' I was standing at her elbow when she concluded. She stuck the heart of one of Bob's game-cocks, that had been killed in battle, with new pins, placed it under her pillow in a stocking which had been thrice washed in fountain water, and bleached as often in moonlight: that night she confessed I was the subject of her dreams. The charm worked in favour of Blaise. She went to see the sun and moon jig together in the brook on Easter morning, with her true love's face laughing at the fun. She glimpsed the peak of my mitre in the waters, and shrieking fell into my arms! If she loitered in the church-yard at nightfall to chaunt 'Hemp seed I set, and hemp seed I sow, I was accidentally passing that way with a scythe or a bill on my shoulder, after assisting her brothers a-field. Could she but love me? Or was she to fight fate? When each of us present at a merry-meeting threw a lock of hair on the fire (1 need scarce say that the owner of the lock that frizzles without flaming is doomed to die within the year) she grew pale as a lily when mine created no blaze. Then I was sure she loved me! It was a bit of my palfrey's mane, but I could not bring the colour to her cheek again, nor would she be easy until she plucked a curl from my brow, and it threw up a lusty flame when she cast it on the burning log. Then she moaned for my beast, and he, poor palfrey, has lived five months of his allotted time. I look forward with grief to the hour of our parting; but die he must at the year's end— that's fated. We played at shord and pancake last Shrovetide, Ally was lady of the door, and caught me as I was dropping my bit of crockery on the threshold. Nevertheless she did not black my cheeks with the frying pan, as by the law of custom she was entitled to do, but gave me a kiss and a cake, as if I had succeeded in laying down my shord, and escaping without detection. In fact, we are now as fond as two turtles, and to-morrow Alice will be made the bride of the roving waddler. Long may she live to vex the eye of his worship by her beauty, and to cheer my heart by her loving tones! My cot by Exmoor is fitted for her reception, and I shall hereafter limit my wanderings to a day's tramp; but never while I am able, and she is willing, will I discontinue my profitable and merry occupation of gathering ashes for the soap folks. The hill-side shall still ring with my song-the metal be fashioned in my moulder-the wood-ash darken these the robes of my good old father-and young and old from village and homestead, crowd forth to greet and employ their boon-friend, their comforter, and champion,-Bishop Blaise, the ash-waddler." A. ANGLO-GALLIC SONG. The Exposition at the Louvre. BEHOLD how each Gallic improver, in science, mechanics, and arts, As he roams the Bazaar of the Louvre, snuffs, shrugs up his shoulders, and starts; Mon Dieu!-c'est superbe-magnifique !-les Anglois eux-mêmes diront cela- Here is a patent marmite pour perfectionner pumpion soup— Voilà des chapeaux sanitaires with a jalousie cut in the hold, To let in a current of air, and give hot-headed people a cold; Six irons with which boots are heel'd, so no modern Achilles miscarries, For he now gets his tendon and shield where the Greek got an arrow-from Paris. And its oh! &c. A ham and a head of wild boar in a permanent jelly suspended, Cinq modèles de chaises inodores pour un cabinet d'aisance intended; The elixir term'd odontalgique, which can stubbornest tooth-aches control, Et les poupées parlantes which can squeak “papa! and mamma !"—comme c'es drole! And its oh! &c. For heads without ringlets or laurel, Regnier fashions wigs like a wreath, Here's a lady in wax large as life, with all the blonde lace she can stick to, A gross of green spectacles-nails-a stick of diaphanous wax, A Faunus-one Pan and two pails-account-books with springs in their backs; And its oh! &c. Pour vous dire en detail toutes les choses there's no time, so we'll lump as we pass, Caps, corkscrews, cheese, cucumbers, clothes; glue, gingerbread, ginghams, and glass; Pianos, pipes, pipkins, pots, pattens; rouge, rat-traps, rings, ratafie, rice, Through the fifty-two rooms on a floor, now you 've seen all the sights in your tour, Et si vous en voulez encore vous les verrez là bas, dans la cour ;- H. |