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je boat-cloak, I issued forth from that now enveloped every object, made

cheerful brightness of the cote me pause for a moment to consider e parlour into the darkness visi- how far it might be safe to continue

of the wild scene without. Wild- onward in my wave-washed path. A magnificent it was! My path lay light streaming from one of the wining the shore, against which moun- dows of Campbell's cottage, a few furinous waves came rolling in long longs up the beach, decided the result lges, with a sound like thunder. of my deliberation, and I turned toeet, falling at intervals, mingled wards the little dwelling, purposing to ith the sea surf, and both were dri- apply there for a lantern and a guide, en into my face by the south-east should the younger Campbell chance last, with a violence that obliged me to be at home. equently to pause and gasp for breath. I had no need to tap for admit- . arge masses of clouds were hurried tance at the humble door. It was open, | sublime disorder across the dim and on the threshold stood the mother ruggling moon, whose pale light of the family. The light from within eamed at intervals, with ghastly in- gleamed across her face and figure, and istinctness, along the white sands, I could perceive that she was listening ad on the frothy summits of the ad- with intent breathlessness, and with incing billows. As I pursued my eyes rivetted, as if they could pierce ay, buffetting the conflicting ele- the darkness, towards the quarter from ents, other sounds, methought, ap- whence I was approaching. My steps cared to mingle in their uproar. The on the loose shingle at length reached rep and shrill intonation of human the ear, and she darted forward, exrices seemed blended with the wail- claiming, “Oh, Amy! thank God !

g and sobbing of the storm; the here's your father.”. The young woca 'eaking and labouring of planks, the man sprang to the door with a light, Dzlash of oars was distinguishable, I and its beams revealed my then una

hought, in the pause of the receding welcome features, instead of those of *ir aves. I was not deceived. A mo- the husband and father.

“Oh, sir ! sentary gleam of moonlight glanced I thought"—was poor Margaret's sz'a the white sails of a vessel at some eloquentlyunfinished ejaculation, when

istance from the land, and one of her she discovered her mistake; “ but you roats (a black speck on the billows) are kindly welcome,” she quickly adds'as discernible, making her way to- ed, “ for this is no night for any

Sards the shore. At that moment, Christian soul to be out in, though my nother boat close in shore shot by husband and son Oh, sir! they are ith the velocity of lightning, and at both, both tossing in one little boat on

le same instant a man rushed quick that dreadful sea ; and that is not all, hty' by me, whose tall remarkable figure the Ranger's boats are on the look out

recognized for Campbell's, in that for the lugger they are gone to meet, im momentary glance. He darted and God knows what may happen-Í A with the rapidity of an arrow, and prayed and beseeched them for this nmediately I heard a long shrill whistle night only to stay peaceably at home, e-echoed by another and another from such a night of weather as was workle cliffs, from the shore, and from ing up, but all in vain; we had proue sea. The moon had alınost with mised my lady, and the cargo was to ráwn her feeble light, and I could be landed to-night-Oh, sir ! my lady,

longer discern any object but the and the like of she, little think”. hite sands under my feet, and the And the poor woman burst into tears. zá foam that frothed over them. This was no time for admonition and lore than two miles of my home reproof, or for the consolatory remarks yard path was yet before me; and in so often addressed to the unhappy, of heir progress

I should have to cross " I told you it would come to this," wogullies furrowed through the sand or “ This would not have happened if

y land-springs from the adjacent you had listened to me,” or, Well, liffs

. Intermingled and bedded in you have brought it all upon yourself.” 972 hese were several rocky crags, and The consequences of their illicit traffic

portions of the foundered Cliff, amongst were now brought more forcibly home rhich it was easy to pick one's day- to the minds of these poor people, by ight way; but the impenetrable gloom the agonizing suspense they were en

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Vol. X.

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during, than they could have been by not beauty of feature, for excepting a any arguments I might have labour- pair of fine dark eyes, shaded by lashes ed to enforce. I did my best to calın of unusual length, there was nothing their terrors. To dispel them was im- uncominon in her countenance, and possible, while the tempest raged loud- her naturally dark and colourless com. er and louder; and independent of that, plexion was tinged with the sallow there wereother too reasonable grounds hue of sickness ;- her lips were whiter of apprehension. I suggested the pro- than her cheek, and her uncommonly bability of Campbell not being in the tall figure, slender and fragile as the boat, as he had passed me on the beach reed, bowed down with the languer so recently; but at all events, he was of weakness and sorrow. But when she abroad in a tremendous night, and lifted up those dark eyes, their melan· with a desperate gang, expecting and choly light was touchingly expressive, armed against resistance. Forgetting and in unison with the general chamy own purpose of borrowing a lan- racter of the slight shadowy frame, tern to continue my homeward path, that seemed almost transparent to the I entered the cabin with the distress- workings of the wounded spirit within, ed females, whose looks thanked me Amy's young heart had never recovered for abiding with them in this their the shock of her William's untimely hour of need. A cheerful fire bright, death, and her timid tender nature ened the interior of the little dwelling, was weighed down under a perpetual where neatness and order still bore load of conscious self-reproach, that testimony that the habits of its inmates for her sake, and that of her infants, had at least been those of peaceful in, her father and her brother had engadustry. The fire-light gleamed ruddy ged in the perilous unlawfulness of red on the clean brick floor : a carved their present courses. As she sat lookoak table, and a few clumsy old chairs ing on her mother's face, I could perof the same fashion, were bright with ceive what thoughts were passing in the polish of age and housewifery; and her mind. At last a large tear, that had one, distinguished by capacious arms, been some time collecting, swelledover a high stuffed back, and red cushion, the quivering lid, and trickled slowly was placed close beside the ingle nook, down her cheek, and rising suddenly

, the accustomed seat of the father of and letting fall the netting and shuttle

, the family. His pipe lay close at hand, she came and edged herself on the on the high mantle shelf, where a pair corner of her mother's chair, and claspof brass candlesticks, a few china cups, ingone arm round her neck, and hiding some long-shanked drinking glasses, her face on her shoulder, sobbed out

, and sundry tobacco stoppers, of fan- “ Mother !"_“My Amy! my

dear tastical figure, were ranged in symme- child !” whispered the fond parent, trical order. The dresser was elabo- tenderly caressing her, “why should rately set out with its rows of yellow you always reproach yourself so ? You ware ; its mugs of various shape and who have been a good dutiful child, quaint diversity of motto and device, and a comfort to us ever since you were its japanded tray, and mahogany teas born. Before your poor father fell into chest, proudly conspicuous in the mid- evil company, and listened to their dle. The walls were hung round with temptations, did we not coutrive to nets, baskets, and fishing apparatus, maintain ourselves, and you and your and to the rafter various articles of the dear fatherless babies, by honest indussame description were appended; but try; and where should you have taken Campbell's duck gun,and histwoclum- refuge, my precious Amy, but under sy pistols

, rested

not on the hooks he your parents' roof?" A look of eloquent was wont to call his armoury. An un- gratitude and a tender kiss was Amy's finished net was suspended by the reply to these fond assurances. For a chimney corner, at which the youth- few moments this touching intercourse ful widow bad apparently been em- of hearts, beguiled them from the in: ployed. She resumed her seat and tense anxiousness with which they had shuttle, but the band that

held it been listening to every sound from rested idly on her lap, while her eyes without; but the redoubled violence were rivetted in mournful solicitude

on of the storm fearfully roused them the anxious countenance of her mom from that momentary abstraction, and ther. There was something peculiar- they started and looked in each other's ly interesting in this young woman; faces, and then in mine, as if besezei

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man

E comfort, when, alas! I had only opened from that we were in, and the mpathy to bestow. The conflict of young mother crept softly towards the nds and waves was indeed tremen- bed of her sleeping infants. She was vus, and I felt too forcibly convinced, still bending over them, when the outer lat if the poor Campbells were indeed door was suddenly dashed open, and posed to it, in their little fishing Campbell-Campbell himself, burst bat, nothing short of a miracle could into the cottage. Oh! with what a ive them from a watery grave. There shriek of ecstacy was he welcomed ! 'as a chance, however, that the land- With what a rapture of inarticulate ig of the contraband goods might have words, clinging embraces, and tearful een effected by the crew of the lug- smiles ! But the joy was transient, and er, without help from shore, and, in succeeded by a sudden chill of nameiat case, the prolonged absence of less apprehensions ; for, disengaging le father and son might arise from himself almost roughly from the arms aeir having proceeded with them to of his wife and daughter, he staggered me inland place of concealment. The towards his own old chair, and flinging robability of this suggestion was ea- himself back in it, covered his face erly caught at by the conscious pair, with his clasped hands. One only ut the ray of hope gleamed with tran- cause for this fearful agitation suggestent brightness: A gust of wind, more ed itself to his trembling wife. wful than any which had preceded son! my son!” she shrieked out,

rushed past with deafening uproar, grasping her husband's arms, “what nd as it died away, low sobs, and have you done with him? He is dead! arill moaning lamentations, seemed he is murdered! Oh! I knew it would singled with its deep bass. We were come to this."-" Peace, woman !" Il silent, now straining our sight from shouted Campbell, in a voice of thunle cabin door into the murky gloom der, uncovering his face as he started ithout,- now gathering together up wildly from his chair, with a look pund the late blazing hearth, where of appalling fierceness—" Peace, woneglected embers emitted only a !

your son is safe;" then his tone tful glimmer. The wind rushing suddenly dropping to a low hoarse trough every chink and cranny, wa- murmur, he added, “ This is not his ed to and fro the flame of the sinall blood, and he flung on the table his indle, declining in its socket, and at broad white belt, on which the tokens ist the hour of twelve was struck by of a deadly fray were frightfully aple old clock that “ ticked behind the parent. “ Campbell !” I cried, oor” in its dark heavy case. At that happy man! what have you done? to comenta large venerable looking book, what have you brought your wretched

hat lay with a few others on a hang- family? For their sakes, escape, escape ig shelf, near the chimney, slipped for your life, while the darkness favours rom the edge on which it rested, and you.” He trembled, and looked irreall with a dull heavy sound at Marga- solute for a moment, but immediately it's feet. It was the Bible that had resuming the voice and aspect of des. elonged to her husband's mother, and perate sternness, replied, “It is too late

s she stooped to pick it up, and re- - they are at my heels--they tracked 2 lace it, she perceived that it had fallen me home;" and wliile he yet spoke,

penat the leaf, where twenty-two years the trampling of feet, and the shout of "ack from that very day, the venerable loud voices was heard ; the door burst arent had recorded, with pious grati- open, and several rough looking men, de, the birth of her son's first born. in the garb of sailors, rushed into the Ah, my dear son! my good Mau- cottage.

66 Ah! we have you, my ee!" ejaculated the heartstruck mo- man,” they vociferated—“we have you

I was not used to forget the at last, though the young villain has ay God

gave thee to me-Thou wert given us the slip.”—"Villain!” shouthe first to leave me, and now”. ed Campbell;

is who dares call my son den he was interrupted by the low inar- a villain?” But checking himself iniculate murmur of a human voice, stantaneously, he added, in a subdued aat sounded near us. We all started, quiet tone, " but I am in your power ut Amy's ear was familiarized to the now, you may do what you will," and me it was that of one of her little once more he seated himself in sullen

nes talking and moaning in its sleep. submissiveness. The women clung AMEL he sinall chamber where they lay weeping round him, his wuliappy wife

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exclaiming, “Oh! what has he done? by the rash hand of the wretched cul If there has been mischief, it is not prit before us, whose aim was not the his fault-he would not hurt a fly less fatal, for having been almost unFor all his rough way, he is as tender- consciously taken in the bustle of a hearted as a child-Richard! Richard ! desperate conflict. - We've missed speak to them-tell them 'tis a mis- our boat, and we could not let him lie take." He neither spoke nor moved, bleeding on the beach," said one of nor lifted up his eyes from the ground the new comers, in reply to an exela

. on which they were fixed. “No mis- mation of surprise from those who betake at all, mistress,” said one of the fore occupied the cottage. Campbell's meni, “ he has only shot one of our agitation was dreadful-He turned

, people, that's all, and we must just fit shuddering, from the sight of his vichim with a couple of these new brace- tim. The women stood petrified with lets.” And so saying, he began fasten- horror. I alone retaining some selfing a pair of handcuffs round Camp- possession, advanced to examine if hubell's wrists. He offered no resistance, man aid might yet avail to save the and seemned indeed almost unconscious poor youth, who was laid (apparently a of what was doing, when the eldest of corpse) on three chairs, near the door

. Amy's children, a pretty little girl of Comprehending my purpose, the hufour years old, who having been awa- mane tenderness of poor Margaret's kened by the noise, had crept softly nature surmounted her agonizing feel

. from her bed, and made her way un- ings, and she came trembling to assist perceived towards her grandfather, in the painful examination. The young burst into a fit of loud sobbing, and man's face was turned from us towards climbing up upon his knees, and clasp- the wall, and almost covered by the ing her little arms about his neck, and luxuriant hair, (a sailor's pride) which

, laying her soft cheek to his dark rough escaping from the confining ribbon, one, lisped out, “ Send away naughty had fallen in dark wet masses over his men, grandad—naughty men fright- cheek and brow. His right hand hung en Amy."

down from his side, and on taking it The springs of sensibility that seem- into mine, I found that it was already ed frozen up in Campbell's

bosom were cold as marble, and that no pulse was touched electrically by the loving tones perceptible in the artery. Margaret and caresses of his little darling. He had, as expeditiously as her agitation hugged her to his bosom, which began would permit, unelosed his sailor's to heave with deep convulsive sobs, jacket, and checked shirt; and though and for a moment the tears of the old she started and shuddered at the sight man and the child mingled in touch- of blood thickly congealed over his boing silence. As he clasped her thus, som, she persisted heroically in her the handcuff that was already fastened trying task. His neck handkerchief to his left wrist, pressed painfully on her had been previously untied, and stufftender arms, and as she shrunk from ed down as a temporary pledget into the it, he seemed first to perceive the igno- wounded breast. In removing it, Marminious fetter. His brow was wrung garet's finger became entangled by a with a sudden convulsion, but its dis- black string passed round the youth's tortion was momentary, and turning neck, to which a small locket was susu to his weeping daughter, he said quiet- pended. She was hastily moving itaside, ly, “ Amy, my dear child! take the when the light held by one of the sailors poor baby; I little thought, dear lamb! fell upon the medallion, (a perforated she would ever find hurt or harm in gold pocket piece) and her eye glancing her old grandfather's arms." It was a towards it at the same moment, a half touching seene-even the rough sail- choaked exclamation burst from her ors seemed affected by it, and they lips, and, looking up, I saw her standwere more gently executing their task ing motionless, breathless, her hands of fitting on the other manacle, when clasped together with convulsive eneragain steps and voices approached ; a- gy, and her eyes almost starting from gain the door opened, and a second their sockets, in the stare of indescriband appeared at it, a group of sailors bable horror with which they were likewise, bearing amongst them a rivetted on the suspended token. df ghastly burthen, the lifeless body of last, a shriek (such a one as my ears the unfortunate young man who had never before heard, the recollection of been shot in the execution of his duty, which still curdles the blood in my

a

veins) burst from her lips, and brought spair. Once more she repeated, in the her daughter and husband (even the same calm deliberate tone, “ Who is unfortunate man himself) to the spot that, Richard ?" and suddenly leaning where she stood absorbed in that forward, dashed aside from the face of fearful contemplation. She looked up the corpse the dark locks that had hitowards her husband (on whose brow therto concealed it. “ There, there !" cold drops of agony were thickly ga- she shrieked—“I knew it was my thering, whose white lips quivered son!” and bursting into a frenzied with the workings of a tortured spirit) laugh, she called out,“ Amy! Amy! she gazed up in his face with such a your brother is come home! come look as I shall never forget. It was home on his birth-day!Will nobody one of horrid calmness, more fearful to bid him welcome ? Richard, wont you behold than the wildest expressions of speak to your son, to our dear Maupassionate agony, and grasping his fet- rice! wont you bless him on his birthtered band firmly in one of her's, and day?” And snatching her husband's with the other pointing to the perfo- hand, she endeavoured to drag him rated gold piece, as it lay on the man- 'towards the pale face of the dead. He gled bosom of the dead youth, she to whom this heart-rending appeal was said in a slow steady voice, “ Look addressed, replied only by one deep there! what is that? - Who is that, groan, which seemed to burst up the Richard ?” His eyes rivetted them- very fountains of feeling and of life. selves with a ghastly stare on the ob- He staggered back a few paces--his ject to which she pointed, then wan- eyes closed—the convulsion of a modered wildly over the lifeless form be- ment passed over his features, and he fore him; but the tremulous agitation of fell back as inanimate as the pale corpse his frame ceased, the convulsive work- that was still clasped with frantic raping of the muscles of his face changed ture to the heart of the brainstruck into rigid fixedness, and he stood like mother. one petrified in the very burst of de

C.

X2

NOVEMBER,
In Sir Sonnets.

No. I.
Slowly the glittering morning star declines,

As, from his cloudy shrine in eastern skies,

The sun comes forth with a forlorn uprise,
And on the grass a pearly hoar-frost shines;
Athwart the bosom of the waveless lake,

In volumed mass, a thin blue vapour brooils;

Still, and immotioned are the leafless wools,
And not one bill to music is awake:
Where, oh! ye minstrels of the early morni,

Where are ye fled, that thus the dawn of day

Is silent, and the hills, in bare array,
Look down on fields of all their honours shorn
No marvel that the heart should feel forlorn,
When even the silence tells us of decay!

No. II.
How chill and cheerless is this barren scene !

With haze and cloud the pale sky ever glooms,

And the shorn sun, with powerless ray, illumes
Forest and field, where beauty erst hath been.
The golden grain, and honied clover flowers

Have disappeared ; and, on the breezes borne,

Sere yellow leaves from the dark branches torn
Dance dizzily among the faded bowers ;-
Prone o'er the steep its swoln and muddy tide,

From bleak and barren hills, the river pours,

And, downward to the ocean as it roars,
Washes lone perish'd flowers on either side:

Above-beneath-the wandering eye deplores
Ravage and ruin, everywhere descried !!