"The life of all her blood was touch'd corruptibly."

She died that night.

It is also impossible here to dilate at full upon the future career of the Lady Elvira de Castro, whether or not she became the Marchioness of Castel Blastam, and, without having the fear of an ossified goblet constantly before her eyes, allowed her preserver from the Forty-seven to take her for his second, we cannot say. We may, however, presume such was the case, as it has been handed down to a particular friend of ours by his great-grandfather's son, that the Marquis and Marchioness de Castel Blastam danced in the same set with Prince Charles and the Infanta of Spain, at Madrid, that very season.

THE "LONELY HOUSE."

NOT far from the small town of Barbacena, about fifty leagues north of Rio de Janeiro, there stands an old house, formerly inhabited by a Brazilian fazendeiro, or gentleman-farmer, called Jozé de Souza, whose name it still bears. A story is current among the good people of the little town that Jozé de Souza was barbarously murdered by his wife and her paramour, who, mirabile dictu! were hung for it, such being the very rare consequence of a murder committed by a free person in Brazil. Advice is given to all travellers on no account to stop the night in the "Lonely house," as they would be visited by the ghost of the former owner, who was nightly seen flying before his murderers in a bloody-shirt, and uttering shrieks for help.

Having occasion to pass through Barbacena with a friend, we determined to spend a night in the haunted mansion, and, if possible, to discover who their ghostships were. The usual advice about not visiting the place was most generously bestowed on us; and, although we heeded it little, it appeared to have considerable effect upon a Brazilian, and a negro servant, who accompanied us. Antonio (the Brazilian) suddenly discovered that he had run a horse-shoe nail into his foot, which utterly disabled him from stirring another step; at the same time the poor negro found out to his amazement that he had forgotten his manta (coverlet), and that he must instantly return to fetch it. These misfortunes we very soon remedied by putting Antonio on horseback, and by purchasing a new manta for Pedro; still, both seemed unwilling to move, and we were obliged to resort to threats and promises before they would stir. In about four hours we reached the "Lonely house"-a place fully deserving its name; and, had we supposed we should find so wretched a lodging, our curiosity for ghost-seeing would, probably, have been subdued. There was not a house within twelve miles of this miserable building, which was very long and narrow, and only one story high. The roof was still standing in some parts; but, in others, it had fallen in. Not a window or shutter was left, nor even the vestige of a door; we, therefore, blocked up the vacant spaces in the best-looking apartment, which we chose for the adventure, with logs of wood, and bushes from a neighbouring thicket. Having kindled a large fire here, as night approached we fastened our horses in one corner, and spread

our ponxos (Brazilian cloaks) in another, where we intended to sleep. Our servants made themselves happy on some dry grass near the fire; and, having had their insides warmed with a stiff glass of hot grog, before long they were fast asleep.

My companion and I discussed our toddy, and the necessity of one keeping watch whilst the other slept, "lest bogies catch us unawares;" for we thought it possible that some trick might be intended; but, having talked till long after "night's dark key-stone," which we were told was the visiting hour of the deceased parties, we dozed off into a comfortable sleep, which, in about an hour's time, was interrupted by the shrieks of our servants, who rushed to us from their bed by the fire, calling on all the ghost-dispelling saints for assistance against the Tutus (evil spirits); and true enough, by the faint glimmer of the expiring embers, we could perceive several hideous beings warming themselves by the fire. The horses were apparently as much frightened as our servants, or, I may as well own it, as ourselves; for, although I had always laughed at the idea of demonocracy, my first thought was, that his Satanic Majesty must have sent a troop of his imps to worry us: but, to put them to the proof, I fired a pistol loaded with shot into the midst of them, which caused a frightful yell, and set them skipping at us. To fire again would have endangered the horses, when Pedro, who was trying to shield himself, covered one of them by a sudden jerk with his new manta, into which my friend fired a pistol, by the flash of which we saw some of the imps climbing up the wall above our heads, whence a shot from my gun brought one down. During the scuffle the horses broke loose, and, by rushing across the room, kicked some burning charcoal into the dry grass, which directly flamed up, and gave us sufficient light to recover our wits, and to find out something about our uninvited guests.

It appeared that some large monkeys, called monnos by the Brazilians, had been accustomed to pay occasional visits to the relics of a banana and orange-garden adjoining the old house; and, as they were never interrupted, they probably used sometimes to seek shelter in the building. Whether the smell of our provisions, or the warmth of the fire, had proved an extra inducement, we cannot say; but certain it is, that they first awoke poor Antonio, who was snoring most gloriously by the fireside. We consoled him by assuring him that they must have taken his ugly face for one belonging to their own tribe; for truly no other animal could have been so misled. The idea appeared both novel and unpleasant to him. On removing Pedro's manta very carefully, we found a young monno, who had merely been stunned by a charge of buck-shot passing close by his head, and taking a piece out of his ear. This animal we took care of, and, having muzzled him, and tied his paws, we carried him in triumph to Barbacena. Some people laughed at the joke; but others shook their heads, and said it was useless for "Pagãos Inglezes" (English Pagans) to try to pawn the devil, in the shape of a monno on good Christians, and ended by assuring us that nothing would ever induce them to pass a night in the "lonely house."

197

ANECDOTES OF THE PENINSULAR WAR.

FROM THE RECOLLECTIONS OF THE RIFLEMAN HARRIS.

EDITED BY H. CURLING.

I REMEMBER it was five or six days before the battle of Roliça, the army was on the march, and we were pushing on pretty fast. The whole force had slept the night before in the open fields; indeed, as far as I know, (for the rifles were always in the front at this time,) they had been for many days without any covering but the sky. We were pelting along through the streets of a village, the name of which I do not think I ever knew, so cannot name it; I was in the front, and had just cleared the village, when I recollect observing General Hill (afterwards Lord Hill) and another officer ride up to a house, and give their horses to some of the soldiery to hold. Our bugles at that moment sounded the halt, and I stood leaning upon my rifle near the door of the mansion which General Hill had entered: there was a little garden before the house, and I stood by the gate. Whilst I remained there, the officer who had entered with General Hill came to the door, and called to me. "Rifleman," said he, "come here." I entered the gate, and approached him. "Go," he continued, handing me a dollar, "and try if you can get some wine; for we are devilish thirsty here." Taking the dollar, I made my way back to the village. At a winehouse, where the men were crowding around the door, and clamouring for drink, (for the day was intensely hot,) I succeeded, after some little difficulty, in getting a small pipkin full of wine; but the crowd was so great, that I found as much trouble in paying for it as in getting it; so I returned back as fast as I was able, fearing that the general would be impatient, and move off before I reached him. I remember Lord Hill was loosening his sword-belt as I handed him the wine. "Drink first, rifleman," said he; and I took a good pull at the pipkin, and held it to him again. He looked at it as I did so, and told me I might drink it all up, for it appeared greasy; so I swallowed the remainder, and handed him back the dollar which I had received from the officer. "Keep the money," he said, "my man. Go back to the village once more, and try if you cannot get me another draught."Saying this, he handed me a second dollar, and told me to be quick. I made my way back to the village, got another pipkin full, and returned as fast as I could. The general was pleased with my promptness, and drank with great satisfaction, handing the remainder to the officer who attended him; and I dare say, if he ever recollected the circumstance afterwards, that was as sweet a draught, after the toil of the morning march, as he has drank at many a nobleman's board in old England since.

I remember remarking Lord Hill, for the second time in my life, under circumstances which (from their not being of every-day occurrence) fixed it upon my mind. The Twenty-ninth regiment received so terrible a fire, that I saw the right wing almost annihilated, and the colonel (I think his name was Lennox) lay sprawling amongst the rest. We had ourselves caught it pretty handsomely; for there was no cover for us, and we were rather too near. The living skirmishers were lying beside heaps of their own dead; but still we had held our own till the

battalion regiments came up. "Fire and retire is a very good sound; but the rifles were not over fond of such notes. We never performed that manœuvre except when it was made pretty plain to us that it was quite necessary; the Twenty-ninth, however, had got their fairing here at this time; and the shock of that fire seemed to stagger the whole line, and make them recoil. At the moment a little confusion appeared in the ranks, I thought. Lord Hill was near at hand, and saw it, and I observed him come galloping up. He put himself at the head of the regiment, and restored them to order in a moment. Pouring a regular and sharp fire upon the enemy, he galled them in return; and, remaining with them till he brought them to the charge, quickly sent them to the rig about. It seemed to me that few men could have conducted the business with more coolness and quietude of manner, under such a storm of balls as he was exposed to. Indeed I have never forgotten him from that day.

At the time I was remarking these matters, (loading and firing as I lay,) another circumstance divided my attention for a while, and made me forget even the gallant conduct of General Hill. A man near me uttered a scream of agony; and, looking from the Twenty-ninth, who were on my right, to the left, whence the screech had come, I saw one of our sergeants, named Frazer, sitting in a doubled-up position, and swaying backwards and forwards, as though he had got a terrible pain in his bowels. He continued to make so much complaint that I arose and went to him, for he was rather a crony of mine.

"Oh! Harris!" said he, as I took him in my arms, "I shall die! I shall die! The agony is so great that I cannot bear it."

It was, indeed, dreadful to look upon him; the froth came from his mouth, and the perspiration poured from his face. Thank Heaven! he was soon out of pain; and, laying him down, I returned to my place. Poor fellow! he suffered more for the short time that he was dying than any man I think I ever saw in the same circumstances. I had the curiosity to return and look at him after the battle. A musketball, I found, had taken him sideways, and gone through both groins.

It was, I should think, about half an hour after I had left Sergeant Frazer, and, indeed, for the time, had as completely forgotten him as if he had died an hundred years back. The sight of so much bloodshed around will not suffer the mind to dwell long on any particular casualty, even though it happen to one's dearest friend. There was no time, either, to think, for all was action with us rifles just at this moment; and the barrel of my piece was so hot, from continual firing, that I could hardly bear to touch it; and was obliged to grasp the stock beneath the iron, as I continued to blaze away. James Ponton was another crony of mine (a gallant fellow !); he had pushed himself in front of me, and was checked by one of our officers for his rashness. "Keep back, you Ponton!" the lieutenant said to him more than once. But Ponton was

not to be restrained by anything but a bullet when in action. This time he got one; which, striking him in the thigh, I suppose, hit an artery, for he died quickly. The Frenchmen's balls were flying very wickedly at that moment; and I crept up to Ponton, and took shelter by lying behind, and making a rest for my rifle of his dead body. It strikes me that I revenged his death by the assistance of his carcase. At any rate, I tried my best to hit his enemies hard. There were two

"Fire and retire," one of the bugle sounds to the skirmishers when hard pressed,

small buildings in our front; and the French, having managed to get into them, annoyed us much from that quarter. A small rise in the ground close before these houses, also favoured them; and our men were being handled very severely in consequence. They became angry, and wouldn't stand it any longer. One of the skirmishers, jumping up, rushed forward, crying, "Over, boys!-over! over!" when instantly the whole line responded to the cry, "Over! over! over!" They ran along the grass like wildfire, and dashed at the rise, fixing their swordbayonets as they ran. The French light bobs could not stand the sight, but turned about, and fled; and, getting possession of their ground, we were soon inside the buildings. After the battle was over I stepped across to the other house I have moned, in order to see what was going on there; for the one I remained ir was now pretty well filled with the wounded (both French and English), who had managed to get there for a little shelter. Two or three surgeons, also, had arrived at this house, and were busily engaged in giving their assistance to the wounded, who were here lying as thickly as in the building which I had left; but, what struck me most forcibly was, that, from the circumstance of some wine-butts having been left in the apartment, and their having in the engagement been perforated by bullets, and otherwise broken, the red wine had escaped most plentifully, and ran down upon the earthen floor, where the wounded were lying, so that many of them were soaked in the wine with which their blood was mingled.

THE DEVOTION OF RIZPAH, THE CONCUBINE.

(2 Samuel, xxi, 8—11.)

BEHOLD the goodly corses on the rock of Jabesh hoary,—
Mighty corses seven of warriors strong and tall!
Erst they dwelt in palaces, and went arrayed in glory,
For they were seven princes of the royal blood of Saul!

They fell not like the mighty, where the deadly strife was keenest ;
In the thunder of the battle; in the leaguer'd city's flame!

But on th' accursed gallows they perish'd like the meanest ;
And their sire's beloved Gibeah beheld their cruel shame!

Now, side by side, like brothers, in the sleep that hath no dreaming,
Naked to the howling blast or sunny glare they lie;
From morn to even vultures sail around them screaming,

And nightly from the wilderness the savage creatures cry.

But beak of bird nor famish'd fang of wolf invades them sleeping;
The worm alone is feeding there, and noiseless, slow decay;
For, kneeling near her slaughter'd sons, a mother watches, weeping,
And drives the stooping bird of noon and midnight beast away.
These fallen ones had brethren, and friends they loved as brothers;
And followers very many in their days of grandeur, fled,
And the witching love of women-but none was like a mother's,
Whose heart doth most remember when all forget them dead!

In the palace Millo seemed it a marvel and a wonder
To the mighty men of valour, and the princes every one,
That a mother from her children not shame nor death could sunder ;
So it was told King David what that concubine had done.

S. K.