He knocked again and again—and at last, when light now caught his eye, and he silently approachhis patience was nearly exhausted, a slipshod housemaid came shivering to the door. He snatched the candle from her hand, and ascended to his chamber. It was deserted!

ed it. He soon reached the entrance of an arched vault, formerly a powder magazine, from which the light emanated. The door-way was closed by a few loose boards, leaned carefully against it,

Where is Mrs. St Clair?" said he to the maid and evidently intended only to afford a brief conwho had followed him.

"Gone".

"Gone where ?"

44

46

Why, sir, she went away with a gentleman."
Away with a gentleman! Impossible!"

Yes, sir, indeed she went off with a gentleman

in a carriage."

When-where did she go?"

“I don't know where she went, sir; she never intimated a word to me. She started just after you left home."

"Did she leave no message ?"

cealment; but a crevice, which had been inadvertently left, permitted the escape of that straggling beam of light which had attracted his attention, and which proceeded from a small taper placed in a dark lantern. Two persons sat before it, in one of whom the astonished St. Clair recognized his late companion, the gambler! The other was a coarse, ill-dressed ruffian, with a ferocious and sinister expression of countenance, examining a number of large keys, which seemed newly made, and which, by the conversation that went on, appeared to be intended to accomplish a "No, sir, not any; she was in a great hurry." burglary. St. Clair could witness the scene no St Clair motioned the girl to retire, and sank longer. Under any other circumstances it would into a chair. He gazed round the apartment, and have excited his curiosity; but the discovery that his dwelling, once so happy, seemed desolate as he had been duped by a sharper-a mere grovela tomb. He murmured the name of Louisa, andling felon-added to the sorrows that already filled a thousand joys rose to his recollection. All his bosom, stung him so keenly, that he had not all were blasted! He endeavored to calm his patience nor spirits to push his discoveries any passions, and to reason deliberately; but in vain. further. Who could have reasoned at such a moment? He "Was it for the company of such a wretch," said mechanically drew out his watch; it was past he, as he again mournfully bent his steps hometwo o'clock. Where could Louisa be at such an ward, “that I left my Louisa! Perhaps she may hour?-she had no intimates, and few acquaintan-have guessed the truth. Some one may have ces, in the city. Could any one have carried her whispered to her that I was the associate of gumaway by force? No, no-the truth was too plain! blers and housebreakers! Shocked at my dupliLouisa had been worn out with his repeated ab-city and guilt, she has fled from contamination!" sences at night, and had gone perhaps back to her He again entered his habitation. How changpaternal home-a step for which he could hardly ed! No hand was extended to receive him; no blame her; and he was now a forsaken, broken- smile to welcome him. All was cheerless, cold, hearted man! and silent, A candle, nearly exhausted to the In an agony of grief he left his house, and wan-socket, was burning in the parlor, shedding a pale dered distractedly through the streets, until, light over the gloom of the apartment: but that chance directed, he reached the confluence of the bright peculiar orb, that had given warmth and rivers. To this spot he had strolled with his lustre to this little world, was extinguished! St. Louisa in their last walk. All his tenderness and Clair shuddered as he looked round. Every obconfidence revived, and he turned mournfully, [ject reminded him of the happiness he had dewith a full but softened heart, determined to seek stroyed, and he felt himself a moral suicide. Half his dwelling, and wait, as patiently as he could, dead with cold, fatigue, and distress, he approachuntil the return of day should bring some explan-ed the fire-when a note, which had fallen from

ation of Louisa's conduct.

At this moment a light appeared, passing rapidly from the bank of the city towards the river. In an instant it was lost-and again it glimmered among the ancient ramparts of the fort-and then disappeared. He advanced cautiously towards the ruined fort, and, clambering over the remains of the breastwork, entered the area, carefully examining the whole ground by the clear moonlight. But no animate object was to be seen. A confused mass of mishappen ridges and broken rocks were alone to be discovered-the vestiges of a powerful bulwark, which had once breasted the storm of war.

It is deserted," said the bereaved husband, like my once happy dwelling. The flag is gone, the music is silent, the strong towers have fallen, and all is desolate !"

Perplexed by the sudden disappearance of the light, and indulging a vague suspicion that it was in some way connected with his own misfortune, he continued to explore the ruins. A faint ray of

the card-rack on the floor, caught his eye. The address was to himself, and in Louisa's handwriting. He tore it open and read as follows :—

Poor Mrs. B, who has paid us so many kind attentions, has just sent for me. She is very ill, and fancies that no one can nurse her so well as myself. Of course I cannot refuse, and only regret that I must part with my dear Charles for a few hours. Good night. Your devoted

LOUISA.

sympathised in the pain he had suffered, and tears stole down her cheek, which was pale with watching,

"Do not tell me," said St. Clair, "that I have only suffered that which you have often endured. No, you will not reproach me; but I know it, I feel it; and I here renounce gaming for ever! Never again shall you have cause to complain of my dissipation or neglect."

A Tender Hearted Wife.

A broken hearted woman,' as she calls herself, Mrs. Laura Hunt of Broadalbin, Montgomery Co. N. Y. notifies the public, through the Amsterdam Intelligencer, that her dear husband, Josiah Hunt, has left her bed and board, and strayed to parts unknown; and she forbids all girls, old maids and widows, to meddle with or marry him under the penalty of the law. She earnestly entreats all ediHe kept his word, and acknowledged that the tors throughout the world,' to lay the foregoing peace and joy of his after days were cheaply pur-information before their readers. Mrs. Hunt will chased with the miseries of that eventful night.

Anticipating Trouble.

AFFLICTIONS seen in prospective are more appalling than when they actually arrive. For there are few but are attended by some alleviating circumstances, that deaden their force. Why then, should we sour the cup of happiness by anticipating trouble that may never reach us, and in probabilities dependant on a thousand contingent circumstances, never likely to occur at once? The folly of doing so, will be placed in a stronger light, by the following anecdote:

perceive that we have complied with her request.
Cour. & Eng.

And we two.-N. Y. Trans.
And we three.-Cin. Mir.
And we four.-Standard.
And we five.-Western Methodist.
And we six.-Zion's Herald.
And we seven.-Maine Free Press,
And we eight.-Mo. Free Press.
And we nine.-Woodstock Whig.
Leave her bed and board; the villian! and we
ten.-National Eagle.

And strayed to parts unknown, the vagbond; and we eleven.-Albany Daily Adv.

And we make up the dozen.-N. Y. Com. Adv.
He left her bed! O! the vagrum! and we a Ba-

A country woman set her daughter, a girl of fifteen, to bake while she went to a neighbor's. After some stay, she returned, and found the oven sparkling hot, and her daughter in another apart-ker's dozen.-Pittsburgh Statesman. ment in the greatest agony of tears. A sight so unexpected, excited the most tender sympathy in the maternal bosom, and solicitude for the cause. After much entreaty, the daughter complied. "I was thinking," said she, "if I was married, and should have a dear little child, and it should live to run about, and I should be baking as I now am, and I should go out for fuel, and should leave it alone, and it should take a chair, and it should get up to the mouth of the oven, and it should crawl in, and should burn itself to death, all to a crisp, what a terrible thing it would be. Oh! oh! oh dear-what should I do."

And we start him again.-Miner's Journal. Keep him moving. Salt river is too good for him.-Jackson Cour.

Let us not smile at the imaginary trouble of the girl, while half the ills we feel are equally imaginary, but meet those that exist with fortitude, and they will become less formidable, in proportion as they are met with firinness.

May he have corns on his toes and pains in his ribs all the days of his life. Leave a woman's bed and board, the graceless knave! We'll give him the sixteenth kick.-Carlisle Rep.

Oh! the vagabond! he deserves an additional kick, and we will give him the seventeenth !— Cleaveland Herald.

Break a woman's heart! the fiend! Take that too.-Painesville Tel.

The fellow deserves to have his head combed with a three legg'd stool, his shins rubbed down with brick bats, and his eye lids button'd back to the blaze of a July sun give him another shove, and Hunt him ye spinsters.-Wash. Mirror.

And we a score-Inhuman monster! We would have him transformed into a dressed pig, cook-ed, and carved by a woman's tongue, (" the only edgetool that grows sharper by constant use,") and made to feed on himself until he shall become utterly annihilated.-Cheshire Rep. & Museum.

False hearted vagabond! Should he ever show his 'swinish' face in this section, we'll give him such a Davy Crockett grin as will cause him to tremble.-Methuen Falls Gazette.

Matrimony Made Easy. NOTHING in the world would please us so much as being converted into a beautiful young girl," but we should desire, at the same time, not to be converted into the mahometan faith; above all, we should be strenuous against being carried to Bosnia. It is true as the Rev. R. Walpole informs us, that young girls are allowed the extraordinary indulgence of walking about in the day-time with The Salamander! to serve his lawfully wedded their faces uncoverd-a liberty however, which better half so shockingly; and leave her too without may be secured without going all the way to Bosnia for it; but then, there any man of the place permission, that's the knavish trick; and all the litwho is inclined to matrimony, if he happen to be the Hunt's squalling for their papa. Oh! the nonpleased with any of these girls whom he sees in descript! Let us only catch him here. The LApassing, throws a handkerchief on her head and DIES of New-York having a COMPANION of their neck; if he has not a handkerchief, any other part own, will use all honorable means to return him of his dress answers the same purpose. But this

is far from being the worst; for the girl is then safe to the rightful possessor, marked-this side up, obliged to retire home, regards herself as betroth- no charges paid. Keep a bright look out.-Ladies ed, and appears no more in public!

Companion.

ORIGINAL.

Tea Table Chat.

NUMBER II.

THE next meeting arranged for the four friends was at the house of Adelaide. Though the evening was stormy and the heaps of snow made the streets almost impassable, the ladies did not fail to keep their appointment. Caroline and Harriet arrived without accident, but Louisa was not so fortunate. Just as she reached the house, after being thumped and bumped a mile through the streets, the sleigh was overturned. Fortunately she received no other injury than a terrible fright, and serious damage to gigots, etc. Some time elapsed whilst she received the condolement of her sympathising friends, and they attempted to restore her adornments to their pristine elegance. One smoothed the rumbled folds of her poue de soie; and another endeavored to give her ringlets the inimitable grace of Manuel.

"Oh, this snow-this snow," said Louisa. "Of this snow I'm weary; it really puts a barrier to all social intercourse, for what but the most enduring friendship would induce one to venture out in these streets, where dangers from above and below encounter one. What with the snow and the great fire, all visiting is interrupted."

specimen of his own weather, to remind him of home occasionally. But whatever may be the clime, give me a city life. Oh, to look over extensive tracts of country, is dreary enough, whether north or south. How much more delightful the sight of houses and people. Give me the throng, the bustle, the variety of a city. It is there only we feel that we live."

"Oh no!

"Feel that we live," said Adelaide. we become one of a mass confounded in a herd, and almost lose our own identity. It is in the stillness and quietness of the country the soul is felt; it is there we can commune with our own thoughts; become acquainted with our own natures, and ascertain for what purpose existence was given to us. Imagination can there waft us away from this every day world, and create one of our own, peopled with beings of a loftier, nobler stamp; where friendship will be enduring, and love knows no change."

"I have received a letter from my brother Charles," said Harriet; "your favorite Louisa. It was most interesting to me, perhaps ladies, the recital of his adventure might amuse you." "Certainly, certainly !" they all exclaimed, “let us have it."

As their tea was finished, and the intense cold of a night, when the themometer was below zero, was felt, in spite of the streams of warm air, which a furnace below sent up, they drew around a glowing Schuylkill fire and listened to Harriet as she read the following narrative:

What a different thing is snow in the country," said Harriet, "to snow in the city; here it is soon a black dingy mass-slop and slosh under foot, and avalanches from overhead. Whilst in the "You know, dearest sister, that I was entrusted, country, it casts a veil of dazzling white over eve- when I left Philadelphia for Cincinnati, with a rything and concealing the grosser materials of large amount of money, in specie, notes of hand, earth, adds a new charm to winter. How delight- and bank notes, which entirely filled a large trunk. ful is the profound stillness which reigns when it I was very careful not to let any one know of this falls so soft, so gently-it seems as if the spirit of treasure, as I had heard of robberies of all sorts, peace was abroad and all jarring ceased for a time, and my future establishment in life would depend, and then the people all turn out-friendly visits are in a measure, on my arriving with this sum in exchanged, and youthful cheeks glow with deeper safety. We travelled along for some time without hues, and youthful eyes shine more brightly, ani- anything remarkable occurring, except the usual mated by the merry sleigh bells, and each other's vexations of a journey. We had commenced the society. How I love to gaze from my own native descent of the Alleghanies, and were called up at hills over mountains, and plains, and streams, and three o'clock in the morning to begin our day's forests, all one pure dazzling hue; whilst the clear journey. It was late in the autumn; a chilly cold air seems to brace my frame, and I can al-piercing wind penetrated through all our wrapmost feel health inhaled by every respiration."

"Ah me," said Cornelia, drawing her cashmere around her. "I can conceive of no happiness, no comfort, no, not even an endurance of existence, where that fell monster cold holds his dominion. I find this city of yours quite too far north. Oh come with me Harriet to my native South, and in our balmy breath of Spring, you will feel that to exist is alone a sensation of happiness. Inhale for once only, the delicious odor of our orange trees, our magnolias and oleanders, you will then abjure forever your cold native hills; the thoughts of them makes me shiver."

pers, and the loose leathers of the vehicle. There was not a star visible; and we went on in silence until the day dawned. Oh the dreariness of a wintry, cloudy day-break, when the heavens were all one cloudless grey tint. We were chilled to the bone, and the coach wound slowly down the mountain in a zig zag direction."

'How far before we stop to breakfast, driver?' said I.

About ten miles,' he answered.

Ten miles, good heavens! thought I, we shall all perish, if he moves on for ten miles further at this cautious rate.

No, no," said Louisa, "remain here both of 'But there is a foot-path which is only half the you, where every variety of season and weather distance through a short cut,” he added, “if any is experienced. Sometimes we have the hot of the gentlemen wish to keep themselves warm burning breath of tropical regions, sometimes the by walking?' icy gales of Labrador, sometimes the mists of One passenger and myself determined to profit Scotland, and sometimes the dense fogs of Eng-by this information. The driver pointed out the land. One would suppose that the natives of way, and we beheld a pathway plainly defined. every clime who resort here, had each imported a As we knew the direction, we stoutly pursued our

way. The chilled blood in my veins began to tempt me to such a deed-to such a breach of trust. circulate, and my spirits rose as I felt the glow of My brain whirled, my head grew dizzy; but I exercise once more bring animal heat to my be- plunged madly on in my career-I sprang down numbed limbs. But my fellow pedestrian, soon precipices,-I bounded over torrents,-1 dashed became weary and declared he was colder than wildly through the tangled thicket, until I sank exever, and the loneliness of the forest seemed to hausted. I soon started up; I halloed, I shoutdaunt him. The carriage was still in sight, and ed, and was answered by a dozen echos. In my he turned back to join the others. For some time madness I thought they were demons mocking I pursued my way, making the woods re-echo me. I defied them, they returned my defiance; I with a gay hunting song, and imagining the exci- laughed hideously, they also laughed. I looked ting scene of a chase in these primeval forests, around, the trees were wildly tossing in the wind, where it seemed as if the foot of man had seldom I thought they were exulting over my misery. I penetrated. I proceeded about a mile or two, once more resumed my course; they seemed to when I perceived it had commenced snowing, and pursue me, and the roaring of the wind sounded I redoubled my pace, thinking of the warm break- like the exultation of a thousand demons. No obfast which awaited me, and for which the keen stacle stopped me, I dashed forward until a stout mountain air, made nature's cravings more urgent. Suple jack wound me in its embrace, and I fell to I walked on, and on; but the wind rose and the the ground. They have me, they have me,' storm thickened. I began to find it difficult to thought I; and here I must lie until life becomes discover the path; however, I thought I knew the gradually extinct, strength and thought are no direction, and supposed myself near my resting more; but before the last spark ebbs away, the place; but the forest became closer, I could hardly mountain cat, the wolf, the bear, will gather to make my way through the under-brush, until I their feast. While sensation still endures, they found myself in a tangled thicket, through which will fasten their fangs in my flesh, and tear away it was impossible to penetrate. I now knew I had my vitals. Ha! I now see their glaring eyes-I lost my way and I must retrace my steps. I turn-already feel their ravenous gripe.' I lay for a ed, but the falling snow through the leafless trees, while motionless, until I became calmer; my selfhad obliterated my foot prints. I was completely possession returned, I could think rationally. bewildered, and knew not which way to go. What madess is this? if I am to perish here, let ascended an eminence, climbed one of the high-me, at least, meet my fate with courage. How unest trees to discover where I was; but when the manly to give way at the first trial of my life: let wind blew the snow aside for a moment, I could me at least be cool and collected, until I have only behold one dreary extent of naked forest tried all means of extrication.' I looked around, trees, not a friendly smoke or trace of human habi- I appeared to be on a plain. Had I then descendtation met my view-all was cheerless, desolate, ed the mountain? I knew not; but husbanding and appalling. I descended from the tree, and my strength, I pursued my way once more as once more pursued my way, entirely uncertain, chance directed. I soon emerged from the forest, whether I was approaching a dwelling, or pene- and found myself on the brink of a precipice. I trating deeper into those pathless forests, where looked below. O joyous sight! The tavern was the foot of civilized man has never been. I knew just beneath me. The stage coach at the door reaI must descend, and I sprang down the declivity. dy to start. The driver was blowing his horn. Soon after I heard the sound of water, and my Heaven's own music could not have been sweeter progress in that direction was stopped by a rush to my ears. I shouted-I waved my handkerchief. ing mountain torrent; 1 determined to pursue its They heard me, and returned my shout. course, hoping to find a mill seat on its banks; but mountain cat or squirrel, ever descended a precitremendous piles of rock stopped my way; I was pice as rapidly as I did. Catching at twigs and obliged to take a circuitous route, and could not tufts of withered grass I reached the foot of the alregain the stream. All the stories I had ever most perpendicular wall, and soon took my seat in heard of travellers being lost in the forests until the coach. I found they had waited for me sevethey perished for want of food, returned to my ral hours. They had sent men in pursuit of me, recollection. And must this be my fate,' thought and had shouted and blown horns in every direcI, is my youth, my health, my energies, to end in tion. Grateful for my preservation, I did not forthis; my high hopes, my opening career be termi- get to return thanks to Him who had watched nated thus;' then the picture of my home, our hap- over me. The loss of my breakfast, which, at anpy fireside, my venerable parents, and you my other time, would have been a serious affair, was Harriet; who are so ambitious for your brother, not thought of now." arose vividly to my mind. I thought of the treasure which I had so thoughtlessly abandoned. Harriet ended her narrative, and the ladies, who Some one will get possession of the trunk-they had listened with breathless interest, all made their can speedily convert the notes and bills into spe- comments on the perilous situation of their young cie, and the dishonesty of the act will fall upon favorite. Time passed, and the hour of separation me. They will never hear of me again, and they arrived while they were still on this subject. Bewill naturally suppose I have absconded with the fore they departed, however, Adelaide, with fairy money. Oh God! oh God!-the thought was mad- fingers, touched the piano, and sang for their enTo perish here by a slow death, or be de-tertainment, with a soft and melodious voice, the voured alive by the beasts of the forest, was nothing following verses, which she met with in an old anto it. My good name gone! my family dishonor-nual, and had preserved part of the neglected bijou ; ed! To have it supposed that any amount could though all beautiful, it was too long for a song:

ness.

No

Plutarch mentions an instance in which the wo-served ever and anon some dark substance, evimen of a besieged city made its warriors blush, because of its dishonorable surrender; and others, who seeing their relations fly before the enemy, secured the city gates, and compelled the recreants to turn in search of death or victory. During a civil war in Gaul, the women having thrown themselves between the contending armies, and effected a reconciliation, were afterwards honored by