sending them hither and thither; all these are intelligible. The rat-shower in Norway was an extraordinary one; thousands of rats were taking their annual excursion from a hilly region to the lowlands, when a whirlwind overtook them, whisked them up, and deposited them in a field at some distance: doubtless much to the astonishment of such of the rats as came down alive. The so-called showers of blood have had their day of terror and marvel, and have disappeared. Not that any one ever saw such a shower actually fall; but red spots have occasionally been seen on walls and stones, much to the popular dismay. Swammerdam, the naturalist, told the people of the Hague, two centuries ago, that these red spots were connected with some phenomena of insect life; but they would not believe him, and insisted that the spots were real blood, and were portents of evil times to come. Other naturalists have since confirmed the scientific opinion. A SIGHT IN THE BUSH. It would be difficult to imagine a greater contrast than there is between the winter and the summer months in South Australia. Picture to yourself the most beautiful May day at home-and you have the former; picture to yourself clouds of dust, a glaring sun, the thermometer at one hundred and fifteen in the shade-and you have the latter. The life the working man leads in the Bush is quite as peculiar as the climate. He comes, generally walking, carrying his bedding and all his other worldly possessions on his back, looking for a job. When he obtains one he stops; when it is done, he gets a cheque for his work, which he spends generally at the nearest publichouse. As soon as he is penniless (which is very soon), he starts again from station to station, as before. Who can imagine anything much more miserable than a man without a friend or relation in the world (as thousands of these men are), thus wandering about, destitute of ambition, destitute of spirit, destitute of everything that man should be possessed of? These wretched fellows have but one desire, one hope, one aim in this world, and that is to "make a cheque," so as to be able to go and have a beastly carouse, in which they appear more like fiends than men. They will take forty or fifty pounds to a Bush public-house, and in less than a week will leave it absolutely penniless, and will become dependent upon the scattered stations for food. Of course you meet with good and respectable men among these wanderers, but, as a whole, the working hands of the Bush are infamous and degraded. As I saw a startling sight once in the Bush. I was riding through a thick scrub, where there was no road or track of any kind, when suddenly I came upon a man, the like of whom I had never seen before, and hope never to see again. This happened in the middle of summer, and there was no water within twenty miles. The man was about forty years of age, of middle height, with a long ragged beard and whiskers. I came upon him, he was walking barefoot: with his eyes, which protruded from his head, staring fixedly before him, as if he saw something which irresistibly attracted him. He had not even a "billy" to carry water in, neither had he a bag or bundle of any kind; but in his hand he carried a lump of uncooked fat. His shirt and trousers hung in shreds about him, and his head was bare. There was something most terrible in that stare of his, so ghastly and hopeless was it in its intensity. He seemed totally unconscious of my presence, and, even after I called out to him, paid no attention whatever to me. For some seconds after he had gone by, I sat in my saddle, hardly knowing what to do. At last I determined to follow him, and cantering up, brought my whip down sharply on his shoulder. He turned and confronted me, but for some time seemed not in the least to suspect that I was a reality. I asked him who he was, and where he was going? But to all my questions, I could only get an indistinct muttering for an answer, while his arms worked incessantly backward and forward in the air, and his body shook from head to foot. At length, he made a sort of mute appeal for water, which I gave him; then, he started away as before, walking at a tremendous pace, with his eyes always fixed on one spot in advance of him. I learned afterwards that he wandered about for some months in the most impenetrable parts of the Bush, destitute of everything, and that his sole food was uncooked fat, which he picked up outside shepherds' huts. He was quite insane, and, after wandering about in this way for a long time, perished in the Bush. It is not wonderful that he died there; but it is very wonderful that he lived swim. Consequently the narrative of his there so long, under such fearful circum-adventure, which he detailed to a circle of stances. THE TONTLA WOOD. You may perform that operation, which is commonly called a day's march, many times before you will find a popular tale, more prettily fanciful in its leading idea, and more peculiar in its details, than one which is told by some of the inhabitants of Revel, with respect to the Tontla Wood: a forest which, according to tradition, once stood in a district to the north of the Lake Peipus or Tschudskoi, but of which no traces are now to be found. admiring listeners was, much to their disappointment, cut short. However, his scanty information served to confirm the ill-repute in which the forest was held, and during the time of the Swedish domination in the province, one of the kings ordered it to be felled, hoping thus to get rid of a nuisance. His good intention was, however, not carried out: for no sooner were a few trees struck with an axe, than there was a result similar to that which ensued when Æneas attempted to clear the wood that grew from the remains of the murdered Polydore; that is to say, groans were heard, and blood issued from the wounded trunks. After this failure a wood-cutter was not to be obtained for love or money, and people were content to see smoke rising above the trees, and indicating that the forest was inhabited by somebody, with to who that somebody might be. This Tontla Wood, if we are to trust the story, was an object of curiosity and terror to all who lived in its neighbourhood, and, so greatly did the latter feeling prevail, that it was a complete obstacle to the gratifica-out increasing their stock of information as tion of the former. A few who had ventured just to step within its precincts repeated that they had seen through the trees something like a ruined house, surrounded by a swarm of human beings, among whom old women and half-clad children formed the majority. One bolder than the rest, who penetrated further than his more timid predecessors, was rewarded for his trouble by the discovery of things still more marvellous; which is, indeed, not saying much, since old hags and ragged urchins are everywhere common. This courageous adventurer saw a large fire, round which women and children were gathered-some squatted on the ground, others dancing. Particularly conspicuous was a withered beldam, who, with a broad iron ladle, scattered burning ashes on the turf, whereupon the children went screaming into the air, and fluttered about the smoke like so many owls, until, apparently weary of their pastime, they settled down again. Presently an old man made his appearance with a sack on his shoulders larger than himself, and at once became an object of general persecution, for the women and children danced round him trying to steal away his load, while he contrived to evade them. With a black cat, nearly as big as a foal, which, with glaring eyes, had been sitting at the door of a neighbouring hut, he was less fortunate, for this sprang upon the sack, and then vanished into the hut. At this juncture the bold investigator's eyes became dazzled and his head began to At some distance from the Tontla Wood was a large cottage, numbering among its inhabitants a peasant, who having lost his first wife took unto himself a second. This lady, according to the normal habits recounted in popular tales, proved a very termagant to her husband's daughter Elsie, a sharp little girl about seven years old. The child's father, leaning to the stronger side, furthered the oppression of her stepmother, till she found life altogether intolerable. One day, when the Spartan discipline had lasted for about two years, Elsie went out with some young com panions to gather berries, and straying unwittingly to the edge of the Tontla Wood, found such an abundance of fine strawberries, that the surface of the ground was completely red. The sudden discovery of a big lubberly boy that they had actually entered the dreaded forest, and the shout by which he made his discovery known, caused all the children to take to their heels with the exception of Elsie, in whose bosom an intense love of strawberries was an antidote to fear. Moreover, she plausibly argued within herself, that bad as the Tontla folks might be, they could scarcely be worse than her stepmother was, and that, therefore, it was expedient to stop where she was, rather than hurry back, and pos sibly fare worse. That she had acted judiciously was proved by the appearance of a little dog, who, with a bell suspended from his neck, came barking in a kindly manner towards her, and was followed by a little girl, magnificently clad, who, warning him to silence, spoke thus: "You are very right in not running away like the other stupid children. I will ask mamma to let me have you for a playmate, and I know she won't refuse me, and then we'll pass all our time in playing games and eating strawberries." This was indeed a pleasant prospect, and no one could be happier than Elsie, when her bright little friend took her by the hand and led her into the wood, while the dog barked with delight and gambolled around her, as if she were an old acquaint ance. Then, after a short time, what a fine sight met her eyes! There was a garden full of fruit-trees, on the branches of which sat birds with feathers of gold and silver: so tame that they allowed any one to play with them; and in the middle of the garden stood a house composed of glass and precious stones, that glittered like the sun. And more striking than all, before the door of the house, on a luxurious couch, lay a lady, superbly clad, who no sooner saw the two children approach, than she said: "How d'ye do, my dear? Who's our little friend ?” “Oh, mamma!" was the answer, "I found this little girl alone in the wood. You'll let her stay here, won't you?" if you don't like it. You won't send me away, will you ?" "We'll see about it," answered the lady with a smile, and rising from her couch, she sailed majestically into the house. "Why didn't she say 'Yes' ?" asked Elsie, with a dismal face. 66 'Ah, it's all right," said her little friend, laughing. "When mamma smiles like that, and says she'll see about things, we always know what it means. However, you stop here a minute or two, and I'll speak to her again." Elsie, left alone, felt very anxious about the result of her friend's renewed application, and her heart beat high when the bright little girl returned from the house with a small basket in her hand. "Mamma says that she has not made up her mind yet, but that at all events you are to spend the day with me, and we are to amuse ourselves as well as we can. Suppose we play at 'Going to sca' ?" 666 Going to sea' ?" echoed Elsie. "I never heard of that game." "You'll soon learn it, it's very easy," said her little friend; and she gently opened the basket, and took from it a small flower-leaf, a shell, and two fishbones. On the leaf, two drops of water were glistening, which the child shook upon the ground, and which, at once "We'll see about it, my dear," said the spreading in every direction, covered the lady, languidly; and fixing her large eyes garden and all the flowers: thus becoming upon Elsie, she seemed, as people have it, a broad sea, bounded by the sky, and only to look her through. "Very good," she leaving dry the little spot of ground on proceeded, when the examination was over. which the playmates stood. Elsie was "Come a little nearer, child. Very good much frightened, but her smart companion, indeed," she added, patting her cheek. far from giving any sign of alarm, gently 66 Do you live anywhere in this neighbour-placed the shell upon the water, and took hood, my pretty child? I suppose you have a fish-bone in each hand. The shell at once parents of some sort or other; a father or expanded, gradually changing into a pretty mother, an uncle or aunt, or something boat that would have afforded room for a people generally have." dozen children like Elsie and her friend. In this the young playmates seated themselves, Elsie trembling a little, and not knowing what to make of it, and the other laughing heartily as the bones she held. were turned into a pair of oars. Over the rippling waves they went, gently rocked in their boat, and other boats came near them, all carrying children, who merrily sang as they rowed. Elsie's friend observed that the song of the others ought in courtesy to be answered; and as Elsie could not sing herself, she made up for the deficiency by the exquisite beauty of her own warbling. Never had Elsie felt so poor happy in her life; everything was so wonderful and so pretty. The words of the Well, my lady," replied Elsie, "I have a father, but he is not very kind, and I have a stepmother, who is always beating me." "She must be an exceedingly vulgar person," remarked the lady. "Ah, my lady," continued Elsie, "you can't guess how she'll beat me when I return home alone, so long after the others!" "Let her stay here; let her stay here!" cried the bright little girl. "Oh! do let me stay here," implored poor Elsie. "Give me any sort of work, only don't send me away. I'll tend the flocks if there are any, and I won't pick the berries songs that rose from the other boats were in a strange language, which she could not understand; and noticing the frequent recurrence of the word Kysika,' she asked her friend what it meant. That is my name," she said; "and all their songs are in honour of my appear ance." Presently a voice was heard, crying, "Come home, children, it is growing late.' Elsie was again somewhat terrified, but Kysika told her there was no cause for alarm, and taking the flower-leaf from the little basket, dipped it into the water, which at once contracted into two small drops, leaving them in the middle of the garden, standing near the palace as before. The boat was again a shell, and the oars were fish-bones; and when these had been put into the basket, the children walked gently home. It was already supper-time, and round a splendidly furnished table in a spacious hall were seated four-and-twenty ladies all gorgeously dressed: the mistress of the feast being Kysika's mamma, who grandly occupied a large golden chair. The dishes served, thirteen in number, were of gold and silver, and Elsie remarked that while the contents of the others were freely consumed, one particular dish was left covered, and was eventually taken away just as it had been brought in. But, though a daughter of Eve, she did not allow curiosity to spoil her appetite, and she feasted on the dainties which were more delicious than anything she had ever tasted in her life. Of what did they consist? Were they fish, flesh, fowl, pastry, confectionery? Elsie did not know or care; although humbly born, she had a refined taste, and was not like those vulgar wretches, who spoil your dinner at the Palais Royal by bawling out that they like to know what things are made of. All the dishes were admirable, yet all different from each other; and so thoroughly was her palate gratified, that she would not even venture to surmise that the uncovered dish might possibly be nicer than the rest. The ladies talked to each other in a very low voice, and even if they had spoken louder, Elsie would not have been edified; for, like the little boatmen, they used an unknown language. Before the supper was removed, the mistress whispered a few words to a servant, who stood behind her chair, and who, at once running out, brought back a little old man, whose beard, longer than he was tall, more than reached the ground. This venerable person was evidently inferior in rank to the others: for he made a very humble bow, and entered no further than the threshold of the door. "Just look at that child," said the lady of the house, pointing to Elsie; "she is only a peasant's daughter, but it's my intention to adopt her. You'll have the goodness to make an exact copy at once, so that we may send it to the village in her stead early to-morrow morning." The old man surveyed Elsie from head to foot with eyes so sharp that they seemed to pierce her through; and when he had thus taken her measure, he made another low bow to the lady, and left the room. After the supper things had been removed, the stately lady called Elsie to her and said: "My dear, I have now made up my mind. You shall remain as a companion to Kysika, instead of returning home; that is, if you like it." "Like it, my lady!" exclaimed Elsie "O, I do thank you so very much!" Falling on her knees, she kissed the hands and feet of her benefactress, to express gratitude for her deliverance from domestic misery; but the kind lady soon raised her from the ground, patted her head and her ruddy wet cheeks, and told her that if she were a good girl she should be properly taken care of, and educated till she had become a tall woman, and able to take care of herself. Kysika's lady teachers were to be her teachers likewise, and she was to learn every sort of accomplishment, the finest of fine needlework included. After a while the old man returned, carrying on his shoulders a tray filled with loam, and holding in his left hand a small covered basket. Setting these articles on the ground, he went briskly to work, and made a small image of human form, in the hollow stomach of which he placed three pickled anchovies, and a piece of bread. Then he made a hole in the breast of the figure, and this served as a door for the admission of a black worm, at least a yard long, which he took out of the basket, and which by its wriggling and struggling showed that it anticipated its future abode with anything but delight. Wriggling and struggling were, however, useless; the worm was obliged to follow the prescribed direction, and the aperture being duly closed, the image was carefully inspected by the lady. "All we want now, is a drop of our young friend's blood," said the old man. And, as Charles Dickens.] THE TONTLA WOOD. according to Esthonian notions, the use of blood commonly implies a compact with the Evil One, Elsie shuddered not a little. However, the lady soon persuaded her that the blood with which she parted would only be used for her own good, and concluded her discussion by puncturing the girl's arm with a golden needle, which she handed to the old man, who at once thrust it into the left side of the image. He then put the figure into his basket, in order, as he said, that it might grow, and he promised the lady that he would show her on the following morning what a fine work of art he had executed. The extraordinary duties of the day having been thus satisfactorily discharged, every lady retired to rest, and Elsie was conducted by the smartest of chambermaids into a room where a nice bed had been prepared for her. Nothing could exceed her amazement and delight when she rose in the morning, and found everything so wonderfully bright and comfortable. The bed on which she lay was of silk; the nightgown that she wore, was of the finest quality; and on a chair by the wall lay the splendid dress which She was only too glad she was to wear. when the smart chambermaid reappeared and told her that it was time to get washed and combed, for now she could adorn herself with all her new finery. But what charmed her most was the dainty little pair of shoes destined for her feet. Hitherto she had been accustomed to walk barefoot; and to her eyes a pair of shoes, a marvellous even badly cobbled, was luxury. What words, then, could express her admiration at the shoes which lay The clothes she had worn before her? yesterday were not to be seen, nor did she make any curious inquiries concerning them. But when she had left the room, and joined the company in the great hall, she found that even her humble garments had been put to good use. The image, fashioned on the previous evening, had been a thriving image, for it had become quite as big as Elsie, and, dressed in her old clothes, looked exactly like her. "That image is the very image of me!" exclaimed Elsie; but, when the figure began to walk about, and made two or three diabolical faces, she could not conceal her terror. "Don't be frightened, child," said the as people will say of the photographic por- The regularity with Elsie was not hypocritical enough to express any anxiety about the trouble which her counterpart might occasion to her stepmother, and as soon as the "sham" was out of her sight she dismissed it from her thoughts, resolved to devote all her energies to the important duty of enjoying herself, for the performance of which she had such ample opportunity. which the affairs of the household were conducted was in itself admirable, and the means that were used to promote this regularity were more admirable still. The talents of the old gentleman who had fashioned her counterpart were by no means Regularly confined to modelling. He could, and did, make himself generally useful. every day, when the hour of dinner had arrived, he went to a huge block of granite that stood some twenty paces or so from the palace, took a short silver staff out of his bosom, and struck the rock three times, making it sound like the most musical of its bells. The answer to this gentle summons was the appearance of a golden cock, who, springing from the block, perched upon summit, crowing and flapping his wings with all his might and main. Nor was this a mere expression of idle joy. At every crow and flap, something serviceable issued from the granite. Crow and flap the first produced a long table, furnished with as many plates as were required for the company, which glided into the dining-hall of its own accord. Crow and flap the second were followed by a sally of chairs, which set themselves in their proper places round well-laden dishes, which, flying through the table, and then came a succession of the air, arranged themselves in due order. (That the dinner was not served à la Russe may be explained by the fact that in those Flasks of mead, which was the beverage of days Revel was not a Russian province.) the repast, and fruits of the choicest quality, came whizzing along from the same source, and, when every one had eaten enough, the clever old gentleman again tapped the block D |