advancing towards him. Though || the cellar; for he could not possibly

not timorous, yet not infected with the incredulity of modern times, which in bright sunshine pertinaciously denies the possibility of supernatural appearances, he started with affright; his blood ran cold; and he clapped his hand to his eyes, as though he expected by so doing to withdraw himself from observation.

confess the truth relative to the latter circumstance, neither could he have the least doubt that the butler had purposely locked him up. He repaired under no slight apprehension to the butler's lodgings, and was there informed that he had not yet risen, having come home late from a carousal and been put to bed insensible. Aha! thought he-the game is mine! He knew from experience how imperfectly a person in such a condition recollects previous circumstances, and on this knowledge his ready wit

The little gray man meanwhile came up close to him. "Be not afraid, Andrew!" said he; "I am thy friend, for I have taken a liking to thee, I have dominion under the earth, and whatever thou here wish-immediately built a plan. est I will grant thee."

"Then let me out of the cellar!" "Follow me!-and shouldst thou ever feel again a desire to recruit thy spirits with the liquor in this tun, come at midnight, knock with the little finger of the left hand seven times on the middle nail in the lock of the outer door, and I will instantly open it and admit thee."

Reuter fearfully followed his guide. They were soon at the door. The gray man touched the lock; and the door instantly flew open, but without the least noise. Reuter was at liberty. Without once looking round, he ran home as fast as his legs could carry him. There he formed the serious resolution to beware in future of the great tun, and still more of the diminutive ruler of the lower world.

When the butler had at last risen, and Reuter went to him to fetch the keys, the former began to inveigh bitterly against him, calling him a good-for-nothing fellow, not fit to be trusted, and threatening to acquaint the bishop with his misconduct.

Reuter affected the profoundest astonishment. "But how should I have got home," said he, "if I had been in such a state as you assert ?"

"Got home! That is precisely what I wish to know. I left you lying like a lump of lead in the cellar, as I did not wish to make a noise, and locked the doors. How did you get out?"

"You must have been dreaming, my good sir. I had neither keys nor any other implements for unlocking the doors; and even if I had such, you know those locks cannot be opened from within."

"You must have used main strength your large hammer."

"What a noise that would have made! Consider the strength of those prodigious locks! Ask the watchman if he heard any thing." "He was asleep I dare say.'

NN

"Come along then and see." Away they went-but not the slightest mark of violence was to be discovered either on the locks or the doors.

The butler was completely puzzled. He was positive that he had locked up the drunken bricklayer, but he was equally positive that, if he had done so, Reuter could not have got out of the cellar without betraying himself.

"There you see!" said Reuter. "You must certainly have been in your cups last night, and your overheated blood or the foul fiend must have inspired the dream which you would pass off for reality, to shift the fault from your own shoulders to those of an innocent person."

The butler's conscience smote him -and that always makes a man a coward. He muttered something to himself and went away, but sent a person to stay in the cellar the whole day and watch Reuter; and he himself went besides several times to and fro.

The job was finished, and nothing further transpired of Reuter's adventure, the butler keeping the one half with which he was acquainted a profound secret, as Reuter did the other, to which he alone was privy. The latter soon relinquished the criminal idea of profiting by his knowledge of the cellar, and indeed seemed to have totally forgotten it, when soon afterwards wishes of a very different kind occupied his heart.

Maria was the daughter of one of the wealthiest inhabitants of Gröningen, who possessed some hundred acres of excellent land, gardens, and houses, and numbered many persons even of distinction amongst his debtors. At the same time he lived within his income, so that his property was constantly increasing; for, though he was by no means parsimonious, but bountiful to the poor and zealous in promoting the public welfare, still, on the other hand, he was trained from his youth to habits of industry and moderation, and he took delight in making the best possible proviThis treatment vexed Reuter ex-sion for his only child-his darling ceedingly. He thought more than once of availing himself the next night of the offer of the little gray man, merely to play the butler a trick. This, however, would have been making free with the property of another, and his natural sense of honour revolted against that. Still more repugnant to his mind was the idea of any intercourse with unearthly spirits, who, he was well aware, could not be good ones, since they offered him their aid to do what was wrong. He shuddered at the thought of making a covenant with the powers of hell; and he therefore rejected this scheme of revenge as often as it recurred to his mind.

Maria.

Many suitors, allured as well by her personal charms as her large expectations, had already solicited her hand. She was in the first bloom of

youth. Vivacity, wit, and humour heightened her attractions. She had, however, hitherto rejected all addresses, and on this point her father allowed her to follow her own inclination.

It so happened that about this time Maria met with Reuter at a ball given by a young couple in celebration of their wedding. She had before heard a good deal concerning him, from the young females of her acquaintance; and therefore observ

father, " and a kind word will often go a great way with such people."

She provided abundantly for all, but was particularly attentive to Reuter. Such partiality rarely fails to produce its effect. Reuter could not help remarking it. His eye dwelt with delight on the charms of the lovely girl, and he was fascinated with her amiable manner. In a few days he was so deeply in love, that it now came to his turn to form plans. Great, however, as was the vola

ed him with particular attention. Her first glance at the handsome young man prepossessed her in his favour, and each of those that followed, and there followed not a few, kindled a fresh spark in her susceptible heart. Her most earnest wish was, that Reuter would ask her to dance with him, and she insensibly drew as near to him as she could. Reuter, however, was too much engaged with his acquaintance to regard Maria, strongly as she attracted the notice of the rest of the company. Vexed at this dis-tility of disposition which nature had appointment, she drew back and refused all the solicitations to dance with which she was assailed. No one could conceive what had come to her, who used to be so full of spirits and so fond of the amusement, which she now alleged head-ache as an excuse for not sharing.

bestowed on him, which shed a roseate light over every thing around him, and imparted a faith that removes mountains; still he could not satisfy himself that a poor journeyman bricklayer, who lived by the labour of his hands, was authorized to look up to the greatest beauty and the richest heiress in all Gröningen. More hopeless and more dejected he returned every morning to his work, and with that indeed he now found that he could not make the same progress as usual. A man, however, often attains without plan an object which he has failed to compass by the very best that he could devise, or that he has given up, because he was incapable of forming any plan at all for its accomplishment.

Upon this pretext she sat still in a corner and watched the object of her wishes. The unexpected difficulty which she had encountered only served to increase the vehemence of desire, and her mind was wholly engaged in devising means to accomplish her purpose. After some time, it occurred to her that her father's house wanted some repairs. The very thing! said she to herself, this job shall be done immediately, and Reuter employed for one. She sud- Maria was very soon aware of the denly recovered her gaiety, and danc-impression which she had made on ed as usual, without appearing to Reuter, but she perceived too how take the least notice of Reuter.

shy he was towards her, and how this shyness increased every day. She was as much vexed at the one as pleased at the other. What was to be done? Love and virgin modesty combated in her bosom. Love proved victorious; and she was constrain

The following day she contrived to introduce the subject of the requisite repairs to her father with such art, that no one could possibly have suspected her motive. The job was begun, and Reuter was engaged to assist. Maria undertook to supplyed to act the suitor. This she acthe workmen with refreshments. "It cordingly did, but with all the deliis a pleasure to me," said she to her cacy and tact peculiar to a sensible

woman in such a situation; and yet with an assurance which she possessed in a high degree, and which, in this instance, was greatly augmented by her superiority in condition to Reuter.

The latter was so completely taken by surprise, that at first he doubted whether he understood Maria's meaning. As soon, however, as he had satisfied himself on this point, and the first ray of hope had penetrated his soul, he became as bold and enterprising as he had before been timid and inactive. The business was soon settled, and in three days they were formally betrothed: for, though Maria's father was not exactly pleased with her choice, and had probably calculated upon a different kind of

son-in-law, still he made a point of allowing perfect liberty to her inclination; and after a few objections which he could not repress, and which his darling answered with protestations, that with this young man, and him alone, could she be happy, he gave his consent.

The wedding took place in a few months.

Reuter thought himself the happiest man in all Gröningen, and every body else thought so too. He was a topic of general conversation, and an object of bitter envy to many, especially to the disappointed aspirants to Maria's hand. But it is not all gold that glitters; the bright est things often rust the soonest. (To be concluded in our next.)

THE JEW AND THE TRAVELLING TINKER.

In the winter of no matter what || and proceeded with all the speed he year, as Hans Stendhal, a travelling could to the next village. tinker, was pursuing his way to a German village, he perceived a man lying on the road-side wrapped up in his cloak. "Poor fellow!" said Hans to himself, "he has a cold birth of it, and a dangerous one too, to sleep upon the snow; I had better rouse him. Hollo, friend!" cried he, "don't lie there, but jump up, and jog on with me to the next village you will find a better bed, I warrant me."

The man made no answer; the tinker went up and shook him, but he moved not, and, on opening his cloak, Hans saw that he was apparently frozen to death. Hans was greatly shocked at this sight, but thinking it might not yet be too late to save him, he exerted his whole strength, took him upon his back,

We should not omit to state, that a pack upon which the poor fellow's head rested shewed that he was a pedlar. Hans was, for a moment, perplexed what to do with it; but he bethought himself of making a deep hole in the snow, in which he hid it, satisfied that it would be safe till he could return to fetch it. On reaching the village, he entered the first house he came to, and with the assistance of the honest peasant who owned it, tried all means to restore the pedlar to life. At last he had the pleasure to see him open his eyes, and then leaving him in the care of the peasant, he hastened back for the pack, which he brought with him to the cottage. By this time, the pedlar, who was an Israelite, had come completely to himself, and was

it all safe and right," said he: "so you have heard of our Saviour, I don't trouble yourself about it, but suppose?" swallow a drop of something comfortable, and think of getting a little sleep. To-morrow, when you are able to get up, you may convince yourself that you have lost nothing." The Jew pressed his hand without speaking, drank the potion pre-recompence for doing that which as scribed to him, and soon sank into a transient slumber, from which he awoke quite recovered.

"You are too proud, den, to have ser? He has scraped together an someting from a poor Jew ?" immense fortune by his parsimony,