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in renewing their acquaintance with La Fontaine, in so novel and pleasing a form.

COTTAGE RESIDENCES. By A. J. Downing. New York and London: Wiley & Putnam. 1842.

A peep into this book is enough to induce any imaginative man, with a competence, to set immediately about constructing a rural residence. The author's views are founded on experience and good taste. Indeed, his own cottage, at Newburgh, is the best possible evidence of his fitness to discuss the interesting subject so pleasingly unfolded in the volume before us. Most architectural works are devoted to buildings designed on a grand and expensive scale, and would be of little comparative value in a country like our own. Mr. Downing's descriptions and models refer to residences within the means of those whose pecuniary resources are limited. His arguments in favor of consulting principles of taste in the erection of country dwellings, are admirable, and whoever calls to mind the uncouth and inconvenient houses which disfigure so many fine American landscapes, will welcome this excellent guide to improvement where it is so much needed. At a period like the present, when so many individuals, from motives of economy, are removing from our principal cities to neighboring villages, or turning their attention to agricultural life, this delightful work will be particularly useful. It is handsomely printed, and the designs finely executed.

sense blend with an agreeable relish for the humorous. One secret of the charm of his writings is, that he is content to give us the material, the outline, and let us furnish the coloring and often the light and shade. He does not, like your conceited traveller, forever thrust his idiosyncrasies between the reader and the scene. The Messrs. Harper have spared no expense in the preparation of these elegant volumes; and the combined labors of author and artist render them quite unique specimens of the art of book-making.

THE TRUE LOVER'S FORTUNE, or the Beggar the Pont des Arts. Boston: James Munroe Co. 1843.

We cannot find much to admire in the majority of continental romances, and doubt if the cause of good literature would suffer if they were less frequently translated. The story mentioned above is from the German, and is not without a certain kind of interest. It will afford amusement to those who are fond of somewhat exaggerated fictions, with enough truth to nature in them to awaken occasional sympathy.

THE SNOW DROP.

We hope the late appearance of this pretty little juvenile keepsake will not lessen its sale. It is written by Mrs. Osgood, whose excellent taste in providing useful and pleasant reading for the young is, we are happy to learn, about to find scope in a periodical exclusively devoted to children.

STEPHENS' CENTRAL AMERICA.

We have examined, with interest, the illustrations of this work, which will be issued in the course of a month. They are very numerous, and the details are executed with remarkable precision. Mr. Stephens is certainly the most fortunate of travellers. We do not allude merely to his rare good luck in escaping from fevers, banditti and the other dangers incident to wandering. The fickle goddess smiles upon him at home as well as abroad. From his first publication, an unparalelled degree of success has attended his labors. His last work has passed through eleven editions in England, and continues to sell at eight dollars a copy. This is better, even, than in the case of Dickens' American Notes, ten thousand copies of which were sold in London, on the day of publication, at a guinea each. Mr. Stephens well deserves both the praise and dollars he has won. He has had the rare wisdom to confine himself to his appropriate sphere. He does not describe foreign scenes with the exceeding minuteness of Mackenzie or the imaginative glow of Lamartine, because they do not strike his mental eye under such aspects. He gives us facts and pictures as they are distinctly reflected in a clear mind, where urbanity and good

HARPER & BROTHERS, in addition to the valuable historical series already noticed, continue their popular "Family Library," " Brande's Dictionary" and "Library of Select Novels." To the former an important addition has recently been made"Smith's History of Education," which we commend to the attention of teachers and school committees; the latter places the standard popular fictions within the reach of that large class of readers who desire to consult, at the same time, economy and convenience.

Our best acknowledgments are due to Mr. Herwig for the fine musical composition he has kindly contributed to the present number of the Miscellany. In common with his numerous admirers, we heartily wish him every success in his efforts to elevate the popular taste in regard to the art of which he is so distinguished a professor.

A variety of articles and literary notices are unavoidably deferred.

84

He stopped his tune that I have alluded to. in the very middle, and himself too, for he was suddenly possessed with the idea, that there was something very strange and unusual in the appearance of the old craft; and turning himself round, he faced it, and for a few moments scrutinized minutely every part of it. Sure enough something was the matter. What first caught his attention was, that it seemed to have assumed an upright position; and now, as he looked, to his unutterable astonishment, it slowly drifted from the berth that it had occupied for years, some twenty yards further out into the stream, and three masts with their hamper of cordage and canvass seemed suddenly to loom up from the deck. Paul was most certainly amazed.He gazed and gazed, and rubbed his eyes a dozen times, and as often looked more intently than before-yet no further change took place. It was positive and palpable, and he could not get away from the fact. There she lay, a complete and perfect vessel, yet rather antiquated in appearance. It was just as sure, as Paul was that he was standing upon the bridge, and not a hundred miles from the spot; though it should be stated, by the way, that he had begun to entertain sundry misgivings in his own mind, that he was not in the clear and full possession of his reasoning faculties. He asked himself over and over again, if he was not at that very moment in his house at the foot of Mount Washington, sleeping soundly in his bed, by the side of his better half, and dreaming what appeared to be to him sound and substantial truth; to test which he had recourse to divers self-inflictions of pain, such as pinching and thumping his thighs and arms, and finally came to the conclusion that it was all real; that he was on South Boston bridge and nowhere else, looking at what had been an old hulk, but which was now strangely metamorphosed into quite a decent and respectable-looking ship. At that moment, a bright light was seen to move from the forecastle to the stern of the vessel, where it became stationary, but no one was seen to carry it there, and this but added to Paul's perplexity. At length, however, having strained his gaze for ten or fifteen minutes in that direction, to no purpose, he came to the sage conclusion, that he might stand on that spot all night with no better success, and therefore determined to give the matter up as unfathomable, and make the best of his way home. Thrusting his hands into his pockets again, he started off once more, resuming the burden of the tune that had been interrupted by his surprise. But he was not destined to proceed far, for he had not taken above a dozen steps, when a hoarse voice from the craft cried out, "Hullo there! skulker, ahoy!"

and

Paul Jones came to a dead halt, and faced about again. The light was still burning

brightly at the stern of the ship, but every
thing was quiet and motionless about her, and
he could not discern the slightest sign or
movement, evincing the presence of human
beings. Somebody had certainly called out;
of that he was certain; but whether he had
been the object of the hail or not, was what
he could not determine. For the space of
five minutes-to him long, dreary, fearful
minutes he waited for some further evidence
that he was wanted, but it came not, and he
started afresh. It may be very naturally
supposed, that if he was not somewhat fright-
ened by this queer occurrence, he was what
is called a little "skittish," and it might have
been that that lent speed to his feet, for most
surely his pace was considerably quickened,
and the notes of the tune he was whistling
came forth louder and shriller, and followed
each other so rapidly, that it seemed as if
they were racing to see which could get out
On, on he pushed—
of his mouth first.
the draw was gained-it was crossed-anoth-
er long stride-another and another, when
the same voice came sounding across the
water louder than before," Hullo there! Paul
Jones, ahoy! heave to, or we'll sink you!"

It was

There was no mistake about this. plain English, and very easy to be understood. So Paul thought, for it brought him right up standing, with his knees knocking together as though he had a shaking fever. Again he turned his gaze toward the vesstanding at sel, and saw, or thought he saw, Supposing her bows, the figure of a man. that the stranger expected an answer, and as he considered that common courtesy demanded a reply to this very polite hail, he formed a trumpet by hollowing his hands, and shouted back through them,

"Hullo there! what vessel's that?" There was a pause of a moment or so, and then an answer was returned—

"None of your business!"

This rather short and emphatic reply somewhat nettled him. He had a quick temper, and this but served to rouse it sufficiently to absorb all other feelings, and not being disposed to put up with such short commons, he indignantly determined that the old craft might go-anywhere, before he would anThen in went his swer the hail again. hands to his pockets for the twentieth time, and on he trudged.

It would seem, however, that the stranger had not the slightest idea of letting him off so easily; for at that moment the surface of the water was illumined by a sudden and bright flash, followed by the report of a heavy piece of ordnance, and then a ball whizzed across Paul's path, within a yard or two of his nose, cut through one of the rails of the foot-path, and sped over the water on the other side. This was no trifling matter, as Paul thought, and he saw that it was the

Jones-Paul Jones-oh! were you the commander of the Bon Homme Richard? I have heard of that craft."

"No, but one of my ancestors was," replied Paul, not over scrupulous to adhere strictly to truth: "I am a poor tailor of Boston, and was going home very peaceably after my day's work, when I was stopped on the bridge, and brought off almost forcibly to this place. Finding not a soul on deck, I was merely groping about in the hope of falling in with some one who could give me an explanation, when I stumbled down yonder stairs and here I am."

During this short speech Paul had narrowly examined the other from head to foot, and taken a complete mental inventory of every thing that he had on. He was a man of some thirty-odd years old, tolerably well framed and muscular, but with such a malicious, wicked-looking countenance, that it would have condemned him at once wherever he had appeared. He was habited in a rough fisherman's dress, and on the transom lay an old tarred hat, while rather more within his reach upon the table, Paul's quick habit of observation failed not in this instance, to note a pair of shining barrelled pistols and an old sword in rather a clumsy scabbard. As Paul ceased speaking, he raised his eyes from the weapons until he met the glance of the stranger, which meantime had been firmly fixed upon him. For a few moments they continued gazing at each other in deep silence, when the stranger spake in an altered tone of voice.

"Paul Jones, do you know what vessel you're aboard of?"

"Know? to be sure not; how should I?" "It is the Adventure Galley." "And who might your honor be?” "Captain William

Kidd."

"Cap'un Kidd!" exclaimed Paul earnestly, "why you surely don't meanyou ar'n't Kidd the pirate?"

"The same my good friend, and no other," was the reply; "but I think that you might have been a little more choice in your terms." "Well but" continued Paul, "there must be some mistake

"Not the slightest," interrupted the stranger.

"Why, Captain Kidd has been dead these hundred and forty years. He was hung at Execution Dock about Seventeen Hundred." "So he was."

"Then you can't be him." "I am the same."

Had a musket-bullet gone through Paul Jones, he scarcely could have endured a greater shock than these words occasioned. He had heard often of holding intercourse

*This was the Christian name of the celebrated rover; not Robert, as is generally supposed.

with beings of another world, but he had never dreamed of doing so himself. More than a dozen times he strove hard to persuade himself that he was at home and abed, but in spite of all his exertions he could not reason himself out of the truth; there he was, aboard of the far-famed privateer Adventure Galley, and there were the piercing eyes of its cut-throat commander bent full upon him, and looking into the deepest chambers of his soul.

"What do you want of me?" he said huskily.

"Business," was the response. "I must have a man of some kind for my work, and I left orders on deck for my men to stop the first who appeared on the bridge after ten o'clock to-night."

Oh! how earnestly did Paul wish that he had gone directly home that night from work, instead of tarrying at ninepins. How much he thought of his wife and children in their warm and comfortable home, dreaming away in happy unconsciousness of his unfortunate situation; how sincerely he wished that he was safe among them, and how fervently he vowed within himself, that if he only got clear of this dilemma, he would conduct differently in future. But all these could do him no good now, for he was completely in the stranger's power.

"My friend," said his antagonist, when he had watched the apparently perplexed state of his mind sufficiently, "I'm very sorry to occasion you any uneasiness, but my object in getting possession of your person is this. I'm very desirous of going ashore after an absence of nearly a hundred and fifty years, and as one of the laws of my present state of being is, that I can only do so by obtaining the willing consent of any mortal man to use his body for the time, I have caused you to be stopped to-night, and brought hither, in the hope of being able to induce you to lend me yours for a day or so, promising that I will return and render it up, safe and unhurt, before dusk to-morrow."

Paul breathed a little more freely. He inferred from this, that the redoubtable captain had no intention of using any violence, and he also surmised from the apparent anxiety of the stranger to conciliate his favor, and get him to accede to his novel request of lending his body for a time, that he possessed no power to force him against his will.

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ducements than he had. Taking then a small!
lamp from the wall, be mocomed to Pani to
follow, and opening a narrow door at the
other side of the cabin, so very small and
well covered with paint, that he had not no-
ticed it before, he stepped into a kind of clos
set adjoining. He then set the hight upon
a sheif, and taking a small key from his
pocket, applied it to the lock of a tolerably
good-sized chest standing in one corner, the
hd of which immediately flew up, disclosing
well-stuffed canvass bags.

"There, look at that." he said with an air of triumph, as if all additional arguments I were superfluous and unnecessary.

..

1 Hul-lo, exclaimed Paul, drawing out the word to three times its usual length, as he knelt down at the side of the chest with glistening eyes, and lifted several of the bags to try their weight. “My eyes '—what a treasure! I did'nt know that there was so Įmuch money in the whole world—all gold!“ Every ounce of it.”

"Jingoes! one little bag-the very smallest-would make me and mine dance for joy for a whole life-time."

“ Paul,” said the stranger slowly and emphatically, you shall have as much as you can lug off, provided you will give your consent to my entering your body and remaining there twenty-four hours, with the privilege of going where I please during that time."

Paul's fears returned. The gold was very alluring to be sure, but then he could hardly reconcile himself to the bargain. He had heard of compacts with the evil one, and that his Satanic majesty was a most artful villain, who would cheat if he could, and he was fearful that he should discover too late, that he had mortgaged himself to the Prince of Darkness. He hesitated. He really did not know what to do.

"Will you take the offer?" said the stranger earnestly.

"I don't know. I am thinking of what will become of me while you are off with my body."

"Become of you? Why, you may stay aboard and wait till I come back."

"But my family will be alarmed and anxious at my absence."

"Well, suppose they are for a few hours, what then? When you return to them you will carry that which will make ample amends."

"So I shall," said Paul musingly.

"I will not deceive you, I assure you," continued the other. "I promise you upon my sacred word of honor, that I will return by dusk to-morrow."

Paul muttered something about there being precious little honor among thieves.

"What's that?" rejoined the other, who had caught a few words.

"I was merely going to ask if our bargain

would de up as soon as you returned. That I shall be permanesi to carry home as much of that goal as I can lift, quietly and unmolested, and that you will have no further claim whatever up me."

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That is the bargain.

Paul was tempted. There is no denying it, he was most sorely tempted. He had ä very great and almost uncontrollable desire to carry of home some of that abundant treas ure, but he was much afraid of running the risk of harm. He thought and thought, and racked his brains again and again, in the hope of discovering some means by which he might obtain the reward without the quid pro quo,

"I have it!" he exclaimed, his eyes bright ening as he thought he had hit upon a happy expedient, "I have it. We'll toss up a cent.

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The other for a time was very much averse to trusting to chance to decide the matter. He remonstrated for some time, but to no purpose, and he at last agreed, though very unwillingly, to abide by the result.

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only none • That will do it," said Paul, of your gimeracks and incantations, Mr. Kidd, to make it come up your way."

As he spoke he drew out à solitary copper from his pocket, and gave it a twirl in the air. "Heads or tails! he cried.

"Heads! replied the other.

They watched the gyratory ascent and descent of the coin with intense interest, and as it rang and settled upon the cabin floor they bent over it eagerly.

"Heads it is," said Paul rather dolefully. “But we must try twice more. Let me see if the matter is understood. Just look here, Mister Cap'un Kidd. If the copper comes up tails twice running, you are to let me go free with as much gold as I can carry."

"Provided you agree now to suffer me to do as I wish, if it turns out against you," replied the other.

"That's it," said Paul, "give me your fist. It's a fair bargain?"

"Yes," answered the other, grasping his proffered hand.

"Then here goes again. Tail it is."
"No!"

"Yes-look! look! as fair as a die. Now once more."

And as he spoke up went the copper, turning forty summersets as it rose, and fell ringing out its echoes upon the floor.

"Tail!" exclaimed both, but ah! in what different tones. One was all joy and ecstasy; the other was nothing but sourness and disappointment.

Well, I'll be going home I guess," said Paul laconically, "I rather think they're expecting me by this time."

And laying his hand upon one of the bags in the chest, he swung it out into the middle of the room, intending to tie as many of them as he could carry, up in his pocket-handker

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