had become more sharpened, and wore that bluish paleness which is so characteristic of approaching dissolution. Gazing at the old man as he now and then moved restlessly in his troubled sleep, I felt an emotion of sadness deeper than I had experienced for years. His patience-his humility-his kind and charitable heart-his high and cultivated mind, blasted as it seemed by some dark recollection, threw over him, as it were, an almost romantic veil of interest, and made me feel for him as I had once felt for a father whom I had lost.

I know no solitude equal to the melancholy of a sick chamber, when left to one's own ruminations; the garish gleaming of the candles, as their flame is reflected in gigantic shadow upon the bedcurtains, or wall; the falling of a cinder from the fire; nay, the very ticking of the clock, are apt to cause a peculiar sense of dreariness and desolation, which is any thing but lessened by the hard and laboured breathing of the dying.

While my patient slept, desirous, if possible, of relieving the melancholy of my thoughts, I took up an old newspaper that was lying amongst some loose papers on a table near the bed. I mechanically began turning it over, and perceived it was a Scotch paper, published some twenty years previous. Running my eyes over its columns my attention suddenly became arrested by a heading, in large characters, of

แ HORRIBLE AND MYSTERIOUS MURDER !

I know not why, but there is a strange fascination that attracts one's attention to the narrative of crime or suffering, and I immediately commenced reading. To the best of my memory the relation ran as follows:

"HORRIBLE AND MYSTERIOUS MURDER.-It is our painful and melancholy task to announce a murder which has just been committed in the very heart of our usually peaceful city, and which has created a sensation of surprise and alarm not easily to be described. The unfortunate victim, we are sorry to say, is Joseph Saunderson, the well-known gigantic porter, who has been for so many years in the service of Messrs., the bankers. Yesterday, in the morning, the unfortunate man was sent early with a heavy package, mostly of gold-in amount £3,000, it is said-to book and enter, by the evening mail for London. Not returning as soon as he was expect ed, the chief cashier began to grow anxious about the safety of the parcel, and knowing Saunderson-(who had been for the last fifteen years in the employ of the house)—to be a remarkably steady man, he was induced to think that something extraordinary must have occurred. On despatching a clerk to the coach-office, it was ascertained that Saunderson had not been there. Suspicions of the unfortunate man's character became entertained by the firm; the police were called in, and a general search instituted. Half an hour afterwards, we grieve to say, poor Saunderson's body was found lying in Passage, weltering in his gore. The unhappy man had taken this unfrequented path to get into Street, and had there met his death from the hand of some assassin or assassins at present unknown. On examining the body only one wound was found inflicted, and that was apparently by the thrust of a sharp knife, given with such precision that it had gone completely through the unfortunate man's

heart, killing him, no doubt, instantly, before any alarm could be given, and evidently inferring the murderer to be well acquainted with the anatomy of the human frame. It is needless to say, the valuable money parcel has been stolen by the murderer or murderers. What renders the circumstance so peculiarly singular is, that the crime should have been committed in the open day, and on a man whose gigantic strength, with a less fatal blow, might have been justly dreaded. This has generally induced the supposition that it has been the deliberately-planned act of more than one individual. As the numbers of the notes are known, and the police actively on the search, a feverish anxiety prevails for the intelligence of the apprehension of the inhuman murderers. Poor Saunderson, whose honesty and industry had procured him the entire confidence of his employers, and who has thus come to a sudden and untimely end, has left behind him a wife and five children to lament his loss.

"On Tuesday a coroner's inquest will be held, when it is to be hoped further particulars will be elicited."

Poor Saunderson!" I almost unconsciously exclaimed, with a sigh.

My aspiration was echoed by another so sepulchral, deep, and intense, so full of human agony and suffering, that I cast my eyes towards the couch from whence the sound proceeded, in the full belief that it was the last tribute of expiring nature. There, to my horror, I beheld Mr. Benfield, sitting up in his bed, his few grey hairs wildly streaming over his attenuated countenance, and his deep, sunken eyes gleaming from under his pent brows, apparently with a more than mortal light, as they steadfastly regarded me.

"Poor Saunderson, indeed!" exclaimed the old man, solemnly; and, why do you not give vent unto the feelings of your heart, and curse his cruel and relentless murderer. Behold him here, in this corroded heart and withered frame! You now are in possession of the fatal secret, which, for the last twenty years of my wretched existence, has, like some Gorgon, been feasting upon my entrails. Yes, behold here the hitherto undiscovered murderer of the unhappy Saunderson!" And the wretched man buried his livid countenance in his clasped hands, through which the scalding tears fell fast, while sighs, long and heavy, filled the little apartment.

Conquering the shock the old man's sudden exclamation had given rise to, (for his grief and repentance put everything out of my mind at the moment but his sufferings,) and, hastily uttering I know not what words of comfort, I sprang towards the bed, and caught him in my arms, as, overcome by his sudden emotion, he fell back, and fainted.

Applying a little ammonia to his nose, he slowly opened his eyes; when I endeavoured to allay the excitement under which he was labouring.

“No, I must speak-I feel I must," he exclaimed, in those querulous tones I had so often marked as one of the signs of approaching dissolution. "You know my deep--my soul-involving guilt, and something-some slight portion of that remorse, which, if human suffering on earth may constitute an expiation in the eyes of the Almighty disposer of events, I am not without hope may be taken

into consideration in my final account. You know my guilt. Now listen to the miserable narrative of a dying man. Oh! beware of temptation; take warning from my unhappy story, and learn that any state is far preferable to the loss of virtue and honour.

"I was young-in your own profession-my situation even somewhat like your own. I had married, without due reflection in respect to my worldly means, one whom I loved more than I valued life. The natural gaiety of our hearts led us into the first society of the city in which we resided; and the usual consequence of living beyond an income resulted-we became involved, and were threatened with ruin. Oh! had I listened in time to her, instead of my accursed pride, and retired from the scene of my former extravagance, all had been well. But there is a web woven by Fate that I believe we are destined to be enmeshed in. I remained-remained to hear the insulting remark-the half sneer-the tone of pity, from those towards whom I had perchance felt but contempt in the days of my thoughtless prosperity. The changed countenance of former friends-the taunt of gratified malignancy from the baseminded at times drove me half mad, and, I believe, changed my nature. Even my gentle and endearing partner failed to console me, and I became morose and savage, detesting myself, and hating all mankind. In this frame of mind, with the stinging reflection that the little practice I had was fast seceding from me, and that I should soon be a beggar, a temptation the most fatal was suddenly thrown in my way. Going into the banking house of Messrs. to receive the amount of a small cheque, I accidentally heard a clerk talking to a fellow-servant of the house respecting a large sum they were to send in the morning by the mail. I knew that from the shipping connection large amounts of gold were constantly being sent up to London: I had even once or twice met their trusted and colossal porter, the unhappy Saunderson, in that Passage which I often traversed, as it saved me a considerable distance in going to one part of the town. The devil that very night filled my mind with one appalling idea-it passed through my brain like light ning, as it were, scathing and consuming. My circumstances were more desperate even than were known. I was daily living in the fear of an arrest. My house was stripped of its contents. I had nothing-no hope from the world-still less from those who had once been friends. Oh, hour of horror!-I resolved upon the diabolical act of murder and robbery. Why should I dwell on the bloody detail? I waylaid my victim-struck the fatal blow with my knife; and almost before the departing breath had fled, possessed myself of the treasure. Ten thousand furies seemed ringing their plaudits in my ears as I hurried home with the package hidden beneath my cloak; which before I had committed the murder I had laid aside, with a villain's foresight, and which now covered the sanguine stains that marked me for a murderer. My brain was on fire. The notes, which I knew it would be dangerous to pass, I buried with the package case. You, whom I have left my executor,

will have the direction where to find it.*

It is a singular fact, that all the notes and bills of exchange, to the amount of £1700, have been recovered, from the directions left by the repentant criminal. The papers were found in a wonderful state of preservation, considering they had lain wrapt up for a period of twenty-nine years in a deal box, buried in the earth.—ED.

"It was only after the hurried excitement had ceased that the dreadful and soul-appalling horrors of the atrocious act sunk with a cold and deadly chill into my heart. Then it was that my guilty mind became overwhelmed with terrors unutterable. Nightlythose dreadful nights!-nightly in my dreams I saw the wretched victim, pale and bloody, at my bedside, upbraiding me with my infernal deed. Such visions were frequently followed by fits of partial insanity,-if I may so term them; in one of which my gentle wife learnt my dreadful secret. Its horrors soon overwhelmed her; and in less than a month the tomb had closed upon her seared and blighted heart.

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Although I lived in a thousand daily terrors, suspicion had never for a moment been directed towards me. Though I had, as were, bartered my soul for one cursed deed, still I had never touched a shilling of the plundered gold. The fact that most maddened me is to come. Saunderson had scarcely been buried a fortnight, and my wife on the point of death, when news came to say an uncle in the East Indies had died, and left me a handsome fortune. Oh, how I cursed it in my heart!—and, wretch that I was! I rashly accused Providence of betraying me into the commission of the most revolting crime.

"Glad of a pretext to leave Scotland, and disdaining the now proffered smiles of menial parasites, I departed with my two children. The curse of the Almighty seemed to pursue me; my children within a few months of each other died: I was left alone-a branchless and scathed trunk upon the world's waste! What language can do justice to my horrors and remorse! Time, instead of alleviating, seemed only to strengthen the gloomy and harrowing feeling that I was peculiarly marked out as an object of Divine wrath in this world, and that more dreaded world to come. I sought to appease the Divine anger by works that, emanating from other hands, might have been considered virtuous. But it seemed fated that I should never cease to feel bitterly the curse of an accusing spirit.

"I have nearly done," pursued the dying man, his sudden ex citement yielding to the feelings of exhausted nature,-"I have left the remnant of my property to be applied to certain purposes which you will find specified in that paper," and he pointed to a packet lying on the table.

His voice, during the latter part of his confession, had sunk into a low, half articulate whisper, that intimated a state of complete exhaustion. His senses were yielding to the influence of delirium. Placing his gaunt and bony hands across his forehead, he began rambling for several minutes in an unconnected strain, that was painful to hear.

As I perceived that his late excitement had indeed in a great measure caused this imbecile state, I immediately administered an opiate draught, which shortly had the effect of throwing my patient into a quiet and undisturbed slumber. This induced me to seek a temporary rest in the easy arm-chair I occupied. I was soon in a kind of restless and uneasy doze.

To be invested in certain charitable institutions. A trust that was scrupulously fulfilled by the late esteemed writer of this paper.-ED.

When I awoke, the first cold light of another day was stealing through the curtained window, giving a sickly hue to the tall flame of the unsnuffed taper on the table. I listened eagerly, but in vain, to catch the respiration of my patient. All was still, save the monotonous ticking of the house clock.

With a dread of the worst I hastily drew aside a part of the curtain of the bed. To my surprise and horror I beheld my patient kneeling up in bed, his bony hands clasped together, and his head thrown back, while the glassy eyes seemed directed upwards. But there was neither movement nor pulse in the frame before me! the penitent and sorrow-stricken wanderer had breathed his last sigh in prayer to the Almighty!

H. J. M.

JUDGING BY APPEARANCES.

MISTAKES IN A DRAWING-ROOM.

I HAVE always entertained a good opinion of myself, at least upon one point; but, unfortunately upon this point, none of my friends would ever agree with me,-I have always flattered myself that I was a man of nice discernment, and that my forte lay in a felicitous deduction from appearances, which, however slight or few, would enable me to penetrate character, dive into plans, and prophesy consequences. I have studied Lavater and phrenology, and have by heart those malevolent authors, who lay down that man is by nature a mean rogue, and who teach how to see through his hypocrisy. Let the sequel testify whether I have been too arrogant with respect to my own abilities.

I was at the splendid party of my friend, Sir George Railtravers, -for, though small, and termed a family party, it was given with a magnificence that bordered upon ostentation. The reasons were obvious. Sir George's affairs were going down hill with a steamengine velocity; whilst his sons and daughters were growing up in geometrical proportion,-for every season witnessed the debut of a son, or the introduction into fashionable life of a daughter. A man of rank and fashion in ruined circumstances, aud with a nume. rous family, must keep up appearances. His extravagance concerns only his creditors, and cannot make him worse; whilst appearances are his only chance of saving his family by advantageously settling them in life. The party, moreover, like many other parties that make a figure in history, was got up for an object, which, in the eyes of the persons concerned, would justify any means for attaining the end.

In fact, the entertainment was a scheme of Lady Railtravers to se cure to her daughter the hand of Sir Larry Balooney, whose father, Sir Perkins Balooney, had transferred an immense capital from London to an estate in Yorkshire, and who dying soon after the transfer was made, had left his son-in his twenty-first year-the joyful successor to his property. Miss Matilda Railtravers was un peu passée. She had been the star of fashion for some years; had moved in the highest circles at Brussels, Paris, Vienna, Rome, Florence,