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my pulse throbs stronger at the dear remembrance, made hazy by the strong events of many years. Ah! I should have died then, I was so happy.

Like every thing human, this enjoyment had an end. She left our region, and me broken-hearted. The physician that attended me supposed that I had something else than a broken heart, because he could not minister to such a mind diseased. I threw his "physic to the dogs." I rather think old Hippocrates or Galen never described such an affection. After a few days, owing to a good constitution and giving the medicine to the dogs, I recovered, so as to be able to crawl about. During the time I was confined to my bed, the sun had become dim, and every thing earthly wore a sombre look of gloom.

now remember he told me that he was six feet four inches in his stocking soles. I did not care for that then, and verily believe I would have stood up to fight it out with "Goliah of Gath," if my Almenia was to have been the price of victory. My foe of six feet four left, however, and I was pacified. Though I know now they were engaged to be married at that time, I did not know then; and if I had, what could a boy of fourteen say against a tale from the lips of the woman he loved, and that woman twenty-five, and a heartless coquette at that? Indeed, she only had visited our neighborhood to allow nature to repair the ravages of a former season's dissipation. I don't know that I had any plans for the future formed, nor that I thought of marrying her; indeed, it would at that time have seemed a profanation to think of such a It was at this time I thought somewhat connection with the deity she appeared in of studying theology, and going out as mismy eyes; my love was a sort of "ideal," | sionary to the coast of Africa, or some dreadpartaking more of the homage due a Crea-ful place, where dreadful sacrifices were retor than the love that mortals bear towards one another I suppose what poets and novel-writers call "spirituelle." I remember one day—ah! that was a day to be remembered—we were walking in a romantic and secluded dell, near a river; just near enough that the gurgling stream, as it rolled over the stones, made an echo loud enough to cause words to appear as whispers; giving that still, calm feeling of security that sometimes pervades the soul when the heart is filled with happiness; and I had a dim, distant hope or desire that I could live for ever with her; and in fulness of hope, delirious with joy, I dared—ay, dared to kiss her-her! Oh, that moment! I would give a year of 'my old worn-out existence for such another thrill of ecstacy, such a blending of sense and soul. Pah! it is no use trying to describe; pen could not do it, nor magazine contain the multitude of emotions that thrilled like-like what?-a thousand times swifter than the electric telegraph; my whole system, every fibre of my existence partaking of the delightful joy. Even at this distant day, my heart beats faster, and

quired, and the reward would be some dreadful death; all with the hope that it would find its way into some book or newspaper, and in after years might meet her eye, and cause her heart to beat one throb for me; but-alas for history !—another fate awaited me.

This was the second time I had the epidemic, and, if it was more severe than the first, I attribute it to the fact of my constitution being fuller of the vital current, and stronger than when I had it the first time; just as all diseases attack a hearty person with more severity than one of a spare habit.

The next year after my recovery, I was sent to college, and, as I was intended for a profession, had no time to fall in love for many years. I always do whatever I attempt with all my might, be it physical or mental, and at college I was considered rather ambitious, so no time was spared to fall in love except once, and then I escaped entirely. But that was very slight, just a premonitory symptom or two, to show the state of my system, as a twinge of the rheumatism

serves to remind us of an approaching east wind. With that exception, I passed over my college period tolerably well, and at last graduated and commenced the practice of my profession in my native town. The first year I had nothing to do, and came near having another attack, as some of my friends thought it would be beneficial to me to take a wife; but, as I could hardly support myself, I could not dare to indulge in the luxury of matrimony.

Next year, I visited Europe to complete my studies, and, with the exception of a flirtation with a widow, escaped the epidemic entirely. My period of probation had not come to an end yet, but the cycle would soon be completed. And sure enough, on my return home again, I began to experience a fluttering around my heart, that usual precursor to my periodical disease. In this case, however, it was a different kind from the others; for it was a blue eye and simplicity that I caught it from, whereas it was, in all the other cases, a brunette hue that the disease partook of. I soon rallied from this attack by a liberal dose of prudence, which enabled me to see the folly and injustice of asking or expecting a woman to leave a happy home for the limited one afforded from my scanty income. A few years more, and another cycle rolled round; and, as the complaint was growing lighter in its attack every time, I thought that, as children were vaccinated to prevent them catching a worse disease, I might act upon the same plan; so I determined to anticipate the attack, and prudently fall in love

before the time arrived. I had more courage this time, too, as my income had increased so much that I had no fear of poverty before my eyes. The woman that I selected for the experiment was what my friends called amiable and virtuous, and many other things which I find kind-hearted people utter when they do not wish to say that a woman is hideous or ugly. I did in this case what all the rules of propriety and wisdom suggested; but the experiment failed, and to this day I know not whether I loved her or she hated me. One thing I do remember; her refusal never caused me a pang, and not a thought of suicide or any of those "thousand and one devices" that rejected lovers threaten to do, but seldom perform, entered my mind. The experiment failed, as many a one does, but I learned something from it; and that was, that prudence and propriety have nothing to do, nor are of any use at all, to people falling in love; for, on investigating the matter fully, to find out the cause of my failure, I found that it was consummated every day, in direct defiance and utter ignorance of such philosophical principles. That the experiment was a failure as to preventing an entire recurrence of the epidemic, I have not the least doubt, as I know that, on meeting a certain lady some time after, I felt quite a Platonic attachment for her, which shows that the experiment had modified it a great deal, but not eradicated it entirely, for, when Platonic attachments take the place of passionate admiration, the heart may say, with the swarthy Moor"Othello's occupation's gone."

FEBRUARY.

THE name of this month is derived from the Latin, februo, signifying, I purify, and was given because the ceremonies of the Lustration were performed in that month by the ancient Romans. Lustration was a religious sacrificial ritual, by which cities, fields, and even armies, were relieved or puri

fied from the responsibilities of any crime committed, or from inherent moral impurities. The modes of performing the Lustration were various; sometimes by parading the body of an animal just sacrificed around the recipients, and sometimes marching the recipients of the ritual past the sacrifice.

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THE broad blue Atlantic was unbroken | had trodden down his hopes, he endeavored by the slightest breeze, and the rising sun to crush the passion with all the force he was reflected in its mirror-like surface. could summon; yet when he imagined he Slumbering on its bosom lay a small had overcome the deep-rooted sensation, schooner, a model of symmetry, which rose still, phoenix-like, it would rise up again in and fell with the long gentle undulations of his soul, and overwhelm all his former resothe waters; the sails hung idly from her lutions. The object of his ill-starred affecyards and booms, and not even a zephyr tion was the daughter of a naval officer of sighed through the light rigging that fell high renown. In the summer of his fortune, from her taunt masts; her hull was entirely the father had encouraged his hopes; but black, but from the stern-head to the quar- when that fell, the smile that used to welter stancheon was a thick range of guns, come his visit was changed to the cold, whose red muzzles formed a striking con- haughty, commonplace expression of slentrast to the sable broadside from which they der civility, till at length the once hospitable projected. She was a noble vessel; and her door was closed to his approach. calling was easily distinguished by her warlike appearance.

Her commander, Walter Macarthy, was the only son of a wealthy merchant, who had carried on an extensive commerce from the city of Limerick, but who, from heavy misfortunes, was reduced to the lowest ebb of poverty, and who finally died a victim to the uncertainty of earthly hopes, leaving his son heir to a barren world. The youth was about twenty years old when his father died. Nature seemed to have concentrated all her art in moulding his outward person in all the symmetry of manly beauty, while his mind was a strange intermixture of recklessness and benevolence. He had a heart which the charms of woman alone could unstring; but when the spirit of revenge or anger nerved it in wrath, the mad courage of the lion lay in his arm, and he who provoked him soon had cause to repent his ill-fortune. In the day of his prosperity he had loved; but now that the fickle goddess

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His natural inclination led him to the resolution of endeavoring to overcome his passion by going to sea. While his aged father lived, filial tenderness forbade him to desert his couch; but when he saw the only tie that bound him to the land of his fathers deposited in the clay, he wrote a last adieu to the mistress of his heart, and departed from the place of his birth with but one sigh for her with whom he left his affections. He directed his course to Portsmouth, where he entered on board a squadron which was about to sail on a cruise up the Mediterranean. They had several actions with the pirates who infested those seas, in all of which our hero so distinguished himself, that he was quickly raised to a command suitable to his exploits; and every succeeding engagement brought laurels to his honored brow.

In this manner nearly four years passed away, and at length, being recommended to the Admiralty Board, they invested him with the command of a small

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