of their kind, lovers of scenery, lovers of all living things, and possessing some good and unquestionable proof that the worm, which they thread alive upon their pitiless hook, and which, to the ordinary eye certainly seems not to like it, does not in reality suffer in the least. I confess I have been many times upon the verge of calling Piscator, my uncle, from whom I have expectations which such an appellation would ruin, a cruel and cold-blooded old villain for the quiet way in which he will torture his live bait -never taking the poor creature off until it has wriggled its last, and then instantly impaling fresh victim-or selecting a lively minnow out of his green water-box, and throwing him into the pleasant river, his wished-for home, with a hook that he does not know of at first, poor thing, in his under jaw. When he has done his duty even ever so well, and given warning of the approach of prey in the most sagacious manner by pulling at the float, and has been rescued alive, Jonah-like, from the interior of some enormous fish, Piscator will not yet suffer him to depart, but, confessing that he is a very good bait-as if that compliment could atone for these many indignities and pains -drops him again delicately into the stream; conduct only to be equalled by that of the widow lady in the legend, whose late husband's body is discovered by her lover in the garden fish-pond, a receptacle There is a sor for eels; upon which," Poor dear Sir Thomas," said the lady, "put him in again, perhaps he'll catch us some more Worse than all, to my taste, looks my revered uncle, when he is running after a May-fly, in order to impale that: one can bear to see a boy in pursuit of a butterfly, because it is not so much cruelty that actuates him as curiosity; bat an old gentleman, bald, pursy-which epithet reminds me that I must not let Piscator peruse that of the remarks-and perspiring, striving to catch waterproof 1 under circumstances of peculiar stream, ami the branching shelter of the kind very of them; ash, through which the subes were I essible alder, on our very her, just after we had taken ble, too, in its extricati fute Piscator, where I had inadvertently inded' apy weitern by daylight, in the evening with half-a-def satisfied; now I would much me he le -hour's fishing for bleak in a ditch with werer, at the end of this last souter me really good day's filing kiling with my e rod, carp and trout of such agile m Ther as Piscator himself wild hore hen d to tell of; and it came to pass in this way. The Marquis of B,wim I al 'P' i rersation with stranges-1 god find nine, who has known me for my pas F met me in the market-place of our be lordship would, I am se, my: "Howdy Pa, "How are you!" and flinke , for the pains I took about the net of and son. I have died more than me at the 1, during election time, and his bridip in failed to observe to me: "A gle of vie you!" or, "Will you join us, my dear fr confidentially upon each sean; the may be nothing indeed, but his handy's er is such that I protest that vien le pe I feel as if I had had the wine. Well, my ago, be sent me a card, penting me to Twinkled the inmenleri ng with reverted glance the but i Tele or bounding across the cage din 11 eng the mighty oak-trees, shadowing half-an-frie ch; the sedgy pools, with wate-owl figyeleme oks, where shot the front trout from "Tell you om their left; and now, regretful that I The driving inform Phadnig that the agent to his landlord had arrived in the adjacent village, for the purpose of driving matters to extremity against all those tenants who remained in arrear. At the same moment, too, a low moun of anguish from the cow outside announced the a cess of a fresh paroxy-n of her distemper, which it was very evident the poor ammal could never come through in safety. In an agony of distress and horror, the distracted father laid his clenched fingers on the table, and looked fixedly in the eyes of the unsuspecting Patcy. The chald sneezed, and Phadrig closed his lips hard, for fear a blessing might escape them. The child at the same time, he observed, looked paler than before, Fearful lest the remorse which began to awake within his heart might oversway his resolution, and prevent the accomplishment of his unnatural design, he looked hurriedly, a second time, into the eyes of the little victim. Again the latter sueezed and again the father, using a violent effort, restrained the blessing which was struggling at his heart. The poor child drooped his head upon his bosom, and letting the untasted food fall | from his hand, looked so pale and mournful as to remind his murderer of the look which his mother wore in dying. It was long - very long-before the heartstruck parent could prevail on himself to complete the sacrifice. The visitor departed; and the first beams of a full moon began to supplant the faint and lingering twilight which was fast fading in the west. The dead of the night drew on before the family rose from their silent and comfortless meal. The agonies of the devoted animal now drew rapidly to a close, and Phadrig still remained tortured by remorse on the one hand, and by selfish anxiety on the other. A sudden sound of anguish from the cowhouse made him start from his seat. A third time he fixed his eyes on those of his chid-a third time the boy sneezed - but here the charm was broken. Milly Rue looking with surprise and tenderness on the fainting boy, said,- Why, then, Heaven bless you, child! -it must be a cold you caught, you're sneezen so often.” Immediately the cow sent forth a bellow of deep agony, and expired; and at the same moment a low and plaintive voice outside the door was heard exclaiming "And Heaven bless you, Milly! and the Almighty bless you, and spare you a long time over your children !" Phadrig staggered back against the wall-his blood froze in his veins - his face grew white as death his teeth chattered-his eyes stared-his hair moved upon his brow, and the chilling damp of terror exuded over all his frame. He recognised the voice of his first wife; and her pale coid eye met his at that moment, as her shade flitted by the window in the thin moonlight, and darted on him a glance of mournful reproach. He covered his eyes with his hands, and sunk, senseless, into a chair ;-while the affrighted Milly, and Patey, who at once assumed his glowing health and vigour, hastened to his assistance. They had all heard the voice, but no one saw the shade nor recognised the tone, excepting the consciencesmitten Phadrig. Did the English fight the French,-woe | And they signalled to the place meal. The agonies of the devoted animal now drew rapidly to a close, and Phadrig still remained tortured by remorse on the one hand, and by selfish anxiety on the other. A sudden sound of anguish from the cow house made him start from his seat. A thir time he fixed his eyes on those of his child— third time the boy sneezed-but here the char was broken. Milly Rue looking with surprise and tendern on the fainting boy, said,-"Why, then, Hea bless you, child-it must be a cold you cau you're sneezen so often." Immediately the cow sent forth a bellow of azony, and expired; and at the same mom low and plaintive voice outside the door was +xlaiming * And Heaven bless you, Milly the Almighty bless you, and spare you a lon over your children: Pldrig staggered back against the wa blood froze in his veins-his face grew w I dth his teeth chattered-his eyes star ! hat moved upon his brow, and the chillin tenor exuded over all his frame. H 1 |