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WILLIAM HOWITT.

HOWITT, WILLIAM, an English historian, essayist, and miscellaneous writer; born in Heanor, Derbyshire, December 18, 1792; died at Rome, March 3, 1879. For his joint work with Mary, see her name. His separate productions inc ude "Popular History of England," once really popular; "The Student Life of Germany;" "Woodburn Grange," a novel; and a couple of dozen other bulky volumes, besides countless occasional articles, all in an easy, readable style.

THE DEPARTURE OF THE SWALLOW.

AND is the swallow gone?

Who beheld it?

Which way sailed it?

Farewell bade it none?

No mortal saw it go;-
But who doth hear

Its summer cheer
As it flitted to and fro?

So the freed spirit flies!

From its surrounding clay

It steals away

Like the swallow from the skies.

Whither? wherefore doth it go?

"T is all unknown;

We feel alone

That a void is left below.

THOMAS HUGHES.

HUGHES, THOMAS, an English publicist and novelist; born at Donnington Priory, near Newbury, Berkshire, October 23, 1823; died at Brighton, England, March 22, 1896. He was educated at Rugby, under Dr. Arnold, and afterward at Oriel College, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1845. He was called to the bar in 1848, and from 1865 to 1874 represented several boroughs in Parliament. In 1869 he was appointed Queen's Counsel, and in the following year made a tour in the United States; and in 1882 was appointed a Judge of the County Court. His principal writings are "Tom Brown's School Days" (1857); "The Scouring of the White Horse" (1859); "Tom Brown at Oxford" (1861); "Religio Laici," afterward reprinted as "A Layman's Faith" (1861); "The Cause of Freedom" (1863); "Alfred the Great" (1869); "Memoir of a Brother" (1873); "Memoir of Charles Kingsley" (1876); "The Old Church: what shall we do with it?" (1878); "Memoir of Daniel Macmillan" (1882); "Gone to Texas" (1885). He also wrote an Introduction to "Whitman's Poems" and to Lowell's "Biglow Papers." His later works include "Life of Bishop Fraser" (1887); "Livingstone" (1889). "The Manliness of Christ" (1879) is among the best of his religious works.

RUGBY AND FOOTBALL.

(From "Tom Brown's School Days.")

"AND So here's Rugby, sir, at last, and you'll be in plenty of time for dinner at the school-house, as I tell'd you," said the old guard, pulling his horn out of its case, and tootle-tooing away; while the coachman shook up his horses, and carried them along the side of the school close, round Dead-man's Corner, past the school gates, and down the High street to the Spread Eagle; the wheelers in a spanking trot, and leaders cantering, in a style which would not have disgraced "Cherry Bob," "ramping, stamping, tearing, swearing Billy Harwood," or any other of the old coaching heroes.

Tom's heart beat quick as he passed the great school field or close, with its noble elms, in which several games of football

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were going on, and tried to take in at once the long line of gray buildings, beginning with the chapel, and ending with the school-house, the residence of the head-master, where the great flag was lazily waving from the highest round tower. And he began already to be proud at being a Rugby boy, as he passed the school gates, with the oriel-window above, and saw the boys standing there, looking as if the town belonged to them, and nodding in a familiar manner to the coachman, as if any one of them would be quite equal to getting on the box and working the team down street as well as he.

One of the young heroes, however, ran out from the rest, and scrambled up behind; where, having righted himself and nodded to the guard with "How do, Jem?" he turned short round to Tom, and, after looking him over for a minute, began:

"I say, you fellow, is your name Brown?"

"Yes," said Tom, in considerable astonishment; glad however to have lighted on some one already who seemed to know him.

"Ah, I thought so; you know my old aunt, Miss East; she lives somewhere down your way in Berkshire. She wrote to me that you were coming to-day, and asked me to give you a lift."

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Tom was somewhat inclined to resent the patronizing air of his new friend a boy of just about his own height and age, but gifted with the most transcendent coolness and assurance, which Tom felt to be aggravating and hard to bear, but could n't. for the life of him help admiring and envying—especially when young my lord begins hectoring two or three long loafing fellows, halfporter, half stableman, with a strong touch of the blackguard, and in the end arranges with one of them, nicknamed Cooey, to carry Tom's luggage up to the school-house for sixpence.

"And heark'ee, Cooey, it must be up in ten minutes or no more jobs from me. Come along, Brown." And away swaggers the young potentate, with his hands in his pockets, and Tom at his side.

"All right, sir," says Cooey, touching his hat, with a leer and a wink at his companions.

"Hullo, though," says East, pulling up and taking another look at Tom, "this 'll never do have n't you got a hat? We never wear caps here. Only the louts wear caps. Bless you, if

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