says she is in the utmost danger. Madame, to add to my discomforts, has declined my offers: -I feel a strong presentment of evil, and dread I know not what

Good Heavens! what a scene have I witnessed-my dear and excellent mother was insensible when I got to her, and died without seeing or blessing me. Oh ! what would I not give to recall the past, or to bring back even the last fleeting week, that I might atone, in some degree, for my folly-my worse than folly-my selfish and cruel neglect of the best of mothers! Never shall I cease to abhor myself for it.-Never till I saw that sainted form for ever insensible did I feel my guilt. From day to day I have deceived myself with the idea that her illness was not dangerous, and silenced all the whispers of affection and duty, to pursue my selfish and heartless pleasures. How different are the resignation and fortitude of my sister, from my frantic grief!-she has nothing to accuse herself of, and knows that her care and attention soothed the bed of death. But how differently was I employed!distraction is in the thought; I can write no more, for my tears efface the words.

SATURDAY.-My dear and estimable sister has been with me, and has spoken comfort to my afflicted soul. She conveyed to me a letter from my sainted parent, written a few hours before her death, which possibly this exertion accelerated. The veil which has so long shrouded my reason is for ever removed, and all my selfishness and misconduct are laid bare to my view. Oh! my mother-you whose pure counsel and bright example in life could not preserve your unworthy child-from the bed of death your last effort has been to save her. As a daughter, a wife, and a mother, how have I blighted your hopes and wounded your affections!

My sister says, that my mother blessed me with her last words, and expressed her hopes that her dying advice would snatch me from the paths of error. Those dying hopes, and that last blessing, shall be my preservatives. I will from this hour devote myself to the performance of those duties that I have so shamefully, so cruelly neglected. My husband, my children-with you I will retire from those scenes of dissipation and folly, so fatal to my repose and virtue ; and in retirement commune with my own heart, correct its L. 38, 1.

L

faults, and endeavour to emulate the excellencies of my lamented mother.

Oh! may my future conduct atone for the past-but never, never let the remembrance of my errors be effaced from my mind.

THE GYPSEY.

A SKETCH FROM REAL LIFE, BY M. C. B.

Miss Rosa Delville was a pretty, but rather weak, girl, who had a most ardent desire to marry, and to know, by taking a peep into futurity, when that "consummation devoutly to be wished" of all her hopes, would be accomplished. She had given half-a-crown to an old woman, who lived in the same town with herself, for telling her fortune; and something more to an astrologer, for casting her nativity. This was particularly foolish, but as it is almost vain to argue with people, who crave to know that which He who only knows has forbidden to their inquiries, viz.: what is to befal them? the experience of Miss Rosa which made her wise, may, probably, render them so. One day, as she was walking in a wooded, solitary lane, some way from the town, an ill-toned vulgar voice spoke behind her:-"Stop a bit Miss, will ye -cross my hand,-and let me cross your's dear, with a bit of silver, and I'll tell you all about your husband, and every thing."-Miss Delville turned, and beheld the speaker,a tall, bony, and swarthy woman, whose appearance well bespoke her caste and occupation :-dark, dirty, and tattered were her clothes, and a ragged cloak depending from her brown scraggy throat, vainly endeavoured to conceal her shoulders, and prove a covering to them against the casualties of the weather; her arms, hands, face, and bare legs were of a deep olive hue, and from her head down streamed in elf-locks a prodigious quantity of coarse black hair, which falling partly over her face, gave to it a character of preternatural fierceness; hesides which, over her grey cunning eyes, waved, from that which had in days past, been a black velvet bonnet, two or three sable feathers-broken, straggling, and matted together in places by wet and mud. Such was the forlorn female, who now chattered to Rosa

Delville with amazing volubility-such was this specimen
of a wandering, thievish race, of whom it may most truly
be said, as of the wild Arabs, "whose hand is against
every man, and every man's hand against them"-such,
was the Sybil, whose wretched appearance should have
warned her willing dupe, how little able she must be, to ken
aught of futurity, who could not at the present moment
provide for herself decent clothing, wholesome food, and a
comfortable habitation. Rosa's eyes, however, gleamed
with delight when she understood the nature of the gypsey's
request, and taking her purse from her pocket, through
the net-work of which gleamed gold, put into the
dark indurated hand outstretched to grasp it, the wel-
come shilling." Let us go into the wood, Miss, a little
way further," said the woman, with an air of mystery—“ I
have that to say to you, which 'twould be the greatest of ill-
luck, if any one should come across us, whilst 'tis a telling.'
The woman hastened on,-Rosa followed, and stopped
when she saw her conductress do so, after they had walked
some little way into the wood:-the gypsey then taking
Miss Delville's fair hand, crossed it, and with the most
important look, commenced an incongruous jabber, respect-
ing dark men, light men, presents, letters, fortune, equipages,
children, and servants, &c. &c.: to all which, poor Rosa,
not comprehending one word of her meaning as to what she
pretended to predict, listened with profound attention.
At length the gypsey concluded, and Miss Delville supposed
she would have quitted her: but no!-the hag had the
audacity to follow her dupe, and beg, with the utmost impor-
tunity, the very silk-handkerchief which was tied round her
neck, and the shoes which she wore upon her feet-
favours, which it is almost needless to state, were perempto-
rily refused. The miserable wanderer had then recourse to
another wile, in order to extort from the credulous Rosa some
one of her possessions. Untying a filthy-looking pouch
which dangled from her waist, she held it towards the poor
girl, entreating that she would put her hand into the lucky
bag, which, she stated, contained charms,-potent to

fr Light some flames, and some revive,
And keep some others, just alive."

But, they must be paid for, before they were drawn, and, the pice was two guineas each, always to real ladies. "But I," cried the incautious Rosa," have only one!" The gypsey, with sparkling eyes, assured her, that one would do, since in such cases the will was every thing, and people, even ladies, could not be expected to give, more than they bad, &c. she concluded by extravagant eulogiums upon the Lucky Bag and its contents, assuring Miss Delville, that had she been a poor servant, or country girl, instead of a lady, so advantageous an offer would never have been made to her. Rosa hesitated,-a guinea was a great sum,-she had designed to expend it upon various little things,-useful, or entertaining, which she should not soon have again the opportunity of purchasing :-a guinea-well might she pause, and had she ran out of the gypsey's sight, as soon as that audacious mendicant commenced her impositions upon her, better would it have been, as far as her slender supply of pocket-money was concerned." Who hesitates, is lost," is the observation of a sage student of human nature; and the gypsey perceiving the vacillating mood of poor Rosa, became only more and more urgent, that she should draw from the lucky bag! Miss Delville still wavered, when the woman pretending to be seized with a violent fit of coughing, was, upon this signal immediately joined by two or three stout, and ill-looking men, evidently part of the gang, whose haunt happened to be in the wood. I want," said she, addressing them, "to make the lady try her fortune in the lucky bag, but she's afraid to give me the guinea I ask, fos one of my neverfailing charms." Come, Miss," said one of the men, gruffly, "you'd better do it; don't be silly, and stand shilly-shallying there, to keep us here, (who want to be off,) all day, but act like a lady at once, and do as the woman bids you, who surely knows best." Poor Rosa, now extremely terrified, produced her guinea, and handed it to the artful jade, was allowed to draw from the dirty lucky bag, as dirty a piece of paper, folded carefully into a small roll, and tied round with a good deal of worsted. This the gypsey insisted upon pinning up in a corner of her pocket-handkerchief; and, desiring her to wear it for nine days without, on any account whatever, undoing it to look at, darted off at

66

full speed, followed by the men, and the party were quickly lost in the wood.

Poor Rosa!--I know not whether she wore, for the mysterious nine days, her charm, but I do happen to know, that upon inspection it proved to be nothing more, than a leaf out of an old prayer-book!!! And for this-this-she had paid a ginea.

Poor thing!-her credulity was thus severely punished, and yet, in commenting upon all that she lost, which her guinea might have purchased for her, some of her friends, who heard of the circumstance, unanimously agreed, that even this sum was not ill-spent, since it had bought for herExperience.

THE WEDDING EXCURSION.

Grumio. Is the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept ; the serving-men in their new fustian, their white stockings; and every officer his wedding garment on-the carpets laid, and every thing in order?

Curtis. All ready; and therefore I pray thee, news? Grumio.-First, know, my horse is tired; my master and mistrese fallen out. Shakspeare.

The wedding-day had arrived, and all was bright and auspicious. The morning dawned without a cloud; the flowers shone in the sunshine as if brides themselves; the trees in their new foliage fluttered in the breeze like so many bridegrooms; and the birds sung as blithely as a band of wedding musicians. Within doors the scene was equally exhilarating. There were decorated rooms, well-dressed company, tables covered with delicacies-silk, smiles and civility, on all sides. The matron manager of the bridal preparations knew well the importance of wedding-day arrangements; and, to use the expression common to shows of every kind, the whole" went off with great spirit." Precisely at the proper moment, the bride, veiled like a nun, but robed as for a ball, was supported into the room; company, carriages, and clergymen, were religiously punctual; the day was lovely; the crowd of spectators sufficient; the bridegroom made no blunder about the ring; the bride articulated the responses; the procession returned without