boots, fastened together with loops or buttons. A steel curb chain from the top loop going under the boot, which added to the noise of the fixed military spur, made a prodigious rattling over the stone pavement. Mr. Sanders had always an eye to business; and hearing that I was well connected, he paid me every attention during the journey; but finding that the old maid was awfully afraid of robbers, he indulged us nearly the whole way up with stories of the highwaymen of the day. One anecdote he told us, which I have never yet forgotten, and although nearly forty years have elapsed since that period, I can even now "in my mind's eye" see the startling effect his dramatic powers produced upon the inside passengers, as he recounted the story. The grazier dropped his chin, and looked what the world call "flabbergasted." The fat nurse ejaculated "Oh, my!"" Oh dear!" and "Bless me!" The prim old lady shook like an aspen leaf; and the young Miss was all attention, intending to embody the incident in a story for the "Polite Museum of Literature."

"Two travellers were journeying together over a dreary common," began the lawyer, "when one remarked to the other that he trusted they should not fall in with any highwaymen, as he had one hundred pounds secreted in his boot."

"Oh!" said the grazier with a start, feeling his breast pocket, where evidently his treasure was.

Sanders proceeded :—“ "They had not gone many miles before they came to a most secluded spot, where four cross roads met."

66

Bless me!" cries the nurse, "I hope this wasn't the place."

"The new-made earth round the finger-post," continued the clerk, "and a gibbet at some little distance, with a body suspended in chains to it, showed that two victims had lately suffered the extreme penalty of the law they had been companions in crime, and having robbed the mail, had killed the guard. An offer of a free pardon, and two hundred pounds reward, had been proclaimed, when one of the wretches actuated by vile lucre, turned king's evidence, and split upon his friend. Although he had taken part in the robbery, as he did not fire the fatal ball his pardon was granted; but on the morning of the execution of his partner in guilt, remorse seized hold of him, and by his own hand he rid the country of a villain."

Here one of the horses gibbed at a hill, and the tremulous virgin was nearly thrown into an hysterical fit.

"But to my story-The two travellers reached the spot I have described; the wind whistled across the heath; the chain of the gibbet clanked."

Here the coach stopped suddenly, and the pole-chain made a noise very akin to that which Sanders was describing.

"The birds of carrion hovered over the new-made grave; the body of the murderer da gled in the air."

At this moment the strap of the tarpaulin on the roof broke from a sudden jerk, and swinging against the window broke it into atoms. "Oh! oh! oh!" ejaculated my companions.

"Well, as they passed the gibbet, three men suddenly rushed forward, determined, as they swore with a dreadful imprecation, to have the money or the lives of the travellers.

"Spare our lives! Take all I have,' said one, here it is!'

offering a handful of silver; but my companion has a larger sum hid away in his left boot.'

"Traitor!' exclaimed the other; while the highwaymen, with black faces and cocked pistols, proceeded to take off his boots.

"If you've spoken false,' shouted one of the marauders, I'll give you an ounce of lead for your pains.'

"He's spoken truth!' responded the searcher. Here's a prize!—a hundred pound in Bank of England notes!'

"Securing the prize, the two travellers were blindfolded, and bound to the finger-post, while the horse was taken out of their gig and turned loose on the common. It was an hour before they were released from their position, during which period the ill-used victim vented his imprecations pretty loudly. Upon reaching the next town, where a deposition was made before the magistrate, the worthy justice commented in rather a severe strain upon the base conduct of the wretch who would act so treacherous a part.

"Hear my palliation!' meekly said the accused.
"Oh, stand down!' responded the inan in authority.
"One word!' continued the other.

6

My object in the declaration I made was not to screen myself at another's expense. I knew that my companion had a hundred pounds hid in his boot. I had twelve hundred pounds in my waistband. Had I been searched, that sum must have been discovered. I thought it better to sacrifice the smaller to the larger sum. I now return the money I was the means of his being deprived of, and in future recommend him to be more prudent in keeping his own counsel.

Here the coach drove up to the door of that excellent hostellerie, the King's Arms at Godalming, where the father of the present popular host, Mr. Moon, was ready to receive us. Our dinner went off dully. I was too dispirited to eat. Despite of a few practical jokes, such as throwing marbles into the fire, to crack all over the room, emptying the cayenne bottle into the porter, placing detonating balls upon the chairs of the company, filling the salt-cellars with white pounded sugar, all of which feats were performed by Mr. Sanders, while we were warming ourselves in the kitchen. But I must get on with my journey: After a drive of nearly twelve hours we approached the metropolis, then badly and most dimly lighted; and it was not until near seven o'clock that the "Highflyer" coach pulled up at the Golden Cross, Charing Cross, having been thirteen hours in accomplishing a journey of sixty-three miles, and which, in our days, would take a man from London to Liverpool and back, or to Exeter three times in the same number of hours. After paying our fares, taking leave of Mr. Sanders, who promised to call some day in Dean's Yard, our luggage was deposited in a hackneycoach, and we were driven to the town family-mansion. My uncle was temporarily residing there, but, unfortunately for me, was from home for a day or two, so that, instead of finding a welcome from this kindhearted relative, I was shown into a huge cold drawing-room, with a newly lighted fire, where the furniture had on its winter gear, and all looked dull and disconsolate. The housekeeper soon made her appearance-a prim and portly woman; and instead of allowing me to run into her snuggery, warm myself by the crackling fire, and make my way to the sweet stores, she formally told me that tea would shortly be served,

and that at eight o'clock Sir GB, the physician to the family, would call in his carriage to take me to Dean's Yard. The tea, with bread-and-butter cut in fashionable slices, about enough for a sparrow's breakfast, shortly made its appearance; and then remembering my basket of provisions, I selected some of the most tempting, and sat down with an empty stomach and half broken heart to my solitary meal. There is an old French saying that "l'appetit vient en mangeant," and the truth of it was exemplified upon this occasion, for no sooner had I got fairly into a cold snipe-pic, than I felt as hungry as a half-starved Esquimaux, and was devouring the contents very much after the fashion of a cannibal, when the door opened, and the worthy disciple of Galen made his appearance. Sir G.'s costume was very unlike the dress of the medical man of our day, for instead of the Taglioni wrapper, the loose trousers, the Wellington boot, the black handkerchief, and the unpowdered caput, he appeared in a suit of sables, coat, waistcoat, and "continuations of black cloth, jet knee and shoe buckles, silk stockings, white neckcloth, and shirt frill, powdered head, and a pigtail: with an erect carriage, a dignified look, and a smile upon a somewhat sternlooking countenance, the worthy Esculapius approached me; and, after a kind greeting, proceeded to inquire after my health :

"A little heated after the journey, I presume?" said he.

"Heated!" responded I, thinking the question applied ex and not internally, "not the least, sir!"

He then proceeded to put a variety of questions, as to my usual state of health, and seemed not a little surprised when I replied that I had never had a day's illness, with the exception of an occasional cold, which Tom Prior had always cured by giving me "a walk," after the Newmarket fashion, and a teaspoonful of sweet spirits of nitre in what that respected huntsman called a night-cap-a glass of white wine whey. "Rather flushed!" continued the M. D.; but fearing a breakfast might be prescribed for me of rather a darker hue than that which generally I took, I quickly replied that I had been sitting over the fire, and had eaten rather fast.

"Perhaps, then, you are as well without anything," said the baronet. "We will now proceed to Dean's Yard." So ringing the bell, the carriage was ordered, and in a few minutes I was seated by the side of this most kind-hearted man, who was reading me a lecture against chills, draughts of air-nct medicine, checked perspirations, sudden transitions of heat and cold, wet feet, and unwholesome food. It was a raw miserable night, a cold thaw; the streets were full of melted snow and slush: and as we drove under the melancholy-looking archway that leads to the spot where I was to take up my new abode, my heart died within But I had but little time for melancholy reflections, for the carriage shortly pulled up at a large house in Great Dean's Yard; and no sooner had a treble London knock announced us, than I heard the unfastening of a chain, and upon the door being partially opened, I observed by the dim light of a tallow candle the figures of a dozen or two of boys who had gathered round the Cerberus that guarded it. Upon our names being announced, the urchins whose curiosity had attracted them to the spot were driven back, and we descended from the carriage. As we crossed the entrance hall to a room on its right, the murmur of "A new fellow!" "What a guy of a governor! "Did you twig his

me.

tail?" reached my ears. We were now shown into a well-furnished apartment, which, by the smallness of the fire, and the manner in which the looking-glass, chairs, and carpet were covered, showed us that this was more a hall of reception than a tenanted room. Dick-so the male "man of all work" was called-shortly re-entered the room, introducing that worthy dame Mrs. Packharness, or Mother Pack, as she was always most irreverently called. This lady was tall and "well got up for com pany.' ." But this is an obscure phrase; and as the senators say, we will explain. The expression is taken from one supposed to have been used by the wife of a celebrated millionaire, but which we have no doubt was a scandal fabricated against that most respectable lady, who, upon engaging a femme de chambre, is said to have said, "I never take any trouble myself. I look to you for getting me up. I merely say dress me for ten, dress me for twenty, dress me for a royal duke, or dress me for M," for by that initial the wife described her Croesus husband. But to proceed-Mrs. Packharness was got up for a scion of a noble house, and appeared in a splendid silk dress, an elaborate head-dress, with some rather fancifully twisted curls; her manner, however, was extremely kind, and she welcomed me to her house with warmth and affection.

"I've a bed for you in No. 4," she remarked, "where you'll find nine very nice young gentlemen, all about your size and age.'

Then turning to Sir G, begged he would give any orders he might think necessary with regard to the honourable Master Hamilton's treatment. The housekeeper was then summoned, who was a gaunt and determined-looking female of eight or nine-and-thirty, and after a few observations, in which I overheard the words "senna draught," "Epsom salts," the physician approached me to take his leave, and shaking me cordially by the hand, said, “I have ordered you a glass of port wine, to be taken daily after your dinner. If at any time you feel yourself ill, Mrs. Packharness will kindly send for me." The carriage drove off; I was left to myself. The big tears gushed from my eyes. "It is no dream, and I am desolate," was the spirit of my thought at that moment, although not expressed in such words as I have quoted, and which have since been created by Byron, in one of his most touching and beautiful pictures.

(To be continued.)

THE POCKET AND THE

BY HARRY HIEOVER.

STUD.

(Continued.)

Veterinary surgeons' bills are items no one can give an estimate of, depending, of course, on the good or bad luck people have with their horses. Not but that I am a little sceptical on the matter of luck; at least, I can only say when things have occurred to me that many persons might attribute in their case to bad luck, I could always, or, at

least, mostly, in some particular or other trace them to some blundering act of stupidity or culpable inattention of my own.

However, as in other persons' cases we will call it bad luck, whenever it comes in the shape of a horse falling lame or amiss go yourself with him; or, if in a lady's case, send some friend with him to the best class of veterinary surgeons: it will be the least expense in the end. If you allow your man to take him where he likes, he is sure to have some friend, a common farrier, who will be sure to make the horse worse; probably in some way blemish him without there being any occasion for it, and do it clumsily if there is, besides keeping him twice as long under treatment as he would be kept at the college, or by such a man as Mr. Field, and end by sending in a bill three times as long for doing so.

I do not mean that a man who knows what he is about need send his horse on every trifling ailment to any veterinary surgeon, but it is the cheapest plan for the man who does not.

In making so wide a distinction as I do between persons who understand horses and those who do not, I feel myself called on to give some little explanation of what I mean, otherwise I may unintentionally give offence where and when I by no means intend to do so; for understanding a thing or its reverse are only relative terms as to how far the knowledge or the want of it is concerned. There are certainly some men who do not know a good-looking horse from a brute-thousands that are no judge of a good sort of one or a good goer.

An uncle of mine went a good deal further. He said, that provided two horses were both black or white-or, as he termed them, red-and about the same size, he could see no difference in them. My discernment as regarded his medals or black-letter volumes I dare say was about the same thing.

There are, perhaps, few men exactly like my revered uncle as regards horse affairs; but there are thousands that perfectly know a handsome one when they see him, a goer when they see him move, and a pleasant one when they ride; nay, further, can ride him very well, and yet want that particular sort of knowledge that alone can enable them to manage their steed well, and that without useless expenditure. These are very ticklish gentlemen to handle, here the most candid friend, or the veterinary surgeon, sometimes gets into a dilemma.

We will say a gentleman shows a horse to a friend, or a veterinary surgeon, that has something amiss that it is at once seen will take a considerable time under the immediate care of the vet., and then a winter's run to make all sure. Formerly a winter's run implied a strawyard and the occasional luxury of a meadow, wet as a bog in open weather, and hard and rough as a heap of stones in frost. This saved keep it is true; but the expense of getting such a horse again into condition was more than that of as we do now-hovelling him comfortably, and giving him hay and oats. So the expense in one way or the other for keep must be considerable before the horse is fit for use; then comes the veterinary surgeon's bill.

The owner will probably ask if it is probable the horse will come up sound? and gets the probably candid and just opinion that he will. He may be asked the probable expense; this a first-rate man will generally pretty accurately tell you. The owner then, perhaps, calculates, or gets the information, that keeping in the rough on corn, and six weeks