To this a long pause succeeded, which I interrupted by rising to depart.

66

Perhaps thee will favour us with thy name?" said the inquisitive and smooth-faced speaker.

"If it will gratify you, yes-Paul Ulric.” "Oh, the rich nobleman's son ! Bless me, how fortunate! By all means, thee shall remain with us the night. Our accommodations are none of the best; but, such as they are, thee is quite welcome."

"The rich nobleman's son !" was whispered by all present, until it went through the apartment like the hum of bees.

"If I remember," said one, laughingly, "thee is the person who shot Deacon Wafer's ducks and turkeys ?"

I bowed in assent.

"And farmer J's sheep?" said another, with a loud and continued chuckle, which caused the kind-hearted dame, who had just given me a welcome for the night, to say, "Why, Jeremy, thee will split thy sides! I do wish thee would learn to behave more discreetly in the presence of strangers. Paul, thee will not mind the boy's laughing !"

"What a delightful thing it is to have a reputation!" said I to myself. "My fame has already

preceded me; and, most assuredly, has procured me this enviable reception."

A meager pale-faced girl, and three lank-looking boys, began to climb upon my knees, and examine the metal buttons of my coat; while I, as the readiest means of escape, complained of suffocation, and requested to be shown to my room-refusing all invitations to supper.

The next morning I was served with breakfast, which, though none of the best, was very acceptable. The highway, which I was desirous to reach at an early hour, that I might avail myself of the stage, was a mile distant; accordingly, I bade adieu to my hospitable friends of the farmhouse, and set out on my journey.

CHAPTER V.

Diaries are, at present, a monomania; and I will, therefore, in obedience to fashion, e'en commence one myself.

The Stolen Daughter.

They say this town is full of cozenage.

Comedy of Errors.

A villain, when he most seems kind,

Is most to be suspected.

LANSDOWN'S Jew of Venice.

In two days, with the aid of stages and steamboats, I arrived in one of the Atlantic cities, which, for various reasons, I shall not name. As it was late at night, I ordered a carriage. The wheels rattled briskly over the pavement, and the stars looked down with a pure and steady light. My mind, for the first time, perhaps, in my life, glided into a train of important reflections, and at length I found myself humming over something like the following soliloquy :—

"Let me see, what is my object? Ah, I never thought of this before! It is a pity we never learn to think. What a fool I was, that I did not take

my father's advice, when he was lecturing me about books! But have I no rich relations-no influential friends? Alas! not one!" Here I pulled out the well-filled purse which had been sent to me by my mother. "One friend, at least -one true friend!" I cried so loud that the coachman reined up his horses, and opened the carriage door to inquire what was the matter. "Go to the d-1!" I exclaimed, by way of an"Drive on, you scoundrel, or I'll have you

swer.

punished!"

The man of the whip, as Sir Walter would say, thought it prudent to obey my command; and at length I was set down by direction at the hotel. I retired immediately to my apartments, ordering materials for writing, with which I noted the progress of my journey up to the time of my arrival. Gentle reader, (that is, if you are disposed to be gentle,) will you accept a specimen? I promise you, upon the honour of a gentleman, that it shall be short.

THE DIARY OF PAUL ULRIC.

His first attempt at Journalizing.

"Wednesday. This morning I eloped, or rather strayed away, from Essex. I shall say nothing

of the events which led to this determination. The roads were good, and the weather remarkably fine. I was slightly affected on being presented by the footman with some presents from my mother and sisters-near the point, I believe, of shedding tears.

"In the evening I arrived at an old farmhouse, where there were fifteen children, and thirty-seven grandchildren: I was at the trouble of counting. Their grandfather was a hundred and fifty years old, and had fought in the revolution. At breakfast I ate heartily of a substance called 'bacon;' drank also of a composition termed 'cider'-made, I am told, of the juice of apples. Kissed the youngest daughter but seven, and came away, regretting that I could not stay longer. I should have mentioned that the people were Quakers.

“ Thursday.—Rode nearly all day in a stage. Roads dusty-company good-a talkative old woman and her uncommunicative daughter. The latter decidedly handsome-about fifteen years of age-eyes black-hair slightly curled. Forgot to mention that her hand was remarkably small.

"Went on board the steamboat-spent an hour in the necessary ablutions—another at the toilet -was shaved for the first time by a barber-inquired if there were not false whiskers to be ob