be richer in blood than in blunt, and had left "his own romantic land" to avoid a certain troublesome adversary, called in North Bri

encamped on this island. Here they dwelt some days in safety. Alas! this evening, scarce two hours ago, they were discovered tain a Messenger-at-Arms, and in merrie Engand attacked. Her father and his tribe resis-land a Bum-Bailiff. This obtrusive personage ted, but after a short and ineffectual struggle, had, of late, displayed a most impertinent and now all lay dead. She alone had escaped and unseasonable importunity regarding some trifwas now -- -she placed her hands in mineling money matters utterly beneath the atten

and nestled her head in my breast- -"safe," I murmured leaning over her.

"There!" she suddenly cried, springing to her feet, "there, there," quick as thought an arrow pierced her heart; falling to the earth she bent and tore the grass with her hands, her death-convulsed body bounding hither and thither in the agony of dying. Ah! horror, horror! Seizing my gun, I rushed wildly forwards; before me were two skulking figures: I fired-one shrill cry rent the air-it numbed my brain-it was a word, that word-my

name.

Long years have passed, and they tell me that I am an old man now. I can't believe them; it is as yesterday that Harry and I went on our fishing excursion to the Thousand Isles. But then my hair is scant and grey, and I am partially bald. They say, too, that I never saw the Indian girl, that it was some frightful dream, but it is false, I saw her die, and Harry, am I thy murderer? Merciful Father, have pity on me.

I must cease. I pray God that I may not die a

Here we were interrupted by the summons of the steward to supper, and when next I looked at my melancholy friend he was in the act of despatching, with every appearance of gusto, his third pork chop; apple-pie and cheese were also on the plate, and his dismal aspect had nearly vanished. I therefore concluded that the long and melancholy tale I had just heard was the effect either of too long a fast or dyspepsia.

THE CHRONICLES OF DREEPDAILY.
No. X.

CONTAINING THE CONCLUSION OF ALDERMAN
DIP'S MISADVENTURE.

THE most prominent lion of the "Exclusive
Club" was Sir Fungus McKailrunt, the undis-
puted head of the ancient and chivalrous clan
of that name.

Now the aforesaid Sir Fungus chanced to

tion of a Celtic Thane.

Every gentlemanly device did the illustrious chieftain resort to, in order to get rid of his tormentor, even going the length of offering him the trial by battle. The legal functionary, however, insisted on choosing his own arms, which consisted of a small roll of paper; and bargained, moreover, that in the event of his being victorious, his opponent should submit to dree penance in Sir Hudibras' “wooden bastile." To such ignominious conditions the head of the Kailrunts would, on no account, agree; and rather than dispute with so captious an antagonist, he turned his face southwards, till better times should come round.

Our friend, the Alderman, attached himself in a most peculiar manner to the distinguished exile from "mountain and flood." He paid his devoirs to him early and late, and the flattery which he doled out in bucketsfull, joined to the wide-spread reputation of his wealth, soon produced a marked effect upon the titled Caledonian, whose acquisitiveness and selfesteem were both above the middle size.

Sir Fungus was a widower, and his whole family consisted of a daughter, who faithfully

followed the fortunes of her sire.

The Honourable Bridget McKailrunt was, at this period of our narrative, a lady more distinguished for her experience than her beauty. She had outlived her five-and-fortieth year, and was possessed of certain reminis lant of all suitors, the small-pox, which, in the cenary bequests, left her by that most ungalopinion of the fastidious, did not contribute much to her personal charms.

Now, though no lady, by any chance, comes to think herself plain, it is difficult resisting altogether the evidence of a truth-telling mirror; and the virtuous Bridget began at last to suspect that her charms, like fresh fish in the dog-days, were not improved by the keeping. She therefore the more readily listened to a hint delicately dropped by her paternal ancestor, at a moment when his exchequer chanced to be at its lowest possible ebb. The suggestion was, that she should pay a little extra attention to the setting of her cap on a particular evening, when he purposed introducing to her notice one of his friends from the "Exclusive." Dull as a razor which has been prostituted to the opening of oysters, must the reader be, if he requires to be told that the friend in question was the civic magnate of whom it is our privilege and supreme felicity to be the historiographer.

Belonging, as we do, to the ancient frater

nity of bachelors, we honestly confess our- We have heard of a certain worthy comselves incapable of narrating the passages which occurred during the six months of the Alderman's existence, following his first domestic symposium with the McKailrunts. Most happily, we know of the acts of female warfare only by name; and we should merely expose our ignorance did we attempt to describe the "witchcraft " which the fair daughter of the mist employed to secure the affections of the man of tallow.

moner who, when he married a Lady Janet, confidently calculated upon becoming Lord Janet, in virtue of his matrimonial rights. And Master Jeremiah, when he pronounced at the nuptial altar the awful words "for better, for worse," had a certain dreamy impression that the term "better" implied his doffing for ever the base hide of plebianism, and donning the lion's aristocratic skin! Too soon, however,did he make the discovery that though he had bestowed his name upon his lady love, she had not rendered to him in return the smallest perception of her nobility. He was still plain, unvarnished Master Dip; and, what was worse, his high-born connections took pious pains to cherish in him the cardinal virtue of humility, by reminding him of what he longed so sorely to forget-his former self, to wit! Whenever he attempted to speak or act in opposition to his "betters," he was certain to be favored with some pointed and caustic allusion to oil casks and tallow,-much on the same princi

One thing is certain, that she soon discovered his weak point, and cut her cloth accordingly. She talked of the romantic situation of her hereditary mansion. She expatiated on the hundreds of devoted vassals, who only lived and moved at the will of their liege lord. She shed tears at the recapitulation of the many noble youths whose hearts she had broken, by refusing their proffered alliance, for the simple reason, that the noblest of the lot was not worthy to be henchman to the Kailrunt. And she soared into the altitudinal regions of poetry as she spoke of the anti-ple that dictated the placing of a skull upon quity of her family tree, which was, she asserted, a flourishing sapling, when that which formed the gallows of Egypt's chief butler was, as yet, a puny acorn!

This was a gilding which rendered palatable to our hero a pill, even of half a century's standing. The antiquity of the lady's person vanished before the glorious antiquity of her house, and the upshot may be easily anticipated. One fine morning the Alderman rose from his couch a single man, and, ere the shades of night pervaded the earth, found himself lord and master of the high-born dame, at least as much so as the curate of St. George's and his clerk could make him.

Master Dip had now gained the summit of his ambition, but, some how or other, the prospect from the lofty vantage-ground was not quite so enchanting as he had been led to anticipate when at the bottom of the hill.

the eastern monarch's dining table! The unlucky fat had left an odour on his escutcheon which "all the perfumes of Arabia could not sweeten ;"-and in his bitterness he would doubtless have joined Lady Macbeth in her exclamation of "Out! out! d- -d spot!" but for the simple reason that he had never perused the works of the inspired poacher!

Nor were these the least of the poor man's sorrows. Lady Bridget, conscious that she was not precisely the model which a painter or statuary would select in depicting the flirting spouse of Vulcan, gave early intimation that she contemplated her husband through an intensely verdant medium.

In his younger days the Alderman had earned the reputation of a man of gallantry,— and even now he opined that there was no peculiar harm in admiring the contour of a nose, or the turn of ancle. It would have been Lady Bridget Dip soon gave her "beloved" well for his comfort, however, had he possesto understand that he must no longer consider sed as scanty a perception of the beautiful as himself the autocrat of either his house or his the scholastic theorists upon that commodity. habits. Sternly did she interdict him from a If his "espoused saint ever detected him multitude of little luxuries which long usage looking at a female anything short of sixty, had rendered indispensable to his comfort. she was certain to make it the text of a cur She banished cheese from the dinner-table,-tain homily more practical than pleasing. On prohibited the poor man, under pain of her Sovereign displeasure, from stewed onions to his potations of "half-and-half;" and even this cherished admixture he was, after a vain resistance, obliged to abandon, as being altogether infra dig. But the severest cut of all was the bull which was savagely thundered against his darling narcotic. This was enough to make even a husband valorous; and he actually stood out in opposition to the mandate which extinguished his pipe, for the better part of a week. He was only mortal, however, and the tube perished! Peace to its

ashes!

more than one occasion, when on the threshhold of his domicile he ventured to chuck the chin of a buxom milk-maiden, and unhappily his Xantippe detected the playful gesture, so great a commotion was excited that nothing short of a necklace or pair of bracelets could allay it.

Thus curbed and cribbed at all points, the unhappy Alderman began to feel miserable enough,—and it seemed as if more unlikely things had come to pass than that he should be induced to test the temper of one of the renowned Mechi's magic razors, a few inches below the field of that ingenious instrument's

legitimate operations. The resolution of "the family," however, (he, of course, not being comprehended in the category,) to migrate for a season to their native fastnesses, inspired new life into Dip's drooping spirits, and deprived the Coroner and his myrmidons of the fees of an inquest.

into the kitchen by the back-door, where he would aiblins get a cog o' brose to warm his hause, as his honour's servants were aye weel seen to!"

"Oh! that I were once more in the Goat and Compasses !" groaned the forlorn victim of the chain matrimonial, as he shuffled out of the carriage and slunk into the house, more with the air of a beaten hound than the sonin-law of the lord of the soil!

Our hero looked forward to the expedition with much the same ideal delight which an urchin experiences when about to look into the glass of a penny panorama. He had fre- Next day the "castle" was literally besieged quently witnessed Highland melo-dramas at by a countless throng of kinsmen and cousins Astley's classic establishment, and being an of all degrees, even to the fiftieth remove, intensely matter-of-fact man, he believed that who came to pay their respects to the head of he was about to see a complete realization of the house. They brought along with them, the pomp and parade of these histrionic spec- however, none of the "pomp and circumtacles. Visions of "men of mould, and mai- stance" which the romantic imagination of the dens fair," enveloped in silken tartan-of Londoner had imaged to be indispensable to boundless forests, and castles of interminable the "gathering of the clan." Instead of galbattlements, floated gorgeously before his lant warriors mind's eye,—and he cherished a kind of hopeful idea that the homage of the clan Kailrunt would be tendered to him as an adopted scion of their race. * ** * * * * *

It was towards the fag-end of a cold, drizzling December day, that the dropsical Kailrunt chariot drew up in front of a damp, dull, desolate-looking mansion, the very appearance of which sent a chill through the marrow of the half-frozen Southern. If Giant Despair had left a widow it might have formed an appropriate jointure-house for the bereaved dame! The windows were small and gloomy; -the gables pinched and puckered, as if they had been pressed together by two opposing battering-rams; and altogether it looked more like an asylum for

hermit owls and pauper bats," than a habitation of Christian men. A few miserable looking caitiffs, whose noses, from their frigid sharpness, seemed as if they had received an extra squeeze from John Frost, stood shivering before the door;-and as the vehicle disgorged its contents, these living skeletons emitted what was intended for a jubilate of welcome. To the ear of the citizen, accustomed as he was to the hearty, porter-inspired huzza of an Anglican mob, it sounded more like the shriek of a wretch on the wheel begging for the coup-de-grace!

"all plumed in their tartan array," he beheld some gross of little smoke-dried, hook-nosed beings, redolent of peat-reek and whisky,-whose sole talk was about crops and cattle, and who seemed to regard our hero with no more reverence than they did the tyke or house-dog. Indeed it is questionable whether the quadruped did not stand higher in their estimation, as its kin could be traced for many generations, whilst the biped was only a "bit packman body," whom necessity alone had compelled their Chief to receive into his family!

To add to the delectation of the hapless Alderman, a storm of snow set in which kept him in close ward for the better part of a week, and his sole recreation consisted in listening to certain tender remonstrances which his lady favored him with, touching the peccadilloes be had been guilty of during the journey to Scotland. She brought before his shrinking conscience every glance he had lavished on womankind, from the period of his losing sight of St. Paul's, all which she had carefully bottled up for future use. Nay, we have heard that she even went the length of enforcing her precepts by the application of her slipper to his tingling ears. We agree, however, with the Times, that this part of the story lacks confirmation!

Sunday at length came round, as Sundays generally do, and the storm having somewhat abated, it was announced that the Chief and his family meant to gladden the eyes of the much-expecting serfs, by appearing at the parish Kirk which was some seven miles distant.

The "quality" having disappeared into this tomb for the living, Master Dip, who showed no inclination to leave his quarters, enquired at one of the mouldy on-lookers how far it was called to Kailrunt Castle, and what might be the name of the dismal-looking inn before which he sat. The "questioned knave" eyeing the querist with a look in which contempt The London-built chariot-already the pride and wounded pride were equally blended, and wonder of the surrounding country, drew replied, not in the most choice English, that up in due form, and was packed with the fair this was the great palace of his honor's ma- Bridget, her respected sire, and half a dozen jesty the chief! He added in a softened tone, antideluvian-looking aunts, who had come for the miserable appearance of the frozen down like eagles from their mountain fastoilman (whom he evidently mistook for a nesses to fatten on the spoils of the Sassenach. Cockney domestic) that he "had better gang It then drove off amid the barking of some

hundred curs, and the wild vivas of certain red-headed imps of children, attracted from miles around by the fame of "the parlour on wheels," as they denominated the locomotive marvel.

As for honest Dip, not even an outside place could be afforded him. After the noblesse had departed, he set forth on a dwarfish Highland colt attended by a lineal descendant of the illustrious Dougal Cretur, who to every interrogatory touching the name of this hill or that loch, gave for response a most intelligent and euphonic "Oigh! Oigh!"

even the ghostly terrors of excommunication could induce him to travel such a distance for such a purpose. We may add that the peccant exciseman having but lately come to the district, was personally alınost unknown; and no small curiosity was excited, particularly among the ladies, to see one who for the last six weeks, had occupied such an engrossing amount of the gossip of the parish.

Return we now to our hero, whom we left in the act of forcing his way into the Kirk. When he entered, every seat contained more than double the legitimate complement, and the Alderman might have been compelled to stand out the service (which as it extended to three hours without break or intermission, would have been no joke) had pity not been taken upon him by one of the officials of the sacred edifice. This was a tall gaunt personage, who rejoiced in no meaner rank than that of

The district being unfettered by the slavish Saxon appendages termed toll-bars, our friend's progress was somewhat less velocitous than that of an express railroad carriage. Accordingly ere he reached the barn, termed by courtesy a kirk, he found that the services had been for some time commenced. His primary impulse was to seek the pew" Minister's man," and who, observing the perappropriated for the magnates, which was aristocratically situated in a small gallery to which access was obtained by a stair on the exterior of the building. Here, however, there was no admittance, the "loft" being crowded usque ad nauseam by a multitudinous collection of Kailrunts, who, from all points of the compass had congregated to pay homage to the head of the Slioch. Master Dip essayed to edge himself "side ways" into this Celtic synod, but was soon obligated, like his countryman General Sir John Cope, to

"Gae back the gate he cam again,"

plexity of the stranded Anglican, grasped him
by the collar, and led, or rather dragged him
up the middle passage. The dignitary then
opened the door of a pew in the very centre of
the edifice, and directly facing the clergyman,
which was tenanted only by a pretty, black-
eyed damsel. Into this having thrust our hero
he drew the bolt, and left him to his own
reflections. Ere the functionary went away,
however, the oil-man, to reward the first mark
of attention he had received since his arrival
in the land of kilts, slipped a crown piece into
his freckled fist. This donation being equal to
the "man's " half-years stipend, caused him to
break forth into a stifled shriek of amazed joy,
and he departed muttering some unintelligible
sentences in which the words "Braw, braw,

being put in bodily fear by the scowling glances
which the fierce-looking sons of the north
cast upon the southern intruder. Not relish-
ing the idea of being absent from his own
"kirking," he descended from the ecclesias-gauger!" could alone be distinguished.
tical dais, and sought the body of the temple,
into which, as it was packed to the very door,
he insinuated his portly and worshipful person
with no small difficulty,

Now it is proper to mention, at this stage of our narration, that in addition to the arrival of the Chief, there was an attraction this day, which in no small degree conspired to increase the throng.

An exciseman, residing at some thirty miles distance, but still within the jurisdictionary bounds of the parish, had committed a certain offence which the Scottish Established Kirk, at the era we speak of, was in the habit of visiting with the most ultra rigour of her wrath. The "session" having satisfied themselves of the guilt of the culprits, for there were two of them-the second, with sorrow we record it, being of the gentler sex, they were cited on this very Sunday to undergo a penance for their fault. The lady tearfully promised obedience to the mandate, but the masculine sinner, who had thought proper to stand his trial by proxy, had given no intimaion of his intention to show face in "the hour of cause." Many indeed doubted whether

Jeremiah, having wiped his fatigue-moistened brow, and adjusted his sorely moiled dress, prepared to render due attention to the homily, which by this time was in course of delivery. But, alas! he might as well have been in a Hebrew Synagogue or a Convention of the Unknown Tongue. The prelection was in the Celtic speech;-and after regaling his ear for some time with the uchs and gachs of the divine, he found that the eye was the only organ which he could use with any edification. That member, Master Dip, accordingly dedicated to the sightly handmaiden whom destiny had made his companion, and most assiduously did he scan all her noticeable points, which, to speak the truth, were neither few nor far between. Luckily this "exercise" was unnoticed by the orthodox Bridget, who seated immediately above the virtuoso, was too much occupied in keeping up the dignity of the house, to throw away a single glance on what was passing amongst the democracy below.

Very speedily our hero discovered that he had become an object of very extensive regard and consideration--"the observed of all observers!" Every now and then a grim brownie

like face would erect itself from behind the covert of some projection, and, after a peering scrutiny, disappear like the phantom of a magic lanthorn. The young damsels were especially curious, and the man of molten tallow at last began to feel not a little uplifted by the notice he was engendering. He buttoned his coat up to his chin-frequently gave an adjusting tug to his wrist-bands, and strove to screw his features into something of the importance beseeming the important part which he doubted not he was at last enacting in the great drama of life.

Meanwhile the sermon progressed, and at its conclusion the Alderman, who ere this had been seduced into the kingdom of the poppy-crowned God, partly by his musings of honors to come, and partly by the cataractsound of the strange language, was awakened by the aforesaid ecclesiastical officer tapping him on the sconce with his dog-eared psalm book. On looking up he discovered every eye glaring upon him, and the officiating sacerdos looking as if about to commence an oration.

speaker was embarrassed and overawed by the surpassing greatness of his rank, the oilman favored him with a bland smile, waving, at the same time, his cambric pocket-handkerchief, with as great an air of dignified condescension as he was able to summon for the occasion. "Don't be frightened, my good man," he exclaimed in an under tone-" pray speak to me as if I was only your equal!" Thus adjured, the priest opened his mouth and spake.

But who shall paint the horror and conster nation of poor Jeremiah Dip, when the first words which fell upon his erected and tingling ears, were:-"HARDENED AND BRAZEN WRETCH, WHO DAREST TO ADD SHAMELESSNESS TO GUILT!"

Here was 66 a precious go," to use the Alderman's classic expression when recounting the adventure, in after times, to his boon companion, Guy Cleaver. The breath emigrated from the body of the assailed peregrinus,—a cold sweat drenched his trembling limbs;and we make no doubt that "each particular hair" would have promptly stood on end, Fully persuaded that the time had come "like quills upon the fretful porcupine," had when he was to be owned as the adopted the thatch of his cranium been derived from "Lord of the manor," Master Dip promptly nature instead of the peruquier! Dip would arose, and having performed one of his most have given worlds, had he possessed them, graceful counter-bows, waited with fluttering to escape from the fascination of the theoloheart to hear the complimentary address which gian's little blood-shot eye, but there was no was doubtless to follow. In the delicious dodging the infliction. He was compelled to triumph of the moment he could not help cast-gaze-and what was worse, to listen,--for the ing the tail of his dexter eye upon his fair dame, to see if she relished his exaltation, but her face was gracefully beclouded by a huge fan, doubtless to conceal the blushes which the compliments awaiting her spouse would call forth.

tongue now sported, though not exactly his mother's, was still Saxon enough to enable him to taste all the bitterness of the libation which was now poured upon his aching brows!

97 66

For a full quarter of an hour was the pitiless pelting of the tornado of words directed The reverend orator first directed his against the helpless and half-crazed Cockney. speech to the female who was Jeremiah's Every epithet which the lexicon of rage and co-tenant in the lonely pew. As, however, indignation could supply was launched at him the language of Ossian was still employed, the with ruthless energy. "Reprobate," Villain,' "illustrious stranger" could only conjecture"Seducer," "Wolf-in-the-fold," and "Son of its meaning. He guessed that its purport was Iscariot," were the gentlest and most honied to impress his companion with a due sense of vocables of that hideous nomenclature. A the privilege she had enjoyed by sitting beside Synod, nay a General Council of scolds, could so altitudinous a personage. In this hypo not have contributed a single additional stone thesis he was the more confirmed by the air to the cairn of abuse! of intense humility which the fair mountaineer assumed during the exordium. She covered her face with both her outspread hands, and any beet-root might have envied the crimson which appeared through the intervals between each tremulous digit.

Human nature can only sustain a certain amount of torture, and the worried Alderman, at the close of one of his tormentor's choicest periods, lost altogether the power of restraint, Springing from the pew he rushed towards the pulpit, and grasping the baptismal basin, Having said his say to the lady, the padre hurled it at the head of the inquisitor, utterwhispered something in the ear of his griming at the same time an exclamation which aide-de-camp, who bustling up to our hero, asked him whether "she could spoke the Gælic?" A reply was rendered in the negative, which the herald promptly communicated to his principal, and then a deep silence prevailed for some seconds, in which even the dropping of a pin might have been heard.

Thinking that perchance the reverend

tradition reports to have sounded vastly like a good round oath!

All now was confusion thrice confounded. The "elders" [Mr.Quill erroneously called them church wardens] stood with uplifted hands, absorbed in horror at the daring sacrilege. The "minister's man" appeared as if waiting a mandate to fell the infidel to the earth with