him, this day twenty years, I spied her watching me; and I ran afther her, and seized her, and pitched her far into the waves; but now she is come to hang me. Let her. I will tell all—all—of my own accord; I will; and swing high for the deed." He was conveyed to the Squire's house; and in his presence, and that of other magistrates, made a more ample confession. He had been tempted to commit the murder under the following circumstances:→→ that Catherine, as well as himself, felt that it was. In fact, he spent many hours alone, mourning for his beloved child, and taxing his brains to shield her from probable and verging misfortune. And a brilliant thought came into his head. Would it not be a happy, as well as an exceedingly clever thing, to dispose of Catherine, before the trial at law, grounded upon the ejectments, should commence, and while the matter was little suspected, to one or other of her ardent admirers at the club-dinner in Dublin; to in fact, Ned O'Brien, or George Dempsey, or Mick Driscoll; or, above good hoax; "a choice one, by Jove !" just to save himself the trouble of trying to unravel it; or else to hide his halffelt ignorance on the subject. Meantime he got some cause to laugh a little less than usual. Ejectments were served upon his estate, in the name of the lost son of the man whom he had succeeded in it. And Squire Hogan only strove to laugh the more; and to affect that he considered the claim as an uncommonly good attempt at a capital hoax!" practised upon him by some unknown persons The mother of his old master received under her protec-whom, on some past occasion, he must have outwitted "glotion a friendless and pennyless orphan girl of low birth.riously;" but it was a poor attempt at mirth, and he saw The young huntsman loved her to distraction; and his ardours were seemingly returned, until the Squire, then a minor, became his successful rival, seducing, under a promise of marriage, at his mother's death, his fickle mistress. Rage, hatred, loathing, took possession of Daniel's heart; he could have beaten out the brains of his young master with the loaded end of his hunting whip; and his amiable feelings were not added to, when, upon a day that he was expostulating alone, with the estranged object of his affectious, the Squire suddenly rushed upon him, snatched that Identical whip from his own hands, and energetically laid The Squire's mother died. The Squire cast off his mis-all, to Harry Walshe? And the wise father made the attress, and married a wealthy wife. It was now the turn of the depraved, bad-hearted, and forsaken girl, to look for her revenge. Upon certain conditions, she offered herself, "soul and body," and without the trouble of a marriage, to her old lover. Daniel's eager passion for her, and his deep detestation of her undoer, had scarce abated. He felt sorely tempted, but hesitated. The girl threw herself in his way, from time to time; refired him; and in almost a year subsequent to the first attempt to make him a murderer, he was one, nay, a double one; for, a few days after he had dragged his master off his horse, and hurled him down the cliff, he placed in his tempter's arms, on the understanding that she was to destroy it, the only child of his victim. But, even in the disappointment of his feverish dream of passion, he had a foretaste of the punishment due to his crime. From the moment he committed to her the helpless infant she so much detested, he had never seen the authoress of his ruin; and his belief was, that, after having murdered "the child of days," she had put an end to her own existence. it across his own shoulders. ་ A few hours following his confession the huntsman died. Whether or no o the gentle Catherine shared the popular belief that she had been hunted for, and won by, and was doomed to become a spectre's bride, is not clearly ascertain able. True it is, that her cheek faded, that her eyes grew dull, and that the smile of contented pleasure forsook her moistly-red lip, now no longer red nor moist. But these changes may as well be accounted for on less supernatural grounds. Her military adorer still continued absent and silent: he who had so often vowed himself away into wordless sighs, nay, tears, under the big effort to define how much he loved her, and whose only hesitation to declare himself to her father, had always assumed the shape of a fear of being regarded as a speculating fortune hunter; when, at a glance, it could be ascertained that he was almost an unfriended adventurer, courting the hand of a wealthy heiress.. As to good Squire Hogan, he contrived, or, perhaps, rather tried to laugh at the whole thing; vaguely calling it a very tempt, duly, four times in succession; and learned, thereby, that the serving of the ejectments was more generally known than he had imagined. Still he tried to laugh, however; until one morning, when his boisterousness ended in sudden tears, as he cast his head on Catherine's shoulder, and said :—“Oh, Kate, Kate! what is to become of you ?—I think I can bear poverty,--but you!" "My dear father do not be cast down," answered Catherine; "I can earn money, in many ways, for us both, if good people will give me employment.” "And you are going a-working to support your father Kate?" He left the room sobbing. His tears affected Catherine to the quick. Other sad and bitter recollections swelled her sorrow into a flood. She could now account for the persevering neglect of her lover, and her tenderly-beloved, upon no other grounds than those of her approaching poverty. Oh, that was a heart-cutting thought! The day upon which the poor Squire must necessarily start from the country to attend the trial in Dublin, arrived; and he commenced his journey with another magnificent conception in his head; to eke out which, he carried in his pocket, without her knowledge, a miniature of his daughter Catherine. And with this miniature, and a note, expressive of his willingness to compromise the matter by a marriage, he called on the new claimant for his squireship, the evening of his arrival in the metropolis. But, having retired to his own town-house long before he could have thought it possible that his note had received a leisurely reading, he received back the miniature with a technical epistle from his rival's attorney, stating that no compromise could be entered into; that the heir-at-law was determined to accept nothing which the law should not decide to be his right; and, adding, that any attempts to see the young gentleman must prove unavailing, while they would be felt to be intrusive; inasmuch as, in cautious provision against a failure in his attempt to establish his claim, he had invariably concealed his person even from his legal advisers. This was the first really serious blow our Squire had recoived. Hitherto he had courageously depended on his own Vain was the endeavour to come up with those two. And every now and then, Black Daniel would glare behind him into the face of his pursuer, and with a new shout of horror, re-urge his hunter to greater speed; and still, and still, although the stranger sat tranquilly in his saddle, Daniel could not gain a stirrup's-length a-head of him. Over hill and valley, over ditch and hedge, over bog and stream, they swept, or plunged, or leaped, or scrambled, or swam, close upon the dogs, as if life were of no value; or as if they were carried, eddied forward, with supernatural speed, and in superhuman daring. Onward, onward they swept, scarce seeming to touch the earth, until at length only three other horsemen were able to keep them even in distant view. And soon after, those three became two; and, again, but one followed remotely in their track; and this one was our excellent friend Squire Hogan. The sea-cliffs came in view! and straight towards them did the mad chase now turn. In amazement, if not in terror, the Squire pulled up his horse on a rising ground, and stood still to note its further progress. He saw the panting fox make for the dangerous place over the cliff's brow. For an instant he saw him on its very line. The next, he disappeared towards the sea. At his brush came the hounds and down they plunged also. The rival horsemen followed, and they, too, were in a second, lost to view. A woman suddenly started up over the perilous pass, gazed below, and then sprang, as if into the air. The mysterious fate of his predecesso fully occurred to our Squire; and he sensibly vowed to himself that, "By Cork! the faggot of a witch should never tempt him to leave the world by the same road." He also brought to mind the huntsman's words that morning; and a struggle arose between his reason and superstitious propensities, as to whether or no the man's dream had been verified. While thus mentally engaged, one of the baffled aspirants for Catherine's hand came up, himself and his horse soiled and jaded. Another and another followed, until almost all the members of the day's hunt surrounded Squire Ho. gan. He recited to them what he had witnessed. Greatly excited, some of them dismounted, and, under the care of an experienced guide, descended the cliff. They found that the bewitched hounds, and their bewitched followers, need not,' as the Squire had supposed, have jumped direct from the land into the sea; inasmuch as they might have turned, obliquely, into a narrow, rocky ravine. Down this pass, however, it seemed impossible that horses of mortal mould could have found a footing. The explorers themselves were obliged to follow their guide very cautiously; as well to avoid tumbling downward, as to save their heads from the loose stones and fragments or rocks, which almost every step displaced and set in motion. After having proceeded a little way, they caught, far below them, a glimpse of the dogs, whose cry came up to them, mingled with the roar and chafe of the waters of the sea. Shortly after, they saw the hunstman still closely pressed by the stranger. The next moment, dogs, horses, and riders were lost to view, behind a curve of the tortuous and stony course of the ravine, all hurrying onward and downward with whirlwind speed, as if to bury themselves in the waves of the ocean. Our adventurers, persevering in their descent, suddenly turned a projecting rock, and cams in view of a strip of strand, running, promontory-like, into the sea; this they son gained. Daniel, the huntsman, lay on his back upon As the explorers appro horseman glanced towards and said, "Let no man clai come to woo it. I have hun is mine." Those of Catherine's lover not chicken-hearted fellows. who was the dictatorial speak gan, appeared in view, having tious leisure, the descent to the they first approached him, mou on the object of their interest, him, and enlisting him in a ‹ After some discourse with the and they would have confronted human form, but that of sulky patch of strand; and there he and still apparently insensible. To him their attention bec him covered with blood, and se continued to couch around him grinning teeth; and they sna comers approached them. "By the blessed light!", ex part of a man's skull that Ra "It is," answered Harry V dogs but holds a human bone The prostrate huntsman fearfully around him, "What has happened to y Squire. Daniel's head turned in th seemed to recognise the spea "Is he gone?" he asked "Is who gone? for who "The masther's sperit-t -the man that I murthere years ago!" Amid exclamations of heard him, the huntsman fect power of observation. of the group around him and then, closing his speak in snatches. "Ay, and it was a a night's sleep since I brought me one of his I will own it to the drove me before him broken body, afther I it, as deep as I coul he came to chase m of it, my horse to accursed bones are punishment. Di ago? I did; at to be a witnes Hth So, this dig t galone, with the estranged object uldenly ruslied upon him, matche hip from his own hands, and energetically la How shoulders mother died. The Squire cast off he ied a wealthy wife. It was now the bad-hearted, and forsiken girl, to look f Tn certain conditions, she offered herself without the trouble of a marriage l's eager passion for her, and his dy her under, had scarce abated. Heit Sital The girl threw herell innate cleverness to outwit the coming storm; now, within a few hours of the trial which was to determine his fate, he acknowledged himself without a resource or an expedient beyond patience to attend to the grave proceeding, sit it out, and endeavour to comprehend it. firmatory evidence of the truth of the miserable woman's assertion, was supplied; and that, in fact, without hesi tation, the jury found for the plaintiff,marybe “911 1 6 Squire Hogan's look of consternation, when he heard the verdict, was pitiable. For a moment he bent down his To beguile the remainder of his sad evening, after receive head and wiped his forehead with his moist handkerchief. ing the attorney's, communication, he repaired to his club. Then, with a wretched leer distorting his haggard counte room. He found himself cut there. Issuing, in no plea-nance, he started up, and, muttering indistinctly, bowed low sant mood, into the streets, he encountered, by lamp-light, to the judge, the jury, the bar, the public, all;) as if he an individual in a red coat whom he had hitherto considered rather as a deferential hanger-on than as an acquaintance to boast of Now, at least, by unbending himself, he need not fear a repulse; so, he warmly stretched out both his hands, he received a very distant bow of recognition, and was left alone under a lamp-post. "By Cork!" said the Squire, with a bitter laugh, the puppy officer thinks I am turned upside-down in the world already!" The cause came on. Our good friend's eyes were riveted on every person who uttered a word, upon one side or the other The usual jollity of his countenance changed into the most painful expression of anxiety; and when any thing witty was said by one of his Majesty's counsel, learned in the law, at which others laughed, his efforts to second them were miserable to behold. And although it was a bitter cold day, the Squire constantly wiped the perspiration from his forehead and face; chewing, between whiles, a scrap of a quill which he had almost unconsciously picked off his seat would humbly acknowledge the superiority of every human being. After this, forgetting his hat, he was hurrying away; some one placed it in hand; he bowed lowly, and smiled again; and, finally, forgetting the necessity to reinain uncovered, he pressed it hard over his eyes and left the court; carrying with him the sincere, and, in some instances, the tearful sympathy of the spectators. As fast as horses could gallop with him, he left Dublin, a few moments following. "By Cork, Kate"he began, laughing, as his daugh ter, upon his arrival at the house which used to be his home, on the farce; hurried to meet him: but he could not carry his throat was full and choking; and suddenly throwing himself upon his child's neck, he sobbed aloud."' She understood him, but said nothing; she only kissed his cheeks and pressed his hands, keeping down all show of her own grief and alarm.-Woman! in such a situation, you can do this: man cannot: it is above the paltry selfishness of his nature. He rallied, and tried to take up his absurd jeering tone, but soon tripped in it a second time. If there's "Ay, Kate, by the good old Jove, I'm a poorer man than the day I raffled for your mother: and you must work, sure enough, to try and keep a little bread with us. any thing you think I can turn my hand to, only say the word, and you'll see I'll not be idle, my poor girl." He entered into the details of his misfortunes and mortifications. Among other things, he mentioned the slight of "the puppy officer;" and neither his wonder, nor his curi osity was excited, when, now for the first time, Catherine burst into tears. It shows much good sense to take my Lady Law at her word. Fortune is fickle, but law is fickleness; the princi. ple itself. And so seemed to argue the successful young aspirant to the Squire's estate. While yet only expatiating on his past misfortunes, our worthy friend received a note The depositions, on his death-bed, of Daniel the huntsman, were tendered against him. They established the fact of the wretched self-accuser having kidnapped the heir of his then master, and handed the infant to his partner in crime. And the first living witness who appeared on the table, was that witch, supposed to have been long dead, even by Daniel himself. She swore that she had intended to destroy the babe; that, however, having got it into her arms, she relented of her purpose, and gave it, with a bribe, to a strange woman, in a distant district, to expose for her on the high road. Next came the woman alluded to, and she proved that she had followed the directions of her employer, and afterwards watched, unseen, until an elderly lady of her neighbourhood, passing by with a servant, picked up the little unfortunate. And, lastly, the aforesaid elderly lady, who, by the way, had endured some little scandal, at the time, for her act of Christian charity, cor-which informed him that, in a quarter of an hour, an auroborated this person's testimony; and further deposed that she had carefully brought up, on limited means, until the day she procured him a commission in his Majesty's service, the plantiff in the case at issue. Not a title of evidence, in contradiction to that stated, was offered by the defendant; and the only link of the chain of proof submitted by the heir-at-law, which the Squire's counsel energetically sought to cut through, was that created by the first witness. On her cross-examination, it was ingeniously attempted to be impressed on the minds of the jury, that no reliance could be placed upon the oath of a depraved creature like her; that she had really made away with the infant, according to her original intention; and that the one she had offered for exposure, must have been her own, the result of her acquaintance with the son of her benevolent and ill-requited Protectress. But, without pausing upon details, we shall only say, that during the trial, some con thorized agent would arrive to take possession of the house Catherine turned 3,uct»w;tf, *1 "Possession of every thing in the house too ?" asked the trembling Squire" Every thing you say? Every thing," answered the agent; who was no man's agent but his own, after all. Catherine started at his voice—” Yes, every thing; even of the angel that makes this house a heaven." He advanced to her side. She turned to himshrieked laughed and lay insensible in his arms. It was the Squire's "puppy officer" in the first place; Catherine's faithful adorer, in the second place; the plantiff in the late action, in the third place; and the triumphant hunter for his mistress' hand, in the fourth place. Surely, dear fair readers, he had a claim on her. "Yes-if he account for his neglect, since she left Dublin.” Very good. "That's Capital! a glorious hoax, by Cork! capital laughed the ex-Squire, 27 reade “I cant delighted, you think so ; and I assure you, my dear Sir, that I dressed myself up like the picture, merely at the time to endeavour to recommend myself to your good opinion, by the oddity of the conceit; for I knew you liked a hoax in your very heart.” - COLUMN FOR THE LADIES. COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE IN THE UNITED STATES. THE place in which American society appears to the greatest advantage is Washington, during the winter. In summer the city is almost deserted; it is then inhabited principally by the members of government, and those connected with the government establishments. "But the first Monday in December of every year, is the day fixed for the assembling of Congress. As the time approaches, the senators and representatives arrive in crowds, accompanied by. their families, and followed by shoals of solicitors, and people having business with Congress. The city seems full instantaneously. The ministers and diplomatic body give return; if the day passes in the whirl of business, the entertainments; the members of Congress give dinners in night is borne away by that of pleasure. The president holds a levee once a week; that is to say, one evening in the week he opens his house to all those who desire to pay him a visit. Nothing can be more simple than the etivisiters is the only thing which distinguishes these assemquette of the head of the Government. The concourse of “Give me your hand, my dear boy!-Like a hoax! Ah, don't I ?—and it is such a prime one! choice! capital! capital, by the beard of the good old Jove!"-and, wring-blages from those of any other individual. ing his own hands, and transported by his feelings, the worthy man left the room, to describe and praise to his very servants, what so much gladdened his soul. "You were ignorant of your parentage upon the day of the hunt ?" asked Catherine, after they had conversed some time together. The conditions of life being perfectly equal in America, parents have nothing to oppose to the choice their daughters may make of a husband. Thus it is a received maxim throughout the Union, that this choice only concerns young ladies, and it is therefore for them to be prudent enough not to enter into engagements unworthy of their hands. But it would be considered almost as an act of indiscretion on "I was. Upon the spot where the huntsman fell, I en- the part of the parents to wish to influence their choice. countered the woman, returned from half a life of wander- Nothing in the world can be so happy as the situation of ing, who exposed me in my infancy: she had been seeking ticularly if she is pretty, as almost all are, and has some an American young lady from fifteen to twenty-five, parme in Dublin, to unburden her conscience, and do me a fortune. She finds herself the centre of general admiratardy justice. I was on the road for the hunt; thither she tion and homage; her life passes in holidays and pleasures; followed me rapidly, and outstripped me some days; assumshe is a stranger to contradiction, still, more to refusals. ing the garb of the former witch of the cave, to conceal her she thinks most likely to ensure her future happiness; for She has only to choose, among a hundred adorers, the one identity. I need scarce say, that from her I then received here every body marries, and every body is happy in marthe information which enabled me to prosecute my claim.riage. This state of "belle," as it is called, is too attracMy beloved Catherine's sense of delicacy will readily suggest to her, why I kept out of her view, from that day, until I could prove the truth or falsehood of her story. And now, here I sit, able, thank heaven! to show to the woman of my heart, that she did not quite misplace her generous love, when she gave it to a poor and friendless ensign, and with it the prospect of wealth, and of rank in the world.” tive to make young ladies consent to quit it too soon; acoffers, and when they perceive that their charms are begincordingly, it is not, in general, until after rejecting many ning to lose something of their empire, that they conclude by choosing a liege lord. It is to Washington, in particu lar, that the fine women of all the States come to shine; It is recorded that, from this hour, Squire Hogan never part of the Union are represented. An ardent deputy from a sort of female congress, in which the charms of every wore, except perhaps when asleep, a serious face. Having the south is captivated by the modest charms of a beauty resigned with a hearty good will," his commission of Jus-from the east; while a damsel from Carolina rejects the tice of the Peace, there remained nothing on earth to compel him to ff seem wise," as Bacon says; and he had full leisure to pursue, uninterruptedly, his practical hoaxes; which he, himself, if nobody else did it for him, called "capital! choice, by Cork's own town!" USEFUL HINT. An advertisement appeared in a morn ing paper, a few days ago, respecting a young lady who had eloped, which concluded as follows:-"She is most earnestly requested to return to her disconsolate parents; but if she will not return, she is earnestly desired to send the key of the tea chest." visit HERTFORDSHIRE BOORS.-The Hertfordshire peasants are notorious for their want of urbanity. Indeed, as regards all that relates to the bienseances de societé, they are as great b brutes as any gentleman alive. A lady, while on a it to a f a friend residing in the country, had, during her rides on horseback in the neighbourhood, become perfectly aware of the boorishness of the peasantry. One day, when riding unattended, she came to a by-gate of her host's park, which had not a lodge. A chubby boy was swinging to and fro upon it. She ventured to beg that he would hold it open while she passed. To her utter amazement he did so! Delighted with his complacency, she gave him a shilling, observing, “It is quite clear, my lad, from your civility, that you are not a native of Hertfordshire." The reply was, "Thee'rt a liar!-I be!"-Monthly Magazine. overtures of a senator from the north. All, however, are ber of marriages is declared; they serve to strengthen not rejected, for at the end of every session a certain numfurther the Union of the States, and multiply the ties which unite all parts of this great whole in an indissoluble manner. Once married, the young lady entirely changes her habits. Farewell gaiety and frivolity. She is not less happy, but her happiness is of a serious character; she becomes a mother, is employed in her household, becomes quite the centre of domestic affections, and enjoys the esteem of all who know and surround her. Society everywhere in the United States may be considered, therefore, as divided into two very distinct classes: that of unmarried persons of both sexes, whose principal occupation is courtship, and the finding a suitable companion with whom to make the voyage of life; the other of people who have already made that choice. You see in the corner of a drawing-room, people of the latter class forming groups among themselves, and talking politics or business: they will hardly address a word to the young girls who flutter around them unless it be to joke them upon the success of some coquettish frolic; the mothers are in another corner, chatting together about their domestic matters, and receiving interested attentions from the admirers of their daughters. But for these, and the young men, a ball-room is a |