66 neck, and waist encircled by the most beautiful chased, solid gold bands ever seen; whilst the sun of morning, streaming through the casement, seemed to turn her locks to pure gold too an added grace was on every feature, so that she looked more beautiful than ever, quite as fair as the full May moon; for the fairies, mind you, had caused this when they stroked her cheeks, and whispered mysterious words over her. of talking. Now Bobby was uncommonly enlightened before, but now that he had acquired the faculty of speech, he began all of a sudden to chatter away like a magpie; and as the wine had made him quite tipsy, he strutted like any--whilst her complexion was more lovely, and thing. I-s-s-thay" (he began), g-g-o-it, my-my b-boys! h-h-urrrah! hip h-h-ip, h-h-ip! h-h-u-r-rah!" At which all the fairies left off dancing, and clapping their hands and laughing, they all got round Bobby, and began to teaze him; whilst Bobby put up his crest quite in a passion, pecked right and left, and began to abuse them like a pickpocket, calling them all the names he could think of. But lo! in the midst of all the fun, suddenly a cock struck up in the castle yard a loud "cock-a-doodle-doo!" and away went the feast, cups, and dishes, as if they never had been, poor Bobby being upset from his perch on his wine-cup, and left sprawling on the floor, as tipsy as possible. The fairies all huddled round Hilda: one put a band of rich fairy gold round her white neck; another bound a still broader one of fine chased gold round her slender waist; whilst another placed a ring of gold on her finger, which contained a wonderful fairy stone like an opal, which had the power of guarding the wearer from all poison, and sickness of every sort, as well as enchantments. Then they kissed her, and stroked lovingly her|little_Bobby, who was wide awake, and had soft cheeks and golden hair, whispering mysterious words over her, when suddenly the cock raised his voice again, "cock-a-doodledoo!" and away they all scuttled like so many mice. Numerous little doors all about, opened and shut again with a loud clap, and then all became still as death; whilst Hilda rubbed her eyes, and fancied it must be all a dream, had not the sight of the rich gold bands she wore con- | vinced her of its reality. And little Bobby, who hearing the cock crow again, put up his drunken little head, and tried to imitate it in a faint, stutttering, c-o-c-kk-a-a-doodle-d-o-all-doo-oo. And then Hilda ran to the poor little fellow and picked him up, wiped his wet feathers, and putting him tenderly in her bosom, laid herself down again on the bed, and soon fell into the sweetest sleep possible. 66 Now when the morning was come, the cruel Baroness and the wicked Brunehaut rose up rather earlier than usual, and quietly stole up the old disused staircase, and approached the door of the haunted chamber with eager steps but breathless silence. They listened a moment at the door—all was still; they knocked softly, but no answer was returned. They've got the nasty white cat safe enough, mother," whispered the exulting Brunehaut, rubbing her hands. "Yes, my darling, I think and hope that they have," returned the wicked woman; "but let us go in and make sure, one has nothing to fear there by daytime, they say." So they unlocked the door, and first peeped in, and were astonished to see the room all nicely swept and in order; but they were more astonished on approaching the bed, for there lay the beautiful, and innocent object of their wicked hatred, and envy, wrapt in the most tranquil slumber, with her arms, The wicked Baroness held up her hands in astonishment; but as for Brunehaut, she turned black in the face with rage and envy--she was almost convulsed; she stamped her feet on the ground with ungovernable fury. Look," she exclaimed, "look at her, mother! look at the hateful thing-more beautiful than ever. Look at her hair, like pure gold-look at her splendid gold bands. Oh, I shall go mad-I could tear my eyes out for rage! I'll-yes-I'll strangle her, mother, and put an end to her at once. Shut the door-I'll soon do it." "Stop, my dear, let me listen first, let me shut the doorhere, I'll do it with my scarf, and then she can't scream." And the wicked woman approached the innocent and still sleeping girl to put her wicked intention into execution, when up started heard every word; and settling on the window sill, he began to flap his wings, and scream with all his might, "murder! murder! fire! murder! Seize em, goblins — black, white, and grey-tear their wicked eyes out-seize em. Mou! mou! bow-wow-wow! cock-a-doodledoo!" So that Hilda immediately started from her deep sleep, and the wicked Baroness and Brunehaut, frightened almost out of their wits, fancying themselves surrounded by goblins and about to be torn to pieces, gave a dismal scream, and rushed out of the room, as though the fairies were after them, leaving the door wide open, and falling in their hurry headlong over each other down the steep stairs, and getting finely bruised for their pains, you may be sure. "Oh, naughty Bobby!" returned Hilda, "I am surprised at you, I am—the truth and nothing but the truth I must tell." "There's no harm in deceiving them,” said bold as a deadly poison, and said," here, darling Hilda, drink this nice gruel up, and it will make you sleep so sound-good night, love." And the wicked woman kissed her. Now it so happened that Bobby, who had Bobby, ass, here is Bobby; and I am quite been watching her quite slyly as she made the angry with you,” said Hilda. Bobby didn't seem best pleased at this; and then Hilda went to her own little room, and said her prayers, and washed, whilst Bobby pruned his feathers; and then she proceeded down stairs to meet her mother-in-law and Brunehaut at breakfast. Well, these two wicked women had agreed together to treat the whole thing as a joke, and to receive the unsuspecting Hilda with siniles and affection, in order to get out of her all she had seen, and how she became possessed of the beautiful gold bands instead of being carried away; so that the very moment the poor girl made her appearance, they ran and kissed her; and the Baroness laughed, and said, "Now our darling Hilda must tell us all she has seen, because we made her sleep in that room on purpose that we might know whether the dear little fairies really did visit it, as the people say, being quite sure that they would never hurt such a dear good girl as our Hilda so how was it, love?" And then they both listened with greedy ears, whilst Hilda told all about it, and how she danced with the fairies, and how kind they were to her; but when she came to the part about Bobby, how he drank the fairy wine, and began to talk, then the Baroness and Brunehaut coloured up and exchanged looks, as much as to say, what fools we were to be frightened, for it was only the robin that made the noise; and then they looked round to see where he was, but Bobby was hidden at the top of the window curtains, listening to everything, with his head bent on one side as cunningly as possible. Now the moment the wicked Baroness found herself alone with Brunehaut, she said, "We must try some other plan to get rid of the tiresome jade, my darling child. I shall order some gruel for her supper to-night, and put in it something that will make her sleep very soundly indeed-so sound, that perhaps she may never wake again." And she winked with a wicked meaning at her daughter, who nodded her head in return, quite exultingly. "And as for you, my darling, I have a thought in my head-you shall sleep in the haunted chamber to-night, and I have not the least doubt that you will get all manner of fine things too from the fairiesonly mind that you are exceedingly civil to them, and flatter them, and all that." "O yes, mother!" returned Brunehaut, clapping her hands, "I will, I will! and besides gold chains and rings, I shall wake in the morning fairer than new milk, and with eyes brighter than diamonds; then we shall see whether all the young lords at court won't fall in love with me-ha! ha!" Well, so when the night was come, the wicked Baroness hurried poor Hilda to bed, and then took her a bason of gruel, in which she had put gruel, could not arrive in time enough to warn Hilda, because the Baroness had shut the door when she entered Hilda's chamber; but when she opened the door to go out, then Bobby flew in with breathless fear, and flying to his dear mistress, said, "don't-don't touch it, dear! she has poisoned it-spit it out-spit it outoh dear, oh dear!" for Hilda had eaten ever so much, and dreadfully alarmed she was, you may be sure, and began to weep bitterly, saying, "Ah, poor me! I never, never injured them— I never spoke an unkind word, and they want me dead; and dear papa's away, and will never, never see his poor Hilda more!" And then Bobby comforted her as well as he could, and Hilda knelt and said her prayers; and then, after flinging the rest of the nasty gruel out of the window, she laid herself on her bed, for her head swam round and round, and a deep, heavy sleep fell upon her, whilst poor Bobby kept watch. In the meantime the dreadful Baroness took the eager Brunehaut up to the haunted chamber; and after seeing her safe into the bed, kissed her fondly, and told her not to be afraid, "for remember, love," says she," that you will wake to-morrow morning not only fairer than the moon, but the heiress to all these wide lands and the castle." So she went and left her, and shut the door. The moment her mother was gone, Brunehaut opened her black eyes as wide as possible, and stared round the room, and listened with all her might; but all was still as death. The moon shone bright as day almost through the old casement, and lit up everything. Brunehaut's heart beat with eager expectation; she heard the castle clock strike eleven then came another long hour of awful silence, save that a screech-owl flapped three times at the window and screamed too-whit, too-whoo! so that Brunehaut almost screamed for fear too, and half wished herself away, only that she was afraid to get out of bed and go down the long gloomy passage by herself, (for wicked people, mind you, are always afraid, whilst the good fear nothing but God; but the wicked Brunehaut knew nothing about heaven). Well, Brunehaut's eyes began to grow sleepy with staring so, when suddenly dong went the castle clock twelve, stroke after stroke-dong! and Brunehaut, with beating heart, lay counting them; when hardly had the last dong died away in a hollow murmur, when click clack went ever so many little doors on every side; and click opened a little door in the bedpost, on which the moon was shining; and to Brunehaut's astonishment a little head popped out; two little sharp eyes were fixed on her a little skinny finger was pointed at her-and a little scornful voice sang Wicked Brunehaut! cruel Brunehaut ! And we'll pinch you black and blue. And hardly were the words finished, when the room became quite full of little people, who with hisses and jeers surrounded the bed, and pulled the terrified Brunehaut neck and heels from it, despite her screams, kicks, and cries. Then they put her in the middle of the room, and began to dance round her, mocking and mowing like apes; some mewed like cats, some crowed like cocks, and others barked at her exactly like angry dogs. After that they pinched, and bit and slapped her. Then when the feast came, instead of giving her any, they stood her in the corner, with a nasty dead rat before her, to eat if she liked; and made her drink a filthy black drink, that was as bitter as gall. Then all of a sudden the cock in the castle-yard crowed; and hanging the dead rat by a string round her neck, they threw her all of a lump on the bed again; click clack went the little doors, and in another moment all was silent again as the grave. Well, in the morning, when the sun was shining bright, up got the Baroness, eager to go and look at her darling Brunehaut, expecting to find her covered with diamonds and pearls, and far fairer than the evening star. So she stole up the stairs, down the long passage, and knocked first at the door; but as no answer came, she went in; but the moment she approached the bed and looked, she set up a dismal shriek, which awoke Brunehaut, who had fallen into a stupid sleep from exhaustion; but directly Brunehaut started up in bed and looked at her, then she shrieked louder still, and began to tear her hair; and well she might, for instead of being covered with pearls and diamonds, Brunehaut was covered with bruises, a stinking dead rat was tied round her neck, and worse than that, she squinted at her mother with both eyes; her nose was turned right up, and her face covered with black pimples. can say that she died suddenly of a fit in the night." "O yes, mother, yes, that will do me goodthat will do me good!" returned Brunehaut, hoarse with passion; " and I'll tear all her fine gold bands off, and wear them myself—that will be some comfort." So away they both rushed to Hilda's chamber; but what was their surprise and rage to find the bed empty, and nobody in the room but little Bobby, who clapped his wings, and cried cock-a-doodledoo. "O you hateful little wretch!" shrieked Brunehaut, rushing at him to tear him to pieces; but the window was wide open, and Bobby, after giving her a good sharp peck on the nose, flew out, and settled triumphantly on Hilda's shoulder, who was walking in the garden beneath, not only quite well, but looking more like the queen of diamonds than anything else, for her hair shone so bright in the sunbeams, that it quite dazzled the sight, whilst her complexion was exactly like roses and water-lilies pounded together; for you must bear in mind, that the wonderful ring, with a stone like an opal, which the fairies gave her, prevented the poison from doing her the least harm-it only had made her, in fact, look more like the full moon. So that as they looked at her from the window, Brunehaut turned livid as a venomous toad with spite and rage; and she began to stamp with her feet again, and tear her hair like a mad thing. So that the Baroness hurried her back to her own room, and said, we must go another way to work with this artful jade; the fairies protect her in the castle, it is evident, so this very evening we will take her for a walk out in the forest, bind her to a tree, and there leave her, and the wolves and bears are sure to have her before morning." This consoled Brunehaut mightily, though still she did nothing but moan and weep, running every five minutes to the glass to have a look at herself; and as each time she seemed to squint worse, and to grow altogether more ugly, she each time began to kick and scream again, so that her mother stayed up stairs with her all day, trying in vain to comfort her. “Oh, wretched child! wretched child!" the Baroness exclaimed, wringing ber hands, and crying bitterly. "Oh, oh! how did this come When the evening was come, Brunehaut put to pass? You are not fit to be seen-you on a couple of great black veils doubled, to hide are an object. Oh, the witches! the spiteful, her eyes, and drew her bonnet quite over her malicious witches! to serve my precious child face; while the Baroness went for the poor unso; but come, come out of this hateful room;" suspecting Hilda, and said, "Come, sweetest and seizing the bewildered and staring Brune- Hilda, and take a little walk with us into the haut by the wrist, she hurried with her to her forest this fine evening, to pick some wild flowown room; and directly Brunehaut looked at ers." And poor Hilda ran eagerly to put on herself in the glass, then she gave a dismal her bonnet; and then down came the evilshriek, and began to beat the ground with her minded Brunehaut, and out they sallied into the feet like anything, for rage, shame, and mortifi- forest, unseen by any one, because the sly Bacation. But come, darling," said the Baroness had, under various pretences, sent the roness, with a look of revengeful exultation, "there is one comfort in store for you, that nasty white cat, Hilda, cannot exult over you, if she swallowed all that gruel, she's a pretty object by this time, I'll be bound; so come and let's have a look at her, and then get the wretched creature buried at once, out of sight, and we 66 servants to different villages outside the forest; and as for Bobby, the cunning woman had watched him fly up into Hilda's room for his afternoon's nap as usual, and secretly entered the room, thinking to wring his neck off; but Bobby was perched high up on the cornice, quite out of reach; but she rushed to the win Well, so they went into the forest ever such a way, till they came to a very wild, lonely place indeed, poor Hilda chattering in her sweet innocent way all the time, and every now and then turning aside to pick some beautiful wild flower to add to her bouquet, little suspecting their wickedness; but when they reached this wild spot, Brunehaut, who had not opened her mouth till now, said, "this will do, mother, the shades of evening will soon fall-let us get back. I cannot wait any longer." And then the Baroness turned sharp round, and seized poor Hilda, whilst Brunehaut, with a laugh like a wild cat, pulled out some stout packthread; and then, whilst the large tears chased each other down poor Hilda's pale face, and she prayed in vain for mercy, they bound her tight to a tall tree. "There, you hateful wretch!" exclaimed Brunehaut, giving her a slap; "take that, and directly night comes, the hungry wolves will come with their sharp teeth and munch you all up, and crunch your bones. Oh, mother! how I should like to see them eat the dainty white cat. But I shall have your fine gold bands, I can tell you; besides, if they are found in the forest they will tell tales, mothera creature that's going to be eaten don't want gold bands." And she began to tug at them to get them off; but they would not come, for they were of pure solid gold, most curiously chased, and had neither beginning nor end-no clasps." I will have them," screamed Brunehaut, "if I tear her head off." When just at that moment they heard a horrid growl, and they could see an enormons great bear making towards them; so that with a loud, terrified scream, they let go the gold bands, and rushed away like two mad things, and reached home more dead than alive-panting and pale as death I. "But oh!" said Brunehaut, when safe in her room, "the bear has got her, mother, and munched her all up by this time-that's one comfort." Well, then, they went up to Hilda's room, to wring poor Bobby's neck; but Bobby had broken a pane of glass and was gone, to their consternation; however, they dressed up a log of wood in poor Hilda's night-clothes, and remained in the room all night; and in the morning they set up a scream, and told the servants that poor Hilda was dead. And they wept and wrung their hands, and pretended to be deeply grieved; and they pointed to the bed, round which the curtains were drawn, because they said she had died of a fit, and was not fit to look upon, but must be buried directly. So a coffin was sent for, the Baroness and Brune haut laid the log in-nailed the coffin down— the pastor from the village came to read the funeral service. And dressed in deep mourning, with handkerchiefs to their eyes, the wicked mother and daughter followed the coffin to the grave, saw it filled up, and then returned to their own room to have a good laugh, and exult, for now, my best love," said the odious woman, kissing the fiendish Brunehaut, “ you are heiress to all these lands, and the castle." 66 But when the Baron arrived, which he did the very day after the mock funeral, and they told him, with treacherous sighs and tears, how poor Hilda had died so suddenly, and was buried, who can tell or describe his anguish and sorrow; he beat his breast, exclaiming, "My poor, poor, little Hilda! and shall I see thee no more, with thy angel face, and golden hair! Oh! woe is me! woe is me! my child-my own sweet, beautiful child-I shall see thee no more! never, never more!" And then rushing to his own room, he locked himself in, and refused to see any one, passing the night in lamentation and tears, like one that would not be comforted. (To be concluded in our next.) THE SCEPTI C. BY MARIA NORRIS. Many a book was in his study, and his papers loosely scattered, Like autumn leaves bestrewed the tables and the floor; The year was in its falling, and the flowers all rudely shattered, Lay like gems about the garden, seen from his half-open door. Had he thus observed? Oh yes, and every blossom he could christen, Telling whence it came, and what its use, and what its beauties were; The singing birds he knew by ear, and quick as one could listen Would he give a name unto the voice that hung aloft in air. From that door of glass the student might have The very sunlight falling on his pathway he dis watched the spring adorning Every tiniest thing about him with her own reviving green, sected, The clouds above, the earth beneath, he analyzed them each; Thence he might have watched the day arise on And yonder tube his bounded powers with heaven many a summer morning, And seen the autumn sun go down in garments like a queen. Sending up the soul's inquiries to a height that itself connected, mocks at speech. Let us see him in his quiet, with a pen awhile suspended, And his dark eyes, clear as crystal, echoing some harmonious thought, His brow a wall for brain, that high brow so wide extended, III. After darkness comes the sundawn; the winter passed and ended, Came the gentle spring like pleasant Hope enlivening every place; And a sadness on his face that deep reflection She our solitary student in her own good way bemay have wrought. friended, Decking out his naked garden with green garments full of grace. Came an orphan cousin also, who asked shelter of his goodness, While she looked about and sought a place to win her daily bread; Young and lovely, unprotected, she had met with slight and rudeness, Opened he next day the volume of his mental doubts and fearings To the wise but gentle gaze that could not give him pain; And secure of sweet indulgence, safe from cold contempt or jeerings, Felt he innocent at heart, and like a little child again. "Art thou troubled, dearest Lucy, wilt thou shun me like the others; Oh that I held the rein to guide my will, mine own belief, Then would I too have faith; I who love all men as brothers, Then should I not be hated like a felon, like a thief." |