its portentous stillness, to proclaim that the tempest in his strength is about to walk abroad.

There is an iceberg sky, whose mountainous masses, lit up by the sunbeam, for purity, whiteness, and brightness, would shame the very snow on the head of Mont Blanc. There is every conceivable degree of repose and excitement in such a sky, varying as it does, from the calm and lustreless vales of snow at the base of the pointed crags, to the unbearable blaze that rests on the summits of their sunny peaks.

There is a stormy sky, when the gathered artillery of heaven is at length ready to pour forth its thunders. The huge black clouds can no longer bear each other's weight; the lurid glare in the south gives a deeper gloom to the frowning sky; the wind rises, and in fitful sweeps, whirls round and round, bending the giant trees, while the big drop falls heavily, here and there, on the thick foliage. Thus, for a moment, the tempest withholds his rage, toying with the things of earth, till, all at once, the lightning launches itself from the ebon clouds; crash comes the thunder-clap, as if it would rend in twain the heavens, and down comes the drenching deluge from above! Fearful is this by land, but unutterably fearful where the tormented waves of mighty ocean, lashed into fury by the winds, rise in resistance to the storm.

There is a glorious sky, when the "king of day" advances from the east, 66 as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber," right royally arrayed in glittering robes of purple and gold. The kindling light shoots far and wide, and hues of all kinds beautify the glowing heavens. At last, burning his way from the horizon upwards, comes the sun, blazing with intense and concentrated effulgency. The sky, at the close of the day too, is often like this; and I have seen, on some

occasions, such streams of brightness pouring down through the openings in the clouds, as to suggest, to my fancy, the thought that angels were letting out a flood of glory from the reservoirs of heaven! I have noticed, also, not unfrequently, the setting sun looking out from a line of light, with a dark cloud just above and below him, so that the declining orb has appeared to my fancy, like the pupil of a seraph's eye, to give a parting glance at the world. If you are a lover of the works of creation, these things may be

familiar to you.

There is a wild and fitful sky, when the shadowy masses in the heavens appear in confusion, and the light comes and goes suddenly. The moon is seen gliding swiftly through the sky, as on an urgent errand, ever and anon hidden by the shadowy hills through which she journeys; and the changing clouds hurry on in an opposite direction, as though time-pressed, or scared by the impelling blast. The accustomed peaceful aspect of the vault above is gone. The agitated heavens appear alarmed, and the imaginative mind. grows enthusiastic. There is much of beauty, but more of sublimity in such a sky; I love to gaze upon it.

There is a burning sky, so red, and bright, and glowing, that one might almost suppose the clouds had caught fire, and the wide-spread firmament was in a blaze. I have stood picturing, in the vault above me, villages, and towns, and cities, seemingly in a conflagration; and then another fanciful thought has struck me, that heaven was specially illumined, and angels holding a jubilee of joy. If mortal men have such glowing scenes spread before them, what must angels and glorified spirits have to gaze on?

Such scenes as these are not to be looked on by him who revels in the works of his great Creator, without having his

mind moved with high-wrought aspirations. The bright, the beautiful, the glowing and glorious skies influence his heart, and selfish thoughts give way to those of kindness, love, and peace, and purity, and heaven.

CHAPTER XVIII.

COUNTRY STROLLERS.

Beggars.- Pedlars.-Chimney-sweeps. Sailors.-Man with bears and dancing dogs. Showmen.-Gipsies, with their character and occupation. -Gipsies in Spain.-Gipsy girl.-Gipsy adventure.

I COULD never help regarding among the pickings of the

country, the strollers of different kinds that visit, at uncertain periods, the villages and farm-houses. Often have I wondered how it could answer the purpose of a beggar to trudge into a retired and thinly-populated neighbourhood, where a few scraps of broken victuals, and an occasional mug of beer or cider would be the utmost of his gains, for it is not often that money is given away at farm-houses. There must be a real love of wandering in the case. it is that they may, now and then, treat themselves with a fresh turnip from the fields through which they pass, and with a little fruit from the orchards, but even with these advantages, the profits of the day must be but small.

True

The beggar, however, is but one among the many strollers, who, in different ways, lay their contributions on the farms and villages. The light-hearted pedlar, with a pack on his back, and a box before him well supplied with skeins of silk, balls of thread and cotton, pins, needles, stay

and boot-laces, thimbles, penknives, scizzars, pincushions, ribbons, kid-gloves, small looking-glasses, and jewellery, very like gold, makes his way to many a back door, hoping to find a customer in the cook or the housemaid. There he stands, now cracking his ready joke, and now recommending his glittering tinsel.

There is that in a pedlar's box which, of itself, when exposed fully to view, is quite enough to affect wiser heads than those of Sally and Susan; no wonder then, that when assisted by a seducing tongue, the pedlar should be irresistible. Give him fair play, and he will not only contrive to sell a yard and a half of blue ribbon to the cook, and a pair of earrings to the housemaid, but, also, put off a shawl to their mistress.

Chimney-sweeps are fond of visiting farm-houses, going from one to another as a matter of course; taking money, eating a meal, and carrying away their soot on a rough pony or shaggy donkey; sometimes sleeping in a barn, and at other times bivouacking under a hedge or tree.

Now and then a sailor makes his appearance with a ship on his head, her sails set, and her sky-scrapers streaming in the wind. His blue jacket, check shirt, and black silk handkerchief, work wonders for Jack among the simplehearted villagers, and all that he tells them is listened to with attention.

Some strollers make more noise than others: the dull, heavy, thumping sound of the tabor, and the shrill tone of the pipe are heard. Then comes a tall, thin man, in a cocked hat and loose great coat, leading a bear by his chain. On the back of the bear sits a monkey in a red jacket, and two or three dancing dogs are slowly walking in the rear, with yellow and blue petticoats. In ten minutes the whole village is in an uproar.