and now he stood half tickled to death, to see us in such a quandary. The paths were narrow and very circuitous, while the shrubbery through which they wound was far higher than our heads.

6. In our wanderings we came to a rustic cottage, looking like a little hermitage. On opening the door, we saw a monk sitting alone, over a large Bible, and reading with great earnestness and with frequent gestures. As we entered, he continued his reading and his gesticulation, and fastened his eyes upon us. We were not a little amused and surprised to find that the monk was made of wax, and that all his gestures were the result of wire-work!

7. Another cottage soon appeared. We stepped upon the platform before the entrance, when the door flew open, and a monk stood before us, clad in white robes, with sandals and a girdle. He bowed politely but coldly, as if he deemed our visit an intrusion upon the solitude of his retreat, and then closed the door in our faces! All this was done by wires, but so skilfully, that it seemed impossible there should not be a human soul within those robes and behind those figures of wax.

8. On another cottage, which next appeared, we read the words "Non aperite!"-" Don't open!" Here we were prepared for some deception, but we got the trick upon us after all. One of the party opened the door, in spite of the injunction printed above in such plain characters; when, conceive our astonishment! up sprang a monk, laughing violently as if he had caught us in some scrape, and meant to pay us off. And, sure enough, he did; for we found that the opening of the door had opened the spouts of some secret fountains, from which poured forth upon us a shower of water!

9. We got a ducking in another part of the garden, by venturing to press a little spring attached to a fountain, by which we increased the jet of water into a copious shower. The last of these tricks which our guide showed us was the

touching of a spring upon an old tree, by which the trunk. flew open and disclosed a beautiful female, dressed in white satin robes! We thought this garden altogether the funniest place we had ever visited. The genius that devised these little things to amuse and surprise visitors must have had a good deal of dry fun in its composition.

CHAPTER LII.

THE RIGHTEOUS NEVER FORSAKEN.

1. A BARBER, who lived at Bath in the last century, passing a meeting-house one Sunday, peeped in just as the minister was giving out his text, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."-Exodus xx. 18. He listened long enough to be convinced that he was constantly breaking the law of God and man, by shaving and dressing his customers on Sunday. He became uneasy, and went with a heavy heart to his Sunday task.

2. At length he took courage, and opened his mind to the minister, who advised him to give up Sunday dressing, and worship God. After a struggle in his mind, between conscience and convenience, he at length resolved to do what he thought was right, and leave the consequences to God.

3. The consequences he foresaw actually followed his genteel customers left him, as he was nick-named a Puritan or Methodist. He was obliged to give up his fashionable shop; and from various gradations in life, in the course of years, he became so reduced as to take a cellar under the old market-house, and shave the farmers.

4. One Saturday evening, between light and dark, a stranger from one of the coaches asking for a barber, was directed by the hostler to the cellar opposite. Coming in

hastily, he requested to be shaved quickly, while they changed horses, as he did not like to violate the Sabbath.

5. This was touching the poor barber on a tender chord; he burst into tears, asked the stranger to lend him a halfpenny to buy a candle, as it was not light enough to shave him with safety. He did so, revolving in his mind the extreme poverty to which the poor man must be reduced, before he could make such a request.

6. When shaved, he said: "There must be something extraordinary in your history, which I have not now time to hear. Here is half a crown for you; when I return I will call and investigate your case. What is your name?"

7. "William Reed," said the astonished barber. "William Reed!" echoed the stranger, Reed!

By your dialect you are from the West." "Yes, sir, from Kingston, near Taunton."

"William

"William Reed, from Kingston, near Taunton! What was your father's name?"

"Thomas."

"Had he any brother?"

"Yes, sir, one, after whom I was named; but he went to the Indies, and as we never heard from him, we suppose him to be dead."

8. "Come along-follow me," said the stranger; "I am going to see a person who says his name is William Reed, of Kingston, near Taunton. Come and confront him. If you prove to be indeed him whom you say you are, I have glorious news for you: your uncle is dead, and has left you an immense fortune, which I will put you in possession of, when all legal doubts are removed."

9. He went by the coach, saw the pretended William Reed, and proved him to be an impostor. This stranger, who was a pious attorney, was soon legally satisfied of the barber's identity; told him he had advertised him in vain ; Providence had now thrown him in his way in a most extraordinary manner, and he had great pleasure in transferring

a great many thousand pounds to a worthy man, the rightful heir of the property.

10. Thus was man's extremity God's opportunity. Had the poor barber possessed one half-penny, or even had credit for a candle, he might have remained unknown for years; but he trusted God, who never said, "Seek ye my face in vain." He had read the Bible, that fountain of all good, which he often consulted, though he seldom saw a newspaper. "Trust him at all times, ye people: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths."

1. A BEE, who had chased after pleasure all day,
And homeward was lazily wending his way,
Fell in with a spider, who called to the bee:
"Good evening! I trust you are well," said he.

2. The bee was quite happy to stop a while there –
For indolence always has moments to spare
"Good evening!" he said, with a very low bow;
'My health, sir, alas! 't is quite delicate now.

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3. "From spring until autumn, from morning till night,
I'm obliged to be toiling with all my might -
My labors are wearing me out, and you know
I might as well starve as to kill myself so."

4. The spider pretended to pity the bee

For a cunning old hypocrite spider was he―

I am sorry to see you so ill," he said;

And he whispered his wife, “He will have to be bled."

5. "Some people — perhaps thay are wiser than I-
Some people are in a great hurry to die;
Excuse me, but candor compels me to say,
'Tis wrong to be throwing one's life away.

6. "Your industry, sir, may do very well

For the beaver's rude hut, or the honey-bee's cell;
But it never would suit a gay fellow like me;
I love to be idle-I love to be free.

7. "This hoarding of riches this wasting of time, In robbing the gardens and fields — 't is a crime ! And then to be guilty of suicide, too!

I tremble to think what a miser will do."

8. 'Tis strange the poor bee was so stupid and blind "Mister Spider," said he, "you have spoken my mind; There's something within me that seems to say, I have toiled long enough, and 't is time to play.

9. "But how in the world shall I manage to live?
I might beg all my life, and nobody would give;
'Tis easy enough to be merry and sing,
But living on air is a different thing."

10. The spider was silent, and looked very grave

'T was a habit he had — the scheming old knave!
No spider, intent on his labor of love,

Had more of the serpent or less of the dove.

11. “To serve you would give me great pleasure,” said he; "Come into my palace, and tarry with me;

The spider knows nothing of labor and care-
Come, you shall be welcome our bounty to share.

12. "I live like a king, and my wife like a queen,
In meadows where flowers are blooming and green;
"Tis sweet on the violet's bosom to lie,

And list to the stream that runs merrily by.