And why did she stay, do you think? Why, because she had attached herself to an old blind pensioner who was living with them, and who, it was said, they treated anything but kindly,'

Here Niels made so very long a pause, that I perceived he had nothing more to say. Everything he had told me in his simple manner about Dorthe, placed her in so advantageous a light, that I was quite ashamed of the indifference, nay, almost prejudice, which we had hitherto felt towards her; and I now asked him reproachfully, how it happened that he had never before told us anything about Dorthe, when he knew so much good of her.

Niels paused in his work, looked down for some time as if in deep thought, and at length answered: If the truth must be told, I seem never to have thought of it, until now that I come to tell her story. He then looked slowly around, as if everything appeared new to him, and added :'It does seem to me now'- Further he did not proceed, for his eyes had found a restingpoint in Dorthe, who went by on her way to the well. Marian, the flirt, now also tripped by, singing and casting side glances at Niels, who did not, however, notice her. Not until Dorthe had gone in again, did he conclude his sentence; adding to the above, that Dorthe is an uncommonly respectable young woman.' Marian sang louder and louder, but Niels continued to gaze at the spot where Dorthe had disappeared; I believe a revolution was taking place in his mind.

emn tone, which she did not understand, for she looked inquiringly at me with her pretty eyes— not until this day had I discovered that they were really uncommonly pretty-and said, after reflecting a little while: 'I can guess what master wants me for !'

'What do you think?'

'He is going to chide me,' she said, while exchanging her wet apron for a dry one, and then mentioned some trivial negligence of which she was conscious of having been guilty.

By no means.' I answered. How can you think he would chide you, after your resolute and devoted conduct of this morning?'

She now looked puzzled, as if quite unable to conceive why her presence was wanted in the drawing room, and her astonishment increased when she came in and found all the other servants there, and father, taking her hand, said in his hearty way: 'I have sent for you Dorthe, to thank you kindly for the devotion and calm good sense and presence of mind you evinced this morning, when danger was thought to threaten my house. That it was but an idle rumour, in no way diminishes your merit.' It was touching to see the surprise and embarrassment which were depicted in Dorthe's countenance on hearing these words. It was as if to be praised was something so new to her, that she hardly ventured to believe her own ears, and knew not how to take it. But when father went on to say: 'Besides, Niels has told us many things about your earlier days which do you much credit, and which may serve as a good example for others to imitate, and will now and ever call down upon you the blessings of God and man'-Dorthe turned towards the side where Niels was standing, and burst into tears.— You were always kind to me, poor lonely one that I am! may God reward you Niels!' she at length sobbed out.

I havn't said anything but the truth,' answerNiels in a somewhat gruff tone; but it was onbecause he was ashamed that others should see that the tears had gathered in his eyes.

We were now interrupted by my father's return. He had not placed so much confidence in the rumour of the approach of the enemy as we, and having soon found out that it was quite unfounded, he had not felt himself called upon to return home before his business was concluded. No sooner had he entered the house, than all tongues were busy relating to him the history of our fright, and of the precautions we had taken in expectation of the arrival of the German free-ed corps. All the maids, except Dorthe, gave them-ly selves some errand into the room, to tell what deed of prowess they had performed, or had intended to perform. When my father, then, commended each and all for the zeal they had shewn, my mother observed that the brewery maid was not present and put forward the claim of the absent girl to the greatest meed of praise. The other maids could not deny this, but they left the room rather crestfallen. They were not used to see Dorthe taken notice of. But when Julia and I, now began to repeat the many fine traits of her character that Niels had told us, my mother and father were both quite moved, and we all felt a sincere desire to do something for the neglected bat excellent girl.

'I don't know what you may have told about me, Niels, but you have always been a friend to me, and, therefore'-she made a violent effort to suppress her sobs—' therefore you might acept of the only thing I have to offer you-the gun.'

'No, no,' replied Niels quickly, as if he were putting away a temptation. You promised your poor father never to part with it, and therefore we will not mention the matter again.'

These words were uttered in so decisive a tone, that it was evident they were meant to bring to a close, a contest of some duration. But we could see by Dorthe's manner that she had not yet given up her point, and that something was working in My mother proposed that Dorthe should be cal- her, perhaps a decisive word, which she had kept led in at once, and that my father should thank back till the last, for she changed color several her, in presence of the other servants, for the de- times before she replied, in a subdued voice:votion and presence of mind she had evinced; 'For the matter of that you may as well take the and she would add to her thanks a little useful gun, for I-mean in a manner to follow it. My present, which, though it could not be worn on father's gun shall not hang idly on the nail in the breast, like the star of an order, might never- such times as these, and his daughter will not eitheless be looked upon as a mark of honour.- ther spare herself.' We all looked with surprise The proposal was approved: and by my own re- at Dorthe, whose lips quivered as she turned toquest, I was deputed to fetch her in. I found her wards my mother and continued: 'Yes, ma'am, in the scullery, singing, as was her wont. Pro- I ought to have told you so long ago: I cannot bably I delivered my message in a somewhat sol-remain here. My mind is made up; I must go

has been used to dispose of the shares, which, we are informed, have been taken up mostly by practical men. This augurs well for the success of the undertaking; and we hope soon to see the fitful Will-o'-the-Wisp which haunts Irish bogs spirited, by the chemist's potent wand, into the substantial reality of brilliant candles.-Chambers' Edinburgh Journal.

THE BOER'S FETE.

I HAD trudged across a weary flat county from early noon till reddening eve. Nothing can be duller than a walking tour through the monotonous district which forms the eastern boundary of Holland. You see nothing before you but long lines of trees, square green fields, with here and there a windmill, a boer's village, or a distant church. But I had lost my way, and thought of little else but finding it again. I had started from Arnheim betimes in the morning, intending to eross the Prussian frontier near the Rhine before nightfall; but my ignorance of the patois of the district had led me into a mistake about the true direction of the road to Zevenaar, and I was far on the route to Zutphen before I discovered my error. I hailed a soldier who lay by the road side eating bread and cheese out of a napkin, and asked him if this were the road to Zevenaar?— "Duivelabeet niet!" said the soldier, starting up. I understood enough of this, to know that this was not the road to Zavenaar. He proceeded to explain, pointing across the fields towards a village spire in the far distance, in which direction I understood my road to lie, and I at once set off on my way thither, bidding him a "Goed morgen."

and butter, with a draught of delicious home brewed, and I enjoyed the meal with a gusto I should vainly attempt to describe. The little house was clean to perfection; the copper dishes ranged along the shelves were so brightly scour ed, that they might have served as mirrors; and when the elderly woman, who seemed the sole person about the house, had got me and the other customer served with "bootram," she settled herself down on a stool by the open window, and commenced plying her knitting. It was a picture of retired country life-still-life it might be called-on the verge of Holland.

An hour's rest revived my spirits and strength, and again shouldering my knapsack, I bade the good woman adieu, and crossing the wooden bridge walked on, still with the village spire in view. I was now proceeding along a frequented road, and an honr's walking brought me to the village, called Duisburg. I pushed through the village, and was now on the high road to the Prussian frontier, which I was anxious to reach that night. But the setting sun was already throwing long shadows upon the ground; I was becoming wearied and footsore, and dragged my feet heavily along. My knapsack weighed like lead, and its straps fretted my shoulders. Na ture wanted rest; and it must be confessed, that some twenty or more miles walking across fields and ditches, was no bad day's work; so I resolved to rest for the night at the first house of enter tainment I might fall in with.

For a few miles more I trudged along the dusty road, until a sound of dancing and music sudden-ly fell upon my ears. I looked ahead, and a little road-side auberge lay in my way, a group of Dutch boers, humbly dressed, standing and siting about the door. Here, then, was a house of entertainment; and I resolved to rest here if possible. I entered; but the door was filled with dancers. A rude stage was erected at one end of the clay-floored chamber, and on it stood a player on the clarionet, another on the violin, and a third was seated at the violoncello. The music was spirited, but not first-rate; the players were evidently amateurs, and only of the rank of field-laborers. The dancers were flying across the floor, many of them with the pipe in their mouth, beating time with their feet, men and women mixed, and they worked as hard at their amusement as if they had been paid for it,-perhaps harder. The step and the figures were en tirely new-something quite unknown at Almacks. Occasionally a youthful dancer would give a great leap and caper, as he sprang to his female partner, whom he whirled about and handled in the most ferocious manner, "she nothing loth." The elder and more staid couples, of course, danced more decorously, and suitably to their age. There were some aged, browned, and wrinkled peasants, who went across the floor as measuredly and seriously as if they had been engaged in a religious exercise. The people were

The road I took was a mere by-road leading to a little farm, which I soon passed, and then my way lay through fields and along ditches, until at last all traces of road disappeared, and I had only the distant village spire lying far across the plain to guide me. I leaped the ditches, scrambling up the banks on the other side, and disturbing many sonorous bull-frogs, as I sped over them. Fortunately, the fields were in pasture, and I had little difficulty in making my way across them, still keeping my face directed towards the village spire. At last, when fagged and wearied by the long scramble through hedges, over ditches, and across grass fields, I found myself on the banks of a canal, across which a rustic bridge was thrown, and within sight was a little public house, with the sign of "Beer to Koop," or "Beer to sell." What customers this remote house, which I had reached with such difficulty, could supply, puzzled me at first; but my surprise ceased, when I saw a canal-boat shortly after draw up alongside the door, and the boatman seated himself without uttering a word, at the bench in front of the window, and on giving a nod, the woman of the house seemed to interpret its meaning in an instant, for she at once set be-all of the order of peasants, and they were holding fore him a jug of beer and a substantial "bootram."

I had found the word "bootram" to serve my purpose well on previous occasions, so I entered the house and seated myself, calling "bootram." The landlady soon placed before me bread, cheese,

their Keremus or annual fair,-having resorted hither for their evening dance.

Seizing an opportunity of a lull in the dance, amid which a considerable clatter of glasses was heard, I walked across the floor towards an inner room, from which I had seen an apparent land

lady issue during the dance with glasses and among the dancers, followed my steps; I waited drinkables, and entered. The lady of the house till he came up, and he proceeded to address me was up to the ears in business, importuned first in good English. I found him an intelligent, by one for "schnaps," by another for "bier," well educated youth, and he proceeded to tell by a third for "swartz brod," until she looked me how he had acquired his knowledge of Enthe picture of distraction. In this dilemma, Iglish. suddenly entered upon the scene, and appealed

"It all arose out of a bit of jealousy," said

to her for "coffee." I proved a godsend to the he. poor woman, for at once all eyes were turned Jealousy, indeed, how could that be?" on me and my travel-stained dress, and the men "Very easy to be explained, sir. It was just were silent, waiting till my question was answer-on such another night as this, six years ago, that ed. They saw I was a stranger, and a general we held our dance in the cottage there. My politeness induced them, by a kind of unanimous Gretchen was the partner whom I had brought consent, at once to give way. I explained my with me for the night; and though we were not plight, that I had travelled far,-wished to rest betrothed, we were lovers then. But girls you there for the night, but first wanted refreshment. know, will give themselves airs now and then, I spoke in a mixture of bad German and worse and I thought she displayed too great a liking for Dutch, aided by some rather expressive panto- a young fellow who was present at the fete,-a mime, in which any man put to his wits' end will kind of hero among the women, for he had been not fail to make himself understood; and I suc- a soldier, and could talk by the hour, without any ceeded. Of course, they saw I was a stranger, one getting in a word. I was provoked at his but the landlady put the question, "Een Vreemd?" boasting talk, and still more so, when I once turnand I nodded. "Een Franschman?" All stran-ed my back, to find he had led Gretchen to the gers abroad are thought to be French, especially floor, where the two were wheeling briskly away when beyond the ordinary English high-routes; but my answer was, "No,-English!" What a stare! Then the customers for brandy wine dispersed among their friends to tell them of the singular stranger who had appeared among them, and the Englishman became to them the wonder of the minute. The landlady bustled about to get the coffee ready, but vowed she could not accommodate me for the night. I insisted, neverCheless, on staying there, though it were only across two chairs; and at last she was persuaded and agreed to make up a shake-down for me in a little chamber, adjoining the clay-floored ballroom. I found the villagers aided me in my appeals, and so the thing was satisfactorily arranged.

By the time I had finished my coffee, the dancing had waxed fast and furious. The brandywine was now beginning to tell, and some of the more lusty of the party began to grow rebellious and quarrelsome. There were a few bickers, in one of which the musicians' platform was upset, and the performers were spilt on the floor amid a crash of timber. But the boers never come to blows; the utmost extent to which they proceeded was in inflicting a few ugly scratches, and throwing each other down. The dancing still went on, nevertheless, and the bulk of the party seemed to think nothing of these affrays. The entire scene reminded one of the Boer's Fetes, so well painted by Teniers and Ostade, and showed that after the lapse of centuries, village life in the remoter parts of Holland had very little altered.

I strolled out into the field outside the house, -away from the noise and the fumes of gin and brandywine, which the villagers seemed to drink anreasonably often, though the glasses were of very moderate dimensions. On some, the effects were not apparent, and the more drunken gradually disappeared, having been led home by their wives or friends. It was now dusk; the sun had gone down, and a faint streak of light marked the place of his setting. The air was warm, and ret felt sweet and refreshing after the heated bustle of the hut. I observed on looking behind me, that a young man whom I had noticed

VOL. IT -?

in the dance. I think I lost my reason for the moment, for I forgot all that happened, except that, when my senses returned, I saw the fellow laid all his length on the floor, the blood running from his nose, and the people around calling out that he was killed! I fled-pursued by jealousy and remorse, and every moment feared that the gendarmes would be at my heels, and that I should be taken and punished as a murderer. P ran all that night along the road to Prussia. When tired out, I at length sat down by the road side to rest, and fell fast asleep. How long I. might have lain there, I know not; but I was suddenly startled by loud noise and ejaculations, and looking up, I saw that the horses attached to a travelling-carriage, which had come up, had been startled, most probably by my appearance there, and the foremost horse had thrown his rider, who was beneath his feet. I at once jumped up, and seized him by the reins but the rider was disabled. They said his leg was broken,—at all events he could not proceed further, so he was carried into the nearest house and left there. But how was the carriage to be got forward? I at once volunteered my services, which, in the emergency, were accepted, and being a good rider, we reached the next post-town in safety. It was a godsend to me, this accident. I found the party consisted of a wealthy English gentleman and his family on their way to the Rhine; they knew nothing of the language, and having no valet de place, they felt the want of some native who could act as their interpreter. In short, they engaged me; I travelled as their servant and returned with them to England. There stayed some five years, and while there, I wrote home to my friends. What was my joy to find. that the man whom I fancied I had killed, still' lived and was married-but not to my Gretchen No! she, the dear creature, had remained faithful to me, and in sorrow had mourned my ab sence. I could not stay longer in England. I had saved some money, and so, after writing to Gretchen, I started to return home. I was received with open arms, like a son that had been lost and was found again—”