people's practice. She was as solid a reader as a sitter, and did not get up, therefore, till she had gone through the "Herald" from end to end. When she did rise,--which was suddenly, the earth quaked-the windows rattled-the ewers splashed over-the crockery fell from the shelf-and the cat and rats ran out together, as they are said to do from a falling house.

66

Heyday!" said my uncle, above stairs, as he staggered from the concussion-and, with the usual curiosity, he referred to his pocket-book for the Royal Birthday. But the almanack not accounting for the explosion, he ran down the stairs, at the heels of the housemaid, and there lay my Aunt, stretched on the parlour-floor, in a fit. At the very first glimpse, he explained the matter to his own satisfaction, in three words— "Ah-the apoplexy!"

Now the housemaid had done her part to secure him against this error, by holding up the dead child; but as she turned the body edge-ways, he did not perceive it. When he did see it but I must draw a curtain over the parental agony

About an hour after the catastrophe, an inquisitive sheneighbour called in, and asked if we should not have the Coroner to sit on the body:- -but my uncle replied, "There was no need."- "But in cases, Mr Shakerly, where the death is not natural."-" My dear Madam," interrupted my uncle, "it was a natural death enough."

THE FALL OF THE DEER.

[From an old MS.1

[OW the loud Crye is up, and harke!

The barkye Trees give back the Bark;
The House Wife heares the merrie rout,
And runnes, and lets the beere run out,
Leaving her Babes to weepe, for why?
She likes to heare the Deer Dogges crye,
And see the wild Stag how he stretches
The naturall Buck-skin of his Breeches,
Running like one of Human kind
Dogged by fleet Bailiffes close behind-
As if he had not payde his Bill
For Ven'son, or was owing still

For his two Hornes, and soe did get
Over his Head and Ears in Debt ;-
Wherefore he strives to paye his Waye

With his long Legges the while he maye :—
But he is chased, like Silver Dish,

As well as anye Hart may wish

Except that one whose Heart doth beat
So faste it hasteneth his Feet ;-

And runninge soe he holdeth Death
Four Feet from him,―till his Breath
Faileth, and slacking Pace at last,
From runninge slow he standeth faste,
With hornie Bayonettes at baye
To baying Dogges around, and they
Pushing him sore, he pusheth sore,
And goreth them that seek his Gore,--
Whatever Dogge his Horne doth rive
Is dead-as sure as he 's alive!
Soe that courageous Hart doth fight
With Fate, and calleth up his might,
And standeth stout that he maye fall
Bravelye, and be avenged of all,

Nor like a Craven yeeld his Breath
Under the Jawes of Dogges and Death!

DECEMBER AND MAY.

"Crabbed Age and Youth cannot live together."

-SHAKSPEARE.

AID Nestor, to his pretty wife, quite sorrowful one

day,

"Why, dearest, will you shed in pearls those lovely eyes

away?

You ought to be more fortified;" "Ah, brute, be quiet, do, I know I'm not so fortyfied, nor fiftyfied, as you!

"Oh, men are vile deceivers all, as I have ever heard, You'd die for me you swore, and I-I took you at your word.

I was a tradesman's widow then-a pretty change I've made ; To live and die the wife of one, a widower by trade !"