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she would do; and having some business in the village, he went out. On coming back, however, in the forenoon, he found her just in the same spot, leaning her head on her hand; but she told him she was better, and that it was nothing at all. He then began to get his nets ready, saying he was going out with some lads of the village to the deep-sea fishing, and would be back the next day.

"She looked at him long and strangely, as if wondering at what he was doing, and understanding not any thing that was going on. But, finally, when he came to kiss her, and bid her good-bye, she threw her arms round him, and when he would have gone, she held him fast, and her bosom heaved as if her heart would break-but still she said nothing.

Stay with me to-day!' said she at last, depart not this night-just this one night-it is not much to askand to-morrow I will not be your hindrance a moment.'

"But Mr. Douglas was vexed at such folly, and she could answer nothing better to his questions than that a thought had come into her head, and she could not help it. So he was resolved to go, and he kissed her, and threw his nets on his shoulder, and went away. For some minutes after, Jeanie stood just on the same spot, looking at the door where he had gone out, and then began to tremble all over like the leaf of a tree at length, coming to herself with a start, she knelt down on both knees, and throwing back her hair over her forehead, turned her face up towards heaven, and prayed with a loud voice to the Almighty, that she might still have her husband in her arms that night.' For some moments she remained motionless and silent, in the same attitude, till at length a sort of brightness, resembling a calm smile, passed over her countenance, like a gleam of sunshine on the smooth sea, and, bending her head low and reverently, she rose up. She then went as usual about her household affairs, and appeared not any thing discomposed, but as tranquil and happy as if nothing had happened.

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"Now, the weather was fine and calm in the morning, but towards the afternoon it came on to blow and indeed the air had been so sultry all day, that the old sea-farers might easily tell there would be a racket of the elements before long. As the wind, however, had been rather contrary, it was supposed that the boats could not have got far enough out to be in the mischief, but would put back when they saw the signs in the sky. But in the meantime the wind increased, till towards night it blew as hard a gale as we have seen in these parts for a long time; the ships out there at the tail of the bank, were driven from their moorings, and two of them stranded on their beam-ends, on the other side; every stick and stitch on the sea made for any port they could find; and as the night came on in darkness and thunder, it was a scene that might cow even the hearts that had been brought up on the water, as if it was their proper element, and been familiar with the voice of the tempest from their days. There was a sad lamenting and murmuring then among the women folk,-especially them that were kith or kin to the lads on the sea; and they went to one another's houses in the midst of the storm and the rain, and put in their pale faces through the darkness, as if searching for hope and comfort, and drawing nearer to one another, like a flock of frightened sheep, in their fellowship of grief and fear. But there was one who stirred not from her home, and who felt no terror at the shrieking of the night-storm, and sought for no comfort in the countenance of man-and that was the wife of Mr. Douglas. She sometimes indeed listened to the howling of the sea, that came by fits on her ear like the voice of the water-kelpie, and starting, would lay down her work for a moment-but then she remembered the prayer she had prayed to Him who holds the reins of the tempest in his hands, and who says to the roaring waters, 'Be still,' and they are still-and of the glorious balm she had felt to sink into her heart, at that moment, of high and

holy communion, even like the dew of heaven on a parched land. So her soul was comforted, and she said to herself, 'God is not a man that he can lie,' and she rested on his assurance as on a rock, and laughed to scorn the trembling of her woman's bosom-for why?—the anchor of her hope was in heaven, and what earthly storm was so mighty as to remove it! Then she got up and put the room in order, and placed her husband's shoes to air at the fireside; and stirred up the fuel, and drew in the arm-chair for her weary and storm-beaten mariner. Then would she listen at the door, and look out into the night for his coming, but could hear no sound, save the voice of the waters, and the footstep of the tempest as he rushed along the deep. She then went in again, and walked to and fro in the room with a restless step, but an unblanched cheek. At last the neighbours came to her house, knowing that her husband was one of them that had gone out that day, and told her they were going to walk down to the Clough, even in the mirk hour, to try if they could not hear some news of the boats. So she went with them, and we walked altogether along the road, it might be some twenty or thirty of us; but it was remarked that though she came not hurriedly nor in fear, yet she had not even thrown her cloak on her shoulders to defend her from the night air, but came forth with her head uncovered, and in her usual raiment of white, like a bride to the altar. And as we passed along, it must have been a strange sight to see so many pale faces, by the red glare of the torches they carried, and to hear so many human wailings filling up the pauses of the storm; but at the head of our melancholy procession there was a calm heart and a firm step, and they were Jeanie's. Sometimes, indeed, she would look back, as some cry of womanish foreboding from behind would smite on her ear, and strange thoughts would crowd into her mind; and once she was heard to mutter-if her prayer had but saved her husband to bind some other innocent victim on the

mysterious altar of wrath! and she stopped for a moment, as if in anguish at the wild imagination. But now, as we drew nearer the rocks where the light-house is built, sounds were heard distinctly on the shore, and we waved the torches in the air, and gave a great shout, which was answered by kent voices-for they were some of our own people, and our journey was at an end. A number of us then went on before, and groped our way among the rocks, as well as we could for the darkness; but a woful tale met our ear; for one of the boats had been shattered to pieces, while endeavouring to land there,—and when we went down, they were just dragging the body of a comrade, stiff and stark, from the sea. When the women behind heard it, there was a terrible cry of dismay, for no one knew but it might have been her own brother or son; and some who held torches dropped them for fear, trembling to have the terrors of their heart confirmed. There was one, however, who stood calm and unmoved by the side of the dead body. She spoke some words of holy comfort to the women, and they were silent at her voice. She then stepped lightly forward, and took a torch from the trembling hand that held it, and bent down with it beside the corpse. As the light fell one moment on her own fair face, it showed no signs of womanish feeling at the sight and touch of mortality; a bright and lovely bloom glowed on her cheek, and a heavenly lustre burned in her eye, and as she knelt there, her long dark hair floating far on the storm, there was that in her look which drew the gaze even of that terrified group from the object of their doubt and dread. The next moment the light streamed on the face of the dead-the torch dropped from her hand—and she fell on the body of her husband.

“Her prayer was granted. She held her husband in her arms that night, and although no struggles of parting life were heard or seen, she died on his breast."

BENEATH THE HILL.
[From the Literary Gazette.]

Beneath the hill where Mary stood

And saw her banner prostrate laid;
Beside the brook, then red with blood,
That dyed the bosom and the plaid,
Within which Loyalty and Love,

Twin passions, pure and proud, were swelling,
Now waves the pine and birch tree grove;
Now smiles sweet Jessie's sheltered dwelling.

If not so fatal fair as she

Though Cart hath mirrored few more fair-
Beams not in Jessie's eye young glee,

Unlit by art-undimmed by care?

Though round Langside there throng not now,
High chiefs, who poured their blood like water,

Her's is one heart's unbroken vow ;

Who'd be the Queen-or Miller's Daughter?

THE LOWER ORDERS.

FROM THE NOCTES AMBROSIANE OF BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE FOR APRIL.

Shepherd-(to Tickler.)-Wha are ye, Sir, to speak o' the lower orders? Look up to the sky, Sir, on a starry nicht, and puir, ignorant, thochtless, upsettin' cretur you'll be, gin you dinna feel far within and deep down your ain sowl, that you are, in guid truth, ane o' the lower orders -no perhaps o' men, but o' intelligences! and that it requires some dreadfu' mystery, far beyond your comprehension, to mak' you worthy o' ever in after-life becoming a dweller among those celestial mansions. Yet, think ye, Sir, that thousan's and tens o' thousan's o' millions, since the time when first God's wrath smote the earth's soil wi' the curse o' barrenness, and human creatures had to earn their bread wi' sweat and dust, hae nae lived and toiled, and laughed and sighed, and groaned and grat, o' the lower orders, that are noo in eternal bliss, and shall No. 10.

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