the desagrémens of exposure just now, as he is doubtless made a lion of, for the benefit-as Sir

Peter Teazle has it-of all old bachelors."

THE GERMAN GIBBET.

Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezes.-RICHARD III.

It was evening, towards the latter end of autumn, when the warmth of the mid-day sun reminds us of the summer just gone, and the coolness of the evening plainly assures us that winter is fast approaching-that I was proceeding homewards on horseback, fortified by a strong great coat against the weather without, and refreshed with a glass of eau-de-vie, that I might feel equally secure within. My road lay for some time along an extensive plain, at the extremity of which there rose a small and

thickly overspreading wood, which the road skirted for some distance; and, on a slignt eminence, at an angle where the last rays of the setting sun threw their gleam across the path, were suspended the remains of a malefactor in chains. They had been hanging there at least ten years; the whole of the flesh was consumed ; and here and there, where the coarse dark cloth in which the figure had been wrapped had decayed, the bones, bleached by the weather, protruded.

I confess I am rather superstitious, and certainly did push on, in order that, if possible, I might pass the place before the s'in should have set; to accomplish which, I put ny horse upon a fast trot, which I afterwards increased to a hand gallop. The sun, however, had set, and the twilight was fast changing into darkness as I rode up. I could not keep my eyes of the spot, for the figure swung slowly back

wards and forwards, accompanied by the low harsh creaking of the irons, as it moved to the breeze.

What with exertion, and I may add fear, or something very like it, the perspiration fell in large drops from my forehead, and nearly blinded me; so that I could not refrain from imagining that the white bony arm (hand it had none) of the figure, relieved against the dark wood behind, was beckoning to me, as it waved in the wind. On passing it, I put my horse to full speed, and did not once check his pace, or look around, until I had left the German Gibbet (for so it was called) a good mile behind.

It was now a fine, clear, moonlight night, and I had not gone far when I heard the sound of horses' feet at a little distance behind, and about the same time began to feel myself unusually cold. I buttoned up my coat, but that did not make much difference; I took a large comforter

from my pocket, and put it round my neck. I felt still colder; and urging my horse forward, I hoped that exercise would warm me; but no. I was still cold. However fast I galloped, I still heard the sound of horses' feet behind, at apparently just the same distance; and though

looked around several times, I could not see a living soul! the sound got faster and faster, nearer and nearer, till at last a small grey pony trotted up, on which sat a tall, thin, melancholy looking man, with a long pointed nose, and dull heavy eyelids, which hung so low that at first he appeared to be asleep. His countenance, which was extremely pale and cadaverous, was overshadowed by a quantity of long thin white hair, which hung down to his shoulders. He was dressed in a thin white jacket, which he wore open, white fustian trousers, a white hat, his shirt collar open, and no cravat round his neck!