the apartment. She was satisfied of two things. Harry had permission to wait her return; this would afford an excuse and opportunity for a tête-à-tête, which she could prolong to as late an hour as she might deem judicious. Again, she had turned his thoughts to Clara Wells and matrimony, and could manœuvre on this pretence to bring Harry and her daughter together. And the plain but wealthy Clara Wells would make a capital foil for the beautiful Mary Million. She knew that a spark had been kindled in Harry's heart, and she now only desired occasion to blow it into a flame.

Chap. V.-A dash preliminary and sketches by

candlelight. Harry begins to suspect his situation, and conducts himself accordingly.

Harry had an eye for beauty, and the interesting companion of his tête-à-tête was radiant. With a figure petite and slender, the most gracefully curved neck in the world, to say nothing of swimming, hazel eyes, that were enough to turn a steadier brain than Harry Singleton's, she was a sufficiently dangerous companion for a young man of pretty property.

Mrs. Million played her cards dexterously. Clara Wells was introduced. The assigned motive of Mrs. Million was a sufficient veil for all her future operations. From a masked battery, she pointed all her female artillery against our hero. Was there a play to be seen, Harry was, of course, in requisition, as the gallant of the wealthy Georgian; but it was always arranged that his seat in the box should be by the side of Mary. Was there a ball, his hand for the first dance was for the protegée of Mrs. Million-but his curtained tête-à-tête for the daughter.

"A dear creature, is she not?" said Mary, as she was playing with the neck of an eagle that had been just cut from the iced effigy at the supper table. It was one of Mrs. Peacock's music parties.

Harry followed the eyes of the speaker, and saw them resting upon Clara. He could not avoid the contrast. Mary intended that it should be drawn. "Very dear, Miss Million, she is your cousin."

It was the first time that he had ventured on even so distant a suggestion. Mary was quick at drawing inferences, and looked tenderly confused. She was as entirely collected as the small coin of a congregation on a begging Sunday; she was brought up to be so. She handed the hardly touched ice to her chevalier, whose heart was dissolving much more rapidly than the cream. In the act she dropped her handkerchief. Harry was on his knee, and remained there for his princess to receive his trophy from him in that attitude of submission.

"You shall be rewarded for your gallantry," said the lady, with a smile, and taking a rose-bud from her bouquet, dropped

it at her feet. The gift was accepted more tenderly than it was bestowed. Harry was really in trepidation. He was ready to swear perpetual fidelity on the spot. But his fate was deferred-not evaded. One of those bores who infest society, and take a malicious pleasure in interrupting agreeable interviews, made a most inopportune intrusion. He took the words from Harry's lips.

"Pardon me for disturbing a flirtation, Miss Million, but it is quite too selfish in Mr. Singleton to appropriate you exclusively, when there is a room full below waiting for the song you promised us. I have been formally deputed to escort you to the piano." He extended his arm as he spoke.

Harry was provoked at his impertinence, but was silent. He fondly imagined that the lady would plead hoarseness and fatigue. How men in love will deceive themselves! Mary looked at the parties half a moment in silence, then laughing, took the proffered arm of the intruder. "It might make my cousin jealous if I should decline this invitation,” said Mary, beckoning to the young mistress of half the plantations of the county. She was woman enough to know that an occasional pique gives a most decided impulse to an affair of the heart. With a reluctance which it required all his politeness to conceal, Harry very courteously offered the expected service, and taking on his arm the opulent lass of the south, followed the captive and her kidnapper to the drawing-room.

His mood, however, was far from amiable. Mary, of course, sang like an angel; it is expected of all young ladies. But if a choir were assembled of all the angelic singers of my acquaintance, what harmonious discord they would make of it! The more Mary sang like an angel, the more Harry felt like its antipode. I am confident that my last pronoun is strictly accurate. There is some pretence that angels are all of the feminine gender. I am willing to compromise the matter and adopt the neuter. The idea of a male angel is among the impossibles.

She

Every word and look that Mary returned for the many kind speeches and glances that were lavished upon her for those touching little songs, was gall and bitterness to Harry. He could not understand what right she had to receive them so graciously. Standing at some distance from the instrument, he watched the play of her fingers, and still more narrowly the play of her countenance. was evidently pleased with the flatteries and nonsense that the coxcombs about her were pouring into a facile ear. They only meant to be polite. Harry was ready to challenge the whole of them, individually and collectively. Puppies-puppies!" he muttered between his teeth. It was an insult that they should dare even to admire, but profanation that they should be permitted to ad

dress her. Mary was not thinking of them, or of her songs. Her reflections were all wandering to the "young man of very pretty property," who was standing in a corner, looking and feeling as yellow as a dusty caste of the dying gladiator. Mary was as lovely and as cold as the last statue of Greenough. I believe she was the very lady, by the way, who suggested that it would be delicate to attire in drapery the chanting cherubs. So much for education!

Mary knew very well what she was about, and when a clever young officer, who had just distinguished himself in killing Indians, was listened to with a smiling attention much more intense than was at all necessary under all the circumstances, Harry's patience was quite exhausted. He strode across the room with a flushed face and curling lip, and made his way to the supper room. I have noticed that this is a favourite retreat of the jealous and unhappy. Does not your experience coincide with mine in this matter?

"Hang the woman!" exclaimed Harry, as he entered the now deserted supper room. He meant so religiously, but he might have kept it to himself. It is always hazardous to soliloquize. Trees have ears, and brooks tongues, but humanity has a readier auricle, and is a more babbling linguist.

"Amen!" responded a friendly voice to the pious ejaculation of the disconsolate. The sofa stood by the door. Henry passed without perceiving that it was occupied. Even had he been aware that he was not alone, he could hardly have restrained the sincere and hearty expression of his real sentiment for the time being.

"I'll join in a bumper to that toast of yours, if you will only strike out the definite article and apply it to the sex." Mr. Dangle was another of the disconsolate-for this night only. Piqued lovers are very savage animals. Mr. Dangle was desperate. Harry was absolutely dangerous. There they stood a couple of them. We must take a sly glance, however, for they will resent anything that appears like impertinent observation.

ciety than Mary Million-richer girls-wittier -more sensible-better matches, as the world say, in all respects, and unreluctant to receive the addresses of less likely lovers than Harry Singleton," and his eye ran through a vista of ice pyramids, fruit-baskets and candelabras, and rested in a momentary satisfaction on the dazzling mirror beyond them.

It would not answer. Mary Million was still the star of the ascendant, though veiled in a most inauspicious cloud. Champagne has no particular tendency to soothe irritation, and, to his astonishment, Harry found that he had made some progress in a second bottle. He made a desperate effort. "It may annoy her and it certainly will surprise her"thought Harry, and he left the supper room. Giving his cap a knowing and jaunty slant, and throwing his cloak over his arm, he passed Mary with her cousin on the stairs as they were just seeking the retiring chamber for their shawls. Mary could not help looking half-reproachfully, and Harry passed her with the most humble obeisance and most gracious smile, looking and feeling all the while like a musket charged to the muzzle with ball cartridges, and ready to go off at a moment's warning.

"Drive me to the Tremont." It was past eleven when he reached the portico.

"At what time shall I call, sir?" said Jehu, most respectfully, for he had reason to remember that he had been driving a young man of very pretty property. But it's of no con

"At eleven to-morrow. sequence. Go to my lodgings in the morning, and send Tom to me.'

It was a dirty night, a very blackguard sort of night. As it was set down in the calendar for a moon, the gas-saving mayor and aldermen had not seen fit to illuminate its darkness. It was not till the last rattle of the carriage wheels had died away on the pavement, that Harry suddenly bethought himself—" What the deuce did I come here for ?" It was no place for any very long self-examination, so he dragged himself lazily up stairs to find a satisfactory response for his interrogatories.

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thousand dollars to get his neck out of an eastern speculation. If he could have found a provocation, he would have been well pleased to have got into a quarrel with them. He next

strayed to the bar-" for the use of the house only." John was just turning the screw of the last gas-light; he thought it quite time for all honest people to be in bed. There was no one to drink with him, and Harry called for a light.

"What number, John ?"

"Peter! bring a candle, and show Mr. Singleton to number seventy."

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Mr. Singleton passed up one flight of stairs. Peter!" said he, "how far is it up?"

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Up one more flight, sir.”

"Well, I'm not going to sleep up two flights of stairs to-night. I've changed my mind. Run down to Niles's and send me a carriage."

Peter took his hat and descended obediently into the porch, while Mr. Singleton paced the entry. After two or three minutes, Peter returned with the information that Niles was closed, and no carriage was to be had for love or money. Not that Peter had been such a fool as to wade through the gutters at that time of the night to ascertain this, but he felt justified under the circumstances in assuming the truth of his assertion. "Niles is shut up, sir, and no carriage to be had, Mr. Singleton."

Well, I'll walk.”

Very stormy night, sir; very wet and dirty. Good chamber up stairs, sir."

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Peter, I'll not go up another flight of stairs to night, to sleep on a bed of down, sustained by pillars of gold and ivory."

Indignation makes a man eloquent even with porters and valets. Harry carried through his resolution. It was dark as Erebus. The rain poured in torrents. The streets were overflowod. Harry was in silks and pumps, and yet in a mood of mind when he derived a sensible satisfaction in making such a pilgrimage, in preference to a comfortable bed under a dry roof. It really seemed to him that all this self-punishment was a revenge upon Mary Million, for her neglect and heartlessness.

[To be concluded in our next.]

LINES ON WOMAN,

To be read alternately, or as they are written, as it may suit the taste or sentiments of the reader.

THE bliss of him no tongue can tell
Who in a woman doth confide

Who with a woman scorns to dwell,
Unnumbered evils will betide.

They fill each leisurable day

With joy and innocent delight;

With cheerless gloom and misery

Are none possessed, while in their sight.

They make the daily path of life

A pleasant journey strewed with flowers; A dreary scene of painful strife

They quickly change with matchless powers.

Domestic joys will fast decay

Where female influence is unknown; Where'er a woman holds her sway

A man is in perfection shewn. She's never failing to display Truth in its native loveliness; A heart inclined to treachery

A woman never did possess. That man true dignity will find

Who tries the matrimonial state; Who pours contempt on woman-kind Will mourn his folly when too late.

THE RECENT GREAT CAMP
MEETING IN AMERICA.

[From a New York paper, of 21st of last month; excepting omissions by the present editor, of what, from its jocose character, or its impure tendencydisgraceful to such Meetings, might, he thought, prove hurtful to the cause of religion.]

Camp Ground, Sing Sing, Friday, Sept. 1839. THE thirty-fifth annual Methodist camp meeting in this country has gone off remarkably quiet, owing to the arrangements of Mr. Clark, of Sing Sing. There were a great many persons, male and female, excited; some with religious feelings, some with fast driving, some with the heat of the tents, some with praying and singing, some with eating and drinking, some with wine and some with brandy; but I saw only three persons intoxicated, and heard only one brawler; one man named Smith was lying down senseless on the edge of the camp ground; two blackguards reeled through the ground about sun-down last night, but were quickly put out; and one low disreputable brawler named J. J. Moffat, most scandalously endeavoured to raise a riot, and disturb the evening preaching. These are the few disgraceful exceptions to an otherwise tolerably well ordered affair; and, of course, where there are such a number of persons collected together, there always will be a few such disgusting characters. The mass, however, I am bound in justice to say, were peaceable, sober, and, probably, sincere and well-intentioned.

I am here to give you a faithful account of what I have seen and heard, and not to draw inferences, or I should say that the amount of evil resulting from these camp meetings far outweighs the good; but that is for time to tell of. Let us proceed to details; and as the history of one day is the history of the whole, I will give you a faint outline of the doings of yesterday. Soon after ten o'clock on the previous evening, the whole of the immense mass of human beings had gathered themselves to their respective tents or homes. Not a straggler was on the ground at midnight, save the members of the police and

vigilance committee, going their respective rounds. The scene at this time was peculiarly solemn and imposing; five thousand human beings were clustered together in that small wood, lying for the most part upon straw, worn out with the pious physical exercises of the day, and buried, as it were, in deep and heavy slumbers. The sky was cloudless, and the stars shone with unusual brilliancy upon the tranquil scene. At the foot of the hill a clear gurgling brook, rushing swiftly o'er its rocky bed, broke on the stillness of the night with the delicious music of nature; in the distance could be heard the retiring wheels of a stray carriage, conveying its noisy burden to their beds in a neighbouring village from the broad bosom of the Hudson, seen distinctly through the clearing, came up, occasionally, the hoarse monotonous roar from the steam pipes of the passage boats ascending and descending the river. From tent to tent could be heard the hum of human voices, murmuring their midnight prayer, and in one or two instances rich bursts of human harmony broke forth in these soul-stirring lines,

:

"Salvation! O Salvation! The gladly solemn sound." Such were the sounds till a short time after midnight, when, to appearance, each was buried in sleep, and all was silent as the grave. Long before the bright sun began to lace the east with crimson, the hum of human voices announced the approach of morning. Then ensued a curious scene. Such rustling and shaking amongst the straw! Pious young and old fellows could be seen crawling out of the ends and sides of the large tents, brushing the straw from their clothes, pulling up their shirt collars, pulling down the legs of their trousers, and yawning and stretching, preparatory to morning prayer. The young girls looked still more ludicrous as they crawled out of their straw beds, where they had been huddled, during the night, heads and heels, by the dozen. The straw was entangled in their bosoms, their petticoats, &c., &c.; and many were the laughable manœuvres they resorted to, for the purpose of shaking the straw from their garments. After this necessary movement, a whole posse of them would take a run down the hill to the brook and wash their hands, faces, and some their feet, when they could do so unseen. Then they would join hands and walk up the hill, singing a hymn.

On reaching the tents again, there was generally a small prayer meeting; in the interim, there were all sorts of movements and cries on all sides. "You Joe, you nigger, get another bucket of water and fill de teakettle for de good brothers; I guess dey hungry wid long prayer meeting." Mother, have you seen my side combs ?" "Now brethren and sisters, let us begin the day by praising God." "Go ahead, Jem, and hitch

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that black mare to the waggon, and go down to Sing Sing and get some more cider, and ask Sim Tomkins to send us up a couple of his hams." (N. B.-Tomkins cooks the best hams in the county.) " Now, brother Harris, call upon God to fill the dear sisters full of all good things." "Aunt Martha, I want breakfast so bad." 66 Glory to God, who has brought us through another night." "Sam, will you shave me when you get through that gentleman ?” "Here comes our pedlar." "What do you buy, ladies? buy? pins and needles! hair oil! soap!" "Now, dear brothers, you that believe in the promise, come up to the pool of Siloam and be made clean.” "I have been down to the brook and cleaned my feet." "Does that kettle boil ?" "Yes." "Cut some more bread and butter; there's two preachers going to breakfast with us.' "Here you barber, Sam, have you got any brandy?" "No!" "Any rum or gin?" "No, but I got some alcohol: dat do? and some no de Colon. Ha ha! dat good enough for white trash to drink.” "Now, let us all pray. Oh! glory! glory! hallelujah for ever!" "Breakfast is ready.' "Thank God for his goodness!" "Praised be his name!" "Dick, here comes that fat nigger wench; let's have some fun with her. Halloo! my pearl of great price, there's a good thick rind to your pork." "Let us sing to the praise and glory of God. Brethren, I have a new camp meeting hymn, and here it is."

After this they all went to breakfast with a most excellent appetite. This was scarcely over, before the majority were hard at it again, praying, singing, and exhorting until ten o'clock; and at these periods the noise, the shouting, the yelling, and actually the screaming were terrific. In every public tent not used for eating, there could be seen a crowd, a perfect mob of human beings, male and female, gathered together. At first they would all stand up, the males on one side, and the females on the other. One stout muscular brother would begin thus:-" Glory to God! Hallelujah! Blessed Jesus, look down upon us and our dear sisters. (Amen from a dozen voices.) Break our hearts-burn out the old stuff. (Amen! amen!) Light

up a flame here, God! (Oh, God!) mercy and light pour down upon us. (Pour away, Jesus.) Go ahead, oh God, and create us all over again! (Amen-begin directly Jesus.) Don't stay a moment longer-bring up the backsliders (Hallelujah, glory!) smite the devil hip and thigh-give us Sampson's jaw bone of an ass to smite him with. (Amen, amen, from the whole crowd.) Hallelujah! glory."

Here some of the sisters would begin to cry and bellow tremendously, with interjaculations of " Oh my poor lost soul!" Another brother would take up the praying department as soon as one had exhausted himself, and carry it on in this wise :-" Don't let us give out, oh God, nor faint by the way: give us good, old fashioned Holy Ghost lungs and make us all clean grit unto godliness!" Then a third brother would cry out "Amen! glory! more glory! Come now, all you that want to be made clean, get down into the dust, every one of you, down, down." Then the young girls would huddle together, and drop down first on their knees, then roll over on their sides, then all ways, in the most singular state of confusion, to the great derangement of their head-dresses, and the peculiar peril of their petticoats. Then ensued a scene of the wildest description! Order, regularity, decency, modesty, all were set at defiance. This appeared to be the grand reliance for the godly to convert sinners unto salvation; and never did wild devils and maniacs in a madhouse ever make greater efforts to drive young and weak-minded people perfectly crazy. At these private praying spells, (which occurred promiscuously all round the camp, during the intervals of worship,) the preachers appeared not at all to interfere. Those who prayed acted without any concert; sometimes two or three going with a full head of steam on at one and the same time; and besides these at least a dozen throwing in their interjections of "Glory," "Hallelujah," " Mercy," "I see Jesus," ," "Here comes the Saviour."

Every thing was admirably arranged to alternate during the day. First a dose of cold water, then a dose of prayer, then a dose of singing, then a meal of victuals, then more praying and preaching, then more worldly food, then more spiritual food, and so on till night, and then all lay down in the straw.

Such is the routine and daily duties of each day at a camp meeting. The first thing in the morning,-wash, pray, sing, prepare breakfast, pray, sing, and eat, and then sing and pray till ten o'clock; and as all cannot eat at once, some are praying and some are singing, and some are eating all the time, from dawn till ten o'clock. Preaching commences then, during which time all eating is stopped in the tents of the godly; the public worship lasts till noon. Then all rush to the feeding cribs; those that are shut out

of the first table pray till their turn to eat comes, and so on till all are served. Then they go at it for praying and singing till two; at two public worship begins and lasts till four; after this, till early candle-light, the greatest fun and folly take place. Then the shouting and yelling, and raving, and cries of "Glory," " Hallelujah," are heard at the highest. Then the brothers and sisters mingle together in most admired disorder, and then comes the fainting and revival and salvation of sinners by the dozen.

Towards morning they all formed like soldiers, and marched round the camp, singing in the most sublime manner, and after breakfast struck their tents and went home rejoicing. The last I heard of this meeting was two pious negroes singing:

"Oh! old Sukey Ross she keeps good rum,

And I wish to God that I had some," &c., &c. Observations. We must, as rational and accountable beings, as good citizens, and lovers of decency and decorum, condemn many of the scenes which occurred in connexion with the late Camp Meeting. There are scenes detailed above that would cause the chief actors in them to be arrested in this city for disturbing the public peace. At the public preaching all was well conducted, though the talent displayed in preaching was of the most ordinary description. We never heard so many men speak so little to the purpose during five consecutive days. But during the preaching, many of the poor deluded, half crazy fanatics were yelling and screaming and disturbing the bulk of the congregation who were orderly, quiet, attentive, and well be haved; and deserving of praise, at least for the sincerity of their intentions, if not for any thing else.

We might multiply instances in which absurdity, folly, and vice, seemed to bear uncontrollable sway at this Camp Meeting, but one or two will suffice. We would rather pity than condemn the follies of our fellow creatures. But when we saw notorious pickpockets in the act of prayer, surrounded by a score of beautiful and innocent girls; when we saw a notorious blackleg and gambler exhorting sinners to repent; ignorant scoundrels attempting to teach the truths of the blessed gospel which they were unable to read; play actors, usurers, and extortioners, descanting upon the beauty of holiness and the blessings of charity and benevolence; and heartless vagabonds praying professedly to the Giver of all good, whose existence they would afterwards deny, and mocking their Maker with a solemn sound upon a thoughtless tongue; when we saw all this, and all of it we did see, we should be unworthy the name and form of humanity, if we did not use our utmost exertions to put a stop to this wholesale and horrible system of blasphemy and iniquity.

Wesley and Whitfield were very extraordi