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While Edward was yet speaking, a ghastly paleness overspread

tion of the cloisters, whose perspec
tive, as seen by the dreary light of
the lamp, had a singularly awful
effect, and then ascending some
steps, entered what is called the
dormitory, and which was carried
over this part of the abbey to a
considerable distance. Here in
two small chambers, where the
roof remained sufficie. tly entire,
were a couple of beds, and a small
quantity of neat furniture, and here
the stranger pausing invited Ed-
"These rooms,"
ward to enter.
observed he, "are my occasional
habitation for at least twice a week
during the night; but before I
commence the melancholy nara~
tive of my crimes and sufferings,
I will endeavour to recall your re-
collection to your companion in
arms upon the continent; for this
I will retire for a few
purpose
minutes, and put on the dress I u-
Isually come hither in, the habit
you now see upon me, being mere-

the countenance of the elder stranger; it was momentary, however, for soon resuming his tranquility, he addressed Courtenay in a low, but firm tone of voice. "1 am sorry, Sir," said he, "to have occasioned by my partial residence here so much apprehension among the inhabitants of your village, but as I have reasons for wishing concealment, at least for a time, I have thought it necessary, though acquainted with their fears, not to undeceive them. But with you I know already I can have no motives for disguise, for though from great change of feature, brought on by deep sorrow, and great change of apparel, I have hitherto escaped your recognition, and will find by and by that we were formerly better acquainted. In the mean time, I will conduct you to the spot we inhabit, where, should you wish for an explanation of the extraordi-ly assumed, after reaching this

nary scenes you have been a spectator of this night, the recital, tho'

it would cost me many struggles, shall be given you, and I do this, strange as it may now sound to you, actuated by the recollection of past friendship." Having said this, he and his beautiful partner, who had listened with almost as much surprise as Edward to an

place, as best suited to the situation of my mind, to the penetence and humiliation that await me here." His tone of speaking as he thus addressed Courtenay, was perceivably altered, being much more open and full than before, and brought to Edward's ear a voice he had been accustomed to, though he couldnot at the moment

address so unexpected, moved appropriate it to any individual of

slowly on, and Courtenay, occupied in fruitless conjecture followed in silence.

his acquaintance. During his absence his amiable companion, who had not perfectly recovered from the alarm into which she had been

They pissed along a large por- thrown by Courtenays intrusion,

sat silent and reserved, until Edward, observing some manuscript music in the room, ventured to enquire if the exquisite performance he had listened to with so much delight in the abbey, had not originated with her. A deep sigh at this question escaped her bosom and her eyes filled with tears, while in tremulous accents she replied, that owing to the great relief and support her brother experienced from music, she always accompanied him to this place, and that it was a source of the purest happiness to her to be thus able, through the medium of her harp and voice, to alleviate and soothe his sorrows. For this purpose the instrument was left at the abbey, and was placed in that part of the ruin where its tones were best heard, and produced the most pleasing effect: At this instant the door opening, the stranger entered clothed in a mourning military undress, and bearing a taper in his hand; he placed himself, the light gleaming steadily on his countenance, opposite Courtenay, who involuntarily started at his appearance. 'Do you not remember,' he exclaimed, the officer who was wounded by your side at the battle of Zurphen? My God! cried Edward, 'can it be Clifford?'

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.

The same, my friend, the same,' he replied, though affliction has anticipated on his features the characters of age. You behold, Courtenay, the most unfortunate, the most miserable of men, but let me not pain my sweet Caroline

by the recital of facts, which have wounded almost to dissolution, her tender heart-we will walk, my friend, into the abbey; its awful gloom will better suit the dreadful tale I have to unfold.' Saying this, and promising his sister to return in a few minutes, they descended into the cloisters, and from thence through the choir into the body of the church.

The tranquility of the night, and the light and refreshing breeze that yet lingered amid the ruin, and swept through its long withdrawn aisles, were unavailing to mitigate the agitation of Clifford, as with trembling footsteps he passed along the choir, 'Oh, my friend,' he exclaimed, the spirits of those I have injured hover near us! beneath that marble slab, my Courtenay, on which you saw me kneel with so much horror and remorse, repose the relics of a beloved wife, the most amiable of her sex, and who owes her death -God of mercy register not the deed, to the wild suggestions of my jealous frenzy.' While thus speaking, they hurried rapidly forward toward the western part of the abbey, and herc, Clifford, resuming more composure, proceeded in his narrative,

You may probably recollect, about a twelve month ago, my obtaining leave of the Earl of Leicester to visit England; I came my friend upon a fatal errand. I learnt, through the medium of an

officious relation, that my wife, my beloved Matilda, of whose af fection and accomplishments, you have frequently heard me speak with rapture, had attached herself to a young man who had visited in the neighborhood of my estate at C-a; but that she had lately removed for the summer months to a small house and farm I possess, within a mile or two of this abbey, and that here likewise she continued to receive the attentions of the young stranger. Fired by representations such as these, and rack. ed with cureless jealousy, I returned to England in disguise, and found the report of my relation the theme of common conversation in the country. It was on the evening of a fine summer's day, that I reached the hamlet of G

and with a trembling hand and

forward with my sword, I called upon the villain, as I then thought hin, to defend himself.-Shocked at the suddeness of the attack, and the wild impetuosity of my manner, Matilda fell insensible on the earth, and only recovered recollection at the moment when my sword had pierced the bosom of the stranger, thro' whose guard I had broken in the first fury of the assault. With shieks of agony and despair she sprang toward the murdered youth, and falling on his body, exclaimed, my brother, my dear, dear brother!'

(To be Concluded next weck.)

SELECTE D.

For the Lady's Miscellany.

palpitating heart, knocked at my Prom the FREEMASON'S MAGAZINE.

own door. The servants inform. ed me that Matilda had walked toward the abbey, I immediately took the same rout; the sun had set; and the grey tints of evening had wrapt every object in uniform repose; the moon however was rising, and in a short time silvered parts of the ruin and its

THE SOLDIER'S WIFE.

-Walden was playing on on his flute in a slow and pensive strain, when the mournful cries of a child and the complaining voice of a woman struck his ears.

'Oh! merciful God!"

neighboring trees. I placed my-exclaimed the poor creature, 'hear

self in the shadow of one of the buttresses, and had not waited long ere Matilda, my beautiful Matilda, appeared, leaning on the arm of the stranger. You may conceive the extreme agitation of my soul at a spectacle like this: unhappily revenge was, at the instant, the predominating emotion, & rushing

with compassion the moans of my unhappy babe!

Walden ceased to play: looking over the hedge, he surveyed the child with compassion, as the wo man lay on the grass to rest herself: he asked her in a soft voice, why the poor infant cried,

'He is hungry,' replied the woman, weeping bitterly, we have

loved him dearly. My own two little children I left with their

not had any thing to eat since yes-grandmother; and I sold every terday morning.'

Gracious God, since yesterday morning? wait here a few minutes, and I will return.'

He flew away with incredible swiftness and reappeared in a short time, with a bowl of milk and a small loaf, towards which the child stretched out his little arms; and the woman to whom he delivered them began to feed it.

(Sit down my good woman, and cat of it yourself,' said Walden, 'I will take care of your infant.? Placing himself onthe grass beside it be dipped a bit of the loaf in the milk, and patiently assisted his little famished charge.

The child looked up in his face and smiled: Walden pleased and affected at this intuitive mark of

gratitude, kissed itslitte forehead.

What is your occupation?' he asked the woman, who was eating with avidity; 'you are, I suppose, the mother of this little creature. Where do you live?

"No, it is not my own,' replied she; and I did not know his parents. I am the wife of a poor soldier, my worthy sir, and i have travelled from beyond Berlin a great way; my husband had been away from me three years, and I wanted to see him again for I

thing I did not absolutely want at little trifle of money. Accordinghome, that I might carry him a ly, I set out, and got to the end of my journey, just as my husband had marched with his corps, to drive a party of Austrians from some little village; so when it was all over, and they had done what they had been ordered, I ran to the place to meet him.

Here the poor woman burst in to tears ' And when I got there he was dying of his wounds; yet he knew me, and stretched out his hand, saying, 'Oh! Annette!-our children! These were his last words :--I tho't I should have died too; but God willed, for the sake of our little ones and this babe, that I should live. In the same house where my poor husband expired, was the wife of an Austrian soldier, who died two days afterwards, and left his babe, which no one upon earth seemed to care about. Almost all the village had been burned down and all the inhabitants had run away; so that when our soldiers marched, I begged them to take the poor child with them; but then, they said to me- What could we do with it? And that was very true: but, to let the child stay, and die with hunger, was impossible so I resolved to take it, let what would happen and I set out, to return to my own home, with the

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young thing in my arms. In my way I was weary enough; but I never met with any body that took compassion on me or my burden, so I walked on; but I fell sick as you may see by my looks, and spent the little money I had left; and then I sold my clothes and every thing I could spare--all went, except these poor rags: yet still I tho't, if I could but get home I should do very well. I am used to hard work; and I could even do for this little creatuc, who has nobody in the world to put a morsel of bread into its poor mouth; so I can't bear to let it starve !'

As she said this, she pressed the child to her bosom; and her tears dropped upon it as she repeated'If I was but able to work-or, I could but get enough to keep it till I reach my home!'

'Poor babe!' said Walden, 'poor, yet happy creature, who, in losing her who gave thee birth, found a second mother!---eyes that drop tears of pity on thy lot, and a heart that loves thee !-No, thou shalt not from hard necessity be deserted!'

Walden then wrote upon a leaf of his pocket-book the name of the moman, and that of the village where, she informed him she lived with her family; and, giving her a small sum of money, promised that he would remit the same to her every year.

her hand, which had never contained so much before, exclaimed --Oh! this is too much, worthy sir,'--and being desired to keep it, she added- we shall now be too rich, indeed!—our own little ones, and this one, and their grandmother, we shall all be rich!

"Good creature! exclaimed Walden with emotion, you are rich indeed, in a heart to which all other riches are dross to your humanity to this orphan will be better rewarded; but if this were my last crown, you should have it. -Hasten away, or I may be tempted to take the child, to have the pleasure of bringing it up, that it may love me as it will you.'

On hearing this the woman has tily pressed the infant to her bosom, and giving Walden a farewell benediction, pursued her journey with alacrity.

Ossian by one half of his English readers, is supposed to be a Scottish bard of ancient days; by the other he is esteemed the legitimate offspring of Macpherson's. own muse. But we are certain of his Irish origin from the testimony of tradition, from p:oofs of historic fact, and above all from the internal credences of the poems themselves, even as they are gi ven us by Mr. Micpherson.

We who are from our infancy taught to recite them, who bear the The woman holding the gold in appellations of tlci: het oos to this

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