miracles was past. After due care for the safety of the most precious fragments of the Circle, a sense of duty led us to inquire after the welfare of a later assembly.

We found it ready to resolve itself into disintegrated particles. Our powers of persuasion, however, prevailed upon them again to coalesce. Divers refreshments for the inner man appeared, and after some light-footed hours had passed away, we found ourselves again in the moonlight, which now smote level on church-tower and house-top, while darkness poured softly along the streets in a rising tide. A walk of uncertain duration, with delicious partings under dim porticos, closed our labors for the night. Then wending our way homeward, we and the sleepy stars shut our eyes till another eve.

That evening, X, true to his nature, became an unknown quantity, eliminating himself from his side of the table in our sanctum by a process unknown to Day. Feeling unbalanced, I strolled down street to the residence of a little dame in whom I felt somewhat interested. Unfortunately she was not in, but her mother assured me that she would return soon. So I awaited her coming, and listened to the gossip of the agreeable old lady. Among the rest she told me the story of a servant girl she once had. It so interested me that I will try to relate it, the more as it may afford a hint of character to some undeveloped Collegiate novelist.

The girl was an only child, and remained at home till she was seventeen or thereabout. Then she saw somebody whom she thought very handsome, noble, and all that, but, as happens sometimes, her father saw with his eyes, and through them things looked different, especially that particular thing which appeared to her as a man. But she liked him—in after years she said "she didn't love him much, she liked him—" and being a girl of spirit, said she must have him. They were married and went to Lowell to get work. The father sent his curse after them, and the mother a trunk of clothes. her youth. Wonder if all mothers do. From couple went to Boston and there the husband died. natural tears, of course, but did not die of grief as would have been proper. Shortly she married an Englishman, and with him went over the water to visit his ancestral domain. It turned out that he never

She remembered Lowell the young She dropped a few

had any, and they came back to Boston. On their return passage a baby was born-but she had no nourishment for it—and so the poor thing died—" starved to death as much as anything—” she said. They buried the baby in the deep-and one is tempted to say, better this than such a life as lay before it. They kept a saloon in the city,

to keep alive. Here she discovered that her husband was unfaithful to her, and fell upon him and beat him to a jelly. She "wished she had killed him." He disappeared, and she never saw him again. Then she turned to the "North Enders," and burnt eight buildings before she left the city. Then she wandered about the country seeking adventure-getting work as a nurse here and there, and frightening timid women out of their wits. While she was with the lady who told me the story-she showed her her arms-ridged with muscles like a man's, and covered with scars. The lady wondered how they came there. "Guess you wouldn't if you had seen me fight," she said. She was lithe and quick as a panther, and had dangerous eyes like such an animal.

By and by the little demoiselle returned, but I forgot her presence, thinking of that strange woman of whose life I had caught a glimpse. Her image flashed before me in dreams all night.

Thus passed our days and nights. Their scenes seem now like a dream, unquiet, and filled with a strange longing for something, I know not what, yet very pleasant.

I cannot pass over a series of odd surprise-parties which came off during that vacation. The mode of proceeding was for the half a score or so of students left in town, to make a raid of a few miles into the country, collect all the available damsels in the neighborhood, and make a descent upon some devoted housekeeper. As I know of no description of anything of the sort in print, I will endeavor to narrate the incidents of one which remains bright in memory. Perhaps my feeble lines may, in coming time, aid the historian to picture the manners of the age which is now passing.

It was about seven in the evening when our party set out for Pigwacket. This, kindly reader, is the name of that delightful district for which we were bound. There were five of us; two long-legged Missourians, a thin, dark-visaged man from Illinois, X and myself. A rapid walk of an hour brought us to the house of a classmate, which was the rendezvous. After we arrived, and some half a dozen more, those acquainted with the country were sent out on a foraging expedition. In the course of an hour and a half they returned laden with pretty plunder, which they deposited at the dwelling to be surprised, and returned to the rendezvous to acquaint the rest with their success. After taking a sip of excellent cider, we marched in solid phalanx to the depository of the aforesaid plunder. If ever a family of steady habits were surprised, that family was. The good man of the house had gone to bed, and his wife was sitting up with

her danghter, dutifully darning his stockings. Such blank astonishment as fell upon that poor lady, when our party of fifty noisy boys and girls inundated her house, never before was pictured on a mortal face. But there we were, and she must make the best of it. After the bustle of entrance there was a lull of suspense. In a short time the spirit began to move. A clothes line was found, and the lively play of Copenhagen was introduced. Then came slaps, bumps, and kisses-and such kisses! In political language they had the true ring to them. One-half the assembly had never before seen the other half, but that made it all the merrier. All hands entered into the sport with such zest and complete abandon that they speedily seemed like old acquaintances. By and by an amateur violinist began to tune up; but here was a trouble-no room to dance. Some enterprising genius, however, soon discovered an unfurnished apartment There was in it some pans of milk, some kegs of butter, and a spinning wheel. The milk and butter were carried up stairs without opposition, but at the moving of the spinning wheel the good wife was somewhat disturbed. She was sure it would be broken, and that her words might not prove untrue, the old thing very kindly tumbled to pieces of itself. First came a leg rattling down stairs, then the wheel slipped off and bounced down into the hall, and at last the whole concern tumbled over the banisters, greatly to the astonishment of various couples below in the dark.

But the dance began, Virginia reel to start with. (For the sake of the future historian I would say that this reel is not the reel so common among the Virginia chivalry of the day.) This first endeavor to trip the light fantastic toe proved a breakdown. Better success attended a cotillion. The derivation of this word might suggest an admirable sermon after the style of Dean Trench; and one wonders almost why the old fellow omitted it. Meanwhile, those who could not dance busied themselves in innocent flirtations. In a cosy corner of the kitchen a susceptible student and the daughter of the house were seated in contiguous proximity, trying to convince each other of the reality of material substance. A significant "Ahem, Ellen," caused the youth to look up and find the countenance of the maternal relative of his companion glowering over him in awful majesty. One look was enough, and he took the wings of the morning and fled away.

But we must leave minor details to the imagination of the reader. Suffice it to say, that after a parting smack all around, we saw the dear creatures safely to their respective domicils, and returned to the house of our friend. After being steeped in tobacco smoke, we sought

and found tired nature's sweet restorer, much to our satisfaction. This was the finale of the Pigwacket surprise party. There were many others of the same sort, but this will do for a specimen.

Among the memories of that vacation, is a hint for clearing the atmosphere, given in a sermon one Sunday. Said the minister, “The air is purer when the breath of a villain is stopped." This hint might, perhaps, be advantageously put in practice to-day.

"

I cannot refrain from speaking of a pleasant little incident which happened to us late one afternoon. Our study for the day was about finished when a knock sounded on the door. "Come in!" but nobody came in. X, being nearest the door and not having his feet on the mantel, rose and turned the latch. There appeared a great waiter, covered with all manner of goodies, and behind it stood the dear old maid who lived up stairs, bashfully asking if we liked such things. X assured her very warmly that we did, took the waiter, and she vanished. We showed our appreciation of her gift in the only possible mannerand felt great faith in the human race.

About this time the Heenan furor was abroad. News from England was looked for more anxiously than the news from Dixie now. Chum and I grew pugnacious, got a set of gloves, and had a daily set-to in the back yard. We also got a great bag of sand and hung it up in the shop. After bruising our fists upon it for a day or two, we concluded to let it alone. At last it fell down and split, and that Iwas the end of it.

Among the other notable incidents of the vacation, was a great fire. I happened to get in early that night, and congratulated myself upon a good sleep in prospect. I had just fairly got into a doze when the fire bell rang. For awhile it worked into my dream, but the racket increased and I woke up, dressed hastily and went out. Not far off I found three buildings in a blaze. A few men were carrying goods from a store, and an ancient machine was rumbling down the street. Chum I found among the busiest of the busy. He had arrived among the first, and found the doctor, the deacon, and the leather-dealer in consultation as to whether it would be best to break open the store, and carry out the goods. He decided it for them by smashing the door with a big stone, and the goods were saved. In such towns all the people turn out at a fire, somewhat to help but mostly to see. When a sufficient force appeared in the street, X and I made a reconnoissance in the rear. There we found a bridge of wood fast becoming a bridge of fire-and an ancient saw-mill which was also growing quite animated and fiery on the occasion. By the aid of some idlers

and buckets, the bridge was brought back to a sense of its wooden condition, and the ardor of the saw-mill was dampened to such an extent that he became quite black in the face about it. He seemed to think it a burning shame that he could not be permitted to have a flame as well as his neighbor. I am sorry to be obliged to mention here, that, while we were engaged with the saw-mill, a bucket got tight and turned a somerset from the roof, striking the cranium of a water-carrier below. The poor man turned pale and let his pail turn. It seemed a great relief to him when at last he put his hand carefully up and found his head on his shoulders.

After doing all that appeared needful, X and I determined to retire and be content with the laurels we had already won. When I got to a cool place I made a survey of myself and found that my garments, unlike those of Shadrach and his friends, had the smell of fire upon them. But the only loss I felt was that of my felt hat. Some sinful cinders had alighted thereupon and burned two great holes. I wandered about among the crowd trying to find an acquaintance, but I might as well have sought among the maskers of a Roman carnival. Each individual wore a fancy costume hastily extemporized for the occasion. With the aid of night and the glare of the flames, these operated as very effectual disguises. But in passing a yard I heard a familiar voice, and turning aside I found the little damsel before mentioned in these pages. She was enveloped in a huge shawl which she generously offered to share with me. As I was shivering, I did not refuse to come within her protection, and I will add that we were both much warmed in consequence.

We sat and watched the grog-shops fall in one after another. The fire pried into the cellars without a warrant, and proved himself an excellent search-officer. And when he found the barrels and demijohns, he leapt out through the ruins for joy, and shot up a spire of white flame far into the overhanging darkness. But at last he was satisfled and died out-and the crowd scattered to its homes. After a cup of coffee with my little friend, I went home and slept ten hours without a dream.

And so vacation vanished. We moved back to our club-room, the boys came back, and we fell into our old habits again. Pressed in an old memorandum is a tiny blue bud which a little, roguish, blackeyed witch shyly laid on my window-sill, one warm spring morning. This is the only tangible memorial left of the romance of those short weeks.

J. M. E.