The cockney struck fair and plump beside the wheel-house, very near me, and, in his horror and amazement, would have floundered into the water, from the inclining as well as wet and slippery deck, had I not sprung to him and afforded him assistance.

I got him shortly to his feet, though I lost my umbrella in the effort; for the wind that had been striving with me so long, took advantage of my humanity, and while I was engrossed by my good offices, struck it from my hand, and launched it in the water, an eighth of a mile distant, whirling it over and over in its triumph. In spite of this misfortune, I could scarcely restrain my laughter at his ridiculous appearance. The dirt upon the deck had, of course, adhered to, and the water saturated, every part of him that had come in contact with it, which included every prominent portion of his system; and his hat, which had come violently in collision with a beam, was dicrously curtailed of its fair proportions by the condensing jam.

"Vell, hif this 'ere hisn't," said he, dolefully, lifting either arm successively, and surveying himself before and behind-"'Ows'ever, I'm werry much hobleeged to ye, for 'elpin' me, mister. Oh, my 'ow it pours! I'm werry wet, and I'll 'urry below. Oh, my, vot a state I am hin!"

Some servants of the boat had by this time removed his luggage to place it under shelter, and I followed him into the cabin, wherein a bright Lehigh fire, in a tall Nott's stove, communicated a gratifying warmth to my half-torpid frame. My cockney friend speedily disappeared behind the berth-curtains with a travelling bag, and joined me after a short time, with his sorry appearance materially renovated.

"Hare you werry sure this 'ere cap'n's a careful man?" he asked as we seated ourselves by a table in conversation. "I'as a mortal 'orror o' these 'ere steam wessels; acause the cap'ns hin this 'ere country is so werry wentersome."

I assured him that he had no cause to fear, and all went well until we reached Newport, where it had been concluded by the officers to lie-to, at least till after midnight, as the storm was too violent to excuse a venture round Point Judith. The thundering sound which accompanies the blowing off of the steam, made our cockney start to his feet and turn wofully pale, as he faintly gasped, “Oh, my, vot's to pay now? Isn't ve blowin' hup?" and justified his previous admission of the fear which he entertained. My explanations calmed his perturbation, and we re-commenced our conversation, which lasted until bed-time; in the course of which I learned that his name was John Todsley, of the Strand, London, Haberdasher, on a tour of pleasure in the United States.

Bidding him adieu for the night, I "turned in" to my berth, which was in the middle range, and directly abreast of the stove. After an examination of his number, and a search among the berths, my friend Todsley found his twoand-a-half-by-six receptacle to be directly beneath my own, With a remark, intended to be very facetious, upon the fates which brought us together, he divested himself of his coat only, donned a white night-cap, and clumsily laid himself down. He was not destined, however, to obtain repose so easily. A moment or two brought the steward and a brace of servants to his side. "Hollo, my friend," cried the steward, "you must rouse out!"

Vy vot's to pay," cried Todsley, thrusting the nightcap out of the berth, with his head in it.

"Come out, and I'll tell ye," replied the steward.

"Vell now, this 'ere's werry hunreasonable conduct, sir, to disturb a gem

man harter 'e's laid down, hand give no hexplanation vot hit's for―werry, hindeed! I sha'nt do no such thing, sir!" and thereupon, Todsley pulled up his night-cap, and placed his head on the pillow in extreme indignation. At this, a servant held up to his vision, a framed placard, to the effect that "Gentlemen are requested not to get into their berths with their boots on." ،، Look at this, and I guess you'll know what you must get out for," cried the steward.

Again the night-cap was protruded. "I've read that 'ere, sir, an' it haint nothin' to do vith me, hany 'ow, acause I vears shoes!" and Todsley thrust out one leg, to the extremity of which, covered, indeed, by a shoe, he appealed in proof of its exemption from the requisition of the placard. A laugh from the neighbouring berths, which greeted his reply, somewhat vexed the steward, who seized the offending shoes, and pulled them off without consulting Mr. Todsley's views upon such summary conduct. Todsley offered no resistance, however, and contented himself, after the retirement of his tormentors, by muttering himself to sleep.

I was awakened, at what hour of the night I know not, by the preparations for departure. The disturbing sounds had evidently alarmed Todsley, for a faint "Oh, my!" frequently issued from his berth, and now and then the white night-cap bobbed up, as its owner took a survey of the premises. The ringing of the bell and splash of the wheels, in starting, discomposed him sufficiently to make him leap to the floor, but finding all still in the cabin, he “turned in" again. There was no sleeping more. The increased rolling of the boat heralded our approach to the point; and finally, the guards were plunged in the water with every fierce wave, while the timbers creaked ominously. Todsley was evidently growing desperate with fear. The night-cap bobbed out and bobbed in again every two minutes, and I heard him talking to himself all the time; although I could not distinguish what he said. At length, a desperate lurch threw several sleepers from their berths, on the opposite side, and terrified all. I started up, and as I was about to descend to the floor, a second careening proved too violent for the gravity of the tall stove, which slid along some feet towards us, all glowing hot as it was, and then was falling directly upon us! Todsley had got well out, with the exception of one leg; and with more self-possession than I should have given him credit for, he grasped the poker which lay by him, and thrusting it against the stove, using his leg for a brace, upheld it by main force. Then his terror found free vent.

"Illo, 'ere! 'Elp! 'elp! Vy doesn't ye come? Ve're burnin' hup! 'elp'elp!" The rolling of the boat after the wave had passed, restored the stove to a perpendicular position; and Todsley dropping the poker, grasped his coat and shoes, and hastened to a securer situation, which example I was by no means negligent to imitate. Hurrying on my clothes, I ascended to the deck,where all who were not prostrate with sickness, had congregated. It appeared that the boat had broached round into the trough of the sea, and that our danger had been imminent. The aspect of the waters was terrible to look upon, and while I gazed in awe and admiration on the huge and white-crested waves, a shaking hand was laid upon my arm. I turned, and lo! there was Todsley, livid, and quaking with horror, the white night-cap, which he had forgotten to dislodge, still surmounting his globular cranium.

“Ve is lost now!" he cried, in a hardly audible voice, half interrogatory, half exclamatorv. I could not offer him much consolation, for my own fears

were excited; and shortly after, I descended to the cabin. Todsley followed, and through the remainder of the night, adhered to my side with almost childish trust in my companionship. His misery was too intense to be any longer a source of amusement. He seemed, at times, to be devoting thoughts which he presumed to be last ones, to his distant friends; for I heard him, now and then, utter a name, with endearing epithets. Every frequent plunge of the guards, in the meantime, elicited an "Oh, my!" of agony, and sometimes a stifled sob. Day dawned, and we were in smoother water, off Stonington, to which, the nearest harbour, our course had been directed for security. We lay therein until the afternoon, and then an attempt was made to resume our course. We braved the violence of wind and wave until far into the night, but the courage the officers became exhausted, as well as the stock of wood-forcing them to put about into New London, to reach which, required the consumption, as firewood, of every practicable article. We reached that port somewhat before daylight, on Sunday morning.

Sunrise brought a change of wind, and a cessation to the storm, and by nine o'clock, with a replenished stock of wood, we once more turned our prow NewYork-ward. Todsley had all this time said very little. He showed the strongest symptoms of the continued possession of his faculties, when he discovered, on Saturday afternoon, some fifteen or twenty life-preservers strung upon a pole.

man.

"Vots them 'ere ?" he asked, forgetting his anxiety in a spasm of curiosity. I explained to him the intent of those articles, so interesting to the drowning A smile of satisfaction lighted up his countenance at the information; and somewhat composed in mind at the propinquity of this resource in case of danger, he went to his berth, to refresh his nature, exhausted by long watching and mental distress. The majority of the passengers, equally wearied, were sunk in the oblivion of sleep.

For myself, being acquainted with the captain, I went to the wheel-house, and while engaged in conversation with him, a clergyman, a passenger, came to the door, and suggested that as there might be those on board who would be pleased to attend divine services, if they knew that a clergyman was among them, desired that notice might be given to that effect. The captain readily complied, and gave orders to the steward, to arrange accordingly. I stood on the cabin stairs with him, as he merrily jingled his bell, and shouted “Divine services will now be attended in the saloon!" The effect of this announcement had not been anticipated. But this one idea seemed to possess all simultaneously, that we had sprung a leak, or burst the boiler, or that some mischance of equal devastation had occurred, and that these divine services were in the light of "extreme unction"-prayers that Heaven would have mercy on their souls, halting on the verge of eternity! The words had no sooner left the steward's mouth, than from every berth jumped a miserable wretch, and without a thought of his lack of attire, in his extremity of fear, rushed amid shrieks and yells, to the stairs. I instantly appreciated the terrible error, and escaped to the deck; but the poor steward, dumb and rivetted to the spot with amazement, was knocked over and trampled upon by the eager throng. Attaining the deck, some ran wildly to and fro; while others, possessing a degree of self-possession, dashed into the ladies' cabin, shouting aloud the name of wife, sister, or child. The alarm was thus communicated to the females, of whom there were a goodly number, and who, rendered equally careless in the abandonment of fear, poured out upon

the deck in night attire, their countenances blanched with affright. I was too much disconcerted for a time, by the general phrenzy, to explain matters; and when I recovered myself, and was about to speak to those around me, a sight struck upon my eyes, that made me laugh outright. There was Todsley, with every one of the fifteen or twenty life-preservers girded about him, and not a solitary one of them inflated, skulking in a corner for fear of being seen and robbed of his treasures. But his precaution was vain. The negro wench, who officiated as a chamber maid, and who was of enormous bulk, espied him, and darting upon him, commenced a direful struggle. Encumbered with the lifepreservers, Todsley could not offer effectual resistance, and soon measured his length upon the deck, the negress falling plump upon him. There they lay, rolling over and over in the continued conflict, Todsley holding fast upon his possessions and kicking and thumping, while the black pulled, scratched, and tore. The smiling faces, and explanatory words of the crew and myself, who now mingled with the half-naked crowd, gradually brought them to their senses; and as they severally detected their semi-nudity, and the peculiar intermingling of the sexes, males and females retreated blushing to their cabins. I could not persuade Todsley to divest himself of his life-preservers under half an hour. It was all irresistibly ludicrous.

I know not what has become of Todsley. Perhaps he has safely regained his native land, and is now pursuing his vocation, exulting over his "'air-breadth scapes, and 'orrid wentures." Wherever he is, success to him, for the remembrance of him has been to me a never-ending fund of amusement.

FABLES.

BY ISAAC CLARKE PRAY.

THE POOL AND CASCADE.

"WHAT makes you shiver so?" said a bright little cascade that was leaping and dancing in the air, "your form is all wrinkled, and the wind moves you at its will. As for me, I am so strong that its efforts are powerless!"

"Perhaps," doubtingly replied the pool. "I know that I am liable to be affected by the other more powerful ministers of earth; I am confident that I cannot always be a mirror in which you can behold yourself. I know that I am changeable, but there are those who love to see my changes; and do you think that I must always be below you here to give you beauty? No! Our mother, earth, sends forth the wind upon me, to break the mirror in which you are reflected; and when it comes, it may be a punishment for your haughtiness. I do not feel injured-I do not complain. It is you, babbling cascade!"

The little cascade shrank toward the earth, as though abashed by the reproof; and again, having recovered its haughty demeanour, danced and splashed as though nothing had happened.

Though we suppose our rivals may be receiving an injury, and be inclined to boast of our own strength, and to taunt others with weakness, yet it may be often discovered that, in fact, we are the persons who have the most reason to complain.

THE SQUIRREL AND HIS MORNING VISITOR.

One glorious morning in spring, as I stood upon the summit of a high hill that commanded a view of the surrounding country, I heard at a little distance from me the chirp of a squirrel; and on examination discovered that this companion and brother of the grey gentlefolks of the woods, was in close conversation with an animal which, after observation somewhat minute, proved to be a hedge-hog.

"Wisp-wisp," squalled the squirrel, “thou clumsy hedge-hog, come not here to disturb me when I am disposing of my breakfast. Hie thee, old fellow, to yon turnip-field or cabbage-yard, and stir thy lazy self before the farmer is up to shoot thee. Begone! thy room is better than thy company."

Ay, ay," growled the hedge-hog, "Thou shouldst not talk to thy betters, thus; safer would it be for thee to hold thy tongue. Instead of sitting so erect and wise on that tree, thou shouldst come down and place thyself in the shade-the sunshine may make thee a victim."

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Begone! I say," ejaculated the squirrel, "thinkest thou that I am to lose the warmth of this sunshine while thou keepest thyself there in thy hole-afraid to put thy head out through fear? No, silly hedge-hog, I shall keep in the sunshine as long as I please to do so; and thou, vagabond, mayest go down into thy hole." At this speech the hedge-hog drew in his head and left the squirrel to his breakfasting.

Presently I saw the farmer's son, stealing along the hedge, and up the hill; and soon the report of his gun, brought me where he stood. He was turning over the squirrel in his hands, whose blood poured out from the shot wounds over his silvery, grey skin, and white breast; and tn his death struggle he closed his teeth together on the utterance "Fool," which he applied to himself. I passed on, and said to myself, "how many there are that are ruined forever by proudly pressing, whenever an opportunity occurs, into the sunshine! Let me, at least, live in the shade."

THE HYSTORIE OF HAMBLET.

J. PAYNE COLLIER, the antiquarian, has recently undertaken the publication of the series of old tracts, out of which Shakespeare, who drew from the commonest, most familiar materials, obtained the plots of his plays. In itself, the collection is a very interesting one, for the tracts have often no little original merit of their own, being the productions of such clever wits, in their times, as Lodge, Lily, Greene, and others. As illustrations of the genius of Shakespeare, they are invaluable; they show with what facility he wrought, how his lofty mind disdained the low and vulgar, and transmuted the basest earthy particles into pure gold and gems. The best of these original works exhibit only the better genius of the dramatist; they are valuable, curious productions, to be shown as the stepping-stones of the giant's causeway, the landmarks on which the great intellectual hero crossed the vast ocean of thought. As a rare picture of the popular reading of the age, and as a tribute to the genius of Shakespeare, showing what material he wrought upon, we will briefly follow the incidents of the old "Hystorie of Hamblet." It is a translation from a collection of tragical histories in French, by Belleforest, and for which there is an older authority, in the Danish historian, Saxo Grammaticus.