PETER KLAUS. Avarice; and then of those old earthly cones, And those stone heaps Egyptian, whose small doors And then of all the fierce and bitter fruit Bauldie Quech' became a person of consequence in Mucklebrowst, being made treasurer; and his name yet lives in its traditions for having kept the municipal moneys in a manner worthy of the most primitive ages of the world. His depositories were nothing less than two large jack-boots, which hung beside his fire- Sang at the morning's touch, like poetry; place; into one of which he threw all sums received, and into the other all his vouchers for payments. At the end of the year both were emptied and a balance struck, though it is reported that, as there was some deficiency in the debtor-boot, it was thought more prudent to transfer the trust to other hands; notwithstanding which, the ex-treasurer always asserted that it was the best way possible of keeping the accounts, since every one in his dwelling was of indubitable honesty, and "it saved a wheen hantle o' perplexing buiks and skarts o' writing." The good town also gave Rory Blare a new stand of pipes, by the first maker of his time, but they were never thought to be equal to those of St. Fillan; and to his dying hour he could never be prevailed upon to play the 'witching tune of "Whistle o'er the lave o't." POWER AND GENTLENESS. I've thought, at gentle and ungentle hour, Of ghastly castle, that eternally Holds its blind visage out to the lone sea; The creature makes, who listens while he sleeps, 1 See Casquet, vol. i. page 341. In his Sketches of Poetical Literature, D. M. Moir said: "With acute powers of conception, a sparkling and lively fancy, and a quaintly curious felicity of diction, the grand characteristic of Leigh Hunt's poetry is word-painting; and in this he is probably without a rival save in the last An American critic, and best productions of Keats." H. T. Tuckerman, says: "In the outset of his career his ambition was to excel as a bard. His principal success, however, seems to be in a certain vein of essay-writing, in which fancy and familiarity are delightfully combined. Still he has woven many rhymes that are not only sweet and cheerful, but possess a peculiar grace and merit of their own, besides illustrating some capital ideas relative to poetical diction and influence." And the bride-widowing sword; and the harsh bray I've thought of all this pride and all this pain, PETER KLAUS. A GERMAN LEGEND.1 Peter Klaus was a goatherd of Sittendorf, and tended his flocks in the Kyffhausen Mountains; here he was accustomed to let them rest every evening in a mead surrounded by an old wall, while he made his muster of them; but for some days he had remarked that one of his finest goats always disappeared some time after coming to this spot, and did not join the flock till late: watching her more attentively, he observed that she slipped 1 This legend will be interesting to the admirers of Washington Irving, as the source of his amusing story Rip Van Winkle.-See Casquet, vol i. page 69. recognized the mountain he had descended, for the Kyffhausen; the houses too, with their yards and gardens, were all familiar to him; and to the passing questions of a traveller, several boys replied by the name of Sittendorf. through an opening in the wall, upon which | under the influence of enchantment; still he he crept after the animal, and found her in a sort of cave, busily employed in gleaning the oat-grains that dropped down singly from the roof. He looked up, and shook his ears amidst the shower of corn that now fell down upon him, but with all his inquiry could discover nothing. At last he heard above the stamp and neighing of horses, from whose mangers it was probable the oats had fallen. Peter was yet standing in astonishment at the sound of horses in so unusual a place, when a boy appeared, who by signs, without speaking a word, desired him to follow. Accordingly he ascended a few steps and passed over a walled court into a hollow, closed in on all sides by lofty rocks, where a partial twilight shot through the over-spreading foliage of the shrubs. Here, upon a smooth, fresh lawn, he found twelve knights playing gravely at ninepins, and not one spoke a syllable; with equal silence Peter was installed in the office of setting up the nine-pins. At first he performed this duty with knees that knocked against each other, as he now and then stole a partial look at the long beards and slashed doublets of the noble knights. By degrees, however, custom gave him courage; he gazed on everything with firmer look, and at last even ventured to drink out of a bowl that stood near him, from which the wine exhaled a most delicious odour. The glowing juice made him feel as if re-animated, and whenever he found the least weariness he again drew fresh vigour from the inexhaustible goblet. Sleep at last overcame him. Upon waking, Peter found himself in the very same inclosed mead where he was wont to tell his herds. He rubbed his eyes, but could see no sign either of dog or goats, and was, besides, not a little astonished at the high grass, and shrubs, and trees which he had never before observed there. Not well know ing what to think, he continued his way over all the places that he had been accustomed to frequent with his goats, but nowhere could he find any traces of them; below him he saw Sittendorf, and at length, with hasty steps, he descended. The people whom he met before the village were all strangers to him; they had not the dress of his acquaintance, nor yet did they exactly speak their language, and, when he asked after his goats, all stared and touched their chins. At last he did the same almost involuntarily, and found his beard lengthened by a foot at least, upon which he began to conclude that himself and those about him were equally With increasing doubt he now walked through the village to his house: it was much decayed, and before it lay a strange goatherd's boy in a ragged frock, by whose side was a dog worn lank by age, that growled and snarled when he spoke to him. He then entered the cottage through an opening which had once been closed by a door; here too he found all so void and waste that he tottered out again at the back door as if intoxicated, and called his wife and children by their names; but none heard, none answered. In a short time women and children thronged around the stranger with the long hoary beard, and all, as if for a wager, joined in inquiring what he wanted. Before his own house to ask others after his wife, or children, or even of himself, seemed so strange that, to get rid of these querists, he mentioned the first name that occurred to him; "Kurt Steffen?" The by-standers looked at each other in silence, till at last an old woman said, "He has been in the churchyard these twelve years, and you'll not go there to-day." "Velten Meier?"-"Heaven rest his soul!” replied an ancient dame, leaning upon her crutch; "Heaven rest his soul! He has lain these fifteen years in the house that he will never leave." The goatherd shuddered, as in the last speaker he recognized his neighbour, who seemed to have suddenly grown old; but he had lost all desire for farther question. At this moment a brisk young woman pressed through the anxious gapers, carrying an infant in her arms, and leading by the hand a girl of about fourteen years old, all three the very image of his wife. With increasing surprise he asked her name: Maria!" "And your father's?"-"Peter Klaus! Heaven rest his soul! It is now twenty years since we sought him day and night on the Kyffhausen Mountains, when his flock returned without him; I was then but seven years old." All for a The goatherd could contain himself no longer; "I am Peter Klaus," he cried, “I am Peter Klaus, and none else," and he snatched the child from his daughter's arms. moment stood as if petrified, till at length one voice, and another, and another, exclaimed, "Yes, this is Peter Klaus! Welcome, neighbour!-welcome after twenty years!" THE WAY TO WEALTH. THE LUPRACAUN, OR FAIRY SHOEMAKER. (A RHYME FOR THE CHILDREN.) BY WILLIAM ALLINGHAM. Little Cowboy, what have you heard, Up on the lonely rath's1 green mound? Only the plaintive yellow bird2 Sighing in sultry fields around, Scarlet leather sewn together, Do you not catch the tiny clamour- Voice of the Lupracaun singing shrill As he merrily plies his trade? And a quarter in height. Man! I caught him at work one day, myself, In the castle-ditch where foxglove grows,-A wrinkled, wizen'd, and bearded elf, Spectacles stuck on his pointed nose, Silver buckles to his hose, Leather apron-shoe in his lap"Rip-rap, tip-tap, Tack-tack-too! (A grig skipp'd upon my cap, Brogues for his son,— He took a long pinch, look'd better pleased, Offer'd the box with a whimsical grace,Pouf! he flung the dust in my face, And, while I sneezed, Was goue! -From Fifty Modern Poems. You watch your cattle the summer day, How would you like to roll in your carriage, Sandals in the hall, White for a wedding-feast, Pink for a ball. This way, that way, So we make a shoe; Nine-and-ninety treasure crocks From times of old Full to the brim With gold! 1 "Rath," ancient earthen fort. THE WAY TO WEALTH. [Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., born in Boston, 17th January, 1706; died in Philadelphia, 17th April, 1790. Statesman, philosopher, and miscellaneous writer. Lord Brougham said that Franklin's name, "in one point of view, must be considered as standing higher than any of the others which illustrated the eighteenth century.' In statesmanship and philosophy he was equally distinguished, "and his efforts in each were sufficient to have made him greatly famous had he done nothing in the other." He was the youngest but two of seventeen children. He began his active career as a printer; he became President of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and in 1787 sat with Washington in the Federal Convention which framed the Constitution of the United States. His experiments proved that lightning and electricity are the same; he wrote numerous political, historical, scientific, and moral essays; he founded the institution which subsequently became the University of Pennsylvania, and he established various useful periodicals-amongst which was Poor Richard's Almanac. The following was one of his most successful popular essays; it was read by everybody, but of late it has been somewhat overlooked.] Courteous reader, I have heard that nothing gives an author so great pleasure as to find his works respectfully quoted by others. Judge, then, how much I must have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. stopped my horse lately where a great number of people were collected at an auction of mer I 2 "Yellow bird," the yellow-bunting or yorlin. chants' goods. The hour of the sale not being come, they were conversing on the badness of the times; and one of the company called to a plain, clean, old man, with white locks, "Pray, Father Abraham, what think you of the times? Will not these heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How shall we ever be able to pay them? What would you advise us to?" Father Abraham stood up and replied, "If you would have my advice, I will give it you in short; for A word to the wise is enough,' as Poor Richard says." They joined in desiring him to speak his mind, and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows. "Friends," said he, "the taxes are indeed very heavy, and, if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from these taxes the commissioners cannot ease or deliver us, by allowing an abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and something may be done for us; 'God helps them that help themselves,' as Poor Richard says. "I. It would be thought a hard government, that should tax its people one-tenth part of their time, to be employed in its service; but idleness taxes many of us much more; sloth, by bringing on diseases, absolutely shortens life. Sloth like rust, consumes faster than labour wears; while the used key is always bright' as Poor Richard says. 'But dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of,' as Poor Richard says. How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep, forgetting that 'The sleeping fox catches no poultry,' and that 'There will be sleeping enough in the grave,' as Poor Richard says. "If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be' as Poor Richard says, 'the greatest prodigality;' since, as he elsewhere tells us, 'Lost time is never found again; and what we call time enough, always proves little enough.' Let us then up and be doing, and doing to the purpose; so by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity. 'Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy;' and 'He that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night;" while ‘Laziness travels so slowly, that Poverty soon overtakes him. Drive thy business, let not that drive thee;' and 'Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,' as Poor Richard says. better times? We may make these times bet- One "Methinks I hear some of you say, 'Must a man afford himself no leisure?' I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says: Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure; and, since thou are not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour.' Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never; for 'A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. Many, without labour, would live by their wits only, but they break for want of stock;' whereas industry gives comfort, and plenty, and respect. Fly plea sures, and they will follow you. The diligent spinner has a large shift; and now I have a sheep and a cow, everybody bids me good mor "So what signifies wishing and hoping for row.' "II. But with our industry we must like- | perhaps, that a little tea, or a little punch now wise be steady, settled, and careful, and oversee our own affairs, with our own eyes, and not trust too much to others; for, as Poor Richard And again, The eye of a master will do more work than both his hands;' and again, Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge;' and again, Not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open.' Trusting too much to others' care is the ruin of many; for In the affairs of this world men are saved, not by faith, but by the want of it; but a man's own care is profitable; for, If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself. A little neglect may breed great mischief; for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy; all for want of a little care about a horse-shoe nail.' "III. So much for industry, my friends, and attention to one's own business; but to these we must add frugality, if we would make our industry more certainly successful. A man may, if he knows not how to save as he gets, keep his nose all his life to the grindstone and die not worth a groat at last. A fat kitchen makes a lean will;' and "Many estates are spent in the getting. Since women for tea forsook spinning and knitting, And men for punch forsook hewing and splitting.' 'If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as of getting. The Indies have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are greater than her incomes.' "Away then with your expensive follies, and you will not then have so much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families; for "Women and wine, game and deceit, Make the wealth small and the want great.' And further, 'What maintains one vice would bring up two children.' You may think, and then, diet a little more costly, clothes à little finer, and a little entertainment now and then, can be no great matter; but remember, Many a little makes a mickle.' Beware of little expenses; 'A small leak will sink a great ship,' as Poor Richard says; and again, Who dainties love, shall beggars prove;' and moreover, Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them.'. Here you are all got together at this sale of fineries and knick-knacks. You call them goods; but, if you do not take care, they will prove evils to some of you. You expect they will be sold cheap, and perhaps they may for less than they cost; but if you have no occasion for them, they must be dear to you. Remember what Poor Richard says: Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.' And again, 'At a great pennyworth pause a while.' He means, that perhaps the cheapness is apparent only and not real; or the bargain, by straitening thee in thy business, may do thee more harm than good. For in another place he says, 'Many have been ruined by buying good pennyworths.' Again, 'It is foolish to lay out money in a purchase of repentance;' and yet this folly is practised every day at auctions, for want of minding the Almanac. Many a one, for the sake of finery on the back, have gone with a hungry belly and half-starved their families. 'Silks and satins, scarlet and velvets, put out the kitchen fire,' as Poor Richard says. "These are not the necessaries of life; they can scarcely be called the conveniences; and yet, only because they look pretty, how many want to have them! By these, and other extravagances, the genteel are reduced to poverty, and forced to borrow of those whom they formerly despised, but who, through industry and frugality, have maintained their standing; in which case it appears plainly, that 'A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees,' as Poor Richard says. Perhaps they have had a small estate left them, which they knew not the getting of; they think, 'It is day and will never be night;' that a little to be spent out of so much is not worth minding; but Always taking out of the meal-tub and never putting in, soon comes to the bottom,' as Poor Richard says; and then, 'When the well is dry, they know the worth of water.' But this they might have known before, if they had taken his advice. If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some; for he that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing,' as Poor Richard anys; and indeed |