There was a great scraping of feet and kicking up of the dust; and at last Mr. Winkle, his arms being nearly pulled out of their sockets, fairly let go his hold. The horse paused, stared, shook his head, turned round, and quietly trotted home to Rochester, leaving Mr. Winkle and Mr. Pickwick gazing on each other with countenances of blank dismay. A rattling noise at a little distance attracted their attention. They looked up.

"Bless my soul!" exclaimed the agonized Mr. Pickwick, "there's the other horse running away!"

It was but too true. The animal was startled by the noise, and the reins were on his back. The result may be guessed. He tore off with the four-wheeled chaise behind him, and Mr. Tupman and Mr. Snodgrass in the four-wheeled chaise. The heat was a short one. Mr. Tupman threw himself into the hedge, Mr. Snodgrass followed his example, the horse dashed the four-wheeled chaise against a wooden bridge, separated the wheels from the body, and the bin from the perch; and finally stood stock still to gaze upon the ruin he had made.

The first care of the two unspilt friends was to extricate their unfortunate companions from their bed of quickset — a process which gave them the unspeakable satisfaction of discovering that they had sustained no injury beyond sundry rents in their garments, and various lacerations from the brambles. The next thing to be done was to unharness the horse. This complicated process having been accomplished, the party walked slowly forward, leading the horse among them, and abandoning the chaise to its fate.

An hour's walking brought the travelers to a road-side public house, with two elm trees, a horse trough and a sign-post in front; one or two deformed hayricks behind, a kitchen garden at

the side, and rotten sheds and moldering outhouses jumbled in strange confusion, all about it. A red-headed man was working in the garden, and to him Mr. Pickwick called lustily, "Hallo there!"

The red-headed man raised his body, shaded his eyes with his hand, and stared long and coolly at Mr. Pickwick and his companions.

"Hallo there!" repeated Mr. Pickwick.

"Hallo!" was the red-headed man's reply.

"How far is it to Dingley Dell?”

"Better er seven mile."

"Is it a good road?”

"No, t'aint." Having uttered this brief reply, and apparently satisfied himself with another scrutiny, the red-headed man resumed his work.

"We want to put this horse up here," said Mr. Pickwick; "I suppose we can, can't we?"

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“Want to put that ere horse up, do ee?" repeated the redheaded man, leaning on his spade.

"Of course," replied Mr. Pickwick, who by this time had advanced, horse in hand, to the garden rails.

"Missus!"-roared the man with the red head, emerging from the garden, and looking very hard at the horse - "Missus!"

A tall, bony woman in a coarse blue pelisse, with the waist an inch or two below her armpits, responded to the call.

"Can we put this horse up here, my good woman?” said Mr. Tupman, advancing, and speaking in his most seductive tones. The woman looked very hard at the whole party; and the redheaded man whispered something in her ear.

"No," replied the woman, after a little consideration, “I'm afeered on it.”

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'Afraid!" exclaimed Mr. Pickwick. "What's the woman afraid of?"

"It got us into trouble last time," said the woman, turning into the house; "I woan't have nothin' to say to 'un."

"Most extraordinary thing I ever met with in my life," said the astonished Mr. Pickwick.

“I— I — really believe," whispered Mr. Winkle, as his friends gathered round him, "that they think we have come by this horse in some dishonest manner."

"What!" exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, in a storm of indignation. Mr. Winkle modestly repeated his suggestion.

"Hallo, you fellow!" said the angry Mr. Pickwick. "Do you think we stole this horse?"

"I'm sure you did," replied the red-headed man, with a grin that agitated his countenance from one auricular organ to the other. Saying which, he turned into the house, and banged the door after him.

"It's like a dream," - ejaculated Mr. Pickwick, "a hideous dream. The idea of a man's walking about, all day, with a dreadful horse that he can't get rid of?" The depressed Pickwickians turned moodily away, with the tall quadruped, for which they felt the most unmitigated disgust, following slowly at their heels.

It was late in the afternoon when the four friends and their fourfooted companion turned into the lane leading to Manor Farm.

DICKENS.

Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control,
These three alone lead life to sovereign power.

TENNYSON.

A LETTER TO WASHINGTON FROM LA FAYETTE.

"MY DEAR GENERAL:

"If you were such a mañ as Cæsar or as the king of Prussia, I should have been much grieved for you to behold the grand tragedy terminated, in which you have played a great rôle. But I congratulate myself with my dear general, over this peace which has accomplished all our wishes.

"Recall to your mind our times at Valley Forge, and let the remembrance of those past dangers and afflictions add greater joy to the happiness of our present situation. What sentiments of pride and satisfaction I feel in pondering upon the circumstances which determined my engagement in the cause of America! As for you, my dear General, one can truly say that is all your good and virtuous heart, in this happy moment which establishes and which crowns the revolution which you have made.

"I feel that every one will envy the happiness of my descendants, as they cherish and honor your name. To have had one of their ancestors amongst your soldiers, to know that he had the happy fortune to be the friend of your heart will be an eternal honor in which they will glory; and I shall bequeath to the eldest amongst them, down to the latest of my posterity, the favor which you have been willing to confer upon my son George.

"I was intending to go to America with the news of the peace. You know me too well, my dear General, not to judge of the pleasure which I felt in advance, at the hope of embracing you and being reunited to my companions in arms. Nothing could

please me so much as that delightful prospect; but I have been suddenly forced to change the execution of my favorite plan, and so I have had at last the happiness of receiving a letter from you; I know that you will approve of my prolonging my absence for political motives.

“And the army, my dear General! What is to be its future? If it is otherwise, I shall be very unhappy. Our part of the army, will they remain united? If not I hope that we shall not lose our noble titles as officers and soldiers of the American army and that in a time of danger we can be recalled from all corners of the world, and reunited for the defence of a country which has been so heroically saved.

"I am anxious to know the measure which will be taken. Truly I count upon your kindness to write me a very detailed letter, not only in the public interests, but also because I have the desire to be informed of all that which concerns you personally.

"Adieu! adieu, my dear General. If the Spaniards had common sense I should have been spared this wretched journey to Madrid, but I am called there by a duty to America.

"Let us return at present to our affairs; for I will urge you to return to France with me. The best way to arrange it will be for Madame Washington to accompany you. She will render Madame de La Fayette and myself perfectly happy. I pray your excellency to offer my compliments to Tilghman, to George, to all the staff. Remember me to all my friends in the army. Have the kindness to speak to your respected mother, I wish her happiness, with all my soul. Adieu, yet once more, my dear General, with all the sentiments, etc."