"The ruin'd spendthrift, now no longer proud, "Claim'd kindred there, and had his claims allow'd; "The broken soldier, kindly bade to stay,

"Sat by his fire, and talk'd the night away,

66 Wept o'cr his wounds, or tales of sorrow done, "Shoulder'd his crutch, and shew'd how fields were

66 won.

"Pleas'd with his guests, the good man learn'd to glow, "And quite forgot their vices in their woe; "Careless their merits or their faults to scan, "His pity gave ere charity began.

"Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride, "And ev❜n his failings lean'd to virtue's side; "But in his duty prompt at every call,

;

"He watch'd and wept, he pray'd and felt, for all. "And, as a bird each fond endearment tries, "To tempt her new-fledg'd offspring to the skies "He try'd each art, reprov'd each dull delay, "Allur'd to brighter worlds, and led the way. "Beside the bed where parting life was laid, "And sorrow, guilt, and pain, by turns dismay'd, "The rev'rend champion stood. At his controul, "Despair and anguish fled the struggling soul; "Comfort came down, the trembling wretch to raise, "And his last fault'ring accents whisper'd praise."

I arose on his entrance, and he bowed with pro found respect; at the same time approaching me and taking me by the hand, insisted upon my going with him immediately to his house, which

was hard by much pleased with the unaffected

urbanity of this worthy pastor, I accepted his in1 vitation with gratitude, and we proceeded towards his house, which was situated close to the church, surrounded by trees.

At a small distance from it, we arrived at an old broken-down gate, that opened into a broad walk leading to the building, through an avenue of majestic oaks, which appeared coeval with the large and gloomy mansion, that had already stood the shock of two centuries.

The moon had now reached an elevated situation in the heavens, and hung like a beautiful lamp suspended in the blue expanse immediately over the Gothic archway, that was formed by the broad extending arms of the trees entwining their branches over our heads, through which she darted her pale beams, and threw their varied. shadows on the walk before us; whilst the quiet solitude of the place was disturbed only by the rustling noise our steps occasioned amongst the dead leaves with which our pathway was plentifully bestrewed, and the hollow hootings of an owl, that wheeled her airy flight around the neighbouring steeple, whose clock was then telling the tenth hour. We arrived at a long

:

flight of steps leading up to the hall-door, at which my new host knocked for admittance, but no one came he repeated it again and again, with additional vehemence, without the desired effect; but, as he was raising the knocker the fourth time, an old woman, bent down by a heavy load of years, came limping up to us, nearly out of breath, saying, Lord bless us, master, what do you think? why, here's been that poor strange crazy lady I told you of; she has been wandering about the church-yard, moping and groaning, and singing sad ditties, that would have made your heart ache to have heard; and I hope you won't be angry with me for going out to watch her, tho'f she was too nimble for me, for she darted by the old yew-tree at our back-door, and there I missed her; I hope to God she has'nt got into the house, for if she has I shall be frigh.'ned out of my wits all night long. Come, come,' said my host, open the door for us; you are perpetually talking about a person no one has seen but yourself.' 'Well, well,' returned the old woman, since you won't believe me, I must e'en let it pass, tho'f God knows it's too true.' With this pathetic speech, the anxious old lady opened the door; but I did not disregard her words,

as my host appeared to do; the mysterious relation excited my curiosity, and I was determined, if opportunity offered, to question her further concerning this apparently strange affair. We were now admitted into a spacious hall, hung round with the family portraits of persons, whose names, partaking with the nature of their bodies, had, long ago, rotted in oblivion. The old woman conducted us into an oak-wainscoted parlour, on the right of this ghostly-looking hall, in which was a most comfortable fire, whose cheerful blaze contributed not a little to raise my spirits; and here a cloth was spread for supper.

My kind host pressed me much to partake with him; but, as I had already supped, I contented myself with looking over some books that were lying in the window-seat, until the meal was over, when we drew our chairs to the fire and commenced a most agreeable conversation, in which I requested that he would favour me with some account of the deceased lady, who had been interred that evening, and whose fate had appeared to make so much impression upon the inhabitants of the village. I do not wonder,' said he, at your noticing the effect caused by the death of that much-beloved woman; and, although

THE WANDERER.

reciting the sufferings of a family I have so much loved and respected will awaken that grief I have, with so many struggles, lulled into a sullen repose, and open the newly-healed wounds of my heart; yet, I cannot refuse your request: you are still young, and, perhaps, unacquainted with many of the vices so prevalent in the present age; you may derive incalculable advantage from attending to the relation of a tale, which has often agonised my feelings, in a degree I conceived them unable to bear; but the story is long, and, with your permission, I will defer the recital until the morning.' I could not but assent to this protraction, although my curiosity was much increased by the delay.

The conversation now turned upon various subjects; amongst which, the antiquity of the house was canvassed, and the long period of servitude the old Mrs. Parsons had undergone in the family of the Beaumonts was likewise discussed, with many more subjects of the like nature, until the hour of withdrawing to rest arrived.

I was conducted to a room at the furthest extremity of the house, so large, that the glare of a single candle was not sufficient to illumine all the walls at the same moment; but one end remained