The Patagonian Brothers.

'Because I have news to tell you. You know the 6th of August will be our last night here. Well, mate, on the 7th I'm going to be married, and

'How dare you come to me with that face, you smooth-faced hound!-to me, of all men living? Why can't you let me alone? What do you tempt me for? I've kept my hands off you till now.' He paused and bit his lip, and I saw that he was trembling from head to foot.

'Griffiths,' I said, are you mad?'

He made no answer, but looked straight at me, and then walked away. From that moment I knew all: it was written, somehow, in

his face.

"O Ally, dear!' I said to myself, and sat down on the nearest bench, and scarcely knew where I was or what I was doing.

I did not see him again till we met at the rehearsal, by which time I had recovered my composure; but I could see that Griffiths had been drinking. After rehearsal Mr. Bounce called us into his private room, and said,

'Patagonians! I suppose you would make no objection to a little extra work and extra pay on the 6th, just to wind up the season?'

'No, no, sir, not we!' replied Griffiths. We're ready for anything. Is it the flying business you spoke about the other day?'

Better than that. It's a new French feat that has never yet been done in this country: it's called "the trapeze." Patagonians! your health!'

We drank his health, in return; and he explained that there was to be an exhibition of posturing combined with a balloon ascent. A triangular wooden frame-work, called the trapeze,' was to be secured some distance below the balloon; and from the lower pole, or base, of this triangle one of us was to be suspended, with a strong leather strap attached to his ankle, in case of accident. Just as the balloon was rising, and this man ascending head downwards, the other was to catch him by the hands, and go up also, having, if he liked, some band or other to bind him to his companion. In this position we were to go through our usual performances till the balloon was out of sight.

'All this,' said Mr. Bounce, sounds much more dangerous than it really is. The motion of a balloon is so steady that, but for the knowledge of being above the house-tops, you will perform almost as comfortably as in the gardens. Besides, I am speaking to brave men, who know their business, and are not to be dashed by a trifle-hey, Patagonians!'

'I am ready, sir,' cried Griffiths. I'm ready to do it alone, if any man here is afraid to go with me!'

'If you mean that for me, John,' said I, quickly, 'I'm no more afraid than yourself; and if that's all about it I'll go up to-night.'

How shall I describe the expression that now came over his face? It seemed to curdle all the currents of my blood.

Mr. Bounce was pleased to find us so willing, and a few words more settled the matter.

Poor Ally! In the excitement I had forgotten her, but as I walked slowly homewards I remembered she must be told. Though I believed there was really no danger her fears would magnify everything. Neither

The Patagonian Brothers.

that day nor the next could I tell her, and it was Sunday, after dinner. before I could speak of it. I had no idea of her taking on as she did. It was a sore trial to her; and I was an inconsiderate idiot not to have thought of her feelings in the first instance. There was no help for it now, and I could only solemnly promise to be the first man tied to the trapeze, as the safest position of the two.

During the seven days that elapsed between the 29th and 6th, I saw even less of John Griffiths than usual.

I had hard matter to get away from Ally and from home, when the afternoon of the 6th arrived.

The multitude assembled in the gardens was something wonderful. The ascent was fixed for six o'clock, that we might come down again by daylight; so I made haste to dress and go to the green-room. Mr. Bounce was there, and three other gentlemen. I was going to draw back, as I saw them with their wine and cigars, but they forced me to take a glass, and shook hands with me all round, as polite as possible.

'Here's health and success to you, my brave fellow!' said one. 'And a pleasant trip to us all!' They were going in the car.

Excited by the glass of wine, the pleasant chat, and the hum of the crowd, 1 was in first-rate spirits. Presently one of the gentlemen said, looking at his watch,

'What are we waiting for? It's ten minutes past six, already!'

It was so; yet Griffiths had not appeared. Mr. Bounce grew uneasy, the crowd grew noisy, and so twenty minutes more passed. Then we made up our minds to go without him. Mr. Bounce addressed the crowd-the gentlemen got into the car-and I was fastened by one leg to the trapeze. Mr. Staines was about to get in, when Griffiths was seen forcing his way through the crowd.

By the time he was dressed and ready it was a quarter to seven. He looked very sullen when he found that he was to be the undermost, but was obliged to submit; so his left wrist and my right were bound together by a leathern strap. The signal was given; the band struck up-the crowd applauded-and the balloon rose.

Down sank the trees, the fountains, and the pavement of upturned faces. Down sank the roof of the theatre, and fainter grew the sounds and the tumult. At first I could scarcely endure the strange sensation, but that soon passed away; and by the time we had risen some 300 feet I was as comfortable as if born and bred in the air, with my head downwards.

Presently we began our performances. The gentlemen looked down from the car for a time, but soon gave it up. I never saw Griffiths cooler, and we went through all our tricks. As the city and the crowd sank away further and further, and it grew damp, misty, and cloudy about us, I called out,

Come, John, don't you think we might as well be getting into the car?'

He had been hanging quiet for some minutes, and did not seem to hear me; and no wonder, for the clouds were gathering about us so thickly, that I could hardly see a yard before me. I called again; he made no answer, but shifted his grasp from my hand to my wrist, and thence to the middle of my arm, and so raised himself by degrees till

The Patagonian Brothers.

our faces were nearly on a level; then he paused, and I felt his hot breath on my cheek.

'William Walder,' said he, 'wasn't to-morrow to have been your wedding-day?'

Something in the tone of his voice, in the question, in the dark and dreadful solitude, struck me with horror. I tried, but in vain, to shake off his hands.

'Well, what if it was?' said I, at last.

You needn't grip so hard. Catch hold of the pole, will you, and let go of my arms?'

He gave a short, hard laugh, but never stirred.

'I suppose we're about 2000 feet high,' he said; and it seemed to me he had something between his teeth. If either of us were to fall, he'd be a dead man before he touched the ground!'

I would have given worlds to see his face, but with my own head downwards, and all his weight hanging on my arms, I was helpless as an infant.

'John,' I roared, 'what do you mean? Catch hold of the pole, and let me do the same!-my head's on fire!'

'Do you see this?' said he, catching my arms high up, and looking right in my face. Do you see this?'

It was a large open clasp-knife between his teeth, and his breath seemed to hiss over the cold blade!

'I bought it this evening-hid it in my belt-and waited till the clouds prevented them in the car from seeing. I shall soon cut you away from the balloon! I took an oath that you should never have her, and I mean to keep it.'

A dimness came over my eyes-all turned red. I felt in another minute I should be insensible. He thought I was already so, let go my arms, and dashed at the pole.

That spring saved me. As our wrists were bound together, he drew me with him. I could have made no effort of my own.

I saw him hold by the pole with his left hand, and seize the knife with his right. I felt the cold steel pass between his wrist and mine, and then-ah, then!-the horror of the moment gave me back my strength, so that I clung to the framework just as the thing gave

way.

We were separated now-I still secured to the trapeze with one ankle-he, with only his arms to trust to, and the knife.

O the deadly strife that followed !-it sickens me to think of it. His only hope now lay in the cursed weapon with which he strove to stab me with one hand, while he clung with the other.

It was life or death now, and I grew desperate. To feel his murderous clutch upon my throat, and in the silence of that hideous struggle to hear the report of a champagne cork, followed by a peal of careless laughter overhead-oh, it was worse than death a hundred times over!

I cannot tell how long we clung thus, each with a hand on the other's throat. It might have been seconds-it seemed hours. The question was who should be strangled first.

Suddenly his grip relaxed-his lips became deadly white-a shudder ran through every fibre of his body. He had turned giddy!

A cry burst from him-a cry like nothing human. He made a

'Till He Come.'-On the Picture of The Christian Martyr.'

false clutch at the trapeze, and reeled over. I caught him, just in time, by the belt, round his waist.

'It's all over with me! It's all-over-with me! Take your revenge!' Then his head fell heavily back-he was a dead weight on my arm!

I did take my revenge: but it was hard work, and I was already half exhausted. How I contrived to hold him up, to unbind my foot, and to crawl so laden up the ropes, is more than I can tell; but my presence of mind never failed me an instant, and the excitement gave a sort of false strength, I suppose, while it lasted. At all events I did it, though I now only remember climbing over the basket-work and seeing the faces of the gentlemen all turned upon me, as I sank to the bottom of the car, scarcely more alive than the burthen in my arms. He is a penitent man now-an Australian settler, I am told; well to do in those parts.

This is my story-I have no more to tell.

'Till He Come.'

NLY a few more burdens must we carry,

In heat and toil, beneath the scorching sun;
Only a little longer must we tarry,

Only a little longer, till He come.'

Only a little more of life's long journey,

Through the world's desert, till the day is done;

Only a few more desert scenes of conflict,

Only a few more Marahs, 'till He come."'

Only a little longer, thinking gladly

Of the uprising of the brighter sun;

Only a little longer, waiting sadly,

In the fast-failing twilight, till He come.'

Only a few more billows, wildly tossing,

Beating us backward from the longed-for shore;

Only a few more snares our pathway crossing,

Then all the trials of the way are o'er.

So let our eyes be on Him in His absence,

Seeking to serve Him in this day of grace,

While the thought cheers us in our constant sadness,
Soon He will come and meet us face to face.

On the Picture of 'The Christian Martyr.'

ONE

NE of that throng art thou, O fair-haired maiden,
Who, safe through troubled life and martyr death,
Stand clothed in white, with palm-branch softly laden,
Sounding glad praises with their new-found breath?
Yes, thou hast come through greatest tribulation;
But all is over now, and we would dwell

Not on the darkly pictured recollection

Of thy sad death, and our more sad farewell,

But on thy welcome at the heavenly gate,

Where He Who loves thee more than father, friend, doth wait.

H. A. F.

A Bishop's Warning.

T this time, when the Bishops and Clergy of our National Church are doing their utmost to impress upon the people the dangers that arise from excess of drink, and the need and value of the Temperance movement, in case there should be any who still stand halting between two opinions on the question, we print the following quaint letter of Bishop Wilson's, written more than one hundred and thirty years ago, and when he was in his eighty-second year:—

'Bishop's Court,
'July 27, 1744.

'GOOD BROTHER,

'I understand that there are, of late, great quantitys of Brandy & other spirituous distilld liquors landed & to be landed amongst us; This, in all probability, will bring those most pernicious liquors, & the Drinks made of them, to their former low prices amongst us.

'Our duty, therefore, will oblige us to forewarn our younger People of the sad mischeifes which may attend their being tempted to tast them in any shape mix'd or unmixed, lest they fall in love with them unawares, and at last bring themselves to untimely ends, scores of Instances of which we have had amongst us within these few yeares.-I have, therefore, sent you a few little pieces proper to be put into the hands of such thoughtful young people as you may hope will profit by them.—This, with a little of yor good and serious advice, may, thro' the blessing of God, save many a soul from ruin.—And I hope every clergy man in the Diocise will take this occasion, in his Sunday Evening's Catechetical Lectures, to exhort both young and old, of the danger of coming within the Borders of this distructive Poyson, as they value the Health of their bodys, or the salvation of their soules.

'As for such as are already in the snare, there is little hopes of extricating them by this way. It must be a miracle of mercy & Providence, if they shall be reclaimed by any the severell methods, & brought to Repentance & Amendm' of Life. I am, yo' affect Friend and Brother,

'THO. SODOR & MAN.'

Opportunities of Usefulness.

HRISTIANS, whoever you are, whatever your sphere, whatever your gifts, whatever your station, God has a plan of life for you. More than this, He has a plan of useful life for you, a plan of doing good-certain occasions and opportunities of doing good, all mapped out for you in His eternal counsels. These occasions and opportunities are to arise day by day upon you as you pursue your beaten path of life, just as, while the globe turns round upon its axis, the sun in course of time rises upon DEAN GOULBURN. those parts of it which before were dark.