huntsman. Caleb here was his nephew, and helped him as a boy with the dogs, and moreover is the grandest liar we have in these parts. He's sitting up with the horse, so we'll call him and make him give you a specimen, before we turn in. Caleb, these gentlemen want to hear about Uncle Jake's great Christmas fox-chase." "Lor me, Mar'se George, them ar' times done gone so long now, I most disremember all 'bout 'em."

see if the ole man's still at it. Well, sirs, I rode roun' till near midday when suddenly I sees a dog cross the road befo' me, then a whole string comes along, and I sees Jumper - Frolic Beauty, and the rest of them, you could 'most see through 'em they were so thin, and though they had their mouths open, and was tryin' to raise a bit of a fuss it warnt no manner o' use.

"I knew Uncle Jake warnt far behind "Why it's not six weeks since I caught and presently sho' nuff there was a rustyou telling it to those New York gentle-lin' in the wood, and he cum out right men in the stable; let's have it now with out any variations."

agin me, the miserablest sight you ever
seed. He didn't 'pear to notice me much
'cept just to slip off his horse and to git
on mine. I put the pone o' bread an' the
meat in his pocket, an' he went lopin' off
after the dogs on the colt.

"There wur no show fur me but to git home with the mar' who looked as tho' she'd drop dead in her tracks. I dursn't fool with no mo' horses, an' jes' quietly sot up for Uncle Jake that night, but durn me if it warnt for nothin', two o' the hounds cum sneakin' in 'bout sundown, but that wur all. Next mornin', I went to ole mar'se, the jedge, and he an' the company with him thote it a mighty good joke, and the biggest kind of a crowd started out to look for the chase. There wur nothin' left to hear, an' it wur about eleven o'clock he struck right in agin the whole gang, and I wur with him, or no one would believe, gen'l'mens, what I tell you now for, fo' God sar, the fox wur walkin', the hounds were walkin', an' old Fake on the colt were walkin' all within twenty steps of one another. Lord! you should ha' seen the ole jedge, I thote he'd a bust hisself with laughin'. He sent for a wagon an' put the fox, the hounds, and ole Jake inter it, and had 'em druv home. That's jes' as true, gen'l'mens, as I'm a livin' man."

'Well, gen'l'mens, it wur some fifteen or twenty years befo' s'render, when I wur just a chap sorter helpin' roun' Uncle | Jake, now the ole jedge, that is Mar'se George's pa, had been fooled ever so many times by an ole red fox in Carter's Mountain, not a great ways from yer, and got sorter mad with the dogs, an' ole Jake who loved dem ar' hounds jes' as if they'd bin folks, swore he'd cotch that fox if it took him the whole of Christmas week to do it in. The jedge had a big 'dinin'o' the quality on Christmas day, an' ole Jake he jest slipped off with the hounds 'bout day in the mornin' and struck that fox's trail right to onst. He'd got sorter used to de ole red, and knowed what line he'd take, fo' sho'. He never went far from home, but jes' kept gwine on roun' and roun', more like a grey fox. 'Bout dinner time I guv' over, as the plough mule on which I rode began to get kinder played out, but ole Uncle Jake had taken the best horse in the stable, and jes' pitched right on near the hounds, who were all the time on the trail and makin' a heap o' fuss. After dinner I took another horse and slipped out to see if I could hear anything o' the ole man, an' there sho' nuff the hounds were, travellin' roun' the mountain where they'd first found the fox. I soon cotched 'em, and kep' along with Uncle Jake till sundown, and when I began to talk 'bout gwine home fo' dark the ole man jes ripped and cussed, and said he'd stay wid dat ar fox till the new year, SOME FASHION-GLEANINGS, FROM 1744 fo' he'd let him go. Well, genl'mens, I jes' thote he'd got may be a 'tickler' o' whiskey in his pocket, and was sorter uppish on that account, so left him my fresh horse an' rode, or rather led, his'n home. In the morning when I went round to the stables and quarters, I didn't see no hounds, nor horse, nor yet no Uncle Jake. So, says I, I'll jes' put the saddle on the grey colt, and a pone o' corn bread and some meat in my pocket, and slip out and

From The Leisure Hour.

TO 1768.

IN looking over a volume containing newspapers of various dates, issued in London and several other large towns, I have found various scraps of fashion-gossip, and other notices of English social and domestic life, which carry me back to the middle of the eighteenth century, the scenes of which appear with a reality and a vividness. which I only hope may present itself to my readers.

January, 1744. They write from Paris that the diamonds of the lords and ladies of the Court of Versailles at the grand ball of the 25th of last month were valued at 250 millions, which is near twelve millions sterling; those of the Dauphin and Dauphiness alone were actually worth forty-five millions of livres, and those of the King and Queen seventy millions.

Our next notice is of a different class; it is an extract from a London paper, and is dated

Dundee, September 13th, 1745.- The young chevalier is now in our neighborhood, and but far too well attended. The Government and King George want not friends among us. The whole army under the Pretender moved last Wednesday to Dunblane, and are daily growing in numbers. Lord Ogilvie is now at Montross, and has committed great outrages in this country, and is threatening also to visit Dunblane. I cannot say what the number of the armed rebels may amount to; some say four, others five, and others seven thousand.

The Pretender makes himself very popular. He is dressed in a Highland garb of fine silk tartan, red velvet breeches, and a blue velvet bonnet, with gold lace round it and a large jewel of St. Andrew appended. He wears also a green ribbon, is above six foot, walks well and straight, and speaks the English or broad Scots very well.

Lutestrings, tabbies, and damasks! All names that have utterly vanished from the world of fashion. A "lutestring" was a plain, stout silk; the name, by-the-bye, corrupted from lustring. A "tabby" was a kind of waved silk, usually watered, manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger (the latter a fine, smooth, silken stuff, having usually a remarkably wavy lustre, imparted by pressure and heat, with the application of an acidulous fluid, to produce the effect called watering - it was of all colors, and often striped with silver and gold). These two must have been very much what our moiré antiques and watered silks are. A "damask" was a heavy rich figured silk, with varied fig ures, such as flowers set, evidently the And here is fashion on the other side:counterpart of our richest figured silks. Edinburgh, February 1st, 1746. — On Thurs-It seems rather odd that these three exday, at three in the morning, the Duke of Cessively rich materials should be ordered Cumberland arrived at the Abbey, not in the for undress, while plain black silk was for least fatigued. He went to bed and slept near state use. three hours, so that by eight he was busy with General Hawley and General Huske, and the rest of the principal officers, who all appeared in boots. His Highness had no time to go into Edinburgh all that day, and could scarce be persuaded to allow the ladies to be admitted for one hour; but at last he agreed to receive them at seven in the evening, and none to stay after eight. The ladies attended at the time appointed, very richly dressed. His Royal Highness received them very familiarly; saluted each of them. One, Miss Car, made a very fine appearance. At the top of her stays, on her breast, was a crown, well done in beugles, and underneath, in letters, "WILLIAM DUKE OF CUMBERLAND." On the right side of the crown was the word "Britain's," and on the left "Hero."

Apparently at that period English ladies had a reputation for being good dressers; for read this :

September 17, 1751.-A fine doll is made by Mr. Church's daughter, in St. James's Street, with different dresses to cloath it, and is to be sent to the Czarina, to show the manner of dressing at present in fashion among the English ladies.

We read the result of this doll's mission a month later.

From Petersburgh we hear that the Czarina of Russia has of late taken such a fancy to the dress of the English ladies that she has desired to have dolls sent over from London completely attired in the various dresses now in fashion at Court and in the City, as also in Can you not imagine the agony of fright deshabil and riding habits. Her Imperial Miss Car or Kerr was in all that first day Majesty intends to introduce the same at her of February, 1746? I can. The "beu-Court; though it is feared some alterations gles" must have taken an immensity of may appear here ere the dolls can be con

Though rather long, they are both so laughable that I must give them in full.

day.

And here is the reply to the letter:

does not, by-the-bye, say what ship) brought home with him a skeleton of one of their hands, which measures sixteen inches from the October, 1767. To the Printer of the "St. joint of the wrist to the fingers' ends, and every James's Chronicle: Sir, It hath often way large in proportion. Their children are been observed that we English people are re-five feet high at two years old, and their women markable for extremities - that is, that we are are adorned with bracelets of gold. They do remarkable for acting in opposition to those not inter their dead, but by a preparation eat wise maxims which tell us, In medio tutissimus off their flesh and hang the bones in a box ibis, or In medio consistet vertus. Though an up a tree, many of which were seen and might Englishman, I have candor enough to acknowl- have been brought away easily. edge the truth of the accusation, and I think Just a proof that travellers see strange it was never more exemplified than at present by my countrywomen in the enormous size of things, and geese at home believe them. their heads. It is not very long since this part I find, on looking into the subject, that of their sweet bodies used to be bound so tight the Patagonians average five feet ten, but and so amazingly snug that they appeared like are known to reach six feet four. Not a pin's head on the top of a knitting-needle. more extraordinary in height than the EnBut now they have so far exceeded the goldenglishmen we are accustomed to see every mean in the contrary extremity that our fine ladies remind me of an apple stuck on the top of a small skewer. If I am not mistaken the head of the Venus de Medicis measures about October 14, 1767.- Sir,-In your paper of one-tenth of her whole body. This, therefore, Saturday I read a letter of criticism on the we may very justly conclude to be the just pro- present taste of the ladies' head-dresses. I portion. In proportion, therefore, as a lady cannot help thinking it severe and indeed. deviates in her appearance from that standard, scurrilous to compare the fairest of the creathe nearer she approaches to our idea of a tion to monsters. Insufferable! it is an immonster. How then is it possible that a fine pertinence not to be forgiven by the injured lady can imagine herself agreeable in the eyes sex. I must confess the extravagance of the of a spectator when her head makes a full present mode is ridiculous in a great degree fourth of her whole body? I often frequent and really ought to be corrected; but then, in the playhouse, and between the acts am wont a more gentle manner than your correspondent to regale myself with contemplating the charms has done. We women, you know, are genof my fair countrywomen; but really their erally deemed weak; if this argument is alheads of late have become so enormous that, lowed, our little foibles should be overlooked; in order to behold them without disgust, I find and I think I may with justice vindicate my myself under the necessity of imagining them own sex, by saying they are not half so absurd to be so many Patagonians, and consequently in their dress as the men, who are supposed to that the feet of those in the boxes are on a have sense superior to us, consequently should level with the floor of the orchestra. This I not rush into such extremes. I am sure they find to be a much more tolerable idea than to deviate from their great sense when they make suppose them to be dwarfs, with giants' heads. themselves such enormous figures as they do. Pray, sir, inform these fair ladies that without at present. What is there on earth that has a proportion there can be no beauty, and that an more ridiculous appearance than a powdered oyster-wench in puris naturalibus is a much beau? I would advise your satirical friend to more desirable object than a brocaded mon- compare a lady's and a gentleman's head ster. But, cries her ladyship, it is the fashion. together, then let him say which object is the Fie! fie! my good lady, I expected a more most worthy of ridicule; if he speaks candidly, rational answer. Ought a woman of your un- I am apt to think the verdict will be given in derstanding to be led into manifest absurdity favor of the lady. For my part, I can comby a parcel of foolish ridiculous female cox-pare a fine gentleman's head to nothing better combs and French friseurs? — I am, Sir, yours,

than a round-cut yew-tree in a white-frosty morning. I could wish these very (would-be) wise beings did not make themselves appear such very great dolls by finding fault with those who are so very much more perfect than themselves. -I am, Sir, your friend, LEONORA. — Grosvenor Square.

ary letters, are they not? I really cannot A couple of nice, pleasant, complimenttell which gets the best of the argument

-both are somewhat too fluent to be very effective; a dozen words, terse and strictly to the point, would have been bet ter. As an example, a man once said to a young lady, a distinguished-looking girl,

who was accustomed to plenty of admira- | thing ye have overlooked. Ye canna deny tion, and had at times as keen a tongue as what's written in the guid book, 'The any one I know, "I don't like the way you devil goes about like a roaring lion seekdo your hair." The girl looked him coolly ing whom he may devour.' And when I up and down, from head to feet, and back see ye fechtin' him Sabbath after Sabagain. "I should be very sorry if you bath, bangin' the pulpit, and shaking your did," she remarked quietly. Of course fist at him, says I to mysel: Sandy, man, there was a general laugh, and of course it's odds but some day ye'll catch the deil he left that young woman alone for the napping, and then the minister will thank future. H. V. P. you for that day's work." So Sandy remained unconvinced, and continued his hunting exploits with such zeal, that the black cats of his neighborhood had need of all their "nine lives" to elude his persistent pursuit.

From Chambers' Journal.
PARISH FOOLS.

Now, the minister was in the habit of By "fools" we do not mean the general killing a "mart," or fat ox, at Hallowmas, class of persons indicated by the word, for the consumption of his family during but that smaller class of the community the winter. The beef was salted, and the commonly called "parish fools" or "nat-hide sold at the nearest town. That imurals." Those unfortunates, without being habitually or necessarily insane, usually labor under some hallucination, which overshadows their lives, and causes them, when under its influence, to indulge in such freaks and fancies as are peculiar to the lunatic; though, when freed from the cloud obscuring their mental vision, they act very much like their neighbors.

portant functionary who in Scotland is termed the "minister's man was usually intrusted with the disposal of the skin; and on this particular occasion had departed with his burden somewhat late in the evening. But the night was fine, and he trudged along the road for some miles with no thought save the speedy fulfilment of his errand. Presently he heard Such was Sandy Macintosh, who flour- approaching the sound of footsteps, and ished in the beginning of the century. A a voice, which he recognized as that of native of one of the northern parishes of Sandy Macintosh, singing, "We'll gang Caithness, he was as well known for nae mair a-roving sae late into the night." twenty miles round as the kirk steeple. The opportunity for playing a trick was The swiftest runner and the most trust- irresistible; and resolving to give Sandy worthy messenger in the place, Sandy a fright, the minister's man wrapped the was kept in constant employment, and hide about him, taking care that the horns numbered among his patrons both the should stand up on his head. Thus laird and the minister. The peculiar de- equipped, he crouched along the dike-side lusion under which he labored was a con- till the fool made his appearance round viction that he had been born for the the bend of the road, then uttering an express purpose of slaying his Satanic unearthly yell, sprang from his hiding. Majesty, and many were the wild-goose place right in his path. But he reckoned chases embarked in by Sandy to annihi- without his host, when he thought to terlate the arch enemy; for he recognized rify Sandy. That individual only recoghim- - so he averred under all shapes nized in the apparition before him but and forms, such as a crow, a hare, or a another form assumed by the enemy; and black cat; and when started in pursuit of with a shout of defiance, rushed on the the foe, would follow up the trail for foe, and struck him a resounding blow hours, nay, sometimes for days. In vain with his staff. Whack! whack! the blows the minister-whom Sandy accounted rained hard and fast on the shoulders of his particular friend-strove to convince the unlucky joker, who, unable to bear him that the enemy of mankind was a the pain any longer, and too terrified to spirit, and as such invisible. No argu- discover himself to the enraged fool, manment, however telling, had any effect on aged to wriggle unperceived out of his Sandy. He listened respectfully, it is hirsute covering and scramble over the true, as he always did, to everything, how-dike, where he lay hidden, scarcely daring ever trivial, uttered by his friend; but to breathe. when the reverend gentleman paused for Sandy was very much astonished when lack of breath, the fool invariably re- he observed the total collapse of the foe. marked, with a sagacious nod: "Weel, He probably anticipated a severe strug minister, ye ken best; though there's aegle, and was surprised at his easy victory.