beautiful hour; but nature is wilful and will seldom abdicate the night for joy, whatever she may do for grief. which few, except yourselves, did," the captain said. He cast a keen glance at her when he said "except yourselves." It was thus that she veiled her ignorance and endeavored to make it appear that indifference on her part, and a wise desire to keep Walter's mind unaffected by such a dazzling possibility, had been her guiding influence. She spoke with such modest gravity that Captain Underwood, not used to delusion under that form, was tempted into a sort of belief. He looked at her curiously, but her veil was down, and her artifice, if it was an artifice, was of a kind more delicate than any to which he was accustomed. Next morning she went to the station 'Indeed," said Mrs. Methven, "that is with him to see him away. Impossible scarcely correct, for Walter did not know, to describe the devotion of all the officials and I had forgotten. I had, indeed, lost to Lord Erradeen's comfort on his jour-sight of my husband's family, and the ney. The station-master kindly came to succession seemed so far off." superintend this august departure, and the porters ran about contending for his luggage with an excitement which made at least one old gentleman threaten to write to the Times. There was nothing but "my lord" and "his lordship" to be heard all over the station; and so many persons came to bid him good-bye and see the last of him, as they said, that the platform was quite inconveniently crowded. Among these, of course, was Captain Underwood, whose fervent "God bless you, my boy," drowned all other greetings. He had, however, a disappointed look- -as if he had failed in some object. Mrs. Methven, whose faculties were all sharpened by her position, and who felt herself able to exercise a toleration which, in former circumstances, would have been impossible to her, permitted him to overtake her as she left the place, and acknowledged his greeting He looked at her again, and she had with more cordiality, or, at least, with a the satisfaction of perceiving that this less forbidding civility than usual. And experienced man of the world was taken then a wonderful sight was seen in Sloe-in. "Well!" he said, "then it was not such a surprise to you as people thought? Sloebury has talked of nothing else, I need not tell you, for several days; and everybody was of opinion that it burst upon you like a thunderbolt." "Upon my son, yes," Mrs. Methven said with a smile. 66 "I have never been at Mulmorrel my husband's chances in his own lifetime were very small, you know." bury. This bête noir of the feminine. Well, then," he said, "you will join world, this man, whom every lady frowned with me in wishing him well out of it: upon, was seen walking along the High you know all the stories that are about." Street, side by side, in earnest conversation with one of the women who had been most unfavorable to him. Was she listening to an explanation, a justification, an account of himself, such as he had not yet given, to satisfy the requirements of the respectability of Sloebury? To tell the truth, Mrs. Methven now cared very little for any such explanation. She did not remember, as she ought to have done, that other women's sons might be in dan ger from this suspicious person, though her own was now delivered out of his power. But she was very curious to know what anybody could tell her of Walter's new possessions, and of the family which it was rather humiliating to know so little about. It was she, indeed, who had begun the conversation after his first remark upon Walter's departure and the loss which would result to Sloebury. "It isn't Mulmorrel, it is that little ruined place where something uncanny is always said to go on - oh, I don't know what it is; nobody does but the reigning sovereign himself, and some hangers-on, I suppose. I have been there. I've seen the mysterious light, you know. Nobody can ever tell what window it shows at, or if it is any window at all. I was once with the late man - the late lord, he who died the other day- when it came out suddenly. We were shooting wildfowl, and his gun fell out of his hands. I never saw a man in such a funk. We were a bit late, and twilight had come on before we knew." "So then you actually saw something of it yourself?" Mrs. Methven said. She had not the remotest idea what this was, but if she could find out something by any means she was eager enough to take advantage of it. "No more than that; but I can tell you 1 this: Erradeen was not seen again for twenty-four hours. Whether it was a call to him or what it was I can't undertake to say. He never would stand any questioning about it. He was a good fellow enough, but he never would put up with anything on that point. So I can only wish Walter well through it, Mrs. Methven. In my opinion he should have had some one with him; for he is young, and, I dare say, he is fanciful." My son, Lord Erradeen," said Mrs. Methven with dignity, "is man enough, I hope, to meet an emergency. Perhaps you think him younger than he is." She propounded this delicately as, perhaps, a sort of excuse for the presumption of the Christian name. Underwood grew very red: he was disappointed and irritable. "Oh, of course, you know best," he said. "As for my Lord Erradeen (I am sure I beg your pardon for forgetting his dignity), I dare say he is quite old enough to take care of himself at least, we'll hope so; but a business of that kind will upset the steadiest brain, you know. Old Erradeen had not a bad spirit of his own, and he funked it. I confess I feel a little anxious for your boy; he's a nice fellow, but he's nervous. I was in a dozen minds to go up with him to stand by him; but, perhaps, it is better not, for the best motives get misconstrued in this world. I can only wish him well out of it," Captain Underwood said, taking off his hat and making her a fine bow as he stalked away. It is needless to say that this mysterious intimation of danger planted daggers in Mrs. Methven's heart. She stopped aghast and for the moment the idea of running back to the station, and signalling that the train was to be stopped came into her mind. Ridiculous folly! Wish him well out of it? What, out of his great fortune, his peerage, his elevation in the world? Mrs. Methven smiled indignant ly, and thought of the strange manifestations under which envy shows itself. But she went home somewhat pale, and could not dismiss it from her mind as she wished to do. Well out of it! And there were moments when, she remembered, she had surprised a very serious look on the countenance of Mr. Milnathort. Was Walter going unwarned, in the elation and happy confidence of his heart, into some danger unknown and unforeseen? This took her confidence away from her, and made her nervous and anxious. But after all, what folly it must be something uncanny and a mysterious light! These were stories for Christmas, to bring a laugh or a shiver from idle circles round the fire. To imagine that they could affect anything in real life was a kind of madness; an oldfashioned, exploded superstition. It was too ridiculous to be worthy a thought. From Temple Bar. SCENES DURING THE WINTER OF 1794-5. IN the summer of 1794, when all Europe was in a state of commotion and agitation, two young Englishmen were quietly amusing themselves by visiting all the private and public collections of ornithology in Holland, for the purpose of obtaining water-color drawings of such birds as had not hitherto been named or described. After a highly successful and interesting tour, they had reached the Hague, and were studying the pictures in the Stadtholder's galleries, when a sudden stop was put to their peaceful occupations, by the appointment of the elder of the two, Captain Woodford of the Guards, to be commissary-general and inspector-in-chief of the so-called "Emigrant Corps," which, though containing but few actual soldiers, had been taken into the English service out of charity and as the best means of providing for some of the unfortunate French emigrant nobility. Captain Woodford, on accepting this appointment, asked his friend Ramsay Richard Reinagle, afterwards a well-known artist, to remain with him as his private secretary; and it is from the papers of the latter, who was then a very young man, that the following account of the terrible winter of 1794-5 has been compiled. It will be remembered that the National Convention of France had declared war against both George III. and the Stadtholder, and that a body of English and Hanoverian troops under command of the king's son, the Duke of York, had been despatched to Holland for the protection of the country. The French, under General Pichegru, far outnumbered them, however, and the duke had been obliged to retire first behind the Meuse and then along the Waal to Nimeguen, closely followed by the enemy, who encamped in great force in the environs of the town. Just at this time, early in October, Captain Woodford and his secretary, who were on their way to Dusseldorf, halted for nine days at Nimeguen, and we have the following description of the scene the | my sketching the mingled groups of wagoners place presented: Before reaching the bridge of boats thrown across the Rhine by order of the Duke of York, we saw, stationed on the banks of the river, all the heavy baggage of the army, likewise a mass of Hanoverians encamped. This portion of the army and baggage-wagons extended more than a mile. The bustle of troops, foot and horse, Hulans, Hussars, pioneers, camp-followers, baggagewagons, munitions of war, wagons with forage of all kinds, cannon, artillery-wagons, strangers, and the agonized townspeople-would baffle the pen of any one to fully describe. Drum-beating, bugle-blowing, trumpet-calls, hallooing, roaring, screaming, disputing, fight ing, knocking down every overturnable thing day and night, did really fill us with ample notions of war and its more serious and approaching consequences. All the ornamental trees on both sides of each road leading to and from the city were cut down and laid across the said roads, as barricades to the advance of the French. The enemy were so near us that if any one went on the ramparts he was sure to be fired at. I was mortified at being forbidden by Captain Woodford to attempt such a thing. I feared nothing. I observed that, go into whatever house I would, the people were drinking tea day and night; their teapots being always close to their turf fires. Bread and butter sliced was in constant readiness; so too were botter-raams, a sandwich made of buttered bread, a thin slice of dark rye-bread, and a thin slice of the best cheese. All was honesty; no bargaining required. The prince, the duke, and the poor man, all paid alike. and soldiers. The wagons, groups of horses of all colors, etc., reminded us of Wouverman's beautiful military pictures. On the dyke or road above, there were light horse, foot-soldiers, horses, horses of all sorts roped to the wagons, some of which were in motion, others stationary; and all these various objects seen beneath a stormy sky, made the finest sight an artist could behold! But the weather and the fear of being taken for a spy compelled the artist, much against his will, to refrain from making any use of these picturesque materials. Captain Woodford left Nimeguen about the middle of October, and in less than three weeks after it was in the hands of the French. Meanwhile the latter had entered Cologne on the 6th; Juliers had already surrendered and was followed by Venlo, Nuys, Bonn, Coblentz, Worms, etc., so that it was no longer possible for reinforcements to arrive from Germany. In ignorance of this, however, the commissary proceeded on his way; and, writes Mr. Reinagle : As we slowly progressed, our feelings were harrowed to witness on both sides, and in the middle of the road, multitudes of French emigrants, literally up to their knees in bitter cold mud, carrying their knapsacks and large bundles on their backs-people of all grades, high and low, among whom was the Duc de Mortemart with his officers and a few men retreating or flying from Dusseldorf ! These miserable emigrants informed us that so successful were the sans-culottes that they fired the fortress in five places at once, burnt part of the palace, and drove out all who could The passing through the town day and night walk or procure horses; from which perpetual of wagons filled with various stores, on their wearing of the roads, they ceased to have any way to the military bridge, occasioned pro-appearance of such, but were vast mud-pools. digious noises of all descriptions. Many heavy These fugitives fled from Cleves, Bonn, Co. pieces of artillery, each drawn by ten horses, logne, and other towns. passed through with caissons and ammunitionwagons, leaving about five or six regiments in the entrenched camp. When we arrived at our next station, there was a woman who was very kind to us, an event quite remarkable and deserving of note, for we found no feelings of humanity any where. Men and women were alike brutalized. Day and night, this scene of the passing and repassing of every military requisite continued, impressing the mind of the uninitiated with Troops were scattered all along the roads the desperate character of war. Troops, we travelled on, creeping at a slow foot-pace. horses and men filled all the streets. The lat- The weather and the mud roads were alike unter were converted into roofless stables. We equalled. Our horses were so bespattered that observed multitudes of horses haltered, and they and the roads were of the same color, left six and eight hours unattended to. The postilions the same. The emigrants were in neighing of these hundreds of animals, ap- swarms, numbers filling every hole, eating parently calling for food, added new noises to everything digestible. We arrived in Wesel, those described; and, with the dexterous crack-a Prussian fortress, and a detestable, dirty and ing of long-thonged whips and the occasional firing of muskets for sport, made such a combination as can never be adequately described in words. The French were within two musket-shots of the place and kept up a perpetual fire. A gale of wind and drizzling rain prevented miserable rat-hole we found it. Here we got, however, a supper and pretty fair wine, also beds, which we enjoyed prodigiously, having lived in our carriages, sleeping in them when the inns were crammed. Finding it inadvisable to continue our journey, on the next day we turned our horses' heads; for indeed we could go no farther on account of the bombardment | heard the long rigmarole story of the soldier, of Dusseldorf. The emigration from so many which was most amusing to me, he began by places at once, and the dispersion of the offi- asking in Dutch, what country I belonged to, cers whom we were going to meet, absolutely my business or profession. occasioned the most precipitate retreat; as these unfortunate French people were refused at every door every kind of shelter or covering from the weather, nor could money tempt these brutish wretches of the country to give them lodging. I replied in French, telling him that I had not the honor of being able to speak Dutch, but that I understood every word. "You ought to speak it," said he; "don't you hear me speak?" "Yes," I replied, "but, captain, that does not enable me to follow the example." "Why," he said, "spies can speak ever so many languages. Where did I live? "In the mansion of Count Bentinck." "Impossible. Do you, fellow, speak my language, and don't bother me with your French, for I can't well understand all you say." Mr. Reinagle goes on to say that it was impossible fully to describe the harrowing scenes he witnessed, or the indignation he felt at seeing ladies of quality plunging knee-deep through filthy slush, with bundles under their arms; for the carts, wagons, coaches at their disposal were nothing like enough to hold them all; while his Dutch, I parrying in French. Then he So we went on for an hour, he thundering worse still, no one could insure them appealed to the idle officers and consulted the smallest protection; they were re-them; but they said they could not interfere, fused shelter everywhere, and were hated he must act on his own responsibility and acand despised by their imagined friends, cording to his instructions. the Prussian princes, nobles and others. And yet, amid all this incredible misery and sorrow, these unhappy creatures were apparently cheerful and defied all manner of hardships and privations, aggravated as these were by the altogether unprecedented weather. The month of November was very variable, there being now heavy falls of snow and intervals of intense cold and then sudden thaws, but the frost did not regularly set in until December. Captain Woodford returned to Utrecht, and while there Mr. Reinagle thought he would take a sketch of the old, decayed, insignificant towers of the so-called fortifications of the city." Snow had fallen to a depth of five inches, and while the artist was intent on sharpening his black chalk, a Dutch soldier, armed, came noiselessly up behind him and, suddenly tapping him on the shoulder, ordered him to follow him to the guard-house, which was about a mile off. Arrived there, the sentinel announced that a spy had been taken in the very act of making drawings of the fortifications. I was shoved into the presence of the officer on duty, three or four others sitting listlessly by, and seeming quite indifferent to what was going on. The officer took the initiative, and began by bestowing praise on the soldier for the laudable act of duty he had performed. He then inquired, (all in Dutch, which I understood) where I had been detected in the rascally act. These words made me smile and bow. I stood, of course. The dignity of Mynheer the Lieutenant seemed to rise as he proceeded, and having "Oh! ah! yes! I know that." Then addressing the soldier, he went on : "I tell you whåt, Soldaten, take good care not to bring me fellows who can't speak Dutch. Take care you learn that first, and don't bother stand. Here, Mr. Artist, as you can't speak me to examine people whom I can't underDutch and I can't French, you may go about your business." "Well then," I said, "I shall return and try to do what your soldier prevented me from doing." I was not forbidden, and left the officer with a bow, he calling after me, "Mind, I shall make inquiries about you and your statement about Count Bentinck, and woe betide you if it is false." "We are so close to his house," I said, "I wonder you did not despatch a military messenger thither; it would have spared much loss of time and all this questioning and answering of one another in two languages, one of which you could barely understand." 66 Well, that's true; so you may go," and away I went through the snow. Captain Woodford had intended to remain a month in Utrecht, but the ap proach of the French advanced guard soon put him to flight, and he had to depart in haste, having but one day in which to pack and be off. By this time the winter had set in with bitter severity, and heavy falls of snow impeded their flight. Several splendid horses, worth £80 a piece, were purchased for sums varying from £15 to £20; four fine black ones for Captain Woodford's carriage two for the curricle driven by his secretary, and four for the Hussar and three servants who attended them - so the train was a conspicuous one. Their route lay east in the direc tion of Deventer, and their usual pace was one mile an hour over sandy roads, rendered still more heavy by the deep snow. The flatness and dreariness were intolerable; all was heath and sand, and neither man nor beast, tree, house, or even bush appeared to break the intense monotony of the scene. Perhaps it was to relieve this monotony that before reaching the village of Loo, they turned out of their way to visit the palace of William III., an ancient edifice, which had been maintained in every particular as he left it. From the palace they went to the menagerie, where Mr. Reinagle seems to have been extremely impressed by the sight of two elephants, animals which were apparently quite new to him, for he describes with great admiration the wonderful strength and dexterity of their trunks, and naively remarks: "The keeper told the male to roar. He did so, and it was so terribly loud, that I felt frightened. I was then twenty years of age." The frost had now been for some weeks so awfully severe that when the sun shone the air glittered like minute diamonds. There were fifty degrees of frost, and the ice was three or four feet thick. Some little time previously, the Dutch government had ordered the dykes to be cut; but the flood of water was speedily converted into a sheet of ice, which offered little or no hindrance to the advance of the enemy. The latter had contrived an ingenious device by which to cross the river Leek. Bundles of straw were tied close together with strong ropes, until they formed a straw platform thirty or forty yards wide, which was firmly attached to either bank, the river being at that time passable by boat. In one night the water froze over the straw, and in a few days a bridge of ice was formed, strong enough to allow the safe passage of troops, wagons and horses. In a week the first artillery were able to cross, and in two or three more days the river ice was a foot thick and growing every night thicker and thicker. While the party remained at Loo, Mr. Reinagle visited the menagerie daily, and skated on the ornamental water, where the ice was three feet thick and of a very dark black green. He had great difficulty in keeping himself warm enough even to put on his skates, and noticed that all the birds, Indian pigeons, silver pheasants, etc., had their legs "frozen, swollen, and burst," and must have been suffering intensely. 66 Captain Woodford was at this time making every endeavor to find some safe asylum for the unhappy Emigrant Corps," and had applied to all the petty principalities in the north of Germany Darmstadt, Detmold, Philipstadt, Paderborn, etc.- but in vain, not one would listen to his entreaties. At last he had the good fortune to meet with a M. Devaux, a Fleming, and after some time spent in negotiations as to terms, etc., this gentleman undertook to persuade the Prince of Waldeck to allow the worn-out wanderers to take refuge in Pyrmont, and promised to discount bills, and provide lodgings, horses, baggage-wagons, forage and all other necessaries. This good news brought relief and joy to multitudes, for fear and hatred had closed every heart and door against them; the Dutch hated the English with all their hearts, and not, it is to be feared, without serious cause. It happened that while a body of our troops were at Arnheim, a Dutch soldier fired at a young drummer who had wandered to the edge of the river, and killed him on the spot. "Our men were so fired with rage that no opportunity was lost for a row. Farmhouses, ricks of grain, hay, clover, etc., were to be seen blazing night after night, and many a secret murder was committed on both sides.” Moreover the Dutch, though greatly divided, were for the most part favorable to the French, who announced that they waged war not against peoples, but governments; and Friesland had agreed to terms of peace and unity with the Stadtholder's enemies as early as the middle of October. Such.adherents as he had were yet further discouraged by the return of the Duke of York to England at the beginning of December, and he himself was obliged to fly from the Hague soon after, escaping to Harwich in an open boat on the 19th of January. Meanwhile the French had crossed the river Waal in the middle of December, but had been gallantly driven back by General Dundas and his eight thousand men a fortnight later. General Pichegru, however, speedily assembled a force of two hundred thousand men, who crossed the Waal again in such numbers on January 4, that the English had no alternative but to beat a hasty retreat. Prince Ernest, Duke of Cumberland, afterwards king of Hanover, then threeand-twenty years of age, commanded the rear-guard. The sufferings of the troops were some |