OLD BOYS AT SCHOOL.

By James Greenwood, "One of the Crowd."

Beini; present at a recent School Board ex amination of the children, I chanced to get into conversation with a lady visitor con cerning the amazing quickness, as well as great aptitude for learning, displayed by a class ot the younger scholars. I was made aware by the keen interest she manifested that the great educational question was one that had peculiar attractions for her, but it was not until she dropped a remark per taining thereto that I had any idea that she herself was a teacher. A bright faced youngster, of nine years old, perhaps, had won a smile of approbation from the examiner by accomplishing a difficult feat of spoiling in which the others had failed, when she observed to me in a whisper, and with a regretful little sigh, " I wish I could boast that I had in my school a boy as clever as that one." " Perhaps your pupils are younger," I replied. "It is exactly the reverse," said she. "I have not a pupil who is under twenty-two, and the greatest dunce in the class, and the one of whom I am least hopeful, in spite of his willingness to learn, poor fellow, is fifty-seven next birth day." She then proceeded to inform me that nearly two years since she had commenced a free evening school for adult males. She had been induced to do so by the frequent regrets she had heard ex pressed by fathers of the Board school children as regarded their inability to read or write ; and many confessed to the humiliation they felt at having to ask their little son or daughter to read to them anything they wished to know about in a bouk or news paper. The men in question belonged to the poorest of the labouring class, and, being accustomed to move amongst them as a volunteer visitor of the sick and a helper of the destitute, she was in a posi tion to approach them in such a delicate matter with more freedom than a stranger could, and, calling together half-a-dozen of the most promising ones, she made a pro position to them. If they would agree to attend as regularly as they could, she was willing to hire a place at her own expense, and provide all necessary books, &c\, and do her best, without fee or reward, to in struct them in, at all events, the rudimen tary stages of education. They wero shy, however. While admitting that it was never too late to learn, they were afraid of being ridiculed and luughed at by their companions for sinking thoir manhood and going as "kids" to a dame school. Thus, it is more probable thut the good lady's benevolent offer would have met with no response had it not been for a lucky acci dent. In a neighbourhood where she was well known there resided a middle-aged tanner's labourer, whose wages were only .sixteen shillings a week. A distant re lative of the man had died intestate, and on several occasions an advertisement had ap peared in a daily newspajx;!1 giving the name of the deceased, and inviting all persons who could prove kindred with him to apply before a certain date to a firm of London solicitors. But the poor tanner could not read, and it was Jiot until the date was past, and it was too late, that he became aware of what he had missed, and how, but for his ignorance, he might have come into possession of at least a hundred pounds. Much more than all the lady's persuasions and arguments did this event prevail with the adult dunces of the locality Within a week a deputation of those who had rejected her proposal waited on her and expressed their readiness to come to school as soon as she was ready to receive them, and within a month the room was hired and furnished with forms toseat twenty scholars, and on the opening night thirteen names were enrolled, while since that time the number of attendants had varied from ten to fifteen. The kind-hearted lady invited me to come one evening and see for my self how well her "old boys" behaved, how obedient they were, and what "pains they took," in their overgrown and clumsy fashion, to master lessons that to School Board scholars of ten years old would be mere pastime. I discovered the school to be a modest little place enougli—a large room, in fact, over a stable in a mews, and reached by a flight of wooden steps on the outside, while over the door was a board, inscribed "Night school for men. Hours, seven until nine in the evening." It was barely seven yet, and I found my little kind lady alone, and perusing some writing with a disappointed expression on her pleasant face. "I am afraid I shall not have a full attendance to-night," she remarked. '' Two of my boys—bad fellows they are, and I am afraid 1 shall have to expel them— were seen to-day quite tipsy at the beer shop, and of course they won't be here, and I've just received a note of excuse from another—a good old lad he is, and coming on nicely, considering that four months ago he couldn't form a letter on his slate, and did not know A from B in the alphabet book. Heisnotan accomplished scholar," she continued, with a smile, as she handed me the note, '' and he has yet to acquire the knowledge of how to link his syllables together; but he is coming on." She handed me the missive. It was a large sheet of paper, roughly ruled with a pencil, and the letters were as big as a man's thumb nail. " Deer mam," it ran, " 1 can notcum to school to nite as lam arf lick ted with room it is so plese eskoos W. Biler." It was now seven o'clock, and there was a sound as of heavy footsteps ascending the outer stairs, and presently a couple of scholars made their appearance at the school-room door. Observing a stranger present, they looked embarrassed, and halted at the threshold until the governess called to them, " Come in, you boys, come in ; this is a friend of mine ;" and then taking off their caps, and hanging them on a rail against the wall, the two boys, still looking sheepishly in my direction, took their seats on a form. One was a broad-backed young fellow, at least sft lOin in height, the glis tening scales spangling his blue woollen guernsey bespeaking him as being in the fish line of business. The other was a mid dle-aged man, with iron gray whiskers. Miss selected them each a spelling book from a pile on the table, and placed it in their hands, remarking to the elderly boy as she did so, with an air of firmness and com mand, "I shall trust you with three syl lables this week, Jackson. You can man age with them if you like to try. If you don't like to try, you'll be put back to two and you won't like that, I know." Mr Jackson murmured deferentially that he would do his best. Turning to the nearly six-foot young fishmonger, the little gover ness said with mild severity, " As for you, Tom Bullock, you will keep at present to one syllable. You are a dreadfully trying boy, Tom, and I don't know what I shall do with you." Tom Bullock grinned and looked abashed as he answered respectfully that he couldn't make out why he " couldn't get for'ader." "It was having such a thick sort o' headpiece," he supposed. " But do endeavour to remember what is told you, that's a good lad," said the kind little ladyj relentingly, " and when it comes to writin" down the words from memory, bear in mins that there is no 't' in 'much,' and that ' trorf' is not the proper way to spell trough." Tom, whose legs were so long that he had to cross them tailor-wise be neath the form he was Bitting on, bowed

his head in meek obedience as lie bent over his book, and was evidently much relieved when at that moment the incoming of other "boys" diverted her attention from him.

As regards the numberof scholars, we were more fortunate than the teacher had prog nosticated. Before half-past seven there were eleven men present, and then the door was latched, and Miss rapped the desk with her ruler to signify that the boys must leave off talking and attend seriously to their lessons. A few minutes afterwards we heard a timid knocking at the door. " Who's there ?" the governess sharply de manded. " It's me, mum." "I've a great mind not to admit you, Bill Jupp," ex claimed the little lady, as the door opened and a prime-of-life giant in a hairy cap and a smock-frock made his appearance. "It is provoking that you can't come straight to school when you leave home without staying to gossip on tlie road.5' " 'Pon my word and honour, missus," replied BillJupp, apologetically, as he hung up his cap with the rest, "I havn't wasted a minute. I was kep' late at the ware'us, and just got my tea and give myself a sluice and come here straight." " Well, you are excused this time, but if it happens again you will forfeit rive good marks." And Bill'took his seat, the last boy on the form, whereupon the business of the evening proceeded. It made a curious spectacle, the twelve rough, strong men, seated in a double row, docile and obedient as children in an infant school, each with his spelling book on his great knees, and the tip of his heavy forefinger marking the little word that at the moment was puzzling his dull intelligence, while the little governess, perched up at her high desk, primly dressed in black, with white linen cuffs and collar, and with her silvery hair and her benevolent brown eyes affecting sternness and severity as she kept a sharp look-out through her gold-rimmed spectacles for boyish tricks among her pupils. And it soon became apparent to me that vigilant supervision was not superfluous. Just as with boys at school,her adult pupils had the reprehensible habit of covertly assisting each other in their difficulties, and many were the attempts of the kind detected and frus trated by their governess. Tom Bullock was net the only one amon» the willing poor fellows who laboured under the disadvan tage of being possessed of a thick "head piece." It appeared strange to watch a man old enough to be the father of a large family bewilderediy clutching- at his hair, or slowly scratching his head, as with knitted brows he tried his hardest to master a word of two or three syllable*, so as to commit it to memory. Now and then a man's hand was seen to steal stealthily down from his hair to his mouth, which it screened while he whispered to his neighbour, "Tell us what this is," or " How does this 'un go, mate!" but it seldom happened but that the quick eyes of Miss instantly detected the culprit, when she was down on him, sometimes with such a stinging reproof that the whole class was set grinning at his exjiosure for a minute after. The teaching was confined mainly to spoil ing and reading, writing and arithmetic, and it was the latter, the patient little governess informed me, that gave her the least amount of trouble. There were amono her pupils five orsix who purchased goodsat market and retailed them in the streets, and while in .some instances they were barely able to repeat the letters of the alphabet, their talent for figures was very remarkable. Even Tom Bullock was clever in this re spect, as I afterwards satisfied myself by personal examinations. I tested him in mental arithmetic, and he showed himself a perfect Babbage, but strangely enough, it was only when the questions applied to fish. Asked as to the advantage a dealer de, rived who bought sprats at the rate of seven shillings the hundredweight, and sold them again at three-halfpence per pound, he was ready with a correct answer, as though it were no more difficult to reckon than two and two. I tried him with hen-ings. If two hundred of the fish in question cost 13s 9d, how much pro fit was yielded by selling them three for twopence ? Tom worked it out as promptly almost as the sprat problem, but when I asked him, supposing that he bought coal at the rate of seventeen and sixpence the ton and retailed it at one shilling the hun dredweight, what the result would be, he excused himself from answering on the ground that "he had never dealt in coals, and couldn't be expected to know anything about 'em." As already intimated, Tom Bullock was a sad dunce at his book, and as yet was not to be trusted with words of more than one syllable ; but he was in the common habit of buying dried herrings, his only guide as to the sort he required being the consignee's name branded on the boxes, yet, according to his own statement, he never went wrong. It was an instinctive talent for deciphering hieroglyphics that carried him through. " I'd lay a wager " said he, " that you might put fifty boxes before me, all differently branded, and I'd single out a dozen as you named 'em with out making a single mistake. Igo by the shape of the marks on 'em, bearing in mind the names I've heard 'em called by. When I'm looking for a ' Hooper,' I say to myself, ' That's the chap, with the two round 'uns comin, after the one that stands in front.' If it should 'appen to be Tilney I want, I look out for a gallows to begin with, with a short post, and then a long 'un to foller." But it was very different as regards the other branches of education. Of the dozen pupils present there were three or four who, after several months of steady and praise worthy application, were able slowly and laboriously to wade through a simple half page story in a child's first reading book ; but the less advanced scholars, and there were several, made a sad hash even of their two-syllable spelling when the allotted time for conning the books had expired, and Miss made them repeat from memory what they had been endeavour ing to learn. It was curious to observe the tenacity with which up to the very last moment —up to the time, indeed, when the governess took the spell ing books from their reluctant hands every acholar clung to the visible evidence of how the words that would presently be challenged were spelt, as though uncomfort ably conscious that as soon as they lost sight of that support they must straightway sink hopelessly to the depths of forgetful ness. But watching the faces of several of them, one could almost follow the gradual failing of their memories. Had they been questioned immediately, and while the let ters and their order were present to their minds' eyes, they might have succeeded tolerably well, but the methodical system adopted by their schoolmistress did not ad mit of this. She put a single word at a time, to each of the eight in succession; and the consequence was that when she came back to number one, and questioned him as to the second word on his list, his mental arrangements were in a state of utter confusion, and his wits gone wool gathering. It was at once a painful and a comical sight to contemplate the eight poor dunderheads, each'one possessed of physical strength enough to take the little old lady under one arm and run away with her, standing there in a row intellectually power less before her. It was suggestive of the opening scene of a pantomime, where the slaves of the demon Ignorance are discov ered by the good fairy Knowledge, with the intention of rescuing them from their be nighted condition ; only in the one case tie

happy transformation was by no means to be affected by a mere wave of the fairy's 1 wand. Tho wand of the little schooling I tress was her shoi-t wooden ruler, anc | marching to and fro along- the lino o j scholars, she halted before each, and laid i I on his arm as an indicator that his turn hue come. 1 should not have thought it pos sible that men of mature age would have been so submissive under such conditions or receive rebuke with .such eheerfu patience. If after two attempts a " boy ' could not spell a word, the little governess spelt it for him, giving him a tap with the ruler with every letter the better to impress it on his memory. Once, and only once, a scholar had the temerity to questior the correctness of her amendment Asked to spell "heart," he vespondet "hart." " Wrong," said the governess " Begging your pardon, miss," retorted tho bold pupil confidently, "it is you who an wrong this time." " Yes, but the heart ] mean is a part of the body." "I dunnow as to that, miss, but do you mean a white 'un?" "How do you ask such foolish questions, Jackson ? What has colour to do with it?" "Cos if its a white'un you mean," continued the imperturbable Jack son, not heeding the governess's last re mark, " I'll take my davey that the White Hart, which there it is round the corner to see with your own eyes, miss, is spelt 'hart,' and no other way?." The scholars who had made such progress in theii education under Miss 's tuition sat by themselves on what was termed the ad vanced form, and, after the lower boy.s were clone with, their turn came. On the oc casion in question there were foui advanced pupils, three of them being eeemingly men of the low labour ing class, and between thirty anc forty, and the fourth a hobbledehoy o; twenty, or thereabouts, who wore a long fustian jacket, the black and shiny back oi which denoted his ordinary occupation to be that of a coalheaver. First informing me that less than six months since not one oi the first form "boys" present could retici or write, for my edification the little gover ness gave them a test lesson involving both sentences. They were to write on their slates without other dictation than the general instruction, an application each from himself to a supposititious Mr Weaver for the sum of five shillings long owing to him. The demand was to be worded in eivf language, but at the same time Mr Weaver was to be made to understand that the creditor desired an immediate settlement, and unless the money ras paid forthwith coercive measures would be resorted to foi its recovery. These, of course, were not precisely the terms in which the little gov erness put the matter to her -scholars, but in her own plain way she made them under stand what was required of them as they sat listening attentively with their mouths ajar, two of them turning back the Cuffs o] their jacket so as to be able to tackle the tough job before them in an unembarrassed and free-handed manner. They were sup posed -x> be all pretty equal as scholars, and they entered into the competition with spirit. Keward was in store for the victor. Besidea being privileged to "go up first,"' or, in other words, to take the top seat on the foiia, he was to receive rive good marks, the said marks representing in value a hundred for one shilling, at which price the kindhearted teacher redeemed them when ever five score were accumulated. The ex citement was contagious, and the boys o: the lower forms could not be restrained in their eager whispering (I'm afraid I hearc Tomßullock say to another, " I'll lay you two 'arf-pints to one against Coaley"),thougl the little governess repeatedly rapped hei desk with the ruler, and called them to order. I will not attempt to describe the extraordinary attitudes into which the com petitors found it necessary to place them selves in settling comfortably to their task, or the wonderful contortions of countenance that accompanied the various movements o their pencils. The lesson was at length accomplished, and the slates handed to me. The applications to the defaulter Weaver were all more or less of a threatening character, and the " civility " in each was but thinly masked, especially that of the young coalheaver. What he said was: "Mr Weaver, <why don't you pay methattheer five shillin' wot you O me like a man ? Mister Weaver, dear sir, if you don't pay me I shal pay you. So no more from your loveing friend, Samuel Hidgecock. " The next was written in a more argumentative style, but was equally to the point: "Dear Weaver—lf you don't pay up wot you owes me, and that quick, it will be the wust for you. There for why not settle and oblige your affectionate—A. Pekks ?" The third ex actly resembled the second, as though the writer had been copying it over his friend's shoulder, but had it been equally good with a difference, it could have stood no chance against the fourth and last, which carried away the palm as well for composition as for elegance of diction. "Joseph Stubbs sends his compliments to Mr Weaver, and wishes for the favour ofhandlin' that there five shillings, which praps it is time. If the same is sent by a turn of the post, it will save Mr Weaver the orkardness df being summonzed." I, of course, awarded the prize to this last production, and in doing so was glad to be made aware by the re marks of the old boys as they trooped out of school and down the ladder that my ver dict was that of the majority.—Keprinted from the "London Telegraph."

How She Won Him.

It was at dinner. She sat opposite him, and looked ever so charming in a wine coloured silk with a square neck, and otherwise arrayed as never were the Hllies in any valley of this poor earth. Well, the idiot of a waiter, in handing the soup, upset the entire contents of a plate right in her lap. Just think of it! The whole front breadth utterly ruined, and for the world it could not be matched. Well, what did she do ? Did she faint? Did she say, " You horrid man?" Did she scream? Not _at all. She passed the thing off in some witty remark about bap tism, and calmly resumed her dinner. He, of course, was delighted, thought her a most attractive woman—and, indeed, she was—became attentive to her, and finally married her. One evening, long after the event, they were sitting before the fire (the children having gone to bed), and were talking about old times, when he said : "My dear, I never told you, I think, how I first thought I would 1 ke to marry you— did I?" " Why, gracious goodness, no never." "Well," he said, "do you re member thatdinnerat MrsSimpkins's, where your dress was spoiled by the soup?" " Indeed I do," she replied : " I shall never forget it as long as I live." "Well," he continued, "you behaved so well about it that I thought you a perfect jewel." " Yes," she answered, '' I remember behaving very well about it at the time, but you should have seen the marks of my teeth on the bed post that night."

A celebrated singer, Madame Le Eochois, was giving a younger companion in art some instructions in the tragic character of Medea, which she was about to sustain. "Inspire yourself with the situation," said she. " Fancy yourself in the poor woman's place. If you -were deserted by a lover whom you adored, what would you do?" The reply was as unexpected asit was ingenu ous—" I would look out for another."

A Dead Certainty.

" What ! never heard of Old Tipper's clean little .sell ? Bless me! now that's strange ; well, I'll tell you all about it. " You see, Old Tipper is reckoned asharp ish cove among his set, I can tell you, and when the little affair leaked out, why— didn't _ his friends go for him, that's all. "It's .some years ago now since Old Tipper travelled down to tiie Warwick September Race Meeting, his object being to land a ' pot' on the strength of a big straight tip for one of the events. "The day was bright and sunny, and everyone was on good terms with himself; even the horses seemed to enjoy the beauty of the day. "The event was next on the card, and Tipper, who had his ' tenner on,' anxiously awaited the result. " While busily engaged with his field glasses, watching Mr McGregor fixing the starters, a well-dressed man of American appearance walked up to and accosted him. " ' Morning, stranger.' "'Good morning, mister,' responded Tipper, turning and looking cautiously at the speaker. " 'Air thim bosses nearly startin' yet? You'll excuse me, stranger, case I ain't got a spyglass wi' me.' '"Yes, mister, they are nearly ready. Ah ! now—yes ! now their off !' and, as though speaking to himself, •He's well away," handing at the same time his glasses to the Yankee. " ' Who's he." " 'The Monk, mister, The Monk.' "'Oh, indeed, stranger!' queried the Yankee, still scanning the race. " ' Yes, I've a tenner on, my boy,' cheerily exclaimed Old Tipper, watching his horse coming away. " 'What odds did you take?" "Fives, mister.' " 'Look here, Captain, I'll lay a fiver my boss Alaska beats yours, what say now ?" "' Done ! one, two, three.' "'Right!' "The general excitement now became intense, and only those who have heard it can have any idea of the hoarse hubhub that arises on all sides from the many hundred throats as the cry is taken up, 'Here they come!' 'Alaska!' 'The Monk !' ' Cupid!' yelled the crowd, ' Bravo, George!' and simultaneously with the cry the noted Fordham was seen to come with a spirit on Cupid, who, dash ing past the Grand Stand, won the race for its worthy owner. Xext came The Dodger, and The Monk, running neck and neck with Alaska, just managed to land Old Tipper's five. "'Tarnation !'exclaimed the American, handing over the 'dust,' 'to think that my darned hoss is beat. Wall, stranger, I am oil' to licker-up, what say yer!" "'No, thanks,' responded Tipper, stroking his chin thoughtfully, and saun tering away to invest his fiver on one other certainty he had in store for the next race, and having soon got on at nine to two, was much gratified when the result of the race proved this tip ' good goods.' "He was Justin the act of relieving the peneiller of £30, when the Yankee again ac costed him— " ' Landed ? My stars ! Guess yell float now, stranger.' " 'Oh, 1 am all right, mister, thanks,' re plied Tipper, somewhat shortly, not quite liking the inquisitive manner ef the Ameri can. " 'Wall, don't get riled, Captain. Come, and I'll float yer.' "Yell what?' asked the astonished Tipper. "'l'll licker ye up to a brandy-smash ; or, maybe, ye'd like a gin cocktail ; them air a darned fine swill. What, never tasted ? Wall, now—think of that! Whar were ye rusticated, stranger ?' and, linking his ami in that of Tipper, they strolled into the drinking saloon, presided over by mine host of the Guy of Warwick Arms. "After sundiy drinks, the day's spoi't being over, Tipper, cordially bidding his Yankee acquaintance good-day, sauntered off to his merry little dinner at the afore said Guy of Warwick Arms, well satisfied with his day's ' biz,' and also at the idea of having bested that most wonderful of earthly creatures, a real live Yankee. "Well, Tipper having settled his dinner to his entire satisfaction, seated himself down in an armchair in the smoke-room, and was soon enjoying the fragrant weed. " Shortly after Tipper had 'lighted up,' an elderly-looking, but somewhat ilashly dressed man walked into the room, sank down in the other vacant armchair by the fire, nodded ' Good evening' to our friend Tipper, picked up a paper, and soon fell fast asleep. "The exterior of the new-comer be tokened an evidently well-to-do man. The diamond rings on his hand glittered in the firelight, and the heavy gold watoh-ehain, fully exposed to view, naturally impressed Old Tipper, who thought the stranger very foolish to drop off to sleep exposing such valuables to the risk of being stolen by the ' Bwabs ' that attend race meetings. One and another dropped in, and conver sation became pretty general, the flashly dressed gent still sleeping on in sweet repose. " Hullo, stranger, you're hear, air you ?" and, looking up, Tipper, with much pleasure, recognised the Yankee acquaint ance of the afternoon. " ' Yes, mister, I am staying here.' " 'Slap up shanty, ain't it, now? Senator Stokes, of Js Tew York, U.S., told me to ' hang out' hear ; and he's no bad jedge, you bet." "'Yes, replied Tipper; 'I find the place very comfortable. What will you drink, mister, eh?' and soon the two friends were deeply engrossed over their grog and cigars. "' Any chums of yours hear, stranger? Who's the gent in the arm chair ?' " ' Can't say ; very foolish for a man of his years, though, to go to sleep exposing his jewellery in that manner. Don t you think so, mister?' " ' Certainly,' chimed in several present, overhearing the remark. ' Wall, now, you ask me, and I rayther think he's no gent at all. Now I hey seen a bit in my turn 'Up States,' and if that air party ain't one of the swell mob I'll— why, I'll chuck myself inside out.' '"Look at his chain,' said one; 'not real, I know.' i" Old Tipper stared at the chain very hard without going too near. " ' Not it, you bet.' responded the Yank, • and I guess he arn't got a ticker at all for his swellishness ; but, just for a lark, one o' you chaps have a look and see.' But no one seemed inclined to run the risk of being caught picking pockets. "'Why, darn my rags,' exclaimed the Yankee, ' I never asked a man yet to do a thing I dam't do mysel', so I'll tarnation soon see ;' and, suiting the action to the word, softly stole over to the sleeping gent, and carefully drew up the chain, exposing to view, instead of a watch, a piece of wood resembling one in size and appearance. Look there, now,' as the others drew round ; ' see what a game we'll hey jess now, you bet.' At the same time he replaced the sham ticker in the owner's pocket. In a short time the sleeper awoke, and, looking round at the several inmates of the room, apologised for his seeming rudeness in having dropped off to sleep, and, calling for a cigar and a drink, arose and stretched his legs before the fire.

"One of the company, evidently a fanner, wishing to expose this swell member, asked ' Whnt the time of day might be ?' " The gentleman, putting his hand to his watch-pocket, as though from habit, replied, ' Well, sir, I am ashamed to say I got rather screwed hist evening, and tumbled into bed forgetting to wind up my watch.' ' "Jess so !' remarked the smiling Yankee ; ' how tarnation funny.' " 'Why, sir, lam at a loss to know why •so small a circumstance should elicit such a peculiar remark from you, an utter stranger,' observed the gentleman. '"Why, certainly !' observed the Colonel (beg pardon, I mean the Yankee). '" Why don't you wind it up now, sir 2' remarked our friend Tipper, looking at his own watch. •'lt is a quarter past nine.' " ' Thanks, very much ; but the fact is I have not got my key with me, and mine is a rather peculiar chronometer.' "'Kayther!' put in the United Slates man. " A roar of laughter followed this remark, and several jokes went pretty free at the gentleman's expense, much, evidently, to his annoyance. At last one of the company, getting rather exasperated at such coal eon . duct on the part of so unblushing an im postor, plainly told him that he had not got a watch at all. " The gentleman, thoroughly surprised at such a remark, quickly applied his hand to his pocket, and being assured by external application, replied that 'it was all right,' at the same time remarking that ' ho thought someone had been playing a. trick upon him during his nap.' Not wishing to pursue the conversation, he seated himself in his chair. " ' I'll bet you £5 you've not got a watch, come now,' exclaimed one. ■'' And I will, too,' exclaimed another. "'Nonsense, gentlemen,' quietly replied the gentleman. ' Keep your money in your pocket, yon may want it.' "'What did I tell yer ?' observed the Yankee, with a wink at the company. 'Come, look hear, stranger, I'll bet you all I'm worth jess now -£56—you ain't got no ticker.' " This was enough for our friend Tipper. Seeing his chance of as big a ' certainty ' as he ever had in hislife,he jumped up, crossed! to the table, and dabbed down fCO in notes (his day's winnings):—'See here, mister, can you cover that?—as yon've no watch.' '"You really mean it?' exclaimed the gentleman, with evident surprise. " 'That's so,' exclaimed the Yankee. ' And so do I, you bet, by thunder I" slap ping down £50 in notes. " Other bets were soon made, and the money covered by the gentleman in new bank notes. " ' Now, gentlemen, I hope you are satis fied,' and pulling from his pocket heexposed to view a piece of loood. A roar of laughter went up against him, and hands were stretched out for the stakes ; but the laugh was soon on the other side when the gentle man, touching a spring in the wood, re vealed a handsome gold watch snugly encased within. " Replacing the watch in his pocket, and quietly picking up the cash, he thanked the company for their inquieitiveness, and explained that he lead his reasons for so carrying his watch. "After ordering a round of drinks and cigars, this gentleman, so wrongly ('!) sus pected as being of the swell mob, wished all good night, and retired to his room. "The Yankee looked blue. The farmer look red. But poor old Tipper looked very white and felt very bad. " Nearly cleaned outin pocket, he trudged, off down to the railway station the following day, to return home, a sadder though a wiser man ; and I can assure you that when taking his third-class seat in the traia (he came down first) his feelings were wrought up to a terrible pitch as, gazing into the re freshment bar across the line, he saw his Yankee acquaintance drinking champagne with the old farmer and the owner of tho wooden watch. " And in the agony of his spirit dear Old Tipper groaned aloud ' Never again.'"

An Alarming Apparition.

In 1871 I was at Naples, when an Italian corvette, the Amirale Caracciolo, was launched at Castellamare. The vessel was christened by the Countess Teresa Carac ciolo, the daughter of the chief of the elder branch of the Caracciolo. I was staying at Naples as the guest of the young lady's father, and I heard a very remarkable .story connected with the death cf the un fortunate officer in honour of whose memory the vessel was named. The circumstances which led to the execution of Prince Francesco Caracciolo in 179!) are well known. I shall merely state, therefore, that he was condemned by a court martial composed of (Sicilian officers to be hanged at the yard arm of the flagship for bearing arms against his lawful sovereign. When the oiiicial communication of the finding and sentence of the court was brought to the prince, he was explaining the names and use of the various parts of the rigging to some y^mg Neopolitan noblemen who happened to be on board the ship. A glance at the-letter was sufficient to show him its contents. He showed no sign of emotion, but requested the officer who brought the despatch to wait, for a few minutes wihle lie finished his explanations. This being done, he retired to his cabin ; and after a vain attempt vo get the sentence changed to a more honourable manner of death, lie resigned himself to his. fate, which he met with great fortitude Some days after the event, the king, who had been for an afternoon's cruise on a. Sicilian ship of war outside the bay, was re turning to Naples in the evening. Jt was a moonlight night, and the sea was perfectly calm. There was, indeed, so little wind that it was difficult to steer the vessel. The king was sitting in the balcony of the s*ern cabin, watching the sea, when suddenly bo became aware that something was following the ship. As the object came nearer, it was easy to distinguish that it was the body of a man in an upright attitude, as if treading water; and very soon the king was able to recognise the features of Admiral Caraccioli. His eyes were open, and seemed to be fixed on the king, and except for its ghastly pallor, the face wn» unchanged. The explanation was wimple. After being submerged for some days the body had become so buoyant that tho weights attached to the feet -.vojc not sufficiently heavy to keep it under water - but they retained it in an upright position, and it was drawn nlon?' by the current created by the movement of the ship. It is easy to imagine the horror of Ferdinand at what he believed to be an ap parition from another world. When at ength it was explained to him what had lappened, he gave orders that a boat should ac lowered and that the corpse should be wrought on board and taken to Naples for Christian burial. But the superstitious Sicilians dared not obey the royal com mand, and the shin, drawing in its wake the ipright body of the admiral, sailed slowly nto the Bay of Naples. Here a boat's crew was obtained from an English man-of-war who took the admiral's body ashore, where t was deposited in his own palace, and at ength received the last rites of the Church A different version of the story is given in Southey's "Life of Nelson." I have here related the traditional account preserved in the family of the admiral exactly as it was **<<?T°. by its chief.—[By a Correspondent of "Notes and Queriea."]

3

STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, SEPTEMBER 15, 1883.