to royalty, and tabu to all else beside. A hollow human groan issued out of the I woke up. How glad I was to know it was all a dream! "This comes of listening to the legend of the noble lord-of reading of those lying dream revelations of allowing myself to be carried away by the wild beauty of old Kileana at midnight-of gorging too much pork and beans for supper!" And so I turned over and fell asleep again. And dreamed the same dream precisely as before; followed the phantom"blazed" my course-arrived at the grim chamberheard the sad spirit voice-overturned the massy stone -beheld the regal crown and the decaying bones of the great king! I woke up, and reflected long upon the curious and singularly vivid dream, and finally muttered to myself, "This-this is becoming serious!" I fell asleep again, and again I dreamed the same dream, without a single variation! I slept no more, but tossed restlessly in bed and longed for daylight. And when it came I wandered forth, and descended to the wide plain in the crater. I said to myself, "I am not superstitious but if there is anything in that dying woman's prophecy, I am the instrument appointed to uncurtain this ancient mystery." As I walked along, I even half expected to see my solemn guide step out from some nook in the lofty wall, and beckon me to come on. At last, when I reached the place where I had first seen him in my dream, I recognised every surrounding object, and there, winding down among the blocks and fragments of lava, saw the very trail I had traversed in my vision! I resolved to traverse it again, come what might. I wondered if, in my unreal journey, I had "blazed" my way, so that it would stand the test of stern reality; and thus wondering, a chill went to my heart when I came to the first stony projection I had broken off in my dream, and saw the fresh new fracture, and the dismembered fragment lying on the ground. My curiosity rose up and banished all fear, and I hurried along as fast as the rugged road would allow me. I looked for my other "blazes" and found them; found the cleft in the wall; recognised all its turnings; walked in the light that ascended from the glowing furnaces visible far below; sweated in the close, hot atmosphere, and breathed the sulphurous smoke-and at last I stood hundreds of feet beneath the peaks of Kileana in the ruined chamber, and in the presence of the mysterious boulder! "This is no dream," I said; "this is a revelation from the realm of the supernatural; and it becomes not me to longer reason, conjecture, suspect, but blindly to obey the impulse given me by the unseen power that guides me." I moved with a slow and reverent step towards the stone, and bore against it. It yielded perceptibly to the pressure. I brought my full weight and strength to bear, and surged against it. It yielded again; but I was so enfeebled by my toilsome journey that I could not overthrow it. I rested a little, and then raised an edge of the boulder by a strong, steady push, and placed a small stone under it, to keep it from sinking back to its place. I rested again, and then repeated the process. Before long, I had added a third prop, and had got the edge of the boulder considerably elevated. The labour and the close atmosphere together were so exhausting, however, that I was obliged to lie down then and recuperate my strength by a longer season of rest. And so, hour after hour I laboured, growing more and more weary, but still upheld by a fascination which I felt was infused into me by the invisible powers whose will I was working. At last I concentrated my strength in a final effort, and the stone rolled from its position. I can never forget the overpowering sense of awe that sank down like a great darkness upon my spirit at that moment. After a solemn pause to prepare myself, with bowed form and uncovered head, I slowly turned my gaze till it rested upon the spot where the great stone had lain. There wasn't any bones there! PHAETHON; OR, THE AMATEUR COACHMAN. J. G. SAXE. DAN PHAETHON-So the histories run Was a jolly young chap, and a son of the Sun; Some going for one, and some for another! Drove a very fast coach by the name of "the Sun; Running, they say, Trips every day (On Sundays and all, in a heathenish way), Of lanterns that shone with a brilliant display, Now Phaethon begged of his doting old father To darken the brow of the son of the Sun. I swear I will grant you whate'er you desire." "Then by my head," The youngster said, "I'll mount the coach when the horses are fed! For there's nothing I'd choose, as I'm alive, Like a seat on the box, and a dashing drive." 66 Nay, Phaethon, don't! I beg you won't; Just stop a moment and think upon't. "Twill really be Your first appearance on any stage. The cattle are wild, And when their courage is thoroughly riled, You'll rue the day, So mind me, and don't be foolish, Pha!" And swore aloud It was just the thing to astonish a crowd. He called for the chargers, unheeding the charge, "Parce stimulis, utere loris " (A stage direction, of which the core is, "Medio tutissimus ibis," As the judge remarked to a rowdy Scotchman, Now Phaethon, perched in the coachman's place, Drove off the steeds at a furious pace, Whack! crack!" Resounding along the horses' back. As all agree, Off the coach was suddenly hurled MORAL. Don't rashly take to dangerous courses, HANS BREITMANN'S FARTY. HANS BREITMANN gife a barty, I felled in lofe mit a Merican frau, Hans Breitmann gife a barty, I vent dere you'll pe pound. Und vent shpinnen round und round. |