tive position of himself and the tongs, so that they might be handy in case of accident. "I am," said the boy,-and as he spoke he leaned back and gave Bob another view of the slats, which was accompanied, as before, by an awful twinge, which reminded him that he labored under no such deficiency, "I am," said he, turning full upon Bob, "THE PICKLED GHOST." 66 'Ah, indeed!" said Bob, as if he had often heard of that distinguished individual, and was pleased to make his acquaintance. "Seven years ago I roomed in this room where we are now. I was a Fresh-Sophomore then, and a waiter in the commons' hall. The night before Christmas-seven years ago to-night-I went down into the cellar to get a piece of pork; the brine was deep and the pork was shallow. I had to lean over the edge of a large, deep tub or barrel, and reach down with an iron hook through three or four feet of brine. I lost my balance and fell in." More "I fell in and was drowned. All winter passed away, and then summer and when Christmas came again I came back to this room, but the man who roomed here was frightened and ran away. pork was packed into the old brine, and there I lay. Next Christmas I came again, and nobody was here Another year went round, summer and winter, and more pork. Once a hook was fastened in my coat, but it tore out, and still I stayed. Every Christmas-eve I have been back to this room, but always with the same luck; sometimes they have been asleep, and wouldn't wake. One fellow told me that I lied that was the Steward's son. No luck-no luck." And here the Pickled Ghost pressed his thin hands together, and two or three drops trickled down his cheeks. Bob almost shed tears-from sympathy; but he caught another sight of the slats, and did it quite-from pain. "I have told my story," said the Pickled Ghost, "and I must go; but first promise me-promise me on your honor as a man—one thing." "I will," said Bob; "what is it?" "Promise me as you love life” "Say pork," interrupted Bob, who could not resist the temptation to a joke. "As you love life," said the Ghost, taking no notice of the interruption," and as you hope for a quiet rest in the grave, that you will not rest in peace till you have removed my body from that place: promise me this, and I will trouble these halls no more.' 66 'I will," said Bob, "upon my word I will." Again another gripe. Bob actually yelled this time, and sprang from his chair. The room was dark, the candle was out, and the moon had gone down, but the stars were shining feebly on the snow, and the last bell was ringing for prayers; the Ghost had gone, but the pain was still there. Bob rubbed his eyes and found his hat, and by the time he was fairly in the chapel he began to think perhaps he had been asleep. All that day Bob was a thoughtful man; three jokes before dinner, four stories and two puns afterward, were all he uttered. At night he told the story to Ned, who laughed outright, placed the palm of his hand on the bottom of his vest, and said "Mince-pie." Tom was not so easily satisfied, and insisted on a hunt being made for the barrel. Nothing in particular being found, however, Ned's theory of Ghosts was generally supposed to be correct. STUDENT LIFE IN GERMANY: OR, GLEANINGS FROM MY JOURNAL. "WELL, praised be the man who invented pipes and patience!-when, ye gods, when will our supper come forth!. Tired, parched, famished, with smoking visions of no less smoking viands flitting round, write me down Tantalus number two!" Waiter, the bill of fare!" cried a dozen voices. "Halloo for another calf's head here! and give me a dish of fried potatoes, an omelet, beer, beer all around!" "Why, what is this?" chiruped a very small voice belonging to a very large man, as a traveling band of musicians appeared at the entrance of the hall; "music, so bless me ;" and here the speaker abruptly stopped. Hardly had the first strains of the bellowing brass resounded through the halls, when as if the whole University had been stationed at the door, both pannels flew wide open, and students of all ages and degrees burst in, and slowly winding their way midst benches and stools, seated themselves promiscuously around the different tables. The clatter of knives and forks, mixed with the hum of conversation, soon became general; waiters stumbling and bustling about, diligently appeared everywhere when not wanted, nowhere when called for. Suddenly a voice squeaking and cracking in its efforts to overtop the prevailing din, brought forth after many painful workings, in spasmodic measure, the fact that as our host, who was but newly installed, had not yet placed the seal to his inauguration, he intended so doing that night-beer gratis! Thereupon the orator waving aloft a till now unobserved and dirty sheet which hung in one corner of the room, disclosed to our wondering eyes a pyramid of some eight or ten casks of beer, hitherto veiled beneath the drapery in question. Every soul sprung to his feet, (may the church excuse me.)-"To the health of our host!" and one loud deafening yell shook the house to its foundation, and as it died away, the peals of music took up the strain, until every window rattled in its frame. One hundred glasses were replaced empty on the board. Once again a shout resounded along the walls, but the burthen of the cry was this time, "beer! beer! beer!" and the ready waiters like distant echoes answered, "beer!" The barrels spouted out their foaming contents, and one after the other gurgled as its last life's drop oozed out; yet still the cry was "beer! beer! beer!" "Come, ho my lord Englishman, you do not drink!" yelped a well soaked guzzler from an adjoining table. "Ha!" interrupted the German, "ha, gentlemen, the Englishman quotes Greek! Why then by Greek shall you be met. Was it not Mr. Plato, John Socrates, Esq., or some other gentleman of Greece who proclaimed all habits vicious and unwholesome, whether bad or good, and therefore prescribed to all sober folks a bout at least once a month. But letting alone mortals, take the gods and demi-gods, who according to rank sipped their nectar by johns or demijohns. Jupiter himself was fond of a drop, and that of flat nectar; egad, he had never tasted beer, else. My lord, I pledge you in a half choppin." The Briton summoned a ghastly smile, gave the expected nod, more Jove-like than jovial, muttered the accustomed word, drink,” and the railer without taking breath half-emptied his glass. The compliment, however, was not to end here, and according to the custom, our man returned a few minutes after the courtesy. "Drink!" cried the German, bowing. The islander had almost accomplished his bitter task, and nearly brought his beer down to the half way mark, when he stopped, gasped, and choking, coughed aloud with unremitted energy during five agonizing minutes. "A forfeit! a forfeit!" cried those around. "Drink it over!" σε Αρχή ήκιου παντος.” "Facilis descensus Averni," etc. etc. 669 That night, my lord knew not whether 'twas he who went to bed, or his bed which came to him. 66 66 "Halloo there, Herdman, fox!" yelled another lusty tippler, and Herdman thus appealed to, arose and emptied the contents of his glass. Salan, Rengen, Kraig, fox! fox!" and each one recognized the call, gulping down his measure. Halt, music, halt! now for a round, keep tune to the airs. Drink or sing! here goes," and the speaker, doffing his cap, slowly arose, and lifting high in air his silver topped bicker, roared out with a voice whose most dulcet note rung like a gong: "Es geibt gar nichts wie Mädchen, Es geibt gar nichts wie Bier, Wer leibt nicht alle beiden Wird gar nie Cavalier." Then resuming his seat, the singer pointing to his untouched glass, took a short puff at his pipe, and laughing, continued: "Und jets hab'ich gesungen Und setze mich zu raŭchen Ein choppin Bier zu sauffen." "Bravo! bravo," was the universal cry as the poor impromptu was brought to an end in a terrific howl, and one hundred wide opened throats joined in a ringing chorus, now drowning, now drowned by the braying of the brazen band. "To the next in turn !" and emerging as if from a new dug grave, a cadaverous, long-faced mortal, drawled forth with lamentable pathos a melancholy, pitiful, dirge swelling, drinking song, which was chorused by a prolonged and nasal " Pro tibi Domine."-Up Krank and work your organ! "Well, sirs," began the dull shaven headed blue, "well, sirs, though naturally audax et fidus,' still I dare not sing, but as Virgil says, 'Labor omnia vincit improbus ;' I will also sic vos non vobis,' from him the saw alia tentenda via"" Here a loud hooting cut short the phrase, and though Krank hurled his wisdom manfully about, still it was in vain, and dragged to his seat, he was compelled to drink his forfeit. "To the next! let's have the crambambuli first, however." The libations freely used at last began to effect the revelers: now a troop of students try their address at rolling glasses; the brittle crystal swiftly urged forward, skips clinking on the polished surface of the board, then trundling slower on, it drags towards the table's brink, rolls, wavers, balances, then seemingly stops, yet while the cry of triumph dances on the victor's lips, the traitorous glass turns, trembles and takes the Tarpeian leap. "Beer! beer!" whoop out the occupants of another table; the waiters are not there, and dashed against the wall, the brittle fragments of the glass fall around like raining diamonds. Glass follows glass, plate follows plate, knives, forks and dishes bring up the rear, and din and uproar reign sovereign. The band also becomes more irregular and unharmonious; tunes from Norma, beggar songs and anthems peal forth promiscuously, reeling and intermingling with each other in wild discord, as if besotted. "I've tippled till I topple," hissed the Englishman in my ear, with a ghastly wandering eye, which would have shamed a ghost. "Methinks I swim like a fish, though I've not drank like one." "Sir!" exclaimed a Wurtemburger, to a young fellow half seas over, near him, “sir, you've spilled some beer on me!" "Ah!" was the bewildered ejaculation of the unconscious sinner. “You are a-a-a- Dummer Junger!" (foolish boy,) burst out the Wurtemburger. The other, fairly aroused by this henious insult, one of the most biting a German can give, cast back a fierce glance, and the challange was given. A trememdous din here drowned their quarrel, and at the same time a huge, fat, purple faced fellow, (" in se totus, teres, atque rotundus,") already loaded with twenty-five choppins, staggered to his legs and announced his intention to win a bet and prove himself worthy of the title of king beer drinker, with which he was honored. Taking one after the other eight glasses of beer, placed before him in order, he quaffed them off without a second's interval between his draughts. "Ingenii largitur venter," whispered Steplein in my ear, "Persius hey?" I'd like to know, appropos, if Persius was a beer bibber! ha! ha! Look, the earthen pots will crush 66 each other!" I cried as the colossus strode off, reeling against another monster of like proportions, " in se magna ruunt!" "Oh, but,” jeered he," Juncta juvant.' An evening's conviviality, followed by a heavy, restless night, is not calculated to brighten one's intellect, and the next morning, as several of us sipped our coffee in a companion's room, we could hardly summon courage enough to raise a laugh, even at each other's woe-begone countenances, but languidly reclining on our seats, we silently played with the large bowled pipes, and dropping here and there a disconnected phrase, watched the eddying smoke, as it curled aloft and mingled with the thick cloud which overhung us like a veil of mist. "Well," drawled Kosker, "well, Steplein, you'll come to see me slash with the Wurtemburger on Thursday? Hardman's my second." "With pleasure; to how many bloody heaves have you challenged him ?" "Twelve." "Very good, and àpropos, Hardman, I'd like you to second me also." "With whom?" "I've two of them, Rengan and Baron Kraig." "So be it. How is that?" asked I, " you only told me of your quarrel with Kraig, but Rengan?" My friend hesitated, laughed, scowled, and turned the conversation, yet could not turn me off, and after much entreating, I learned that he had taken to himself an insult bestowed upon me by Rengan, and which I had not noticed. The evening before, as the health of the American, for by that name I was generally known, had been drunken with loud halloos, Rengan, appa rently owing me some pique, had whistled and hissed at the extent of his lungs, adding also a savory epithet or so, to my nation. Protesting against my friend's kindness, I at length forced him to abandon his good intentions in my behalf. Now I have a perfect horror for dueling, looking upon it as little less than polite murder. Hoping therefore to conciliate affairs, I knocked without more ado at Rengan's door, entered, and after a few moment's conversation, broached the subject of my visit. I hoped he meant nothing, and laying to the excitement of the moment his forgetfulness, excused him, and begged him to concede that I was not wrong in these conjectures. No! His reasons? None! I argued, and as I seemingly retreated, he advanced, until angered by a biting word, in a moment of uncontrollable passion, I gave the hateful challenge,-pistols. He started. There goes an American, mysteriously whispered the janitor to a group of visitors, as I slowly paced toward my chamber. All turned immediately to behold so rare a curiosity. "He is not black!" murmured one, "" nor red!" chimed in a second; " strange," ejaculated another, "he looks much like other poople, and yet"-here, with a loud, unearthly laugh, followed closely by two or three piercing whoops, I leaped thrice high into air, and with hideous contortions dashed around an angle of the narrow passage. "How long have you had him?" "Nine months! the first who ever entered these walls, and perfectly untameable." "Wonderful! does he wear a ring in his nose ?"— |