lowe. Fury, fury, would I could crush you all. So saying, Mr. James pulled his hat furiously down over his eyes, and thrusting his hands deep into his pockets, rushed out of the house.

Reverses of fortune oftentimes produce strange effects upon the human mind, and cause people to act, seemingly, contrary to their former constituted mode of life. Actions are but the weather-guides of the heart, and they are actuated by external objects. That night-that very night Mrs. James Marlowe eloped with the fencing master, alluded to in a former chapter, and her unhappy husband eloped just about the same time to the other world with all his imperfections on his head, having blown out his brains by way of a finale.

The hall, or rather the new hall, on the site of the old one, received its rightful owners, and the family of old Saunders are as happy as lords, and enjoy the sweets of life, along with the remembrance of the bitter past.

"I tell you, master Somers, that you are deceived; these old eyes have looked upon the river craft too long, to be mistaken now. Sea craft has a peculiar twist about the jib, for salt water is not like fresh, master Somers."

"What has salt water to do with the matter? the brig is not a foreign one. I can tell that two miles off, and we distance that, I guess ?"

"True-there you are right, but as sure as my name is Switzer, and that is as good as the best in the land, she is an Englisher, and what is more, she has not been four and twenty hours in our river."

"Four and twenty devils! I tell you, Switzer, that I have seen the craft twice within a week. Not longer than yesterday, she moved down the eastern channel, and moored just beyond the Island, where she has been ever since, until now."

"Bah! no such thing. The craft you Betsy, and if you step this way and cast south-east direction, you can see her yet. again, you old fool."

speak of is the
your eyes in a

Now try it

"Well; I have been mistaken, and you think her an English brig?"

"Just as much as that I stand here. Now listen, master Somers, she brings over orders from the British Government to Lord Howe. Orders that when they are carried out, will make the people more desperate and determined than ever -hark?" As he spoke there came a sound of cannon, another, and another. "Ah! they salute the General. Step this way; see, now the smoke clears off, and curls up its airy nothing, like the white foam from a water fall, now they approach, there goes the barge-bang, another cannon-there," and he added a curse.

66

life."

Hush, Switzer, such words, if heard, might cost your

"Better die, Somers, than to be the slaves of such men. Hark! we can hear, the shouts even here. Water is a conductor of sound, let 'em shout, let 'em revel in the city, and if it be forever, then is oppression immortal!"

Our readers must picture two old men standing on a little mound on the banks of the river Delaware, somewhere in the neighborhood where now stands Dr. Dyott's old glass house. At the period of which we are speaking, it was more like a wilderness than a habitable district as it now is. Trees of large forest growth stood in clusters, shrubbery, and in some places little garden plaits were cultivated and laid out with much taste by the few dwellers, thus affording relief to the otherwise gloomy aspect of the place. Yet was it a pleasant retreat, and might have been made, as it should have been in after years, an important, if not a delightful spot for the merchant or mechanic, to recruit after the business of the day, and find in his garden, all those comforts which can only be appreciated by those

who value rural scenery, more than they do the smoke and unhealthy atmosphere of a populous city.

Before a small cottage, partly hid from view by the thick foliage and clustering vines, stood the two persons, a portion of whose conversation we have detailed, nor need we inform the reader at what period our tale commences, as he has no doubt gathered from their words that it opens at that dark page in our history, when the British held possession of Philadelphia. Somers lived in the cottage alluded to, and his companion, Switzer, a staunch old German, resided a short distance below. The Germans have ever been proverbial for their love of country, and it is a curious fact that the "faderland" so dear to all, ceases to be, at least with them, the subject of continued comment, and of comparison no wise favorable to the home of their adoption. It has been said the Germans are a cold, selfish people, and hence their careless indifference to the land of their birth. It is not so; follow them to their homes, and quiet fire-side, and you will find a happy, cheerful, and a philosophical people. They love the land where they can live free, cultivate the soil, and pay tribute to no one. They are republicans in heart, christians in soul, and patriotic in their feelings. Old Switzer belonged to that class, who, though in his cups, would never drink to his tyrant home, and say, "with all thy faults, I love thee still."

"Ah! Somers, I can foresee the end of this struggle. It will be, mark me Somers, I say it, old Switzer, no conjurer, no Harz mountain sorcerer, says it, that this land will be free, though all the combined forces of Europe attempt to suppress the spirit at work to effect it. Mark that, Somers, put it in your memory pipe and smoke it-ah! here comes Lucy-good morning rose bud, aha, how beautiful you look.”

"You flatter me, Mr. Switzer, I am no prettier than I was yesterday!"

"Not a bit, not a bit, that's right, kiss your father, I have no child to kiss me, no one cares for old Switzer."

"Say not so; do I not love you? there is a kiss for you too."

"Now, Switzer, never say no one cares for you; that kiss is worth a thousand sighs!"

"So it is, so it is, but where is George?"

"Yes, Lucy, where's your brother."

"I don't know, father, he left the house immediately after breakfast, and-but see who is that in the skiff, how it skims the water, it is fearful to gaze upon."

"Ha! ha! who but George can manage old Switzer's skiff. I missed it, and half suspected the rogue had made free with it."

"But where has he been, so early? he has been after no good. I must check this roving spirit, or it will lead to—" "Promotion in the army, master Somers. Nay stare not, I tell you that George has that in him which will not remain quiet amid the stirring scenes around him. See how fondly his sister welcomes him-ah! Somers, you are a happy man."

"What ho, there, George, George, I say!"

"Coming, father! wait until I fasten the boat."

"Where have you been, sir?"

The youth who now approached was not more than about nineteen years of age, his height was nearly six feet, his frame powerful, and of the most perfect symmetry; his fine open countenance, speaking black eyes, and ruddy complexion, gave to his appearance more of the air and dignity of a nobleman, than the son of a poor day laborer. Yet was he a nobleman, one of nature's proudest. By his side stood his sister Lucy,