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two or three years to a day-school, kept by an old woman; and well remember how proud I used to be to see several ancient dames lift up their hands and eyes with astonishment, while I repeated by memory several chapters out of the New Testament, concluding me, from this specimen, to be a prodigy of science. But my career of learning was soon at an end, when my mother became so poor that she could not afford the mighty sum of two-pence per week for my schooling. Besides, I was obliged to supply the place of a nurse to several of my brothers and sisters. The consequence of which was, that what little I had learned was presently forgot; instead of learning to read, &c. it very early became my chief delight to excel in all kinds of boyish mischiefs; and I soon arrived to be the captain and leader of all the boys in the neighbourhood.

"The sprightliest of the sprightly throng,
The foremost of the train."
MISS BOWDLer.

So that if any old wornan's lanthorn was kicked out of her hand, or drawn up a sign post, or if anything was fastened to her tail, or if her door was nailed up, I was sure to be accused as the author, whether I really were so or not.

But one of my tricks had nearly proved fatal to me. I had observed that yawning was infectious; and with a determination to have some sport, I collected several boys together one market-day evening, and instructed them to go amongst the butchers; whither I accompanied them. We placed ourselves at proper distances, and, at a signal given, all began to yawn as wide as we could; which immediately had the desired effect, the whole butcher-row was set a yawning; on which I and my companions burst into a hearty laugh, and took to our heels. The trick pleased us so well that, two or three weeks after, we attempted to renew it. But one of the butchers, who was half drunk, perceiving our intention,

snatched up his cleaver and threw it at me, which knocked off my hat without doing me any harm.

I was about ten years of age, when a man began to cry apple-pies about the streets: I took great notice of his methods of selling his pies, and thought I could do it much better than he. I communicated to a neighbouring baker my thoughts on the subject in such a manner as gave him a very good opinion of my abilities for a pie-merchant, and he prevailed on my father to let me live with him. My manner of crying pies, and my activity in selling them, soon made me the favourite of all such as purchased halfpenny apple-pies and halfpenny plum-puddings, so that in a few weeks the old pie-merchant shut up his shop. You see, friend, that I soon began to "make a noise in the world." I lived with this baker about twelve or fifteen months, in which time I sold such large quantities of pies, puddings, cakes, &c. that he often declared to his friends in my hearing, that I had been the means of extricating him from the embarrassing circumstances in which he was known to be involved prior to my entering his service.

During the time I continued with this baker, many complaints were repeatedly made against me for the childish follies I had been guilty of, such as throwing snow-balls, frightening people by flinging serpents and crackers into their houses, &c. I also happened one day to overturn my master's son, a child about four years old, whom I had been driving in a wheelbarrow. Dreading the consequences, I immediately flew from my master's house, and (it being evening) went to a glazier's house and procured a parcel of broken glass; I also provided myself with a pocketful of peas; and thus equipped, made fine diversion for myself and my unlucky companions, by going to a number of houses, one after another, discharging a handful of peas at the windows, and throwing down another handful of glass in the street at the same instant, which made such a noise as very much

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frightened many people, who had no doubt of their windows being broken into a thousand pieces. This adventure, together with throwing the child out of the wheelbarrow, produced such a clamour against me amongst the old women, that I would not return to my master, and not knowing what else to do, I went home to my father, who, you may easily conceive, could not afford to keep me idle, so I was soon set down by his side to learn his own trade; and I continued with him several years, working when he worked, and while he was keeping Saint Monday, I was with boys of my own age, fighting, cudgel playing, wrestling, &c. &c.

The following story has been variously stated; my father assured me that the origin of it was as follows:

He and some other young fellows being one Easter Sunday morning at the clerk's house at Langford, near Wellington, drinking the clerk's ale, they overheard the old man reading the verses of the psalms that he was to read that morning at church; and in order to have some fun with the old clerk, one of the company set off early to church, and on the word 'tree' they stuck on the word 'horse,' so that when the old man came to that place, he read as follows, "And they shall flourish like a young bay horse." "Horse! it should not be horse; but, by the Lord, it is horse!"

The above old man was called Red Cock for many years before his death, for having one Sunday slept in church, and dreaming that he was at a cock-fighting, he bawled out, "A shilling upon the red cock.' And behold the family are called Red Cock unto this day.

The preceding reminds me of an odd circumstance that happened but a few years since at W. As the good doctor was one Sunday morning going through the street towards the cathedral, he heard a woman cry "Mackerel, all alive, alive Q!" And on his arrival at the church, he began the service as follows, "When the wicked man turneth away from

his wickedness and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive, alive O!" These last words the doctor proclaimed aloud, in the true tone of the fish-woman, to the great surprise of the congregation; but the good doctor was so studious and absent, that he knew not what he had done. Yours, &c.

LETTER IV.

"Who gather round, and wonder at the tale
Of horrid apparition, tall and ghastly,

That walks at dead of night, or takes his stand,
O'er some new-open'd grave: and (strange to tell!)
Evanishes at crowing of the cock." BLAIR'S Grave.

DEAR FRIEND,

I must not forget an odd adventure that happened when I was about twelve years of age, as it tends to show in part my dauntless disposition, which discovered itself on many occasions in the very early part of my life.

I had one day walked with my father to Holywell lake, a village two miles from Wellington, where meeting with some good ale, he could not find in his heart to part from it until late at night. When we were returning home by the way of Rockwell Green, (commonly called Rogue Green, from a gang of robbers and house-breakers who formerly lived there,) having just past the bridge, we were met by several men and women, who appeared to be very much frightened, being in great agitation. They informed us that they were returning back to Rogue Green, in order to sleep there that night, having been prevented from going home to Wellington by a dreadful apparition which they had all seen in the hollow way,

about a quarter of a mile distant; adding, that a person having been murdered there formerly, the ghost had walked ever since; that they had never before paid much attention to the well-known report; but now they were obliged to credit it, having had occular demonstration.

"Aided by fancy, terror lifts his head,

And leaves the dreary mansions of the dead;
In shapes more various mocks at human care,
Than e'er the fabled Proteus us'd to wear;
Now, in the lonely way each trav'ller's dread,
He stalks a giant shape without a head;
Now in the haunted house, his dread domain,
The curtain draws, and shakes the clinking chain;
Hence fabled ghosts arise, and spectres dire,
Theme of each ev'ning tale by winter's fire."

PRALL'S SUPERSTITION.

My father had drank too large a quantity of ale to be much afraid of anything, and I (who could not let slip such an opportunity of shewing my courage) seconded matters for the poor terrified people to return with us; and as I offered to lead the van, they were prevailed on to make the attempt once more; but said, that it was rather presumptuous, and hoped that no dreadful consequence would ensue, as all the company, they trusted, were honest hearted, and intended no harm to any person: they moreover added,, that "God certainly was above the devil." I then advanced, and kept before the company about fifty yards,

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'Whistling aloud to bear my courage up." But when we had walked about a quarter of a mile, I saw at some distance before us in the hedge, the dreadful apparition that had so terrified our company. Here it is! (said I). "Lord have mercy upon us!" replied some of the company, making a full stop; and would have gone back, but shame prevented hem. I still kept my distance before, and called out

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