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VOL. I.-XO. 4.
BLOOMSBTJ11G, SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1866.
PMOE FIVE CENTS.
r
May.
nv .ton: n, wiiittieii.
Ilmroyn the Hirudin; croohtleiiH of tho woods,
Unto tho misty, mountain notltudoH,
Hits April breathed hor weot mid changeful
mood..
hut In tho folded buds ninl leavei, and higher,
Wluira neat tho email blrdi In tho lir-treo's uplro,
'l'lirough nil tho world thcro brenthen n soft dculro I
A lnyxtlo Influenco brood o'er hidden thing!
'i'lro cntcrplllar, In lil drowsy rlng,
lircnmi purplo pictures of bU futtiro wings.
A xwect presentiment tills tho Interim
V lenr nlr. The brooks hnng In mlspenso
Among the rocks. The small grass reels ft enso
l'rophe tie of a Joy most strnugo nnd dear,
l'orlol May llrts tho door-hitch of tho year I
Deep out of sight, where fcarth'n great mystery
low,
Khut up within her heart forever, files
A thrill along the unseen arteries.
''Within tho tangled roots of beach nnd limn
The sweet saps pulitnte as they blindly climb.
And eprout their tnwllcd greenness erelt'K time.
Along tho stream the whispering rushes fay
To one another, How the gentle May
llrlugs In the sunshine of n duarer ikiy I
And to tho dwcet-brealhod violets that blow
An azure margin to their silver flow,
The garrulous ripples lutter ns tbey go.
Welc with desire tho llly-bells turn palej
Tho wondering row-slips peep from every dale;
.And daisies stand on tlptoo through tho valo.
The amorous boughs bend toward hor, far nnd
near,
While May stands In tho door-wny of the year.
At her charmed coming, at the f.ir South, whoro
Jt lingered for her bidding calm nnd fair,
The sunshine flows through ull tho happy nlr.
Aorlnl arches, of tho su' act dyes,
O'er tho enrhantincnt of her presenco rlso
And span tho glory of tho bending skies.
Now roll tho minutes to the golden hour,
And now tho bud fulfils tho perfect flower;
Now Karth puts on her beauty's crown nnd power.
J-'rom tho low casement of the cottage room,
To tho far dlstanco where the dim bills loom,
Tho lengths of uieadow.l.iud burst Into bloom.
A hundrod brooks, down-leaping wheuco they
hung.
And seeming mad, with mnny n sliver tongue,
Hlng sweeter songs thnu over yet were sung.
The birds call her welcome, blithe nnd clear,
While May comes through the door-way of tho
year.
HOMICIDAL HEROINES.
Tjik authors and authoresses of the
day are going in for crimes of every tie
scriptlon, from murder downward, in u
manner that is most startling, and Mr,
Mudie's lending library will soon be
come a sort of Newgate Calendar. What
with lovely murderesses, anil accom
Ilishcd bigamists, and spies, anil forg
rs, and hero nnd thoro an occasional at
torney who Js on their trail, works of
ffoinancoueom In a fairway to .be very
livoly irendlng before long.. The cluxit
produced on sensible nnd uiut'inaginatlve
people ought to be to rente them sus
picious of their nearest .acquaintances.
Tho young Judy who is kind enough to
teach one's daugliters 'French and music
looks and talks like an ordinary being;
Unit it is very likely, if wo only knew
aul,.that she has got a murderess in lump
uscript .in. hor bedroom, at the elubora-
.tion of whoso career she is working nil
Jior tijinno ihours,,.nnd through tltc vivid
dclincutiamof wliosti amatory and horn
icidal performances she liopes herself to
nttain to.liternry ime. It Is difficult to
.believe how.auybody who is to all out
ward luppeoEiuco so harmless, nnd who
takes Iter JiuiaLs with such regularity, can
be engaged in tlio manufacturo of all
rtho frightful sentiments and harrowing
iplots to tho production of which sho re-
ttires, for anytliing wo can tell, wlien the
nnuslc lessons and tho "Vronch nro over
Jijr the day. If tlio nuthorcss was in tlio
3inblt of depleting criminals in tragedy
vostuinc, witli cloaks over their shoul
ders and daggers peeping from under
neath, haunting somo lonely wayside
inn or galloping ncross country on the
buck of somo spirited horse, ono would
Jiot bo so much surprised. Such would
j-eein tho natural accessories of horror
in which feminine fancy dresses great
culprits. But this is not at nil the con
vcntioiud tiling, ltomantic writers have
far too much savotr vivre to mako their
murderers or murderesses do anything
so outlandish or absurd. That was the
fault of taste committed by writers of
an older date who did not khow the
world, and were always thinking tltat
criminals went about with a dagger or a
bowl. Experience of life teaches tho
fair novelist, ns well as hor masculine
rivals, that if one wishes to find crime,
one has not go t to go to the wayside Inns,
dx ia watch for shadows alongside gar
den walls, or to listen for a stealthy foot
step on tho staircase when tho clock is
striking midnight; nor can she expect
-.to catch lier criminal hero or heroine in
modern times performing in tills violent
.and nneeted style. Tho murderess of
.romanco now-a-tlays wears balmoral
Shoots, and goes religiously to kettle
drums. Her beauty Is tho most dazzling
of nil tho beauty in tho ball-room ; her
tftcp tho lightest, nnd her smiiu tlio
sweetest, in tlio waltz. Sho loves nnd is
lieloved, nnd tlio husband wlio In the
first volume leads to tho nltar tho fair,
innocent creature of nineteen, will ills
cover years after, and In tho third vol.
lime, that hoforo ho married liersho Jmd
already had, nd po.vslbly putvitii end to,
,n husband orsoiu private, forged per
.Imps n casual will, and led thu comity
police a dunce for u whole week. Tho
pnlxturo of crlino and crjiioljiio glvo
,si mty .to tho tory that is enough to
;tiiko nway ,tlw brentli of any (pilet, mid-.dlu-nged
gc".tl,eiiiaii who takes up tsuch
.great vprks o.fctlou. Ho know, from
lniagiiiatiyopeoplolilfofJwketearoii)Hj
others, liov poUon U upiiowl to lwaiU
Hiliilstcreil In hjgh, WWIouh Hfo; that
sonic prluco catches another prliM-osleep-
ung m a bower, nnu pours it in his ear.
or that wye beautiful Jjiicretia, after u
festnl banquet, hands n Juwelled goblet
containing R to a faithless lover. On
the Turf, anil nmong thu lower classes,
ho is aware Indeed that tho operation
is performed In n less theatrical way;
but ns he Is neither n prince nor a faith
less lover, nor a Dove, nor a l'almer, ho
concludes that ho is tolerably safo nnd
at somo dlstanco from nil such stirring
incidents.
But when lio peruses tho latest novel
from tho circulating library he is recall
ed to a senso of his insecuro position.
Bowers and poisoned goblets are all
moonshine and nonsense. Tho thing is
done every day much more simply,
nnd with less ostentation, at a picnic.
Blanche finished otr Augustus when she
handed him the cold pigeon pio with n
Joke about bis appetite, and a hope that
lio would tell her if ho felt inclined for
more. When Marion stayed behind os
tensibly to gather a wild roso In tho
hedge, she was in reality delayed for a
minute or so in tlio occupation of stab
bing Iteglnald and burying his body in
a ditch. When sho skips up, roso in
hand, a quarter of an hour later, her
laugh is just as genial as ever, and sho
will distribute live o'clock tea to her
friends the same afternoon without a
cloud on her sweet sunny brow. Such
is tho teaching of the novel of the ago.
A quiet man thinks all this very terri
ble, and opines that the book must have
been written by a sho fiend. Nothing
of the kind. It lias been written by the
wife of the curate in an ntljolnlng par
ish, or by n clever governess, or an unli
able blue-stocking, whoso time hangs
heavy on her hands, and who composes
this sort of tiling when she Is tired of
composing hymns. It would indeed bo
unjust to repre-ent the literary perform
ances of tills kind ns coming from femi
nine pens only. Mule writers turn out
lovely murderesses also, but not so well
got up, or so plquante or dashing, nnd
they cannot, at best, help making their
heroine look a little ghastly in spite of
nil effort. The homicidal heroine of
" Armadale" with respect to Mr. Wil
kle Collins be it spoken is not so fresh
or so virginal orso natural us, let us say,
Miss Brnddon would buvo made her.
Dux fmnina fact!. Authoresses have
led oft' in tills lino of lute years, nnd any
attempt on the part of authors to cope
with or tolmitatetlicm is visited with the
jUailure it deserves. The picnic anil poi
son scnooi is a iemtnine senooi oi nri,
though masculine proselytes are admit
ted. This makes it all the more bewil
dering, as we htivo said, to ordinary ob
servers. Assuming that incidents of
this kind are not tho more real or com
mrui because they are so commonly de
scribed, what are wo to think of tho
imagination that loves to brood on them'.'
In what strange grooves bis feminine
genius begun to travel !
The three-volume homicidal heroine
may or may not have been, in the begin
ning, an attempt to introduce into tho
educated market an articlo which lias
been found productive of much emolu
ment in a lower walk of literature, by
the London Journal and other periodi
cals of- tlio sort. If so, the adventure
bus been justified by success. If Bel
gravia and Mayfair did not tolerate tales
of murder anil of moonshine, the lend
ing libraries would cease to patronize
them ; and the homicidal heroine, after
walking tho literary market In vain,
would bo compelled to fall buck into her
accustomed columns in the penny week
lies. As long as she fetches a price in
the higher circles, sho will continue to
be produced with a rapidity anil facility
that is in itself a mark of somo clever
ness. Lookingat tiie phenomenon from
tho eeouomomical point of view, its oc
currence is capable therefore of expla
nation. As it is in other things, so it is
In three-volume novels. The supply
keeps pace with thosale, and If the table
talk of Asmodeus would sell, whole edi
tions of it would bo written, printed,
and published without any serious dilll
cuity. But there aro doubtless other
causes that account for the manufacturo
oi Homicidal heroines. A romance
must have something to Jiang itself
upon. It may turn on tho delineation,
whether humorous or sentimental, of
the shades of human life and character,
or it may depend on tlio delineation of
passion, or, lastly, it may be strong in
incident of a sensational kind; but it
must bo one of tho three, or it is no ro
mance nt all.
Tho gift of knowledgo of the shades of
life and character is not an ordinary one.
It presupposes in the fortunate possessor
either a keen observation of men nnd
milliners, coupled with somo experience
of both, or else, in somo singular and
exceptional cases, a rich and sensitive
imagination, which makes up for want
of experience of life by drawing on its
own admirable resources. A real artist
who labors at this class of creations does
not necessarily attempt a universal por
trait of mankind. If wise, lio bounds
his nmbitlon by his powers or Ills expe
rience, nnd confines himself to what ho
lias studied, or wen, or felt himself.
Within narrow limits, thorofore, women
nro often really successful In this line.
They cannot photograph Wo wide
world; for ono-lniiidreiltj) p,irt of ts
fglljos or ylco or pursuits, unless they
ffro unusually unlucky, they oyer can
hayo observed, But gjvo ))rst-rato
nutlioress Jior own vljltigo or Jior own
fireside, whel ehrsbus M''n, and she will
produce upon thorn an lulinlrublp, nnd,
occasionally, n Jiuinoroij-i work. The
creators of bonjjcjdfil heyyjne.s jara de
barred from tjjbi jnejd o,f fliwratlou Air
tb.o simple reason, il.mjt Uy ays n
rule, neither delicacy of perception nor
humor. Tito iiomlcldtil heroine never
con.ies to us in tUe shape o the Jierojue
of n character novel, nnd no ray of hu
mor ever penetrates Into tho pages that
aro devoted to the chronicling of her ex
ploits. Sho would find herself more in
place in a romance which turned upon
human passion. Passion stands nearer
to crime than humor or sentiment does,
nnd Medea or Clytcnincstrn or Lady
Macbeth would serve us heroines either
in n passlonato or purely sensational
piece.
But the authoress who deals in homi
cidal heroines Is met hero ngaln by the
old difficulty. To draw any passion In
n rellned way requires rcltiieiiient. It
Is no use dressing up lust or vanity or
revenge In crinoline, or in uniform, nnd
calling it u human being. To bo a suc
cessful picture, the lust or the vanity, or
whatever, in short, is tlio passion to bo
portrayed,oughttobosupcrinduced upon
a real substratum of human character
not to bo made in a naked sort of way,
to stand as the whole of the character
Itself. Othello is not Jealousy, nor is
Ophelia love. Tho former is n man
overwhelmed with Jealousy, and the
latter Is a woman, if not n lady, under'
neath all her affection. To make a good
passionate romance, one ought accord
lngly to bo able to construct a man or n
woman, after doing which ono may put
tlio passion on. The homicidal heroine
schools have not shown that they can
draw a man or a woman, and no at
temptsat giving with fidelity the shrieks
or the extravagant gestures of passion
would ever make up for the deficiency.
'I hey aro thrown back, accordingly, on
tho last remaining resource thatof sup
plying in Incident what is wanting in
.sentiment, humor, and passion. And
when they are thus driven to incident,
nnd incident nlone, they ought not per
Imps be severely blamed for liking to
have their incident of a good, downright
startling kind. As the tiring is to con
sist entirely of blank cartridge, they
prudently put plenty of powder in, or
else there would be no bung.
Tlio least examination of the sensa
tional romances which wearedicusslng
will show even a superficial critic that
theyaredevoidoftliequalitiesthatareto
be found in better works. It is not mere
ly mat iney are sensational. Tiiey are
without humor, ami unfinished assketch-
es of character and life. It is to a cer
tain extent providential that it should
boso. Heaven, which tempers tho wind
to the shorn lamb, also fits the workman
for his task. Homicidal heroines coult
not be turned out by humorous writers.
Such writers would bo shocked at the
extravagance l their own conceptions,
and common sense and humor would
tone the heroine down till sho was hard
ly homicidal, or at all events hardly
sensational at all. Becky Sharp, in "Van
ity Fair," is an instance in point. Mr.
Thackeray's humor enabled him to put
her into a novel without making the
novel ridiculous or sensational. Take
away Mr. Thackeray's humor and
knowledge of character, and Becky
Sharp would soon approximate to the
Aurora Floydsor the Miss (I wilts of the
day. As it is, she is as unlike them ns
a human being is unlike a ghoul
strong proof of the inferiority of the
modern articlo is aflbrdcd by the blun
ders lu matters of detail into which tho
homicidal heroine-maker almost invari
ably falls. Having to do with murder
ers and murderesses, lie has natiiraJIv
sonictJiing to say to tho police and to the
law.
Now it so happens that tho proced
tire of n criminal court of justice is by
no means complicated. A very littlo
trouble and attention would bo enough
to familiarize anybody with it. Yet tlio
homicidal heroine-maker never seems
able to take tills simple trouble, such as
it Is. His judges and ids counsel and
his attorneys aro as littlo like tlio real
thing as his murderers and murderesses
are like tho murderers and murderesses
that figure in tho dock. Balzac would
have been twenty times us careful over
details that played a far lessstriking part
in his story. Iho accuracy of Balzac in
niliiuthu is often overrated, but, taken
at its lowest, is wonderful enough, con
sidering tho range of subjects which lie
has handled.
Tho result is that the homicidal hero
lne cannot even succeed in being brought
to justice with decent regularity, DC'
prlve her of this lust accessory, and as
sho is not sot off humorously or char
acteristictdly, or oven as real criminals
are set of)', with proper legal formalities,
what is she, and what is tiio novel thut
tells us nbout her, at tho best'.' It bus
certainly a plot, and often an Ingenious
one. But for this It would boa'siniplo
waxwork show. Two kinds of nmuse
ments are, however, to bo derived from
it first, the amusement deducible from
n clever conundrum or charade; and,
secondly, tlio amusement that can bo
had for a shilling at Madame Tussaud's
Chamber of Horrors. If Madame Tus-
snud could contrive n scries of waxwork
figures which would begin by looking
liko virtuous nnd lovely waxworks, and
end by turning into wax murderesses,
she would buvo uccoinpllshed in, wax
all that homicidal heroino-miikcrs ac
complish ordinarily upon paper. As n
nilltter of taste wo prefer tlio waxworks
to to murderesses with balmoral boots
niuj duvil.Mf fiyes that staro at tho pub
lie imp of so many works of fiction
T.hoyiiri quitnns miturijl. and they do
not degni.de IJteraturf. Jyor am iey
lauglmbb.' ijltJjQitgh they may ho kmh.-
stroii.; jyhjch cannot bo .fild of ji) tle
crlino ami crinoline to which wo are
daily Introduced with ,o.v.triiordiiu;ry
gravity, and wen comical solemnity
by soine writers of the present genera
lion.
A LOCKSMITH'S STORY.
I mvi: In San Francisco, and am n lock
smith by trade. My calling isastrungo
ono, nnd possesses n certain fascination,
rendering it one of tho most agreeable
of pursuits. Many who follow It see
nothing In It but labor think of noth
ing but its returns in gold and silver.
I'o me It has other charms than the
money it produces. I am called upon
almost dally to open doors and peer Into
long neglected apartments; to spring
the stubborn locks of safes, and gloat
upon the treasure plied within ; to qui
etly enter the apartments of ladies with
moro beauty than discretion, nnd pick
the locks of drawers containing peaee-de-stroylifffTnlssIves,
that tho dangerous
evidences of wandering all'cctlon may
not reach tho eye of a husband or father
lu possession of the missing key; to
force tlio fastenings of cash boxes and
depositories of records, telling of men
made suddenly rich, of corporations
plundered, of orphans robbed, of hopes
crushed, of families ruined. Is there no
charm In all this'.' no food for specula-
tion? no scope for tlio range of pleas
ant fancy'.' Then, who would not be r
locksmith, though his face is begrimed
with the soot of tho forge, and Ids hands
are stained with rust?
But I have a story to tell not exactly
u story either for a story implies tho
completion as well as tlio beginning of
n narrative and mine is scarcely moru
thnu the introduction to one. Let him
who deals in tilings of fancy write the
rest. In tho Spring of 18.1G I think it
was in April I opened a littlo shop on
Kearney Street, nnd soon worked my
self into a fair business. Lute one even
ing a lady, closely veiled, entered my
shop, nnd pulling from beneath n cloak
a small japanned box, requested me to
open it. Tlio lock was curiously con
structed, nnd 1 was all of an hour in fit
ting it with a key. The lady seemed
nervous at tho delay, and at length re
quested mo to close tlio iloor. 1 was a
little surprised at tho suggestion, but of
course complied. Shutting the door and
returning to my work, the lutly with
drew her veil, disclosing us sweet a face
as can well lie Imagined. There was u
restlessness In tlio eye and a pallor in
the cheeks, however, which plainly told
of u heart ill at ease, and in a moment
every emotion for her hud given place
to that of pity.
" Perhaps you aro not well, madam
nnd tho night air is too chilly'."' said 1
rather inquisitively.
I felt n rebuke In hor. reply: " Tn-xe-
questing you to close tho door, I had no
other object than to escape tlio attention
of persons."
I ditl not reply, but thoughtfully con
tinued my work. She resumed: "That
littlo box contains valuable papers pri
vate papers and 1 have lost the key, or
it has been stolen. 1 should not wish to
have you remember that I ever came
hero on such an errand," she continued,
with some hesitation, and giving mo
look which it was no difficult matter to
understand.
"Certainly, madam, If you desire it
If I cannot forget your face, I will at
least nttempt to lose tlio recollection of
ever seeing it here."
Tlio lady bowed rather coldly at what
I considered a fine compliment, and
proceeded with my work, satisfied that
a sudden discovered partiality for mo
had nothing to do with the visit. Having
succeeded, with much filing and fitting,
in turning the lock, 1 was seized with a
curiosity to get ngliinpsoatthoprecioib
contents of tlio box, and suddenly rul
ing tho lid, discovered a bundle of let
ters and a daguerreotype, as I slowly
passed the box to its owner. She seized it
hurriedly, and placing the letters and
picture in her pocket, locked tho box,
anil drawing the veil over her face,
pointed to tho door. I opened it, and as
sho passed into tiio street she merely
whispered " Bemeinber!" Wo met
again, and 1 have been thus particular
in describing her visit to the shop to
render probable a subsequent recogni
tion. About two o'clock in tho morning, in
the latter part of May following, 1 was
awoke by a gentle tap upon tho window
of the little room back of tho shop in
which I lodged. Thinking of burglars
I sprang out of bed, and lu a moment
was at tho window with a heavy ham
mer in my hand, which 1 usually kept
at that time within convenient reach of
my beiWde.
"Who's there?" I Inquired, raising
tho hammer, and peering out into tho
darkness for It was as dark as Egypt
when under the curse of Israel's (!od.
"Hist!" exclaimed a figure, stepping
in front of tho window; "open the
door, I have business for you."
" Bather past business hours, I should
say; but who are you?"
"No ono that would harm you," re
turned tho voice, which I iniugincd'was
rather feminine for a burglar's.
"Nor no ono that can," I replied,
rathor emphatically, by way of warning,
ns I tightened my grip upon tlio hum
mer, and proceeded to the door. 1 push
ed buck tlio bolt, and slowly opening tho
door, discovered thu Mrungcr already
upon tho steps,
" What do you want?" i abruptly in
quired. " I will tell you," nnsworcil tlm fwunn
soft volco, "If you dure open tho door
wide enough for mo to enter."
"Conio in," said I resolutely, throw.
h$ho door ajar, and proceeding to light
u'tyij'vJLo Having succeeded, I turned
tt) CYiinjiujO if) visitor. He wasasiuall
and .nmtly-dijeceie'l geiitl1t,ju,';i, with u
heavy ttiigliin uroui hljHlinuifier-'itjml
a blue navy caji drawn tVpieiou-ly over
the eyes. As I advanced toward him
ho seemed to hesitate u moment, then
ho raised tlio cap from his forehead and
looked mo curiously In the face. 1 did
not drop the caudle, but I acknowledge to
n little nervousness as I hurriedly placed
the light upon thu table, and silently
proceeded to Invest myself with two or
three very necessary articles of clothing.
As the Lord livcth, my visitor was a
lady, and the sainu for whom I had
opened the little box about n month be
fore! Having completed my busty
toilet I attempted to stammer an apolo
gy for my rudeness, but utterly fulled.
The fact Is 1 Wus confounded.
Smiling ut my discomfiture, phc-snld :
"Disguise is useless; I presume you
recognize me?"
1 believe I told you, madam, I
should not soon forget your face. In
what way can I serve you?"
" By doing half an hour's work before
daylight to-morrow, and receiving five
hundred dollars for yotirlubor," was the
reply.
" It is not ordinary work," said I, In
quiringly, "that commands so iniinfl-
cent a compensation."
" It is labor common to your calling,"
returned the lady. "The price Is not
so much for the labor, as the condition
under which it must be performed."
" What is the condition?" 1 inquired.
" That you will submit to being con
veyed from nnd returned to your own
door blind-folded."
Ideas of murder, burglary, and almost
every other crime to villainy, hurriedly
presented themselves In succession, us
politely bowed, nnd suid : " I must tin
dorstund something more of tlio charac
ter of the employment, us well as the
conditions, to accept your offer."
Will not five hundred dollars an
swer in lieu of an explanation?" she in
quired.
" No, nor five thousand 1"
She patted her font nervously on tho
floor. I could see she hud placed entire
ly too low an estimate on my honesty,
and I felt some gratification in being
able to convince hor of the fact.
"Well, then, If it is absolutely neces
sary for me to explain," she replied, " 1
must tell you that you are required to
pick the lock of a vault, and"
"You have gone quite far enough,
madam, with the explanation," I In
terrupted ; " I am not at your service."
"As I said," sho continued, "you are
required to pick the lock of a vault, nnd
rescue lrom death a man who has
been confined there for three iluys."
"To whom docw tlio vault bcfonir'."'
inquired.
" My husband," was the somewhat re
luctant reply.
"Then why so much secrecy? or
rather, howcaniea man confined in such
a place?"
" I secreted him there to escape the
observation of my husband. Ho sus
pected as much, and closed tho tloor upon
him. Presuming ho had left tho vault,
and quitted the hou-e by the back door,
I did not dream, until to-day, that he
was confined there. Certain suspicious
nets of my husband this afternoon con
vince me that the man is there, beyond
human hearing, nnd will be starved to
death by my barbarous husband unless
Immediately rescued. For three days
he has not left the house. I drugged
him less than an hour ago, and ho is now
so completely stupllled that the lock can
be picked without ills interference. I
have searched his pockets, but could not
find the key ; hence my application to
you.
Now you
know all; will you ac
company mo
.oil
" To the end of tho world, madam, on
such an errand."
"Then prepare yourself; there is a
cab waiting at the door."
I was a littlo surprised, for I bud not
heard the sound of wheels. Hastily
drawing on a coat, and providing my
self with the required implements, I
was soon at the door. There, sure
enough, was the cab, with the driver In
his seat, ready for tlio mysterious jour
ney. 1 entered the vehicle, followed by
tho lutly. As soon as I was seated she
produced a heavy handkerchief, which,
by tlio faint light of an adjacent street
lamp, sho carefully bound round my
eyes. The lady seated herself beside
me, and tho cab started. In half an
hour tlio vehiclo stopped, in what part
of the city 1 am entirely Ignorant, ns it
was evidently driven in anything but a
direct course from the point of starting.
Examining the bandage, to see that
my vision was completely obscured, the
lady handed mo tho bundle of tools with
which I was provided ; then taking me
by the arm led mo through u gate into
a house which I knew was of brick, anil
after taking mo along a passage-way
which could not have been less than fifty
feet in liyigth, and down a llight of stairs
Into what was evidently an underground
basement, stopped beside a vault, and
removed the handkerchief from my
eyes.
" Hero is tlio vault, open it," said she,
springing tho door of a dark lantern,
and throwing u beam of light upon tlio
lock.
1 seized a bunch of skeleton keys, and
nfter a few trials, which theliuly seeiued
to watch with the most painful anxiety,
sprang the bolt. The door swung upon
itsliluges.nnd my companion, telling mo
not (i) ('l')so It, ns It was self-locking,
hpraiiu' !(' tin' vnult. I did not follow.
i heard the murimir of low voices with
in, and the next nioillOllt the huly re
appeared, and leaning upon her arm n
man, with u face so palo and haggard that
I started at tho sight. How ho must
have siifl'ereil during the three long days
of his confinement!
" Remain here," the said, handing me
tho lantern ; " 1 will bo back in n mo
ment."
Tho two slowly ascended the stnlrs,
nnd I heard them enter a room Immedi
ately above where I was standing. In
less than n minute the lady returned.
Shall I close It, madam?" said I,
lilaclng my hand upon tho tloor of the
vault.
No! no!" she exclaimed, hastily
seizing my arm ; " It awaits another oc
cupant !"
" Madam, you certainly do not intend
to-"
"Aro you ready?" sho interrupted,
impatiently holding the handkerchief
to my eyes. The thought flashed across
my mind that she intended to push me
into tlio vault, nnd bury mo nnd my
secret together. She seemed to read the
suspicion, nnd continued: "Do not be
alarmed ; von nro not tlio man!"
"I could not mistake tho truth of the
fearful meaning of the remark, and I
shuddered as I bent my head to the
handkerchief. My eyes were ascnrefully
bandaged as before, and I was led to tho
cab, and thence driven homo by a more
circuitous route, if possible, than the
one by which wo came. Arriving in
front of the house the handkerchief was
removed, and I stepped from tho vehi
cle. A purso of five hundred dollars
was placed In my hand, and in a mo
ment tlio cab and Its mysterious occu
pant had turned tho corner nnd were out
of sight.
I entered the shop, nnd tho purse of
gold was the only evidence I could sum
mon in my bewilderment that all I hud
Just done and witnessed was not a dream.
A month after that I saw the lady and
the gentleman taken from the vault
walking leisurely along Montgomery
Street. I do not know, but I believe tho
sleeping husband awoke within tho
vault, and his bones are there to-day
The wife is still a resident of San Fran
cisco.
ORGAN-GRINDERS.
A Nkw Yonii paper says the appear
ance of the organ-grinder in nny city
indicates, like the presence of the swal
low, the welcome approach of the Sum
mer. Like the lly, he remains in a state
of torpor during tho coltl spell, as Mer-
riani would have it ; and he imitates tlio
ant and tho spider by shielding himself
in ids nest from tho storms which ho
scents in advance. This description,
however, applies only to one section o
the Italians who move the handles of
the hurdy-gurdy. There aro others-
mid they are tlio most numerous who
rush In advance of the Winter sea
son to moro genial climes, where tho
palm, the cedar, and the Illy flourish;
and thus, by the strategy of travel, en
joy not only perpetual summer, but an
ample reward for their musical labors.
The members of the latter class have
Just made their debut in this city for tiio
Spring season. They returned during
the past month, and Immediately Joined
their families in their old settlement in
Baxter Street. Tho re-unions in some
instances were curious and strange.
Monkeys wlio had been left behind uni
ted with their kindred in greeting their
old masters, who hud comfortably pro
vided for tliein in various bourding
hoiiscs in the Points devoted exclusively
to tho rare of the ring-tailed tribe, tlio
cost of living for each ranging from ono
dollar to one dollar and a half per week.
Nearly all the-o monkeys are trained in
Paris by Italians, and their prices vary
from seventy-five to ono hundred and
fifty dollars, the latter quotations ruling
for such monkeys as can tumble, dunce,
und discharge pistols.
There are about one hundred and fifty
organ-grinders now in tills city, who
decide each week the musical routes
they shnil take, in order to avoid nny
possible interference with each other.
But few of these own organs; they are
generally rented ut from two to three
dollars a week by a joint-stock company,
wlio have made u large fortune by tho
business. They live economically, their
earnings about ten or twelve dollars a
week requiring them to do so. They
have ndopted a peculiar mode of avoid
ing high rents, for several families oc
cupy one room, undivided by a parti
tion, tho bounds of each so distinctly
understood as to uvold all possibility of
trespass on another's section. General
Jackson never hated paper money more
thanthcseself-sanieorgan-grlnder.s; tbey
love pennies and silver anil gold. In
many Instances their children have been
taught to play the violin and sing in tlio
streets, n calling which brings tVem
three dollars a week. Living exclusive
ly on iniu'caroni, their board costs them
but n trifle, and they aro accordingly
enabled to hoard up riches for old age.
Although they carefully avoid burthen-
Ing themselves with tho privilege of
citizenship, they givo tho law but little
trouble, an arrest among them taking
place about once a year.
Such nro tho men who nro now play
ing " Annie Laurie," 'io " MnrselluUe,"
nnd tho " Wearing of tlio Green" in our
streets. t
OLD LETTERS.
Nr.VKit burn kindly-written letters;
it is so pleasant to reatl them over when
tho paper Is yellow with age, and tho
hands that traced the friendly words aro
folded over tho heart that prompted
them, under tho green sward. Above
all, never burn love-letters. To read
them In after years is liken resurrection
of one's youth. Tlio elderly spinster
finds lu tho impassioned offer foolishly
rejected twenty years ago a fountain of
rejuvenescence. Glancing over It sho
realizes that f he was once n belle and a
beauty, and beholds her former t-elf Jn a
mirror much moro congenial to hcrtnslo
than the one that confronts her In her
lressliiL'-room. Tho "widow indeed"
derives a sweet and solemn consolation
from tho letters of the beloved one who
ms Journeyed before her to the far-off
land, from which there comes no mes
sage, and where sho hopes ono day to
Join him. No photograph can so vivid-
lv recall to the memory of the mother
tho tenderness and devotion of the chil
dren who have left at tho call of Heaven
its the epistolary outpourings of their
love. The letter of a son or daughter to
a true mother Is sometimes better than
uu Imago of tho features; It is n reflex
of tlio writer's soul. Keep all loving
letters. Bum only the harsh and cruel
ones ; and in burning them forgive nnu
forget them.
LONDON BOYS.
Tins affliction of the streets lias
grown up to Its present monster propor
tions within tho current century; nnd
it continues growing. It would bo
against tho grain of reason to stipposo
that in the old stately ages of our histo
ry, or even in tlio Jaunty days of Itane
loglt, boys could have been what they
are now. o take it for granted that
they were born with an entirely differ
ent set of notions of themselves, nnd of
tho surrounding world in which they
were permitted to expand. Probably
the low posterns; or the dim lattice win
dows ; or the narrow causeways ; or tho
mighty farthingales that created awe
wherever they moved; or tho long waste
stretches of ground, relieved here and
there by gardens and orchards that in
terposed between tho patches of streets,
may have hud something to do with it;
but it Is not to be conceived that in
times when there were great city pro
cessions and masques nnd mummeries on
the highway ; when there were sights to
bo seen out of doors which filled tho
eyes and thoughts of old and young ;
nnd when reverence was paid to func
tions and offices which have since fallen
Into contempt, it is not to bo conceived
that boys had It all their own way, and
maintained such a reign of terror as
they do now. From the earliest nges
they have been wiser than men; but
that seems to bo n providential arrange
ment, by which practical lessons nro, ns
it were, taken by storm out of life In tho
first nrdor of youth, that could not be
obtained by tlio natural process of
growth. We do not object to their su
premacy as philosophers, because that is
a dispensation which, whatever social
disturbance it may occasion, is pretty
sure to come right in tho end. But wo
do object to their violent assertion of
exclusive rights on the pavement of tho
metropolis. Old heads upon young
shoulders is one thing; but lieads with
brass throats and a corresponding supply
of implements of war is another. Wo
are ready to admit that "Youth's tho
season mntlo for joys;" but wo strenu
ously object to the new reading,
"Youth's tho season made for noise."
Why the existing generation should
be moro riotous than its predecessors Is
a question that wo will not undertake
to solve. Perhaps the diffusion of
knowledge Is implicated in tho respon
sibility, or tho rnpid increase of popula
tion by which tlio young may bo des
tined to force tlio old off tho scene, ns
the enlightened white man pushes for
wnrd on the hunting grounds of tho
Indian ; but whatever may bo tho cause
the fact is patent. Take an example or
two.
THE WOMEN OF DAMARA.
Baixks, tho traveller in Southwest
Africa, In describing female costume,
says of that of the Damtira .women:
"Tlio bonnets are very elaborate pieces
of furniture. Tlio head-piece is of stout
hide, bent whilestillsoft to fit the head,
nntl kept in form by rows of ornamental
stitching; the ears seem to be slightly
thinner, and aro also stitched in such
patterns as to givo them tho proper hol
low. Tho curtain, or sunshade, or 'ugli
ly,' in front, is of very soft leather, and
is rolled more or less back nt pleasure;
and the long strings of the Iron tubing
pendent down tlio buck were formerly
made of good, thick, honest Iron, pur
chased, liko their assagais and other or
naments of metal, from tho Ovambo.
Now, however, since tho country has
been visited by Englishmen, pieces of
hoop and tin aro generally substituted.
Tho weight of such a head-dress is no
trifle, and thinking on ono occasion that
my sister must be weary, I told her to
leave her bonnet with me and go to my
hut about tho most fearful breach of
etiquette, I presently 'found, a Damara
woman could be guilty of; for Dikkop,
if he did not dlo of shame at seeing her
shaven head uncovered, would infallibly
kill her for appearing before him in such
dishabille. Actual infidelity would bo
laughed at compared with such olfenco
against the conventionality of Damanv
land. Tlio Iron ornaments worn liko
gaiters on tho nnklo nro also generally
of Ovuiubo make. Tho sandals, which
In a plcturo might appear too large, nro
purpo.-ely made so, tlio pointed ends
projecting three or four Inches beyond
tlio toe and heel ; the thong pusses up
through tho solo between tho great ton
and the next, encircles tlio heel, ami f
conllned about tho mlddlo of tho foot by
a smaller thong on each sldo knotted,
through the sole.
Hi: who, without call or office, indus
triously recalls theremernbranco of past,
orrors, to confound him who has. sincere
1 repented of them, is heedless und unfeeling.