"Eh bien?' says the driver, interrogatively, as I went out to him.

"Pas de chance!' And I ordered him to drive back to the Cité Odiot.

"Bien!' says he, polite as ever, cheery as ever; and away we went again, back across the Seine, up the Champs Elysées, into the Rue de l'Oratoire, to the Cité, my stomach faint, my head aching, my thoughts whirling, and the carriage wheels rattling, clattering, chattering all the way, 'Two francs an hour, and drinkmoney! Two francs an hour, and drink-money!' "Once more I tried my luck at number five, and was filled with exasperation and dismay to find that my friend had been home, and gone off again in great haste, with a portmanteau in his hand.

"Where had he gone? Nobody knew; but he had given his key to the house-servant, saying he would be absent several days.

"Pensez-vous qu'il est allé à Londres?' I hurriedly inquired.

"Monsieur, je n'en sais rien,' was the calm, decisive response.

"I knew he often went to London; and now my only hope was to catch him at one of the railway stations. But by which route would he be likely to go? I thought of only one-that by way of Calais, by which I had come, and I ordered my coachman to drive with all speed to the Great Northern Railway Station. He looked a little glum at this, and his 'Bien!' sounded a good deal like the bang' of the coach-door, as he shut it rather sharply in my face.

·

"Again we were off, my head hotter than ever, my feet like ice, and the coach-wheel saying vivaciously, as before, 'Two francs an hour, and drink-money! Two francs an hour, and drink-money!' I was terribly afraid we should be too late; but on arriving at the station, I found there was no train at all. One had left in the afternoon, and another would leave late in the evening. Then I remembered there were other routes to London, by the way of Dieppe and Havre. My friend might have gone by one of those! Yes, there was a train at about that time, my driver somewhat sullenly informed me-for he was fast losing his cheerfulness: perhaps it was his supper-time, or perhaps he was in a hurry for his drink-money. Did he know where the stations were? Know, of course he did! There was but one terminus for both routes; that was in the Rue St. Lazare. Could he reach it before the train started. Possibly; but his horses were jaded. Why didn't I tell him before that I wished to stop there?

"We reached the Lazarus-street Station; the train was about starting; but, owing to the strict regulations which are enforced on French railways, I could not even force myself into the passenger-room, much less get through the gate. Nobody could enter there without a ticket. My friend was going, and I could not rush in and catch him, and borrow my-ten

as I must have appeared then, pouring forth torrents of broken aud hardly intelligible French, questioning, cursing, imploring, and receiving the invarible, the inexorable reply, always polite, but always firm, 'On ne passe pas, Monsieur.'

'Absolutely no admittance! started, and I was ruined forever! "I went back to my hackman. His serenity had vanished as mine had arrived.

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'Who will pay me? he demanded, fiercely. "My friend,' said I, 'it is impossible.' And I repeated my proposition to call and settle with him in a day or two.

"And you will not pay me now?' he vociferated.

"My friend, I cannot.'

"Then I know what I shall do ;' l' turning away in a rage.

"I have done what I could, now you shall try what you can,' I answered, mildly.

Turning once more upon me, he said, 'I go to Madam. I demand my pay of her. What do you say to that?'

"A few minutes before I should have been overwhelmed by the suggestion-I was not pleased with it now. I ought to have had the courage to say to Mrs. Waldoborough, when she had the coolness to send me off with the coupé, instead of my dinner, Excuse me, Madam, I have not the money to pay this man!'

"It would have been bitter, that confession; but better one pill at the beginning of a malady than a whole boxful afterwards. I had, through my folly, placed myself in an embarrassing and ludicrous position, and I mnst take the consequences.

"Very well,' said I, 'that is the best thing you can do; but say to madam that I expect my uncle by the next steamer, and that you not only refused to wait till his arrival, but also put me to a great deal of trouble. You fellows should be more accommodating.'

"True! true!' says the driver, 'but I must have my pay all the same. I shall tell Madam what you say.'

"He was going; and now happened one of those wonderful things which occur in real life, but which, in novels, we pronounce improbable. Whilst we were speaking a train arrived, and I noticed a withered old man coming out of the building. I looked at him earnestly, because he, although old and withered, yet seemed happy, whilst I, so young and fresh, yet so miserable; and I was wondering at his selfsatisfaction, when I saw-what think you?— something fall to the ground, out of one of the pockets of the coat he was carrying on his arm. It was-will you believe it?-a pocketbook, a well-filled pocketbook-the pocketbook of a millionaire, by Jove! I pounced upon it like an eagle upon a rabbit. He was passing on, when I ran after him, politely called his attention, and surprised him by returning that which he supposed was safe in his coat-pocket.

"Is it possible!' said he, in very poor French, which betrayed him to be a foreigner like myself. You are very kind, very honest, very obliging—very obliging indeed!'

"If thanks and smiles would answer my purpose I had them in profusion. He looked at the pocketbook, and, feeling satisfied it had not been opened, again and again thanked me. He seemed very anxious to do the polite thing, yet still more anxious to be passing on; but I would not allow him-I held him with my glittering eye.

"Ah!' said he, perhaps you won't feel yourself insulted by the offer' (he saw that I was well-dressed, and probably hesitated to reward me on that account), and, putting his hand in his pocket, he took it out again, with the palm covered with glittering gold pieces.

"Sir,' said I, 'I am ashamed to accept any thing for so trifling a service; but I owe this man-how much is it now?'

"Ten francs and a-half,' said the driver, whom I had stopped just in time.

"Ten francs and a-half,' I repeated. “Mais n'oubliez pas la boisson' he added, his persuasive smile returning.

"With something for his dram,' I continued: 'which, if you will have the kindness to pay him, and at the same time give me your address, I will see that the money is returned to you without fail in a day or two.'

He paid the money, with a smile, saying it was of no consequence, and neglecting to give me his address. And he went his way well satisfied; and the driver went his, also well satisfied; and I went mine, infinitely better satisfied than either of them.

"Well, I had got rid of Madam Waldoborough's carriage, and learned a lesson which I think will last me the rest of my life. But I must haste and tell you the dénouement of the affair.

"I was not so anxious to cultivate Madam's acquaintance after riding in her carriage, you may well believe. For months I did not see her. At last my Todworth cousin and her yellow-complexioned husband came to town, and I went, with my uncle, to their hotel. They were delighted to see me. A card was brought in. My cousin smiled, and directed that the visitor should be admitted. There was a rustle -a volume of flounces came sweeping in, and a well-remembered voice cried, My dear Louise!' and my Todworth cousin was clasped in the embrace of Madame Waldoborough.

But what did I behold? Following in Madam's wake, a withered old man, whose countenance was strangely familiar to me. I con

sidered for a moment, and the scene in the Rue St. Lazare flashed across my mind. I remembered him well.

"Madam released Louise from her arms, and greeted the yellow-complexioned one. Then she was introduced to my uncle. Then the bride said, 'You know my cousin Herbert, I believe?'

"Ah, yes!' says Waldoborough, I recognize him now!' giving me a smile and two fingers. You have been to one or two of my receptions, have you not?'

666

"I have not yet had that pleasure,' said I. "Ah, I remember now! You called one morning, did n't you? And we went somewhere together-where did we go?—or was it some other gentleman?'

"I said I thought it must have been some other gentleman; for indeed I could hardly believe now that I was that fool.

66

"Very likely,' said she; for I see so manymy receptions, you know Louis, are always so crowded! But, dear me, what am I thinking of? Where are you, my love?' and the steamer brought the skiff alongside.

"Louis, and gentleman,' then said my lady, with a magnificent courtesy, the very wind of which I feared would blow him away-but he advanced triumphantly, bowing and smiling extravagantly-allow me the happiness of presenting to you Mr. Joha Waldoborough, my husband.'

"How I rafrained from shrieking and throwing myself on the floor, I never well knew; for I declare to you, I was never so caught by surprise and tickled through and through by any dénouement of situation on or off the stage! To think that pigmy, that wart, that ltttle grimacing monkey of a man, parchment-faced, antique

a mere money-bag on two sticks-should be the husband of the great and glorious Madam Waldoborough! His wondrous self-satisfaction was accounted for. Moreover, I saw that Heaven's justice was done: Madam's husband had paid for Madam's carriage!"

Here Herbert concluded his story. And it was time; for the day had closed, as we walked up and down, and the sudden November night had come on. Gas-light had replaced the light of the sun throughout the streets of the city. The brilliant cressets of the Place de la Concorde flamed like a constellation; and the Avenue des Champs Elysées, with its rows of lamps, and the throngs of carriages, each bearing now its lighted lantern, moving along that far extended slope, looked like a new Milky Way, fenced with lustrous stars, and swarming with meteoric fire-flies.

sanc

the work. The earliest occasion upon which friendly societies received the tion of either branch of the legislature was in 1773. From the returns of the registrar the number of friendly societies enrolled and certified, and now in existence in England and Wales, is about 20,000, and the number of the members exceed 2,000,000, with funds exceeding £9,000,000. We cannot follow Mr. Hardwick though his carefully-prepared account of the statistics of these societies. One of the most important chapters of the work is that entitled the "Danger of Insolvency;" it is one that deserves most careful attention on the part of present or intended members of friendly societies, and who are tempted to join impracticable ones, the liberal schemes of which must end in diappointment and loss. Figures represent very stubborn facts in our author's use of them, and prove in this chapter that for want of proper calculations many of the existing societies are, or soon will be, without proper reformation, in a state of bankruptcy. He points out the defects in their rules and organization which leads to this conclusion, and shows the means of averting and preventing it. According to the "pastgrand master of the Manchester Unity's" own showing, that society itself is not safe unless a reformation of its system is generally entered into by the various lodges; but, having shown in a very searching investigation of the accounts of an aggregate of twenty-four lodges, their financial prospects, and the errors in their executive he takes heart to observe that "the dictates of common sense and moral principle alike demand that we investigate calmly the cause of past error, aud regulate our future proceedings in accordance with our improved knowledge of the operation of natural laws. No ignorance of ours, either wilful or blind, can stultify a fact; but, if we boldly look the evil in the face, I for one fear not that patient labour and integrity of purpose will eventually accomplish all that is desired." Mr. Hardwick, under the heads of "Conditions of Security" and the "Future," deals almost exhaustively with his subject; and the chapters on education and social advantages are full of hope for the working-people of England. We congratulate not only the members of the Manchester Unity, but those of friendly societies generally, upon the anthor's earnest and honest inquisition of their existing defects, ad the sterling advantages to be derived from it. The work is one that will be regarded as an authority upon the matters of which it treats.

QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF ODDFELLOWS. (Manchester).-Apropos to the subject of Mr. Hardwick's "Manual," which we have just discussed, appears a paper in these pages by the same haud (the editor, by the way) on the subject of the "proposed Royal Commission on Friendly Societies," which are at length receiving from the legislature the attention which they mcrit. In a speech of Mr. Corrance, M.P., relative to the existing state of pauperism and vagrancy in Eugland, and the principles on

which the poor-laws are at present administered, he thus alluded to friendly societies:

But whatever was done, the future to be arrived at was an eradication of pauperism by the creation of Provident societies and kindred self-dependence.

institutions must be fostered. He could not agree with the allegation that the working classes were a rule. improvident as encouragement to be provident had they received from What (Hear, hear). the legislature and from society? Little or none. The workmen had received but cold encouragement from without, and the blame, if any, should rest with others, if he had not proved as self-reliant as could be wished. The attention of the house had been called to the fact that provident societies had doubled in numbers since 1844, and it had been stated on good authority that £2,000,000 per annum was saved to the ratepayer by them. Ought not that to be sufficient to induce the house to encourage the establishment of they supported their members in times of sickness, such societies and their further development. Already

but be would like to see them brought to such perfection as to provide superannuation for members In only one or two instances aged from 60 to 65. with perfect success. had this been attempted, and in these it had not worked

In brief, Mr. Corrance suggests that if the rates could in any way be applied to such societies, it would effect a saving at least of some portion of the charge. If there could be

A saving to the ratepayer of a third or a fourth, that, not to speak of moral considerations, ought to be a recommendation. A bill brought in by Lord Lansdowne, in 1839, contained a clause to the effect that where a parish should adopt the act and establish a friendly society, the vestry should direct to be paid out of the poor-rates such an amount as the guardians

might determine, not exceeding 25 per cent of the annual contributions of such local society. It was said that the poor man would refuse contributions coming from such a source, but he would be hardly conscious whence they came. At the same time, he should be sorry to see the principle generally applied; it should be confined to particular parts of the country, where it

was most wanted.

To this the writer of the article from which we quote the above very pertinently observes, "We are inclined to the opinion that, whenever any given number of men once understand the necessity of providing for future uncertain periods of affliction, and have given practical exhibition of their conviction, by forming themselves into a friendly society, of however imperfect a character, that the first and most powerful element found to underlie and sustain their commendable effort will be the special horror with which they regard a pau per's social and moral condition, and a strong repugnance to any parochial officers' aid or interference in their provident affairs. Between habitual pauperism and habitual self-reliance," he goes on to say, "there ever has, and ever will be, an impassable gulf." And he very rightly believes, that "all practical efforts in the direc tion indicated would lead to disappointment and disgust." To our own mind such an attempt would be one to overthrow the grandest move

ment the working men have made in their onward march of social progress. The very corner-stone of self-respect is self-dependence, and the first attempt to mix the poor-rate with the hard-earned savings which represent so much industry, self-denial, and manly effort should be discountenanced-the two things do not go together. We agree with the writer, that there is one thing

Which overseers or boards of guardians might perhaps do to effectually encourage the independent action of the self-reliant men to whom we have referred. They might, nay, we think both in wisdom and duty, they ought, to regard and treat with some lenity the few exceptional cases where, through excess of misfortune and ill-health, the members of friendly societies, or their dependent families, have, often after a hard, nay, heroic struggle, which has not only pinched their bodies, but wrung with bitter anguish their once contented minds, been compelled, by dire necessity, to apply for parish relief. In such cases, we say, they might encourage the provident instincts of the masses by regarding and treating such individuals as a separate and distinct class from the idle and the dissolute."

Besides this well-timed and well-written paper, there are excellent articles by H. Owgan, L.L.D., Edwin Goadly, &c., &c. "A Peep at the Past” is a pleasant article, which might, however, be much more so. We congratulate Eliza Cook upon her "Hill-side Home," and the freshness of her pretty poem thereon.

NEKROSOZOIE: Process for the Preservation or Embalming of the Human Body.-W. Garstin & Co., London: 5, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square.-Notwithstanding that our own bias is. in favour of cineration as being the mode least

injurious to the interests of the living of disposing of the dead, destroying at once the seeds of disease, the pollution of the air, and the monopoly of large tracts of land, the need of which, as population increases, is ever more largely felt, we can still sympathize with those who, on the other hand, are anxious to retain as long as possible the lineaments and form of their deceased friends; and from the simplicity of the operation, and the efficacy of the antiseptic which gives its name to this pamphlet, it would seem that there is no longer any question of the practicability of such a wish. The perfectness of the result is vouched for by reports from Dr. Francis Delafield, Proff. James R. Wood, Proff. R. Ogden Doremus, Proff. A. Flint, junr., and extracts from the press. After 103 days, the body of a woman, preserved by the Nekrosozric process, exhibited no sign of decomposition, and one which had been prepared by it after 107 days, is reported to have been in a fine state of preservation. In cases of death on board ship, or at a distance from home or country, we can well understand the value of this discovery, which will enable the survivors to see and recognize the friends they have lost before resigning them to the grave. The process consists in washing the skin and injecting the fluid through the natural apertures of the body. There are no incisions made, so that all that was repugnant in the old system of emmbalment is done away with, anyone may perform the operation. The inventor is Mr. W. R. C. Clark., of New York, and his agents for London, Messrs. Garstin, of 5, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, where packages of the fluid may be obtained.

JACK, THE GIANT-KILLER.

BY M. D. R. B.

ing, and so was almost always late at breakfast, and received many a mark for tardiness from his teacher, besides being hurried and flurried in consequence all through the day. It soon became a serious matter; and in order to help Jack to break loose from the soft, luxurious web which this insidious monster weaves about his captives, his father promised that he should go with him by train the next morning to town, if he could possibly be up and ready dressed in time for the early train.

Little Jack was in high spirits. This was just what he had been wanting so long. Two cousins had lately paid him a visit, and had boasted no little of the sights, and crowed over the advantages which they asserted it possessed over his own native city. So Jack wanted to see for himself. Besides, he had overheard his mother whisper about the panorama of "Niagara, and what a treat it would be for Jack." And she told Susan, the chambermaid, to put his best