force.

have thus united against us-and from whom, thus uni- in aims within the territories of the United States-bad | heard of by Europeans, about the year 1700. In 1807, ted, we propose, by main force, to wrest a part of their ter-soldiers certainly at the moment, and unfit as yet to con- an Ashantee army reached the coast for the first time; ritory? It is a nation, in the first place, situated three tend in pitched battles in the field—but quite fit, even again, in 1811, and a third time in 1816. These invathousand miles from cur shores, to which it probably now, to do murderous execution from behind a breast-sions inflicted the greatest miseries on the Fantees. Facosts us upwards of £100, to transport every man we are work, and perfectly capable of acquiring that discipline mine followed these devastations, and even Cape Coast to employ in subduing them; a nation now consisting of and steadiness which a few campaigns will necessarily Castle was much endangered by the long blockade of between eight and nine millions of souls;-a nation re- give them. the last inroad. The African committee authorized the markably hardy, athletic, and brave; in which every in- What, then, are our prospects for these approaching local government to venture an embassy toward concilidividual is armed, and in which, from the abundance of can paigns? If we are to carry cur objects, we must ating so powerful a monarch as the king of Ashantee.— game and leisure, and the want of all game laws, every calculate not only on driving the enemy from the lakes, In consequence of which, the message in question was individual is an expert marksman before he is sixteen and to destroy all their settlements on their borders, and despatched. It consisted of Mr. James, conductor; Mr. years of age;-a nation in which not only public feeling on taking forcible possession of the territory we mean Bowdich; Mr. Hutchison, writer; and Mr. Tedlie, surbut political power has its chief depositary in the body to keep, but on so breaking the spirit and ruining the geon; accompanied with Ashantee guides, and other of the people, and in which the peor can compel the force of the country as to induce them to sue for peace suitable attendants. The mission left Cape Coast Casrich to make any sacrifices, and partake any hardships, on condition of our permanently keeping both the lakes tle on the 22d of April, 1817. The Fantee country which they think necessary for the gratification of their and the territory. Is there any man in his senses who through which it first passed, is rich in its soil, and often vanity or hatred; the nation, in short, which, with a third Icoks to the condition of America that expects this to be picturesque in scenery, but still suffering and desolate of its present population, without government or resourc- done?—or, if he does think it possible to be done, who from the depredations of its enemies. The face of the es, and divided in itself, baffled all our efforts to retain an can hesitate for a moment in saying that it could only be country, however, improved, when the mission left Manestablished authority over it; and drove us, after a san- done at a cost ten thousand times greater than the value sue, the last of the Fantee towns. Prasus, the first town guinary struggle, beyond those boundaries which, in the of the object can justify? With an army of forty thou- in the Assin territory, presented a wide and clean street maturity of their strength, we now propose to repass by sand men and a suitable equipment of vessels transport- of tolerably regular houses; the inhabitants, cheerful cd in frame from Great Britain, we may, at an expense and clean, hospitably saluted the mission. The first In the third place, what are the circumstances of good of twenty or thirty millions-we are convinced it can- Ashantee croom, (village) was Quesha; after quitting augury and encouragement under which we think it rea not be at less-retrieve, in the course of the next cam- which, the party arrived at Fohmannee, once a very sonable to demand the exclusive possession of their lakes paign, some of the disgraces and disasters which we considerable town. The mission stopped there, at the and the cession of a part of their territory? Why, it is have sustained in the last. With the loss of a fourth request of a venerable old man, who regaled his guests after being twice utterly routed on those lakes, and in part of our troops, we may succeed in clearing our fron- with palm wine and fruit. His manners were pleasing. the only considerable battles of which they have been tier of the enemy, and driving him back before us be- His life, however, was forfeited to some superstitious obthe theatre; or, in other words, after being almost en-yond the line to which we wish to advance our future servance. He conversed cheerfully, and congratulated tirely driven from the possession of these waters which himself on seeing white men before he died. His head before the war, we had an equal intercst in with them, arrived at Coomassie the day after the mission had reachand in which we may still regain an equal interest, by ed that place? At Dadawassee there was a messenger merely making peace, and accepting their renunciation from the king, expressing his regret that the mission had of all the pretensions in support of which they originally come up in the rainy season; his majesty sent them a took up arms. A nation forced into an unjust war has present of a sheep, forty yams, and two ounces of gold. sometimes insisted on retaining a part of her conquests The mission entered Coomassie, (the capital of Ashanat its termination; but it is something new, we believe, tee) on the 19th of May. It passed under a fetish, or for one who has lost ground in the quarrel, to insist on sacrifice of a dead sheep, wrapt up in red silk, and susa ce sion of territory from her enemy--and to refuse a pended between two lofty poles. It was met by upwards peace which reinvests her in all her former rights, unless of 5000 people, chiefly warriors, with the discordant din this extraordinary preter.sion be yielded to. On land of horns, drums, rattles, and gong-gongs; an incessant again, after having received reinforcements infinitely discharge of musketry, and a confusion of flags, English, greater than we had any reason to expect could be afforDutch, and Danish. The dress of the captains, was a ded—after frightening a few defenceless towns and dewar-cap, with gilded rams' horns projecting in front, and feating some regiments of militia-we have been rethe sides extended by immense plumes of eagle feathers. pulsed from Baltimore and retreated from Plattsburgh, Their vest was of red cloth, covered with fetishes, or and are now retired into winter quasters with the loss of Conquer three millions of freemen!" exclaimed chains in gold and silver, intermixed with small brass at least four or five thousand men, while the enemy is Lord Chatham, with contempt and wonder at the infat-bells, the horns and tails of animals, shells, and knives; increasing every hour in skill, in confidence, and num-uation which persisted so long in that first fatal conten-long leopard tails hung down their backs. They wore

bers.

In what can such a contest issue but in the utter discnmfiture of a conquering or invading army. All the advantage was with us in the beginning-our numbers complete our reputation high-our discipline perfect; | while the enemy was raw and timid, and unwilling to venture in numbers within the hazard of the conflict. With all these advantages, a long campaign has been just closed with a series of disasters, and without any sensible progress toward the triumphs through which we can only hope to force our hard terms on the adversary. Every hour our numbers are diminishing, while theirs are increasing, every hour they are improving in discipline, and consequently in enterprise and valor. The attacks at Washington and Baltimore have called out all the militia of the country, and filled the land from border to border with armed men; while the repulse at the latter place, followed so soon by the disaster at Plattsburgh, have taught them their strength, and made them come forward with alacrity to share the honors of a contest, the result of which is no longer to be dreaded.— More than a hundred and fifty thousand men are now

boundary, and we may even succeed, after a pitiable
carnage, in gaining possession of the lakes. But does
any man expect that the Americans will agrce on this,
to let us keep what we have so dearly won; and submit
to leave in the hands of an exasperated foe the key to
some of the richest provinces in their country? No man
can possibly expect it. The enemy knows that we can-
not afford to send out twenty thousand men every year,
nor incur an additional expense of twenty millions, to
maintain possession of a few barren acres of their bor-
ders. They will harrass us, therefore, with continual
attacks, and exhaust us with interminable marches, in
the boundless wastes of their difficult and unfruitful
country; till, after distinguishing ourselves by acts of
vindictive cruelty, the second American war ends, like
the first, in the utter discomfiture and signal defeat of
the rash and stubborn invaders.

tion; although we had then a settled and original pos-
session of half the country-and the hearts of the other
half were believed by many to be with us! And now
we expect to conquer nine millions, when we have been
driven from one part of the border, and have united the
hearts of the whole against us! Nothing short of con-
quest and complete prostration can possibly gain for us
the objects on which we are insisting; and no sane per-
son, we imagine. believes that to be possible!

MEN AND MANNERS.

MISSION TO ASHANTEE.

A SKETCH OF AFRICAN CUSTOMS, DRESS AND MANNERS.

loose cotton trowsers, with immense boots of dull red leather, and fastened by small chains to their cartouch or waist-belts. A small quiver of poisoned arrows hung from the right wrist, and they held a long iron chain between their teeth, with a scrap of Moorish writing affixed to it. A small spear was in the left hand, covered with red cloth and silk tassels. Their black countenances heightened the strange effect of this attire, and completed a figure which seemed scarcely like that of a human being.

The streets through which the mission passed toward the palace, were crammed with people, all impatient to behold white men for the first time. Caboceers (chief magistrates) passed by with their trains, and the bands of music, composed chiefly of horns and flutes, played with some degree of concert and wild melody. Large umbrellas, made to rise and sink from the jerkings of the banners, and fans waving around, refreshed the air, almost suffocating, from a burning sun and clouds of dust. A most inhuman spectacle then presented itself. It was nation on the western coast. a man whom they were tormenting previous to sacrifice. Bosman and Barbot mention the Ashantees as first | His hands were pinioned behind him, a knife was pass

Ashantee or Assentee is an extensive territory of West Africa situated immediately behind the states which occupy the gold coast, and although its name had until lately hardly reached Europe it seems to be the largest, wealthiest, most civilized and commercial of any

It was a beautiful star light night, and the torches displayed the splendor of his regalia. The skulls of three Banda caboceers, who had been the king's most obstinate enemies, adorned the largest drum; the vessels in which the boys dipped their torches were of gold. The king stopped to enqure the names of the mission a second time, and to wish good night; his address was mild and deliberate; he was followed by his aunts and sisters, and others of his family, all with rows of fine gold chains about their necks. The number of warriors appeared to about 30,000.

We scarcely know how to give an account of the first palaver with the king, without introducing the angry and contentious temper and expressions of Mr. Bowdich. However, we shall confine our report rather to the result than the progress of his first official interview The presents to the king were highly gratifying, being given in the name of his majesty the king of England.— He was much delighted with the telescope and camera obscura; he said, “Englishmen know more than Dutchmen and Danes-black men know nothing."

ed through his cheeks, to which his lips were noosed | plate, punch-bowls, waiters, coffee-pots and tankards, and fiance. One distinguished caboceer performed the war like a figure 8; one ear was cut off and carried be- a very large vessel with heavy handles and clawed feet, dance before the mission with a large spear, which grafore him, the other hung to his head by a small bit of made apparently to hold incense. There was a Portu-zed them at every bound he made; but the greater numskin; there were several gashes in his back, and a knife guse inscription on one piece, and the regalia seemed for ber passed by with order and dignity, some slipping one was thrust under each shoulder-blade; he was led, with the most part of the country's manufacture. The exe- sandal, sone both, some turning round after having taa cord passed through his nose, by men disfigured with cutioner, of gigantic size, wore a massy gold hatchet on ken each of the missions by the hand; the attendants immense caps of shaggy black skins. On the arrival of his breast; and the execution-stool was held before him, of others knelt before them, throwing dust upon their the mission to an audience of the king, massy gold orna- clothed in blood, and partly covered with a caul of fat! | heads; and the Moors apparently vouchsafed a blessing. ments glistened in every direction. More than a hun- The king's four linguists were encircled with correspond- The king's messengers, with their long hair hanging in dred bands burst forth at once, with the peculiar airs of ing splendor, and their insignia, gold canes, were eleva- twists like a mop, used but little ceremony in hurrying their several chiefs. The umbrellas, or canopies, were ted in all directions, tied in bundles like fasces. The by this transient procession, yet it was nearly eight o'clock made of the most showy cloths and silks, and crowned blow-pan, boxes, scales, and weights of the keeper of the before the king approached. at the top with crescents, pelicans, &c. The state ham- treasury, were of solid gold, and ostentaciously displayed. mocks were raised in the rear; the cushions and pillows The manners of the king were majestic, yet courteous. were covered with crimson taffeta, and the richest cloths He did not allow surprise to ruffle, for a moment, the hung over the sides. The king's messengers, with gol- composure of the monarch. He appeared to be about den breast-plates, made way for the mission preceded by thirty-eight years of age, of a benevolent countenance, the canes and the English flag. The caboceers, with and inclined to corpulence. He wore a fillet of aggry their principal attendauts, wore Ashantic cloths of ex- beads about his temples, and had on a ueck-lace of gold, travagant value, from the costly foreign silks which had cock-spur shells strung by their largest ends, and over been unravelled to weave them into all the varieties of his right shoulder a red silk cord, suspending three sapcolor and patern. They were large and heavy, and thrown phires cased in gold; his bracelets were the richest mixover the sholder like the Roman toga; a small silk fillet | ture of beads and gold, and his fingers were covered encircled their temples. Some wore necklaces of aggry with rings: his cloth was of a dark green silk; a pointheads, or of massy gold intricately wrought. A banded diadem was elegantly painted in white on the foreof gold and beads encircled the knee; small circles of head; also, a pattern resembling an epaulet on each gold, like guineas, rings, and cests of animals, were shoulder, and an ornament like a full-blown rose, one strung round their ankles; their sandals were of green, leaf rising above another, till it covered the whole of his red, and delicately white leather; manillas and rude breast; his knee-bands were of aggry beads, and his lunp3 of rich gold dangled from their left wrists, which ancle-strings of gold ornaments of the most delicate were so heavily laden as to be supported on the head workmanship, small drumns, sankos, stools, swords, guns, of some of their handso:nest boys; golden and silver birds clustered together; his scandals, of a soft white pipes and canes dazzled the eye in every directon; wolves' leather, were embossed across the instep band with small and rams' heads, as large as life, and cast in gold, hung gold and silver caces of sapphires. He was seated on a The king desired Mr. James to explain to him two from their swords' handles, the blades of which were low chair, richly ornamented with gold; he wore a pair notes written by the governor in chief, at the request of shaped like rounds bills, and were rusted in blood; their of gold castanets on his finger and thumb, which he Amooney, king of Annamabooe, and Adakoo, chief of large dru.ns were braced about with the thigh-bones of clapped to enforce silence. The belts of his guards be- the Braffoes, making over to the King of Ashantee four their enemies, and ornamented with their skulls. Behind his chair were cased in gold, and covered with small ackies (53. currency each) a month of their company's hind the chairs of the chiefs stood their handsomest bones of the same metal. The elephant's tails waving pay as pledge of their allegiance, and the termination of youths, habited much in the same costly style. Finely- like a small cloud before him, were spangled with gold. their hostilities. The king instantly imagined that this grown girls stood behind the chairs of some, with silver His eunuch presided over these attendants, wearing only was the governor's individual act; his countenance bebasins. Their stoots (laborously carved, and with two one massy piece of gold about his neck. The royal came changed, and his councellors highly enraged.— large bells attach to the.n) were conspicuously placed on stool, entirely cased in gold, was displayed under a splen- "Tell the white men," said the king, through the interthe heads of favorites; and crowds of younger boys did umbrella, with drums, sankos, horns, and various preter, "that the English come to put shame upon my were seated around, flourishing elephant's tails, curious- musical instruments, cased in gold; large circles of gold face; this breaks my heart too much. The English ly mounted. The warriors sat on the ground close to hung by scarlet cloth from the swords of state, the know, with my own powder, with my own shot, I drove these. Their caps were made of the skin of the pingo- sheaths, as well as the handles of which were also cased; the Fantees under their forts. I spread my sword over lin and leopard, the tails hanging down behind; their hatchets of the same were also intermixed with them; them; they were all killed, and the books from the fort cartouch belts (composed of small guards) were embos- the breasts of the ocrahs and various attendants were are mine. I can do as much for the English as the Fansed with red shells, with small brass bells hung to them; adorned with large stars, stools, crescents, and gossamar tees; they know this well; they know I have only to on their hips and shoulders was a cluster of knives. Iron wings of solid gold. The mission paraded through this send a captain to get all the heads of the Fantees. These chains and collars dignified the most daring, who were blazing scene, and was seated under a tree at so ne dis-white men cheat me; they think to make Shantee fool; prouder of them than of gold. The sides of their faces, tance, to receive the compliments of the whole train. The they pretend to make friends with me, and they join with and also their arms, were curiously painted in long white chiefs dis nounted when they arrived within thirty yards the Fantees to cheat me, to put shame upon my face; streaks, having the appearance of armor. The sight of distance; their principal captains presented them with this makes the blood cone fron my heart." It appears the Moors afforded the first general diversity of dress.- gold hauled swords, a boly of soldiers followed with that these notes or books were a certificate of a monthly There were seventeen superiors arranged in large cloaks with their arms reversed; then came their bands and pension of the African committee, paid in trade to the of white satin, richly trimmed with spangled embroide- gold canes, pipes, and elephant's tails. The chief, with Fantee kings and chiefs in the neighborhood of the Briry; their shirts and trowsers were of silk, and their large a snill body guard, under his unbrella, was generally tish settlements, in consideration of their attachment, turbans of white muslin were studded with borders of va- supported around the waist by the hands of the favorite influence and services, which books were claimed by the riegated stones; their attendants wore red caps and tur- slave, while captains shouted close to his ear his warlike monarch of Ashantee, as his own by right of conquest. bans, and long white shirts, which hung over their trow-deeds and powerful epithets, which were reiterated with Of the extent of the governor's con nission to Mr. sera. As the mission passed, they (the Moors) slowly, James we are not infoined; nor can we, therefore, say, and with most malignant scowl, raised their eyes from how far Mr. Jenes was authorized in supporting or in the ground. In passing the principal officers of the abandoning the obligations of these notes. However king's household, the chamberlain, the gold-horn-blowthis may be, Mr. Bow lich tɔɔk upɔn himself the maner, the captain of the messengers, the captain for royal age nent of the paliver. We shall piss over the letter executions, the captain of the market, the keeper of the which contains, in very pompous language, the account royal burial ground, and the master of the band, sat, of Mr. Bow lich's assumption of a power never for nulsurrounded by a retinue and splendour that bespoke ly con n'tted to his hands, and shall content ourselves the dignity and importance of their offices. Before the with saying that the irritable suspicions and vanity of cook was displayed a large quantity of massy silver his black majesty were at length appeased.

stentorian voice by the surrounding multitude. The
young cabɔceers, many not more than five or six years
of age, overweighed by ornanouts, were carried in the
same style. Anong others, the grandson of Cheeboo
was pointed out, won the king hal generously placed
on the stool throne or inheritance
ce) of his perfi lious ene-
my. A band of fetish men, or priests, wheeled round
and round as they pissed, with surprising velocity
Minner was as various as ornament. Son danced by
with irresistible bufoonery, so.ne with a gesture of de-

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ORIGINAL TRANSLATIONS.

GAMBLER'S LUCK.

FROM THE GERMAN.- -Concluded from our last.

"None but the poor relieve the poor-
Madaces sports with madness-
Temptations follow every lure,
And sadness follows sadness."

A pause followed the conclusion of Signor Vertua's narrative, which was broken by his saying-You will not refuse my daughter's taking her wardrobe with her?' "I care not for that,' said the Chevalier, 'but see you that nothing of value is removed.'

Vertua stared at the Chevalier speechless for a moment, and then burst into tears. While overcome by despair, he fell at his feet, and with outstretched hands, cricd

“Have you no human feelings in your breast? Be innocent child you thrust into perdition! Oh, then, be merciful! Lend her-my daughter-my Angela, the twentieth of that fortune you have robbed her of! Oh, I see it-I feel you will be merciful. Oh, Angela-my daughter?'

merciful! be merciful! It is not me! no, it is my poor,

VOLUME III.-NUMBER VII.

do so. To-morrow I will come to you; but we must weigh well the conditions, should the deliberations cost us months long.'

"With all my heart,' said Vertua, smiling, 'Time may develope what neither of us now anticipates.'

"From that hour the Chevalier became more like his former self before the accursed passion took hold upon him. His visits grew more and more frequent to the house of Vertua. Angela herself, too, felt that she was his guardian angel, and daily liked him better, until at last she believed her whole heart was his, and promised to bestow on him her hand, to the great joy of her father, who thus saw himself released from all his debt

to the Chevalier.

"Angela, the happy wife of the Chevalier Menais, was sitting one day at a window, in a reverie of blissful

"Yes,' said the Chevalier, with a voice of horror'cursed for ever, and hurled to perdition may I be if ev- and pleasant thoughts, as brides will sometimes do; the er again this hand touches a card. And if I am re-loud braying of a trumpet announced the passing of a chasseur regiment. They were on their way to the

pulsed by you, then, Angela, I am ruined and undone.

You know me not, you understand me not! but you campaign in Spain. Angela gazed on them with feel-
shall yet know all-feel all. The game is now for life ings of sympathy, destined, as they seemed, to death.—
or death. Farewell!'
As she looked, a young officer spurred his horse violent-
"The Chevalier rushed from the house in the mad-ly, as he gave one rapid glance at the window. She fell
ness of despair. Vertua saw all, and endeavored to fainting from her chair. The chasseur was the son of
her neighbor, the young Buvernet; he was going to the
wars. They had grown up from infancy together, and
they were inseparable till the Chevalier began to visit at
the house; from that hour he had never once entered
the door.

"And with these words the old man sobbed and convince his daughter that circumstances might render

screamed, and called upon the name of his child.

"This dramatic spectacle begins to grow tiresome to

me,' said the Chevalier, coolly and contemptuously, and at the same instant the door sprang open, and a young girl in her night-dress, her hair falling loosely over her neck and shoulders, her face deadly pale, rushed toward the old man, lifted him and clasped him in her arms.

it imperatively necessary to accept of the Chevalier's present. Angela endeavored to believe it, but could not conceive it possible to regard him otherwise than with hatred and contempt. But how little do we know of the destiny that awaits us, and how very little are our present, the types of our future feelings! As for the Chevalier, he seemed like one awakening from some “Oh, father, I have heard all--know all. Have you dreadful dream, he beheld, as it were, a precipice bethen lost every thing? Have you not your Angela ?-neath him, and stretched out his arms to a figure of light What want you for gold and riches? Will she not and brightness, who appeared not to save, no, to entice nurse you and tend you? Oh, my father, humble your-him on to ruin. self no longer before that unfeeling and inhuman mon

ster.

He it is poor and wretched amid all his wealth, who, in the base and cheerless solitude of his worthlessness, stands there unloved, unvalued by any on earth. Come, my father-come, let's away-let us leave this house-let him no longer triumph over our misery.'

Vertua fell back fainting upon his seat; Angela knelt before him, held his hands, kissed them, fondled him, and with a childish volubility ran over again and again all the accomplishments and arts by which she could earn money and support her father; and as the warm tears ran fast, she cried

Oh, my father, if for pleasure's sake I could work and sew, and sing and play, will I not for you?'

"Who so hardened as could have looked upon that lovely girl, as with streaming eyes she knelt before the old man, while the purest affection and most child-like devotion shone in her beauteous face? Thus felt the Chevalier; a very hell of conscience-stricken sorrows opened before him; Angela seemed to him the avenging angel of God, and he trembled before her glance as he bethought him of his crimes and his baseness; yet, through the maddening feeling came a ray of hope showing in the distance the bliss of Paradise. Till now he never felt love; but as he gazed at her, he was at once seized with the most powerful passion and heartrending despair; for how could he hope, who appeared before her as he did? He endeavored to speak, but could not. There lay a weight upon his tongue. At

"To the astonishment of all Paris, the bank of the Chevalier no longer appeared at the gaming-house. Many dissentient and contrary reasons were assigned for the circumstance, each only more false than the oth

er.

Hǝ fled from all society, and his love evinced itself
in the most sincere and heart-felt contrition for the past.
Then it was, when in one of the lonely walks in the
gardens of Malmaison, he suddenly met old Vertua and
his daughter. Angela, who believed it impossible to re-
gard the Chevalier with other feelings than dread and
disgust, felt agitated in an uncommon degree when she
saw him looking pale and care-worn, as with a low and
downcast he bowed to them. She well knew that since
that awful night he had never played-that his whole
life was altered, and that she alone had snatched him
from perdition. What thought could be more flattering
to a woman's vanity! While old Vertua exchanged
with the Chevalier the customary salutations, Angela
asked, with a tone of the sweetest solicitude-
"What ails you, Chevalier? you look sick and de-
pressed. You must take better care of your health.'

"In the one short, reproachful glance he gave her she now saw, for the first time, not only how unspeakably he had loved her-no-but how boundless was her own affection for him, which the attentions and the devotion of the Chevalier had utterly blinded her to. Now, for the first time, she understood his half-uttered sighs—his still and spiritless demeanor. And now, too, felt for the first time, how much her own affections were engaged-and thought, too, how her bosom heaved, as she heard his footsteps or his voice.

"It is too late,' said she, he is lost to me forever.— And she had the courage to repress the unavailing, tho' inconsolable sorrow, and she succeeded. It could not, however, escape the observing eye of the Chevalier that something had occurred; but, from motives of delicacy, he did not press for the elucidation of what Angela appeared desirous of concealing He evinced the greatest solicitude for her comfort in the most trivial matters, and showed, in numerous little attentions, the love that he bore her; and soon the recollection of Buvernet faded from her memory. The first cloud of sorrow which darkened her happiness was the death of the old Signor Vertua. Since the night of his losses at the bank of the Chevalier, he had never played again; but in the last moments of his life gambling seemed to have taken the entire possession of his mind. When the priest spoke to him of holy things, and wished to administer the last rites of his church, he lay with closed eyes, and muttered aloud; 'Gagne! Perd!' And while the twitchings of death convulsed his hands, they imitated the action of the banker dealing and sorting the cards. In vain Angela knelt before him, in vain the Chevalier spoke to him in tones of affection; he seemed not to Vertua reminded him that he had not yet taken pos- know them, or to be aware of their presence, and with a session of his house. hollow sigh of Gagne,' expired.

How these few words penetrated to the heart of the Chevalier, and what hopes did they not give rise to! In a moment he was altered; he raised his head and began speaking with that animation which had of old won him many admirers.

gela's mind; and it brought again before her the remembrance of that dreadful night when she saw the Chevalier for the first time; and with it came the thought that he might one day throw off the mask, and appearing in his true colors, return to his former mode of life. "Too true was this dreadful suspicion. Horror-struck as the Chevalier felt at the dying moments of old Vertua, and unable to divest himself of the dread of the terrors that await the close of a misspent and wicked life, yet, he knew not wherefore, play was more than ever in his thoughts; so that whole nights long he dreamed he sat at the bank, and gathered in new hoards.

"As for Angela, the more she reflected upon her first meeting with the Chevalier, the more her manner grew constrained and forced, do what she would to appear the same happy, free and loving creature she had been. This reserve the Chevalier attributed to the secret which he had before noticed, and which still remained unexplained. The constraint engendered ill-feeling and illtemper, which he evinced on all occasions; and then, the thoughts of Buvernet, and of an affection for ever blighted, came fully to her mind. The irritation of the Chevalier at last rose to such an extent that he began to feel the quiet and retirement of his home wearisome and monotonous, and he longed anxiously for the society of the world.

ant.

for a

arms of his wife, whom he had forsaken, but who re-
ceived him with affection; for a dawn of hope still broke
on her, and she dreamed that they might yet be happy.
They left Paris, and retired to Genoa, which had
been Angela's birth place. At first the Chevalier lived
a retired and secluded life. Not long, however, did the
quiet and domestic tenor of his life content him; his
evil destiny still pursued him; and his restless disposi-
tion drove him from his home. His bad reputation had
followed him from Paris, so that he did not dare to open
a bank, much as he longed to.

"The richest and most splendid gaming table in Ge-
noa, at that time, was kept by a French Colonel, who
had retired from the service, disabled by severe wounds.
With envy and even hatred in his heart the Chevalier
visited this bank, trusting that soon his old luck would
make him ruin his rival. The Colonel, with a gaiety
quite unusual to him, called out—

"Now the game is indeed worth playing, for here comes the fortunate Chevalier Menais; this makes play worth attending to.'

"And truly, at first, the Chevalier drew his cards as he was wont; until at last, over-confiding in his undeviating good luck, he cried, 'Du banque-and at once lost an immense sum.

"The Colonel, who usually regarded good or ill fortune with indifference, drew in the money with an air of evident satisfaction. From that hour the Chevalier's fortune was changed. Every night he played-and ev

perty, except two thousand ducats in paper money.

"You are mad,' said the Chevalier, who now, rather more composed, was attending to the game, and saw the bank losing time after time.

"Twenty thousand ducats or -Angela,' said the Colonel gently, while he held the cards for a moment without dealing. The Colonel played on.

The Chevalier spoke not. aud nearly every card went against the bank. "Bono,' said the Chevalier, in a low whisper, as a new deal commenced, and placed the Queen upon the table. The next moment the Queen lost.

"The Chevalier drew back, gnashing his teeth, and leaned against a table; madness, and almost death in his look.

"When the game was over and the Colonel approached, and with a contemptuous smile asked, 'Well, Chevalier, how do we proceed?'

"Ha!' said the Chevaller, quite pressed down with his losses, you have made me a beggar, but you are not mad enough to think that you could win my wifo. We are not in Turkey, nor is my wife a slave, to be sold to you. But it is true, I should have gained twenty thousand ducats if the Queen had won; for this I am your debtor. But if you think my wife will leave me, and follow you, come and see; and if she does not spurn you with disgust, then may she follow you as your destined mistress.

"See you,' cried the Colonel, with a grin of detestation, 'see you, Chevalier, that your wife does not spurn

"The star of his evil genius was now in the ascendWhat commenced in misconception and distrust, was completed by the aid of a wretch who had once been the croupier of his bank, and who, by argument and ri-ery night lost, till at last he had nothing of all his pro-you-the wretch who has made her miserable—and fly dicule, convinced the Chevalier that his present mode of life was absurd and unmanly; and wondered how, woman's sake, he had left that world and its pleasures, which, to him, appeared all worth living for. Ere long, the bank of the Chevalier Menais was established with more splendor and brilliancy than ever. Fortune had not deserted him; victim after victim fell; and riches flowed in faster than before.

"But Angela! gone was her every happiness; and it was short-lived. The Chevalier met her with indifference-nay, with contempt. Often weeks-ay, months, elapsed without her seeing him. An old house-keeper managed domestic matters; the servants were always changing at the desire of their master; so that, a stranger in her own house, she found consolation no where. Often, in her sleepless nights, would she hear the roll of the Chevalier's carriage, as it drew up before the door; the heavy cassette borne up stairs, the harsh and hasty monosyllables of the Chevalier; and then, as the door of a distant chamber jarred violently, a bitter rush of tears would fall from her eyes, and in the misery of her heart she would call upon the name of Buvernet a hundred times, and pray the Eternal Power to end a life of wretchedness and grief.

The whole day long he spent in hunting up and
down, changing his money into gold, and it was late in
the evening ere he returned home. Night was just set-
ting in as he rose to leave his house. Angela, who well
knew, from his agitated and distracted manner, what
was to be feared, met him, fell at his feet in a burst of
tears, and besought him, for the Virgin's sake, to desist
from his evil courses, and not hurl them into want and
misery.

"He raised her, and pressing her to his bosom, spoke
with a hollow voice-'Angela-my sweet, my lovely
Angela-I must go; but to-morrow, to-morrow all your
cares shall have an end; for by the eternal fate which
impends over us, I swear to-night I play for the last
time.' Be content then, dearest child; sleep and dream
of happy days, and it will bring me better luck.'
"With these words he kissed her, and ran breathless
from the house.

He made two bets, and lost all-all. Motionless, he
stood beside the Colonel, and stared here and there on
the table in mute unconsciousness.

into my arms with rapture and delight. Know that the blessing of the church has joined us-and who, I ask, has crowned our dearest long-cherished hopes ?—Ha, ha, I only wanted the right to possess, to be certain of her. Learn, Chevalier, that I am the same Buvernet who was reared with Angela, and betrothed to her, till you, by your devilish arts, robbed her from me; and not till setting out for the wars, did Angela know how deeply I loved her. Alas! it was too late. Your evil spirit suggested to me that I might entrap you by play; therefore I gave myself to gambling-followed you to Genoa. I have succeeded. Let's now to your wife.'

"Convicted stood the Chevalier; struck, as it were, with a thousand lightnings. The dreadful secret was at last disclosed, and the full measure of his misery was completed, and the misery which he had brought on his wife.

"Angela, my wife, shall decide it,' said he, with a broken voice, and followed the Colonel, who rushed on before him.

"When they came to the house, the Colonel seized the bell of Angela's chamber-the Chevalier dashed him "Tou are not betting Chevalier,' said the Colonel as back, and said, 'My wife is sleeping; would you disturb her sweet sleep?

he shuffled the cards for a new deal.

I have lost every thing,' said the Chevalier, with a forced calmness.

666 'Have you nothing more?' said the Colonel, as a new deal began.

“It happened that a young noble of high family, after losing an enormous sum at the bank of the Chevalier, drove a bullet through his head, in the very room, and within a few yards of the gaming table-so near, that the blood and brain absolutely bespattered the players. The Chevalier alone remained unmoved, and coolly inquired of the company, who were retiring, if it was customary or usual to break up before the usual hour bening to lose. cause a fool had no temper at his play.

"I am a beggar,' said the Chevalier, with a voice trembling with despair and agony; still looking at the table, but without perceiving that the bank was begin

"The Colonel played on.

uing to deal the cards.

"What do you mean by that?' said the Chevalier, impetuously.

"Such conduct excited the greatest horror; the lowest "But you have a lovely wife, Chevalier,' said he,
and most debased gamblers were indignant at the heart-whisperingly, and without turning his head, and contin-
less and unfeeling remark of the Chevalier. All par-
ties were incensed against him; the gensd'armes broke
up the bank. There was also some rumor of foul play,
and this his great luck seemed to corroborate; he was
unable to clear himself; and the fine he was sentenced
to pay took away a great part of his wealth. He now
saw himself distanced and degraded, and he fled to the

"Ha!' said the Colonel, and has she ever tasted of sweet slumber since she followed your wretched fortunes?'

"The Colonel endeavored to pass into the chamber the Chevalier fell before him, at his feet, and cried in very madness—

"Be merciful-leave me my wife; You have made me a beggar! leave me my wife.'

"It was thus that once before you-heartless monster-knelt the aged Vertua, and begged for pity. He could not move your stony heart, therefore the anger of Heaven has overtaken you.'

And again he pressed forward to the chamber. The Chevalier sprang to the door, wrenched it open-stag The Colonel stepped back without answering him a gcred to the bed where she lay-tore aside the curtains, word. cried Angela, Angela '--bent down over her, snatch"Ten thousand ducats to Angela,' said he, half ed her hand, shook her as if in a death struggle-and turning round, while he gave out the cards. screamed in a tone of frenzy