HARP OF ZION.-NO. II.

The Song of Deborah.

On the wing of the whirlwind Jehovah hath past,
And the turrets of Harosheth shook to the blast,
And the mountains of Edom were crumbled to dust,
As the lightnings of wrath on their proud foreheads burst!

The Canaanite came like the grasshopper down-
Like the grasshopper now that the tempest hath strewn—
And the pride and the pomp of his battle array
Hath past like the chaff in the tempest away!

Oh proudly the war-horse was pawing the plain
And proud was the boast of the warrior-train!
But the red-star in Heaven hath wither'd their force,
And Kishon hath swept them away in his course!

And his bride look'd forth from her latticed tower,
When the soft dew was sinking on tree and on flower;
And she thought as the gust of the night-wind swept by,
"Twas Sisera's chariot in triumph drew nigh.

And she watch'd till the last dim star of the night
Had faded away in the morning light-

"Why tarry his chariot-wheels thus ?" she cried,

"O haste with thy spoils to the arms of thy bride!"

But far from his bridal bower away,

In the tent of the stranger proud Sisera lay

With the dust for his couch-and the worm at his side,-
All headless he lies-he hath Death for his bride!

W. C.

BISHOP BLAISE, THE ASH-WADDLER.

STROLLING one morning in the Spring of 18- through a village in the north of merry Devon, I observed young Isaac Wall (better known by the name of Bishop Blaise,) the_roving ash-waddler, in hot argument with his worship the Justice. Isaac was mounted on a fine athletic ass, garnished on all sides with tinker's tools and bags of woodashes. On the beast's withers crouched a young otter snarling at the Justice as he flourished his staff at the waddler; who, with the end of a long, brown, polished, and rudely-carved pastoral crook, restrained his little amphibious friend from attacking his worship. He occasionally took the mitre from his head, and shook it in the Justice's face; and ever and anon shed a cloud of dust from his patched clerical gown on his worship's garments. These were quite in the old fashionquaint, bizarre, imposing, and affected. The style is now perhaps rooted out from its few strong holds even in the heart of Devon. He wore a blue coat, bedecked with silver coins, cuffed and collared with rich crimson velvet. His vest was a long-flapped flowery brocade -a cravat of fine muslin, with a running pink border, encircled his neck. His nether garments were greasy buckskins and yarn stockings of the old card pattern, wherein kings, queens, and knaves shouldered each other, ace shouldered deuce, diamond flamed cheek by jowl with spade and every card in the pack flaunted 'twixt ankle and knee-band.

His worship was about fifty years of age, fat and unlettered: one who loved the ways of old, and had not been a score of miles from his secluded domains (as he often boasted) above thrice in his life. When I approached, he was loud in interrogatories. "How dare you, Sirrah ?" quoth he, "How dare you travel the country in that guise, with a pedlar's pack on your back too, when the maggot for illicit dealing bites? How dare you keep an alehouse by Exmoor yonder without a license? What warranty hold you? Where's your conscience ?"

"Shut up your worshipful head," replied Blaise, drawing himself proudly up, and exhibiting a large woolcomb as he spoke. A man's conscience must have a broad pair of shoulders in these days; and many do that without authority which I do by statute. Talk to such men of conscience. I am a woolcomber's son, Sir! Who does not remember Sampson Wall, my father? Did he not parade in proper trappings as Blaise the good Bishop's representative, for nine successive years? He died, Sir, while officiating in the old rite, with his friends and the fellow-craftsmen who honoured him as their chief around him, in an open street of his native town-a woolcomber to the last, with this mitre on his head, this comb in his left and this crook in his right hand, and these robes flowing about him, as the proxy of the trade's patron saint. I have worn them ever since; and while a rag of them hangs to its neighbour I'll not cast them off, for the good old man's sake, who impoverished himself to school such a truant, wandering, ungrateful, tinker-loving rogue of a fellow as I was. I am a woolcomber's son, Sir, and therefore, thanks to Billy Pitt's Act, can carry on any art, trade, or mystery whatsoever, and wheresoever, without let or hindrance from any dweller in the land, beyond the University precincts. I bite my nail at your worship. You have been wooing and hankering after Jacob Shapcot's daughter Ally these three years; but, mark me, to spite your worship much and please myself a little, I'll set about a lusty courtship to her at once, and if I do not ferk you out of all likelihood of ringing the beauty, why mandamus me !" Pooh! pooh!" pettishly ejaculated the Justice, while Blaise struck heels into his "palfrey's" sides, and went off at a strong gallop through the village.

About a year after, I met with the waddler again, and inquired if he had succeeded in his wooing. "Sir !" said he, " it was a whole month before I was cheered with a single glance of my lady goodluck: thus it happened. It's a custom with us here in Devon to cure a broken lip by stealing unperceived behind the door at new-moon-tide, and then and there with closed eyes devoutly singing certain old rhymes, which you shall hear anon, 'twixt the intervals of bussing. Sweet Ally had bitten her lips so fiercely at my warm courtship one evening, that when I came to see her the next night, my damsel's mouth was sore and rough. The young moon had just then broken up from her soft cloudy pillow, so that I suspected what the lass was bent on by her attempting so often to creep to the doorway unseen. I marred her project thrice by a roguish glance, and, having a pleasant quiddit in my pate, suddenly bade the hearth-group good night. But deuce a step stepped I across the threshold. Ally had darkened the doorway for her own purposes, and I taking advantage of the cunningly contrived murkiness, slipped into the nook unperceived, instead of passing

out. Anon comes my lass, with lid kissing lid, stealthily and lightly as fawn going to brook, when somewhat scared by the low patches of cloud, that swiftly scudding 'twixt sun and glade, checquer her verdant path. My cheek was lowered to the height of her mouth, and dextrously did I contrive on her approaching, directed only by her warm, short, fluttered breathings, to be saluted-thrice saluted by the comely lass. Wall! Wall! I love thee! And may thy virtue now cure me!' sang she, and the words floated to my pleased ear, soft, low, and indistinct, as the gentle talk of a dreaming birdlet. She bussed again, and then chaunted loudly and triumphantly

'Wall! Wall! I've kissed thee, Wall!
Wall! Wall! I've wooed thee, Wall!
And none have seen my love to Wall!'

6

'Say you so, darling?' cried I, suddenly clasping her up in my arms, and kissing her warmly, Say you so, bird, to Wall's face?' And Í danced out into view with her as I spoke; while Ally shrieked, her mammy frowned, and her stout brothers crowded about us, dancing, gibing, and frightening the caged blackbird's head from beneath his wing, by their peals of jollity. Now, Ally, lass,' continued I, as the roar abated, 'you said last night, that you would be wooed willingly by Blaise, if ever you gave his sooty cheek a salute. Henceforth, I am a free suitor! But come, folks, who says a clear floor for a fall?' 'I'll vell any o' my buoys upo' the lime-ash that do zay noa?' cried old Shapcot, shaking his stick. This was enough. One of the youths immediately doffed woollens, and slipped into his corded jacket, and shin-facers. Our shoes were then rigidly inspected by the old man, who was chosen 'tryer,' and neither nail being found in the bottoms nor tinplate inserted atween the soles, we tippled a cup of cider to each other's health, shook hands, and manœuvred for a grab. In two minutes I felled the youngster by a twist of the wrist and toe-touch. While gratulations were showered upon me for this feat, I cast my eye round, and in the winding of the staircase, detected Ally peeping over her sister's shoulder at the sport. She drew back the moment she encountered my glance, but little Admonition boldy kept her place. I had another of the sturdy youngsters down in a twinkling; but Michael, the nestletripe of the sons, baffled me long. I threw him once on his side, again on two joints; and had almost brought him to another half-fall, which would have won me the bout, when the fellow slipped aside, and wiped off one from his score, by turning my own strength so cleverly in his favour, as to tilt me on the hip. I was up and at it again with a hot brow and a beating heart in a moment. He was a stiff one, and the time we had agreed upon for fair collar and elbow play, passed off in striving, and wheedling, and tempting, and kicking; still he was on his legs. I marvelled! Ally's eye was again upon me. I saw it not, but felt it, or fancied I felt it, on my flaming cheek. Anon, in came Mike for a grip at my belly-band, or a kidney-hug. But I was 'ware of him, and whipping out my gam, clutched him by shoulder and brisket. He went over, flying horse-fashion in a trice. Well! upon this, forth totters old Shapcot himself, from his elbow-chair, to play me out. The dusty protectors which he drew from a dark nook by the chimney-side were of rough bark; for he cleaved to the fashions

of his foresires, and preferred the skin of a stout oak to guard his shins, rather than the tough hide of a bull. They were cosily lined with thick flannel, but still lacked padding to fit them to his waning withershins. Look tha there, Ikey,' said he, as we pledged the preparatory health, Look at them trovies. I won thic pair o' leatherns at Southmolton nineteen year agone come Yeaster; thac uns at King'snympton, the month avore Ally were bwoarn'd; and thuc othern at Yemmacott, the day I were morried. Win me, and wear me,' thou zeez't zamplered upo' th' band o' um, wi' green and red zilk; but there they ha' hung, and there they shall hang untouched, zo long as ever Geakup Shapcot do zuck wind. Now come on oot. I drowth un lads by the vore hip vor a virkin o' yeal. Come on Ikey. If I dwoant scat tha, christen me twoad.' Lord love you! I could have carried him, poor withered rogue, to my hut by Exmoor, easily as crow does dry elm-twig to her nest. But I dallied with him—pretending to put out all my craft and strength; and at last, when the old man sweated and blowed nigh to bursting his wrinkled hide, let myself sink gently down beneath him as a matter of policy. And then to hear the breathless old body trying in vain to squeak Victoria! oh! 'twas fine! The boys chuckled; the dame chirruped; and down came the girls with kisses and condolements. When the first burst of his joy was over, he sat cool, solemn, and dignified; affecting to treat his conquest as a mere matter of course. I was certainly, he said, one of the best players he had ever mated with; but few could evade his backclamp: it was no disgrace to be levelled by Jacob Shapcot. The sons laughed again; and he mistaking the cause of their mirth (for I feigned to be chapfallen, though Mike and his brothers knew how the affair was managed), reproved three, and whacked the fourth for scoffing at a beaten man.

"Supper, drink, and nutty mirth succeeded; but Alice was icy, and the Justice's bags sat heavy on the mind of the dame. Little Admonition, my trusty ally, after long noting her sister's deportment, at last stole out, winking to me as she went, and returned in about half an hour, with a few ashes in the corner of her bib, which she slily managed to empty unseen into my palm. It's the web o' th' ould gander's voot,' whispered she; she died a Monday. I've a burned it for tha -Dooey just gie't to th' cretur in her drink, and I'll warrant she'll love 'e It's a sure charm, and ha' been tried scaures o' times. If you do but offer zider to her, wi 'th' ashes in 't, she 's witched by 't, and will she, nill she, the twoad can't but drink-once down—and job's auver -she's thine for zertain.' I pretended to laugh at her for a little fool; but warm was the kiss which I pressed on the sun-burnt curls that shaded her brow, and I seized the first opportunity to sprinkle a half-filled jug with a few of the ashes. I had not the least hope that the proud hussy would take drink from my hand, and advanced trembling with liquor and anxiety to Ally's seat. Judge of my wonder, when she not only eagerly clasped the jug, but, instead of sipping like bird at flowery dew-cup, according to her usual custom, she smilingly quaffed off the whole contents. There's virtue in an old gander's foot, thought I, and who knows the luck of the looby calf? Justice, your worshipful hopes totter. The ashes left a grey bow above Ally's upper lip, and ere her smooth round arm reached it, the brothers' eyes

were one and all fixed on her. She stared at her arm, after she had passed it lightly across her mouth, and blushing deeply, looked about, to see if any one had observed her. The youths, as well as Ally, suspected what I had accomplished, and burst into an uproar of laughter, the moment Ally's eye was fearfully bent on them. Little Admonition said, that I had succeeded in fixing a crooked pin in her sister's skirt too, and the poor maiden deeming herself witched to have me, ran out of the kitchen, to search her garments for the obnoxious pin. Addy told me that she could not find it, and while my lass fretted in her chamber, I, spite of the frowns of dame, rejoiced at the hearth-side. My otter, Tommy, soon after crept into the place, with a live fish in his mouth; and while I was caressing the obedient and well educated little beast, Bob, Gentleman Bob,' the farmer's eldest son, proposed an otter chase at day-break. The motion was carried by acclamation; orders were issued to the prentices for a gathering of efficient dogs among the neighbours; and after a little lingering, and peeping into the empty jugs, we all staggered bed ward.

"The doze of age after a tipsy frolic is shorter than the sleep of youth -the married man who has been merry and wild overnight, leaves his bed the next morning long before the bachelor-Jacob Shapcot, with cracked voice, rheumy eyes, and sage long visage, was the first of the family that appeared in the kitchen at day-break. He cast a rueful and repentant look at the reliques of the night's revelry, and hurried up his people, so that the hunt might be finished early enough for them to set about their usual avocations, within an hour, at the latest, after the customary time. He was just as sparing of his morning cups, as he had been lavish of his liquor overnight. After a single draught each, the young men speedily equipped themselves in baragan jackets, laced boots, stout hose, and straw hats, for the sport. Ally, with her nightcap awry, peeped out of her woodbine-shaded lattice; but seeing me in the yard below, blushed, tittered, and drew back again in a moment. At length, armed with pikes, dung-forks, hoes, and poles, with farmer Grane's Towler, Toby Abbott's Brandy, a couple of hounds that were billeted on Bob, his own private professional tykes, and some dozen yappers and yellers of all shapes and breeds, we started to the number of a score and a half towards the neighbouring stream.

"We turned off at the boundary bridge of the good Squire's park, through which the water flowed. The old hunters that sauntered about beneath the oaks in the lawn, pricked up their ears at Towler's first joyful note, when freed from the coupling leathers, and galloped down at full speed towards the palings, over which they stretched their necks and watched our proceedings, apparently with the most intense longing and interest. A meek doe had stolen charily down to the bank within the park, from whence she was scared in the midst of her draught, by the sudden plash of a leaping fish; and ere she had tripped thrice her length up the hill-side coppice, Towler's voice struck her motionless with fear. The hares forgot their gambols, and scampered away to cover, from which a few of them immediately stole out again, some few bounds, and sitting erect on their strong haunches, with extended ears, and searching eyes, peered anxiously around. The rooks in the wood behind the old mansion-house began to caw most querulously, and flapped about the tops of the elms for many minutes