chose for its king the Cardinal of Bour- ing the war. He took all the suburbs of bon, an old priest and uncle to Henry IV., Paris by assault in one day. He might to show to the world that it was not the probably have taken the city, if he had house of Bourbon, but the heretics, that only desired to conquer it; but he feared were the objects of its hatred. The Duke to make the capital a prey to his soldiers, of Mayenne was prudent enough not to and to ruin a city which he wished to usurp the title of king; nevertheless, he ex- save. He besieged Paris; he raised the ercised all the royal authority; while the siege; he recommenced it; finally, he poor Cardinal of Bourbon, called king by blockaded it and cut off all communicathe League, was imprisoned by Henry IV. tion with the country, in hopes that the the rest of his life, which lasted for two Parisians would be obliged from want of years after. The League, more than ever food to yield it without bloodshed. But sustained by the Pope, assisted by Spain, Mayenne, the priests, and the Sixteen, and strong in itself, had arrived at the governed the minds of the people with summit of its greatness, and made Henry so much art, poisoned them to such a desensible of the hatred that false zeal in-gree against the heretics, and filled their spires, and of the contempt that success imagination with so much fanaticism, that produces. Henry had but few friends, they preferred death to surrendering and few places of importance, no money, and obedience. The monks and religious ora small army; but his courage, his activ-ders exhibited a spectacle, which, however ity, his policy, supplied all his wants. ridiculous in itself, had a wonderful effect He gained many battles, and among the in encouraging the people. They had a rest, that of Ivry, over the Duke of kind of military review, marching in rank Mayenne, one of the most remarkable and file, carrying rusty arms above their ever fought. In that battle, the generals hoods, having at their head the figure of on both sides showed their skill, and the the Virgin Mary, and saying they were soldiers their courage. Few faults were ready to fight and to die in defence of committed on either side. Henry at last their faith; so that the citizens, seeing owed his victory to his superior knowl- their confessors armed, really believed edge and valor; but he confessed that that they were sustaining the cause of Mayenne had performed the duties of a God. great general. “His only fault," said he, "was the cause he sustained." After the victory, his moderation equalled his valor in combat. Aware that power diminishes often when it is pushed too far, and that it increases by being used with moderation, he checked the rage of his soldiers against the enemy; he had the wounded taken care of, and he set many at liberty; nevertheless, all his valor and generosity had no effect upon the Leaguers.

Be this as it may, the want degenerated into a general famine. The vast concourse of citizens had no other food than the sermons of their priests and the imaginary miracles of the monks, who by this pious artifice had an abundance in their convents, while the whole city was at the point of death by famine. The wretched Parisians, deceived at first by the hope of speedy succor, sung lampoons and ballads against Henry, --a folly with which no other nation could be charged, The civil wars of France had embroiled with any semblance of truth, but which all Europe. King Philip II. was earnest characterized the genius of the French ly engaged in defending the League; while in that deplorable condition. But Queen Elizabeth gave all her aid to Hen- this sad and short joy was entirely stifled ry IV., not because he was a Protestant, by real and unspeakable misery. Thirty but because he was the enemy of Philip, thousand men died, in one month, of starvwhose increasing power was dangerous to ation. The wretched citizens, driven by her. She sent Henry five thousand men famine, tried to make a kind of bread under the command of Essex, her favor- with the bones of the dead, which they ite, whom she afterwards caused to be pounded and boiled, making a kind of beheaded. jelly; but this unnatural food only hasThe king met with varied success dur-tened their death. It is related and at

Austria humbled, Rome justly reproved,
Accepted Bourbon, and by Bourbon was loved.
Mayenne felt compelled next his monarch to

To darkness eternal then discord sank down.

own,

vinces,

And submitting his heart to him and his proWas the worthiest subject of the greatest of princes."

ALONE.

FOR THOSE I LOVE.

By L. T. H.

Nor a rest from social converse, bringing zest to a reunion,

tested by many authentic witnesses, that a woman killed and fed upon her own child. But the obstinacy of the Parisians equalled their misery. Henry had more pity for them than they had for themselves. His kind 'nature triumphed over his interests. He allowed his soldiers to sell all kinds of provisions to the citizens. Then was seen what had never been seen heretofore, the besieged fed by the besiegers. It was a singular sight to see the soldiers from the bottom of the trenches sending provisions to the citizens, who threw down money from the ramparts. Many officers, with that license so common to the soldiery, bargained a sirloin Nor the happy, hallowed seasons given to God of beef for a girl, so that women were let down in baskets, and the baskets went up again filled with provisions. By this means, an unseasonable license prevailed among the officers; the soldiers obtained much money; the besieged were comforted, and the king lost the city; for at the same time, a Spanish army came from the low countries. The king was obliged to raise the siege and go and engage them through all the dangers and hazards of war, until, the Spaniards being driven from the kingdom, he came a third time before Paris, which continued more stubborn in receiving him.

During these events, the Cardinal of Bourbon, that phantom of a king, died. An assembly met in Paris, which called upon the States General to proceed and elect a new king. Spain greatly influenced these States. Mayenne had a large party which would have placed him on the throne. At length, Henry, tired of the cruel necessity of making war with his subjects, and aware that it was not his person but his religion that they hated, resolved to enter the pale of the Roman Church. A few weeks after, Paris opened her gates to him. What had been impossible to his valor and magnanimity was obtained by going to mass and receiving absolution of the Pope.

"The people, all changed, around Henry gather; And behold in him conqueror, monarch, and father.

This fortunate reign was from thenceforth admired;

Which too lately begun, and which too soon expired.

and self-communion.

Alone.

A future fraught with light and beauty changed to dark, blank desolation;

Its burden finds no language, save the tired heart's interpretation.

Can earth's glory, or life's beauty, wear their

olden winning lustre,

Since for me no binding ties around a blessed

home-hearth cluster?

Alone.

For cherished voices vain is silence my heart's

secret chambers keeping;

Only spectres of dead hopes are through its awful stillness sweeping.

The familiar footfalls answer to my listening

ear no longer;

The kind cheerful voice is gone that made each pulse with gladness stronger.

Alone.

Remembered tones of love, joy, hope, like re-
ceding music, breathing
Sweeter, dearer, tenderer strains, their deep,
prolonged echoes weaving,
From fond heart-records of years gone, for

hope and joy, a burial shroud,
Till I am thine again, beloved ones, in that

realm without a cloud. Cleveland, Ohio.

CHARACTER has more effect than anything else. Let a number of loud-talking men take up a particular question, and one man of character, of known integrity and beauty of soul, will outweigh them all in his influence,

THE SPY OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

By Mrs. C. M. Sawyer.

CHAPTER II.

A CONSIDERABLE period of time had elapsed since the scene detailed in our former chapter. Many and important changes had taken place in the army of which we then caught the first glimpse. Several desperate and bloody battles had been fought, several victories won, each one bringing the camp of the Union forces nearer and nearer to the rebel city, whose capture had for five months engrossed all the energies and extraordinary talents of the great general whose rising star, since reaching its zenith, even then shone with a blaze of light that fixed the eyes of the entire country.

against them by a determined foe, they had persistently advanced, until, their ranks depleted, their strength exhausted, the heroic army at last fell back. They know now that the spade must do its work before another assault, with any hope of success, can be made.

It was now a period of pause and rest. The stars looked down with clear, bright eyes upon a scene of infinite calm and quiet. Spread out over an immense and broken field, intersected by deep ravines and high ridges and wood-crowned bluffs, lay the vast and silent camp. The fresh breeze of the waning night, fragrant with the odor of cedars and resinous pines, floated gently over it. Now and then it murmured pleasantly among the tree-tops and the cordage of the little shelter-tents which, like ten thousand snow-white antheaps, thickly dotted the dark green expanse, pausing to kiss the brows of the war-worn soldiers who, rolled snugly in their Mackinaws, lay soundly sleeping beneath them. The sounds of battle and skirmish had ceased hours ago. The roar of cannon, the whistling of shot and shell, and the sharp rattle of musketry, were silent as if they had never been. It was that hour of the night when day, not yet apparent, is riding up from the nether world, and the struggling darkBut impossibilities cannot be achieved. ness presses its oblivious hand most heavA second assault on Vicksburg, heroic, dar-ily on the human senses. Nothing dising, but unsuccessful, had just been made. Unexampled bravery had been displayed; but our intrepid soldiers had been forced to fall back, not disheartened, not discouraged, but still bold and confident, glorying in their gallant leader, and ready at his word to march forward again, over the walls of their own dead, to the attack, sure that, led by him, victory must ultimately crown their efforts.

The most formidable works of the enemy had been carried. Haine's Bluff had been captured, and communications opened with the fleet on the Yazoo River. Food, ammunition, and stores of all kinds had thus been abundantly supplied to our army; and with the exception of one or two gaps, Vicksburg was completely circumvallated. Everything promised speedy success; and Admiral Porter, with his gunboats, lay within shelling range of the city, and his bombardment was frequent and terrific.

They knew that not to their own want of bravery, not to the incapacity of their officers, did they owe the repulse they had sustained, but to the impregnability of the works they had essayed to carry. Heroes as they were, how they fought For eight long hours, in the burning heat of the sun and in the face of the most murderous fire, their numbers falling by hundreds at every dreadful volley launched

turbed the profound stillness which reigned over the camp, save an occasional moan from the hospital tents, where, stretched in long, ghastly rows, the wounded braves lay heroically enduring, or the dreamy tones of some tired soldier murmuring in his sleep. The far-off monotonous croakings of the frogs that made melody in the distant swamps, now and then came borne on the night breeze; but it seemed to add to, rather than detract from, the solemn repose of the scene.

Over the headquarters of the commander-in-chief floated the broad and beautiful flag of our country, its stars and stripes nearly invisible in the pale starlight, but waving as proudly to the breeze as if a sentient spirit endowed it, and it felt prophetic thrills of victory in every glorious fold.