When Pharaoh's host pursued, in fire by night,
In mystic clouds by day, thine was the bliss,
To meet thy Maker face to face, to see
His awful attributes, his form all love,
To draw belief e'en from the fountain head,
To live mid air beatified, to dwell near God,
And drink his presence in!

The Lord of Hosts

Appeared that day to Moses and the host
Assembled. His dread edict he gave forth;
And Moses girded up his loins and went
Up from the plains of Moab. From the top
Of Pisgah's mount the promised land he saw;
All Gilead's plains to Dan, and all Naphtali,
The land of Ephraim and Manasseh too,
And Judah stretched unto the utmost sea,
And the green palms near Zoar and Jericho.
The servant of the Lord was blest,-he saw
The vale of peace beyond that swollen wave,
Ay, full to overflow in harvest time,
And laid him down and died!

O Moses' God!

So be our bed of death; all journeyings o'er,
To reach that mount, from whence the eye of faith
May view the promised land of peace;

With eye undimmed to gaze on its green fields,

Nor fear that death's broad river intervened

Can stay the soul from its possession! Ripen thou

O Israel's God! the harvest of our days,

And then when Jordan's flood is fullest, reap

And garner our immortal souls!

THE GAMBLER'S LAST DEAL.-ELLIOTT PRESTON,

I dealt the "game" for twenty years,

But I'll never deal again,

For I saw one sight that makes me loathe

The thought of the "tiger's" den!

Some three years back (as perhaps you know,
For I think I've seen you there)

I dealt for half the bloods in town,

And my game, you can bet, was "square!"

One night a boy strayed into my place
Who couldn't have turned eighteen,
And half a glance was enough to show
He was what we sports call "green!"
His flaxen hair was fine as a girl's,

But I saw, to his bright, blue eye,
The love of play, like a serpent, creep,
Or a cloud o'er a summer sky!

Well, night after night, you might see him there, And his luck was worse than bad,

But he never "squealed" when he lost his " pile," And I almost pitied the lad!

I,should say in the space of a month or so
(I can't just name the time),

He "dropped" a hundred thousand, cool,
If he dropped a single dime!

One night he sat with a haggard look
In the place we called his own,
For his pile was gone by twelve o'clock,
And his final coin was "blown!"

Then "ticker" and chain he handed in
For five hundred "stacked in blue,"
Which "went my way," on a "coppered" ace
('Twas my "limit," and reached by few).

Quick he snatched from his breast a flashing gem,
Which he passed me with steady hand,
But I saw the cold sweat break from his brow,
Though his pluck was something grand!

I handed him out a thousand more,
For I saw 'twas a peerless stone;

Well-it was no use, for the luck had "set,"
As he should ere this have known!

When his last "chip" went, for awhile he sat
As if his sense had gone,

Then, reluctantly, from his smooth, white hand,
He drew a circlet worn!

"How much for this?" he hoarsely said;
"I know that its value's small,-

A dead mother's gift; but should I win,
I'll redeem it first of all!"

I took the ring; -'twas a poor old band
Which new, might have cost a “ V ;"
Though it was worthless, I passed a "stack,"
Just the end of his luck to see!

He "planked" it down in the "pot"—and then
His face on the table laid

'Pon his folded arms, and never moved
However the "deal" was played!

I told him when the "limit" "barred,"
But he answered never a word,

So we played five hundred on each card;
Still he neither spoke nor stirred!

Well, would you believe it? The pot won out,"
For it seemed that worn old ring

Had changed his luck (though I can't say how,
For luck is a skeery thing)!

I shook him up, for the deal was made,
But his hand fell back like lead!

And I quit the game on that very night,
For the poor young chap was dead!

THE JUST RETRIBUTION.-DIMOND.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.-ALBERTI, the duke whose life has been assailed, JULIAN, MONTALDI, STEPHANO, LUDOVICO, AMBROSE, VINCENT, GUARDS, &C.

[Enter GUARDS, conducting JULIAN,-all the characters follow,— ALBERTI ascends the judgment seat.]

Alberti. My people!-the cause of your present assemblage, too well is known to you. You come to witness the dispensations of an awful, but impartial justice; either to rejoice in the acquittal of innocence, wrongfully accused, or to approve the conviction of guilt, arrested in its foul career. Personal feelings forbid me to assume this seat myself; yet fear not but that it will be filled by nobleness and honor; to Montaldi only, I resign it.

Julian. He, my judge! then I am lost indeed!

Alb. Ascend the seat, my friend, and decide from it as your own virtuous conscience shall direct. This only

will I say; should the scales of accusation and defense poise doubtfully, let mercy touch them with her downy hand, and turn the balance on the gentler side.

Montaldi. [Ascending the judgment seat.] Your will and honor are my only governors! [Bowing.] Julian, stand forth; you are charged with a most foul and horrible attempt upon the life of my noble kinsman. The implements of murder have been found in your possession, and many powerful circumstances combine to fix the guilt upon you. What have you to urge in vindication?

Jul. First, I aver by that Power whom vice dreads, and virtue reverences, that no word but strictest truth shall pass my lips. On yesterday evening I crossed the mountain to the monastery of St. Bertrand; my errand thither finished, I returned directly to the valley. Rosalie saw me enter the cottage. Soon afterward, a strange outcry recalled me to the door; a mantle spread before the threshold caught my eye;-I raised it, and discovered a mask within it. The mantle was newly stained with blood! Consternation seized upon my soul! The next moment I was surrounded by guards, and accused of murder! They produced the weapon which I had lost in defending myself against a ferocious animal. Confounded by terror and surprise, I had not power to explain the truth, and loaded with chains and reproaches, I was dragged to the dungeons of the castle. Here my knowledge of the dark transaction ends, and I have only this to add, I may become the victim of circumstance, but I never have been the slave of crime! Mon. [Ironically smiling.] Plausibly urged; have you

no more to offer?

Jul. Truth needs but few words,--I have spoken! Mon. Yet bethink yourself. Dare you abide by this wild tale, and brave a sentence on no stronger plea? Jul. Alas! I have none else to offer.

Mon. You say, on yesterday evening, you visited the

monastery of St. Bertrand. What was your business there?

Jul. To engage Father Nicolo to marry Rosalie and myself, on the following morning.

Mon. A marriage, too! Well, at what time did you quit the monastery?

Jul. The bell for vesper-service had just ceased to toll.

Mon. By what path did you return to the valley? Jul. Across the mountain.

Mon. Did you not pass through the wood of olives, where the dark deed was attempted?

Jul. [Pausing.] The wood of olives?

Mon. Ha! mark! he hesitates; speak!

Jul. No! my soul scorns to tell a falsehood. I did pass through the wood of olives.

Mon. Ay! and pursuit was close behind. Stephano, you seized the prisoner?

Stephano. I did. The bloody weapon bore his name; the mask and mantle were in his hands, confusion in his countenance, and every limb trembling with alarm.

Mon. Enough! Heavens! that villainy so monstrous should inhabit with such tender youth! I fain would doubt, and in spite of reason, hesitate to give my sentence; but conviction glares from every point, and incredulity would now be madness. Not to descant on the absurdity of your defense--a tale too wild for romance to sanction-I find from your admission a chain of circumstances that confirms your criminality. The time at which you passed the wood, and the hour of the duke's attack, precisely correspond. You sought to rush on fortune by the readiest path, and snatch from the unwary traveler that sudden wealth which honest labor could, only by slow degrees, obtain. Defeated in the dark attempt, you fled. Pursuit was instant,-your steps were traced, and, at the very door of your cottage, you were seized before the evidences of your