appeared indifferent to the absence of essential garments; and, what was still more unfortunate, he could neither write poetry nor tell a story. At first he met with a tolerable reception, but his abstraction, and occasional fits of absence, soon filled his patrons with disappointment: when he called, a second time, at a farmer's there was no straw in the barn, or a ' poor traveller' (Anglice, a beggarman) had anticipated him. Driven thus from house to house he was forced sometimes to sleep in the fields and sometimes in the caves of mountains. In winter this was impossible, and necessity soon sharpened his wits: be learned to relate wonderful legends of fairies and ghosts, and seldom wanted lodging. One night, however, he encountered, among the galties, successive disappointments. No door opened to receive him; no fire blazed to cheer him; echo among the hills threatened a speedy storm, and the winds whistled ' over the wildness of night.' He, too, had mistaken his way, but the apprehension of still greater ills urged him forward. After two hours' fatigue he espied a glimmering light at a distance, and hoping that it issued from some aperture in a mountain cabin he made for it. He was not mistaken; and cautiously approaching the one-paned lattice he saw a young girl busily employed in baking bread on a griddle. Her kitchen exhibited considerable tidiness: her dresser was white, and the pewter on it reflected the rush-light that twinkled on a little table placed before the fire, and covered with a rustic feast-bacon and eggs ready for the pan, and a little cruiskeen of 'mountain dew.' The mouth of the benighted scholar was instantly filled with that water which ever springs up at the sight of palatable viands, and, without further ceremony, he knocked at the door. At first there was the sound of a suppressed bustle within, and then all became as silent as the tomb. He knocked again, and, after a pause, a female voice enquired who claimed admittance. The poor student, at this interrogation, recounted the evils which beset him, and, after some time, the door was opened, evidently with reluctance; but no sooner was his miserable aspect revealed than the countenance of the mountain nymph underwent a considerable change. A look of seriousness first came, like a summer cloud athwart the mid-day sun, across her face, and pity soon melted in her eye; she threw another bush on the hearth, thrust, with silent kindness, a piece of bread into the stranger's hand, and while he was partaking of this she placed before him a glass-full of potheen. Goodness became her better than her blushes, and even ungallant as the poor scholar was he could not withhold a few compliments on her beauty. : When he had concluded his repast he enquired whether he could not adjourn to the barn, but was answered in the negative and, with some hesitation, she allowed him to lie down in a bed which stood at the upper end of the kitchen. He was too much fatigued for genile sleep to weigh his eyelids down in a hurry, and, before all around him had become oblivious, he heard a shrill whistle. In a moment the colleen (young girl) started from her seat, rubbed down her apron, adjusted her hair, and cautiously opened the door. A quick step was instantly felt on the floor, and then that gently thrilling noise which indicated the contact of innocent but ardent lips, whilst the lovers, like fear, seemed to startle at the sound themselves had made. 'Pardon, Norah,' said the lover, I should have been here sooner:''Hush,' said she, a poor scholar is in my father's bed.' This intelligence seemed to damp the young man's ardour, but the poor scholar, not wishing to disturb their moments of bliss, affected sleep so cleverly that they appeared quickly to forget his presence. The hot cake was placed on the table; the bacon and eggs screeched in the pan, and Andy had snatched another kiss, when the sound of a horse and car, entering the bawn (yard), assailed their terrified ears. 'My father!' exclaimed Norah' Where shall I go?' asked Andy. Under the bed,' she answered, as the master of the mansion knocked at the door. Before it was opened the supper was disposed of in opposite cupboards, and when the old man entered, he angrily enquired what she had been doing. I had fallen asleep, father,' replied Norah,ʻ but will I get somethin for you to eat?' Eat! what have you to eat, you extravagant huzzy?' 'Some eggs and bacon,' said the daughter. Eggs and bacon, hogh! you think the bit o' bacon won't be gone time enough, don't you?' Well, then, the eggs." 'No; three eggs are worth three ha'pence, an that's somethin when oats is ony twelve hogs (shillings) a barrel. Eaten! eaten the thackeen thinks o'nothin but eaten, hogh! she'll eat me out o' house an home, but no eaten to-night any how, for I'll go to bed.' 'There's a poor scholar in it, father.' This piece of information threw the miserly father into a rage, and, while the fit was on him, he threw Norah almost into the fire, and dragged the student from his place of repose. 'Och, blud-an-thunder' Parce mihi!' exclaimed the affrighted scholar; and the words of an unknown tongue, no less than his wild appearance, produced a very fortunate effect upon the farmer, who was extremely superstitious. He drew back, somewhat affrighted, muttering to himself, 'a poor scholar, or rather a fairy-man.' You judge correctly,' said the Munster student, assuming a mysterious air; I am familiar with the good people," and never travel without my Lanauntshee: pray do you stand in need of any thing?' 'Och, none a-vich'! (my son) replied the farmer; 'God bless you man, I—I—did'nt know you.' No harm done, sir, but don't you want your supper; I'll provide you with one instantly for nothing; I see you smile assent; you'd have no objection to bacon and eggs. Lay the cloth, colleen.' Norah obeyed his commands, and the poor scholar, placing himself within a circle roughly drawn on the floor, said, in a solemn tone, Lanauntshee! Plus videas tuis oculis quam alienis.' 'Look,' he continued ad dressing himself to the farmer, after a mysterious pause, and see what my good spirit has placed in yonder buffet.' The miser, half-incredulous-half-alarmed, cautiously approached the depository of edibles, but hesitated to turn the wooden button that kept the door closed, until commanded, in an authoritative tone, to do as desired; still, apparently unwilling, he hesitated for a moment, and then hurriedly pulled open the door. His amazement was somewhat of the pleasing kind when he saw revealed before him the bacon and eggs, hardly ceasing to hiss in the pan; and, as he laid them on the table, he cast a very expressive look on the poor scholar. 'What think you,' asked the shoeless student, of a piece of oaten cake with that fried bacon?' 'Beautiful!' cried the farmer, rubbing his hands,' or may-be you could order some white-eyes' (potatoes). Vulgar food,' said the scholar,' I prefer bread. In that corner buffet, forenent you, you'll find some.' 'The bread being produced the farmer invited the stranger to partake of the feast, and, when they had discussed that, amongst other things, the scholar asked if there were any potheen in the house He was answered not a drop. Then,' said he, 'I must trouble my Lanauntshee; he's fond of a drop himself, and I fear has nearly finished his allowance; but rei bonæ vel vestigia delectant, and now, sir, look into the spyhole behind you, under that bonnet.' The bonnet was no sooner removed than the bottle became visible, and when its contents had done its worst upon the farmer he enquired if he, too, could not prevail on a Lanauntshee to obey his commands. Did you ever see one ?' asked the poor scholar; 'if not I'll show you one, in the form and dress of a young man, perhaps not altogether unknown to you, for this good spirit assumes all shapes at will.' Then, placing himself within the circle, he desired the door to be opened, and, when the passage was clear, he said, in a solemn voice, Lanauntshee! come from under the farmer's bed, and quickly hence to your mote, there to wait my further orders.' The lover understood the hint, and instantly obeyed this injunction. Tunder-un-turf!' exclaimed the farmer as he rushed across the floor, 'why that's Andy Russell, the miller,' 'Only his fetch,' interrupted the poor scholar, 'and now, sir, the awful process which I've gone through has fatigued me, and, with your permission, I'll take some rest.' When he arose next morning he saw, in Norah's looks, a world of gratitude, and her father, ambitious of the acquaintance of so convenient a guest, gave him a general invitation to his house. Mr. Croker, in his Fairy Legends,' has taken no notice-an unpardonable offence-of the Lanauntshee; yet the name of this spirit is as familiar as that of the Banshee. It is, however, a thing of very doubtful generation, and, like the wolf-dog, implacable in resentment-unalterable in friendship. It frequently happens 'that Paddy performs wonders in a fair fight against considerable odds; and the thing would be an absolute miracle were it not for the aid afforded him by his Lanauntshee. Cork, Feb. 1829. W. EXTRACTS FROM THE COMMON-PLACE BOOK OF A LITERARY LOUNGER.-NO. III. SEATS IN PARLIAMENT. A SEAT in parliament, though now an object of laudable ambition, was, in the middle ages, anything but desirable; and M. P.'s had then to be paid for their attendance: a knight of the shire received four shillings a-day, but the representative of a borough was entitled only to half that sum, FCCENTRIC EPITAPHS. In Guildford church-yard. Reader pass on, ne'er waste your time |