THE THREE CHERRY-STONES.

Three young gentlemen, who had finished the most substantial part of their repast, were lingering over their fruit and wine at a tavern in London, when a man of middle age, and middle stature, entered the public room where they were sitting, seated himself at one end of a small unoccupied table, and calling the waiter, ordered a simple mutton chop and a glass of ale. His appearance, at first view, was not likely to arrest the attention of any one. His hair was beginning to be thin and gray; the expression of his countenance was sedate, with a slight touch perhaps of melancholy; and he wore a gray surtout with a standing collar, which manifestly had seen service, if the wearer had not,-just such a thing as an officer would bestow upon his serving-man. He might be taken, plausibly enough, for a country magistrate, or an attorney of limited practice, or a school

master.

He continued to masticate his chop and sip his ale in silence, without lifting his eyes from the table, until a cherry-stone, sportively snapped from the thumb and finger of one of the gentlemen at the opposite table, struck him upon his right ear. His eye was instantly upon the aggressor, and his ready intelligence gathered from the ill-suppressed merriment of the party that this petty impertinence was intentional.

The stranger stooped, and picked up the cherry-stone, and a scarcely perceptible smile passed over his features as he carefully wrapped it up in a piece of paper, and placed it in his pocket. This singular procedure, with their preconceived impressions of their customer, somewhat elevated as the young gentlemen were by the wine they had partaken of, capsized their gravity entirely, and a burst of irresistible laughter proceeded from the group.

Unmoved by this rudeness, the stranger continued to

finish his frugal repast in quiet, until another cherrystone, from the same hand, struck him upon the right elbow. This also, to the infinite amusement of the other party, he picked from the floor, and carefully deposited with the first.

Amidst shouts of laughter, a third cherry-stone was soon after discharged, which hit him upon the left breast. This also he very deliberately took from the floor, and deposited with the other two.

As he rose, and was engaged in paying for his repast, the gaiety of these sporting gentlemen became slightly subdued. It was not easy to account for this. Lavater would not have been able to detect the slightest evidence of irritation or resentment upon the features of the stranger. He seemed a little taller, to be sure, and the carriage of his head might have appeared to them rather more erect. He walked to the table at which they were sitting, and with that air of dignified calmness which is a thousand times more terrible than wrath, drew a card from his pocket, and presented it with perfect civility to the offender, who could do no less than offer his own in return. While the stranger unclosed his surtout, to take the card from his pocket, they had a glance at the undress coat of a military man. The card disclosed his rank, and a brief inquiry at the bar was sufficient for the rest. He was a captain whom ill-health and long service had entitled to half-pay. In earlier life he had been engaged in several affairs of honor, and, in the dialect of the fancy, was a dead shot.

The next morning a note arrived at the aggressor's residence, containing a challenge, in form, and one of the cherry-stones. The truth then flashed before the challenged party,-it was the challenger's intention to make three bites at this cherry, three separate affairs out of this unwarrantable frolic! The challenge was accepted, and the challenged party, in deference to the challenger's reputed skill with the pistol, had half de

cided upon the small sword; but his friends, who were on the alert, soon discovered that the captain, who had risen by his merit, had, in the earlier days of his necessity, gained his bread as an accomplished instructor in the use of that

weapon.

They met, and fired alternately, by lot; the young man had selected this mode, thinking he might win the first fire. He did-fired, and missed his opponent. The captain leveled his pistol and fired-the ball passed through the flap of the right ear, and grazed the bone; and, as the wounded man involuntarily put his hand to the place, he remembered that it was on the right ear of his antagonist that the cherry-stone had fallen. Here ended the first lesson. A month had passed. His friends cherished the hope that he would hear nothing more from the captain, when another note-a challenge of course and another of those ominous cherry-stones arrived, with the captain's apology, on the score of illhealth, for not sending it before.

Again they met-fired simultaneously, and the captain, who was unhurt, shattered the right elbow of his antagonist, the very point upon which he had been struck with the cherry-stone; and here ended the second lesson. There was something awfully impressive in the modus operandi, and exquisite skill of his antagonist. The third cherry-stone was still in his possession, and the aggressor had not forgotten that it had struck the unoffending gentleman upon the left breast. A month had passed-another-and another, of terrible suspense; but nothing was heard from the captain. Intelligence had been received that he was confined to his lodging by illness.

At length the gentleman who had been his second in the former duels once more presented himself, and tendered another note, which, as the recipient perceived on taking it, contained the last of the cherry-stones. The note was superscribed in the captain's well-known hand,

but it was the writing evidently of one who wrote feebly. There was an unusual solemnity also in the manner of him who delivered it. The seal was broken, and there was the cherry-stone in a blank envelope.

"And what, sir, am I to understand by this?" inquired the aggressor.

"You will understand, sir, that my friend forgives you -he is dead!"

WHO RULES THE HOUSEHOLD?

John Dobbins was so captivated,

By Mary Truman's fortune, face, and cap-
With near two thousand pounds the hook was baited
That in he popped to matrimony's trap.

One small ingredient towards happiness
It seems ne'er occupied a single thought;
For his accomplished bride,
Appearing well supplied

With the three charms of riches, beauty, dress,
He did not, as he ought,

Think of aught else; so no inquiry made he
As to the temper of the lady.

And here was certainly a great omission;

None should accept of Hymen's gentle fetter,
"For worse or better,"

Whatever be their prospect or condition,

Without acquaintance with each other's nature;
For many a mild and quiet creature

Of charming disposition,

Alas! by thoughtless marriage has destroyed it.
So take advice: let girls dress e'er so tastily,
Don't enter into wedlock hastily,

Unless you can't avoid it.

Week followed week, and it must be confest

The bridegroom and the bride had both been blest.

Month after month had languidly transpired

Both parties became tired;

Year after year rolled on

Their happiness was gone.

Ah! foolish pair!

"Bear and forbear"

Should be the rule for married folks to take;
For peace and happiness are both at stake.

At length the husband said, "This will not do
Mary, I never will be ruled by you.

So wife, d'ye see,

To live together as we can't agree,
Suppose we part."

With woman's pride

Mary replied,

"With all my heart."

John Dobbins then to Mary's father goes,
And gives the list of his imagined woes.
"Dear son-in-law," the father said, "I see
All is quite true you have been telling me;
Yet there in marriage is such strange fatality,
That when as much of life

You will have seen

As it has been

My lot to see, I think you'll own your wife

As good or better than the generality.

'An interest in your case I really take,
And therefore this agreement make:
A hundred eggs do in this basket lie,

With which your luck, to-morrow, you shall t:y,
Also my five best horses, with my cart;

And from the farm at dawn you shall departAll around the country go,

And be particular, I beg,

Where husbands rule, a horse bestow,

But where the wives, an egg;

And if the horses go before the eggs,

I'll ease you of your wife, I trow."

Away the married man departed,
Brisk and light-hearted;

Not doubting that, of course,

The first five houses each would take a horg

At the first house he knocked,

He felt a little shocked

To hear a female voice, with angry roar,

Scream out, "Hullo!
Who's there below?