afford me.

"Waiter, is Mr. Benson in?" I inquired at Dubourg's that day.

"No, sir-not seen him since the morning,

sir."

"I'll wait."

whether I had had such very great luck in fall-never did morning seem to pass more slowly. ing in with my friend after all. I might have The deed was done, and my only present consowanted a dinner certainly, whereas I had enjoy-lation was the temporary relief that the 20l. would ed a good one (what capital claret!); but then the dinner was not paid for, and it seemed very much as if I were going to be left in pledge for it. What should I do if Phil did not receive, or raise, the money in a day or two? I should be taken for a swindler-perhaps locked up in a police cell, brought before a magistrate, and sent "I did wait-till four, five, six, seven o'clockto pick oakum in Cold Bath Fields. What and no tidings of Phil Benson. He has had some would become of Julia! Poor, dear Julia! I difficulty about getting the bill cashed, I thought; had seen and heard nothing of her for six or or he has been detained on some other business; seven weeks-how she must be fretting, and or he has gone to see his betrothed (happy man!making her beautiful eyes red and swollen! My when shall I see Julia ?) and she has kept him by own tears began to rise at the very thought. I her side while he forgets his engagement with me. was dreadfully unhappy. "Will you dine here, sir?" asked the waiter. "No," I replied very faintly; "but I'll leave a note for Mr. Benson;" and taking a pen on the table I wrote a few words of expostulation to the forgetful man, and turned again towards home. I was really alarmed, though I scarcely knew why. Phil was a man of property (at least he always said so), and surely he would notI dismissed the rising suspicion with indignation at my own thoughts. But still it was very strange of him thus to leave me in the lurch. He knew how I wanted the money-that I could not even get a dinner without any-and yet he had neither come to me nor sent me a line or a message.

66

Suddenly I heard Phil's voice again crying, Pay the cab, waiter:" and, directly afterwards, he entered the room, followed by a porter of the house carrying my best and largest portman

teau.

"Now I'll stay here!" cried Phil, as soon as we were alone; "it won't look well for you to remain, especially with only one portmanteau between us."

"But what will my landlady think, when she sees me back without it?" I asked.

She doesn't know anything about its being gone," replied Phil. "She was out: there was only Mary, the servant, who knows me well. I sent her out for some beer, pretending to be writing a note in your room. While she was gone I caught up your portmanteau-ran down stairs-slipped it into my cab in waiting-and got back again to your room before she returned. By-the-by, the portmanteau seems to be full." "I should think so;"I cried, “I keep nearly all my clothes in it."

"So much the better," said Phil: (but, upon my word, I did not think so.) "Now, look here," he continued: "you want money, and so do I: let's do a bill."

I trembled at the suggestion.

"You know I'm a man of property," said Phil; I know nothing about your means, but I do know that you 're an honorable fellow: therefore I feel that I am safe in your hands."

This was putting the matter in such a complimentary manner to me, that really I felt ashamed of my hesitation.

"I know a man that will cash it for me in an instant-so here's the stamp (drawing one from his pocket). "I'll draw on you for 50l. at two months, and the affair's settled. I suppose 20l. will serve your purpose, eh?"

"Ye-es," I said, hesitating, while Phil was coolly drawing the bill.

66

Just write your name across that,” he said, "and to-morrow, if you 'll look me up here about two o'clock, I'll hand you your share of the plunder."

He laughed as he said this last word, while I felt a kind of cold shudder creep over me; however, I signed the bill, drained a tumbler of claret afterwards, bid him good night, and hastened home in a terribly agitated state of mind. In the morning I arose with a bad headache and very unhappy. I longed for two o'clock, and

"Oh, Julia! Julia! if you knew all my troubles, and that I bear all this for you, how that dear little heart of yours would ache!" thought I as I walked slowly home. But I consoled myself that she did not know it, and thus I was spared the pain of making her share my griefs.

"There's a gentleman been a-waiting hours and hours to see you, sir," said Mary as she opened the door to me; "and he's a-walking up and down the room like a tiger or a polar bear."

"Hurrah! it's Phil," cried I. dashing past Mary, to her great surprise, and springing up stairs to my room.

Conceive my bewildered surprise, when, instead of Phil Benson, I beheld Mr. Butters, the father of my adored Julia!

"Where's my daughter, sir-do you know where my daughter is?" he cried, quite frantically.

"Your daughter, sir! Good heavens, what do you mean?"

"Well, I suppose you don't know," said the old gentlemen despondingly and sinking into a chair; "it's not natural you should, for I believe you were really fond of her, and now she has run away with some one else."

"Run away!" I screamed-"how ?-when ?where ?-with whom?"

"To-day, and with a scoundrel named Benson," cried the old man.

My brain seemed to spin, as I caught the side of the sofa to save myself from falling. "You know him?" asked the father.

I nodded my head, for I could not speak a word.

"They only started about two o'clock to-day," said the old gentleman. "I knew nothing about it till I got a letter by the post from her to say she was gone."

"Have you known the villain long, sir?" 66 Only a few weeks. The truth is I was very glad to see that Julia was amused and interested with him, because I wanted her to forget you; but I never expected she would actually fall in love with him-the little minx."

"You will have the consolation of a man of property for your son-in-law," said I, bitterly; for what were his troubles to mine?

"Thank you for the sneer," replied the old gentleman. "I objected to your engagement with my daughter solely because your own father would not sanction it, and not from any mercenary reasons. You need not now taunt me because my daughter has married a beggar if not a swin

of the war in the East, the efforts making by teetotallers, the battles of "the livery," the results of elections, the issue of the "great handicap," the movements of the trades, especially in time of strikes, and a thousand other things which he who runs may read.

Many an effective broad-side first sees the light on the dead wall. Some industrious collector of posters, in Paris, took the pains to gather together the placards which were issued during the Reign of Terror, and it was found to give a better idea of the progress and events of the first frightful revolution in France than all the Histories put together. And so of the public movements of our own day. If you want to know what is stirring the mind and heart of the people, look to the dead wall. The most earnest spirits, when they would produce a sudden effect, telling "As much as he has in Nova Scotia; his fath-upon the minds of thousands at once, rush to the er allows him a hundred a year, and will stop dead walls, and come out there with an array of even that now." posters.

"What!" I exclaimed; has not Benson a little estate in Yorkshire?"

"Swindled! ruined!" I cried; robbed of money and mistress together!"

The old man asked for an explanation, and I gave it. We went to Dubourg's together, and found that Mr. Benson had not paid his bill, and that my portmanteau was considered the security for it. I must say that old Butters behaved very handsomely in paying the bill, releasing my portmanteau, and begging me to accept the loan of a five pound note from him.

So far I was helped out of some of my troubles; but my adored Julia had proved false; my best friend had swindled and deceived me; and my name was on a bill for £50. What happiness could I know?

Time passed on. I was reconciled to my father; the bill became due, and old Butters actually paid it for he makes Mr. and Mrs. Benson a very nice little allowance, and professes to like his son-in-law amazingly. The latter had the impertinence to write me a "friendly" letter, talking about his own happiness, and excusing his past conduct to me as a kind of practical joke, easily to be pardoned. His wife, too, wrote in a similar strain; and no one shows the least sympathy for my lacerated heart. But these insults have now reached the climax. I have actually been invited to attend the christening of Julia's first baby, and to stand godfather to it!!

From Eliza Cook's Journal.

DEAD WALL LITERATURE.

THESE are truly the times when "Wisdom cries aloud in the streets," - we mean from dead walls. The most popular literature of the day is displayed there, and unquestionably the cheapest literature, for it costs precisely nothing at all, at least to the reader. We cannot help being of opinion that in the surveys and criticisms of literature which have recently been undertaken by men of unquestionable capabilities, the dead wall has been under-estimated, if not entirely overlooked. Yet competent critics might find much valuable material there.

To many, the dead wall is the only newspaper. The man who cannot compass a spare threepence, but who can read, may learn there the progress

The ministers of this most popular literature, we need scarcely say, are the important class of bill-stickers; and their humble instruments are the brush and the paste-pot. Like Ministers of State of all parties, they stick many bills; and they are not deterred from sticking many more by the alarming intimation frowning upon them, from uninvaded walls, of" Bill-stickers, beware!"

an intimation as applicable to administrations of a higher sort as to the followers of this humble calling.

Even bill-stickers have their parties and their factions. There are rival houses in the trade; and some of the less scrupulous do not hesitate to follow in a rival's footsteps, and plaster over his bills with their hostile placards. Thus Moses overspreads Nicol, and the placards of the Warbang submerge the rival Shell Express. There is, however, honor among bill-stickers to a considerable extent; and when a good understanding subsists among these literary messengers on one beat, you may calculate on getting about half a day's exposure for your flaming broad-side. But next time you pass the dead wall, lo! you find it flaming over with a display of entirely new placards, still wet with the produce of the paste-pot.

The truth is, the demand for dead wallsuch is the rapid progress of this branch of popu lar literature-far exceeds the supply. Like rags, dead wall is very rapidly worked up. And so, the daring bill stickers are always eagerly on the look-out for an empty shop, the shutters of which, in a few hours after closing, are blazoned over with "Immense Success," 66 Daring Feat of Horsemanship," "Grand Display of the Fancy," Panorama of Sebastopol," "Albert Smith's Mont Blanc," Unrivalled Attraction at the Adelphi," and multitudes of other wonderful announcements, in all the glare of red, blue, yellow, and flame-colored placard paper.

The advertising van was a desperate effort to increase the raw material for placards; but the police put it down. Now the placard-men are driven into the omnibuses and railway-carriages, and even cabs are in process of invasion. What the next step may be we cannot divine, but strongly suspect that advertising-balloons may, before long, become the rage. What a hoist that would be for the bill-sticker!

From the Gentleman's Magazine.
MEMORANDA ABOUT OUR LADY

NOVELISTS.

amiable-inconsistently so, we hope: for we do not like to contemplate the spectacle of a woman perseveringly joining in the humbling and soothing prayers of the English Church every morning of her life, and remaining long so totally unimpressed for every practical purpose: her heart, for years, hardening under, or, at all events, in spite of such influences; her temper becoming if such an absence of practical good effect can hatred. The thought will occur to many a mind take place when the character is honest, generous, and free from hypocrisy, how will the worldly and careless triumph! and how deeply would such a result tell on minds already inclined to question, even in seriousness, the value of prescribed ordinances, and to expatiate on the greater efficacy of extempore and irregular ser

Ir is not very long ago since the subject of the Lady Novelists of England came before us,* and furnished more than sufficient matter for speculation and cordial interest. Since that article was penned, several excellent works of fic-less kindly, her jealousy amounting almost to tion, by English women, have appeared, together with some of a doubtful, and here and there one of a really bad kind. We are anxious not to let this subject drop. Our lighter literature is exercising prodigious influence at this time. Our well-furnished railway book-stalls, our cheap reprints of novels, which, till lately, could scarcely reach even the middle classes, except through the circulating library and book-club, testify to the rapid and enlarged circulation of these works; and though we cannot if we would, and would not if we could, keep pace with them, a few pages may not be misemployed in giving a brief sketch of some of the most noteworthy of such productions.

vices !

Heir of Redclyffe," it is chiefly on account of the preference to "Heart's Ease," above "The this one character'; but we also consider the two ultra-Puseyite ladies as displeasing and uninteresting; and Mrs. Nisbet is wholly and unredeemingly painful. In fact, we could have wished the have left room for all the excellence, and omitted volumes reduced by one-fourth, which might every defect, and enabled us to speak with entire approbation of a very beautiful novel.

But the author, no doubt, will appeal to the final change, and impute it, perhaps to the gradual operation of causes intimately connected with Church ordinances. Unfortunately, however, such will not, we think, be the ordinary impresIn the article to which we have alluded, notice sion. Love, and the influence of an amiable rewas taken of the "Heir of Redclyffe," an anony-rest can hardly, by general readers be considered lation, are the marked agents in the matter; the mous tale, generally believed to be the work of a young lady. Though far from faultless, the book as more than accessories. If we hesitate to give is one of great promise. It contains many whole scenes of extraordinary beauty and power. Its deeply religious tone, the manner in which some of its characters wind their way into the heart of the reader, and still more, the experience we have since been happy enough to acquire of the deep root which its truths have taken in young minds, makes us recur to it here. It is certainly not one of those fictions which will be allowed to die; and its striking success has occasioned many inquiries after other and briefer works from We now come to Miss Sewell's charming the same pen. It is gratifying to find the last "Katharine Ashton." A comparison between decidedly the best. The two tales entitled two authors so similar in general characteristics "Henrietta's Wish," and "The Two Guardians," is almost unavoidable. Yet, amid the general have merit, but of an inferior kind; and there is similarity of principle, sentiment and talent, also an occasional painful impression of reli- there are considerable differences. We incline gious narrowness. Another, however, and far to consider Miss Sewell's as the most thoughtful more worthy companion of "The Heir of Red- and logical mind-her contemporary as enlisting clyffe," has just appeared in the shape of a noour sympathies by a mixture of wit and of tendervel called "Heart's Ease, or the Brother's Wife." ness rarely equalled; Miss Sewell reasons out Not so painfully pathetic as its predecessor, it is her characters better, but rarely renders them enmore conversant with varieties of life. There is gaging. Had she been the constructor of "The nothing extraordinary in the story, but much of Heir of Redclyffe," she would have found means exquisite perception, and many delicate shades of making the self-righteous and prudent Philip of moral beauty are displayed in the unfolding ble Amy less (if we may so say) a happy acciless difficult to read, less contradictory-the noof its different characters. First of our favorites is an uncle John, who, to the reader's mortifica-dent, and in her hands Theodora would have tion. is dismissed to the West Indies far too been both more natural and less offensive. But early, in order, we suppose, that other people genius is not characteristic of Miss Sewell's mind may get into mischief, unhindered by his manly The character of Aunt Sarah in “The Experiand Christian influence. Then there is his friend ence of Life," is one which perhaps best exemPercy Fotheringham, rough, satirical, clever and plifies her peculiar merits. The quick observamagnanimous, who comes in to the rescue from tion, the well-blended kindness and keenness, the any possibility of dulness. Of the female cha sense, the spirit, and the deep faith by which the racters, Violet, the gentle heroine, is perhaps ra- world and herself are overcome, are all peculiar ther too blameless. Her extreme youth renders to herself, and we doubt whether there is another the anxiety and timidity imputed as faults utterly living female writer who could have drawn such unavoidable. Theodora, though we dare not a portrait. In "Katharine Ashton" we have call the character unnatural, is too glaringly un-kind-the heroine herself, the too timid and op three principal figures, each admirable in its

*In July, 1853.

pressed Jane, and the proud husband; these are

really master-pieces, and the incidents by which all are called forth and displayed are well contrived. Yet still there is not the power of Miss Sewell's contemporary.

and was born on the 9th day of August, 1757. She was married to Alexander Hamilton, then one of the Aids of General Washington with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, on the 9th of DeWe have taken note in the first instance of cember, 1780, there being not quite a year's dif these two striking books, as they well deserved; ference in their ages. They lived together in of others, we have not very much to say. One, the enjoyment of every blessing that could renhowever, has come to us from America which der wedded life happy for nearly twenty-four deserves a fuller notice. The Shady Side, by a years, and she survived her lamented and distinPastor's Wife, though brim full of local peculiar-guished husband more than half a century. To ity, is much better written than most of these estimate her character properly it is necessary to new-world Tales. It comprises the experiences bear in mind that if the individual who had seof a good and laborious Christian minister and lected her, from the many who would have been his wife in three several congregational churches proud of the distinction of his notice, as the in the United States. A painful experience it is companion of his life; and the character we find -though redeemed by some fine traits and so beautifully portrayed by a single touch of the touches of character; the selfishness of some magic pencil of Mr. Webster, that we give it as members of the congregations being relieved by exhibiting in a few words the judgment of one the excellence of others. Apart from the inter- whose power of discrimination was seldom surest awakened by the view of trials so conscien- passed. After speaking of Colonel Hamilton as tiously borne and so well improved, there is a hero of the Revolution, a jurist, a statesman, much that is life-like, and highly curious, though Mr. W. said: "Hamilton was placed at the head sad, in the conflicts to which a state of manners of the Treasury Department. He carried on the and ordinary usages with respect to ministers Government finances; he smote the rock of naamong the congregationalists of New England tional resources, and flourishing streams of reve. give rise. All that is of universal experience nue poured forth. He touched the dead corpse among voluntaries is rendered more oppressive of public credit, and it sprang into life. The faby the absorbing spirit of money making, so bled work of Minerva from the brain of Jove prevalent in America; the meanness, hollowness, was not more perfect than the financial system and self-deception of the people bidding fair to of the United States which sprang from the conruin the usefulness of an excellent pastor. Sure- ception of Alexander Hamilton." It was this ly such cases are not of ordinary occurrence- great man who sought and won Elizabeth Schuy we are unwilling to contemplate them as being ler, and that fact is enough to show her worth. so-but that they may and do sometimes occur, But, had she been no more than an ordinarily we can hardly doubt. endowed woman, it would have been impossible to have passed twenty-four years of happy intercourse with such a husband without having her mind richly stored from the treasures of his mighty intellect; and those who knew her even

We are sorry that we can say little in praise of Clouds and Sunshine, by Mary Alicia Taylor. It is an unfair attempt to get rid of High Church views by representing them in the most exaggerated and odious light. Neither is it well writ-in her declining years will be ready to testify that

ten.

The Village Millionaire, by Miss Lamont, is another novel of the season, and very clever are its occasional sayings; but it fails in connected dramatic interest, and the perpetual shifting of the scene from India to England is of injurious effect.

Meanwhile Mrs. Gaskell's North and South contributes its weekly portion of strong sense and good writing to the Household Words. These are but a selection from the gifts of our Lady Novelists within the present year. There are several of considerable merit which for the present we must leave unnoticed.

From the Daily Advertiser.

DEATH OF MRS. HAMILTON.
The National Intelligencer thus announces the

event:

Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton, the venerable and universally respected relict of Alexander Hamilton, closed her earthly career at her residence in this city yesterday morning, the 9th of Nevember.

She was the second daughter of the distinguished General Philip S. Schuyler, of Albany,

she was a rare example of the wisdom taught by observant experience, and a bright example of all womanly graces. Her benevolence was most exemplary, and one of the finest manifestations of it was her habit, to within a few months of her death, of making occasional visits to all the schools of the city, and she never did so without imparting some moral lesson which showed how deep an interest she took in the welfare of the country which her husband had contributed so largely to make free and independent.

Mrs. Hamilton lived to the very advanced age of ninety-seven years and three months, and died without a struggle, in full communion with the Episcopal Church and surrounded by her surviv ing children.

The body was conveyed for interment at New York, where the funeral services were performed at Trinity Church, on Saturday. The Ex

the deceased. The coffin is a plain mahogany one, with a silver plate, bearing the following inscription" Elizabeth Hamilton, born 9th August, 1757. Died 5th November, 1854."

All

and with his own happy and thrilling reminis cence, he dwelt on the departed. Mrs. Hamilton laid aside her black bonnet and arose. was silent attention: those who sat near enough The remains, we understand, are to be tempo- could read the tender and touching emotions of rarily deposited in one of the vaults of Trinity her countenance. She turned to the President Church, preparatory to placing them in their and addressed him. He immediately, in a gracefinal resting place, and under the same marble ful and appropriate manner, uttered the sentiwhich contains the ashes of her illustrious con-ments she expressed to him, and requested him sort." to make known. When she left the desk and

The officiating clergymen were Rev. Drs. Ber-descended to the aisle, there was something truly rian and Hawks.

We find the following in the New York Courier and Enquirer.

During the fifty years that Mrs. Hamilton has survived her husband, it is said she has always worn the widow's dress" of the period of his death. Mrs. Hamilton since her husband's death has always been an object of respectful regard to the whole community, and many instances have occurred in which the public, when the occasion was appropriate, has testified its respect for her sorrows and her character. When on a visit to Boston, about ten years since, it so happened that a horticultural celebration was about to take place at Faneuil Hall, and Mrs. Hamilton was invited and placed in the desk, by the side of the President of the institution. There were clergymen and other dignitaries, but she was the only woman admitted on the platform. In the course of various addresses made from the table below, richly loaded with flowers and fruits, Daniel Webster arose and begged leave to announce that the daughter of General Schuyler and the widow of General Hamilton was then present;

congenial to our republic, and beautiful in the simplicity of her manner and the respect shown to her in that national hall. No one moved, but all silently, waited. She walked through the aisle, attended by one or two friends, bowing almost imperceptibly from one side to the other to the multitude, expressing her feelings by her countenance. Her simple and unpretending manner, and the silent respectful homage of the people seemed to contain a clear and beautiful demonstration of republican truth and sincerity.

During her residence at Washington. Mrs. Hamilton had weekly reception mornings when she welcomed her friends, but she seldom went herself into general society. The death of Mrs. Hamilton was caused by no marked disease, but the gradual decay of the vital powers produced alone by extreme age. Her remains have been brought to this city, and the funeral will take place this afternoon at one o'clock, at Trinity Church. With Mrs. Hamilton passes away the last, we believe, of the distinguished women of the American Revolution.

otook, appeared to have a very accurate ear, and seemed much distressed at being unable to sing in time to a barrel-organ. All the women had remarkably sweet voices, and I think the tones of Togorlat, when speaking, were as musical as any I had ever heard." Speaking of the incidents of another day, on board his own ship, the captain says, “Okotook and his wife, Higliak, paid me a visit, and, on my exhibiting, among the usual articles of show, a musical snuff box, they took it for granted that it must be the child of my small hand organ, While listening to its tunes, they frequently repeated in a low tone the word Innu (a spirit) with great emphasis, and I have no doubt that they fancied some superior being was enshrined in the instrument.”—Musical Transcript.

AN ESQUIMAUX CONCERT.-It is one of the consequences inseparable from music, as a universal language, or general appeal to the human heart, that in various modes and degrees it should be exercised and felt by every description of mankind. That the frozen waters of the Arctic Circle are not, any more than the Torrid Zone, denied its enjoyment, is manifested by an incident in Captain Parry's second voyage in search of a north-west passage. Captain G. F. Lyon, of the Hecla, describing the various occurrences which took place while the ships were laid up in their winter quarters, gives the following particulars of a musical performance on board the Fury "Captain Parry," says he, “invited me on board his ship to an Esquimaux concert, in which five ladies and a gentleman performed. Their tunes were extremely monotonous, but sung in good time. One particular tune is most commonly used, but as almost every person has a song of his own, of course, each wife sings her husband's favorite air, unless in company, when all sing, THE AMERICAN BOOK-TRADE. Miller, OrOkotook, the man, uncovered his head while ton, & Mulligan, of Auburn, have published foursinging, and, observing his little boy's hood up, teen books, whose aggregate sales amount to pushed it back somewhat roughly. The women, 376,000 copies. Messrs. John P. Jewett & Co. while singing, either entirely closed their eyes, or have printed and sold 310,000 copies of "Uncle kept them half open in a very languishing man- Tom," and 71,000 of the "Lamplighter." Philner. In return for the songs. Captan Parry and lips, Sampson, & Co. have published the tenth some of the officers treated the natives with some thousand of This, That, and The Other" The instrumental music, of which I thought the flage-sales of "Bayard Taylor's Central Africa" olet was most admired. Iligliak, the wife of Ok- amount to about 12,000 copies. - Transcript