Year: 1861

SPlpt@Vu sll1+|ltNnU+


From the Cornhl Magazine.


TALE OF THE OLDEN TIMEs.


THE devil choke thee WI un p AS
Master Giles, the yeoman, said this, he
banged down hand, in size and color like a
ham, on the old-fashioned oak table. Il
do say, the devil choke thee wi un!! ~


The dame made no reply; she was chok-
ing with passion and a fowls liver-the orl-
giual cause Of the dispute. A great deal
has been said and sung of the advantage Of
congenial tastes among married people, but
true it is, the varlances of our Kentish cou
pie arose from this very coincidence in gusto
They were both fond of the little delicacy
in question, but the dame had managed to
secure the morsel for herself, and this was
sufficient to cause storm Of very high
words-which, properly understood, signi-
fes very low language. Their meal times
seldom passed over without some contention
of the sort as sure as the knives and forks
clashed, SO did they-being, in fact, equal
ly greedy and disagreedy; and when they
did pick a quarrel, they picked it to the
bone.


1t was reported that, on some occasions
they had not even contented themselves with
hard speeches, but that they had come to
scufiing-he taking to boxing, and she to
pinching though in a far less amicable
manner than is practiced by the taker Of
snuff. On the present difference, however,
they were satisfied with "wishng each other
dead with all their hearts," and there SEEM
ed little doubt of the sincerity of the aspra-
ton, on looking at their malignant faces
for they made horrible picture in this
frame Of mind.


Now it happened that this quarrel took
place On the morning of St. Mark-a saint
who was supposed on that festival to favor
his votaries with a peep into the book Of
fate. For it was the popular belief in those
days, that if person should keep watch
toward midnight, beside the church, the ap-
partitions Of all those Of the parish who were
to be taken by death before the next ami
versary, would be seen entering the porch.
The yeoman, like his neighbors, believed
most deyoutIy in this superstition and in
the very moment that he breathed the un-
seemly aspiration aforesaid, it occurred to
him that the event was at hand, when, by
observing the rite of St. Mark, he might
know to certainty whether this unchristian
tian wish was to one of those that bear fruit.
Accordingly, little before midnight, he
stole quietly out of the house, and in some
thing of a sexton-like spirit set forth on his
way to the church.


In the meantime, the dame called to mind
the same ceremonial and having the like
motive for curiosity with her husband, she
also put on her cloak and calash. and set
out; though by a different path, on the same
errand.


The night of the Saint was as dark and
chill as the mysteries he was supposed to
reveal, the moon throwing but short oc-
casional glance, as the sluggish masses Of
cloud were driven slowly across her face
Thus it fell out. that our two adventurers
were quite unconscious of being in company
till sudden glimpse of moonlight showed
them to each other, only few yards apart !;
both, through a natural panic, as pale as
ghosts, and both making eagerly toward the
church porch. Much as they had just wish
ed for this vision. they could not help quak-
ing and stopping on the spot, as if turned
to pair of tomb-stones, and in this position
the dark again threw sudden curtain over
them, and they disappeared from each other.


1t will be supposed the two came only to
one conclusion, each conceiving that St.
Mark had marked the other to himself -
With this comfortable knowledge, the widow
and widower elect hicd home again by the
roads they came; and as their custom was
to sit apart after quarrel, they repaired,
each ignorant of the others excursion, to
separate chambers


Dy-and-by, being called to supper, in
stead OF sulking as aforetime, they came
down together, each being secretly in the
best humor, though mutually suspected of
the worst; and among other things on the
table, there was calf's sweetbread, being
one of those very daintics that had often set
them together by the ears. The dame look
ed and longed, but she refrained from its
appropriation, thinking within herself that
she could give up sweetbreads for one year;
and the farmer made a similar reflection
After pushing the dish to and fro several
times, by u common impulse they divided
the treat; and then, having supped, they
retired ainicably to rest, whereas until then
they had never gone to bed without falling
out. The truth was, each looked upon the
other as being already in the church-yard
mould, oraquite ''moulded to their wish"
On the morrow, which happened to- be
the danes birth-d day, the farmer was the
first to wake, and knowing what he knew
and having, besides, but just reused himself