Where woke the transient' smile or tear,

When you and I were boys.

2. We were youths together,

And castles' built in air;
Your heart was like a feather,

And mine weighed down with care.

To you came wealth with manhood's prime,
To me it brought alloys'
Foreshadow'd' in the primrose time,
When you and I were boys.

3. We're old men together;

The friends we loved of yōre,*

With leaves of autumn weather,

Are gone forever mōre.

How blest to age the impulse given—

The hope time ne'er destroys

Which led our thoughts from earth to heaven,

When you and I were boys!

GEORGE P. MORRIS.

A

SECTION III.

I.

11. NICK VAN STANN.

FRENCHMAN who had ne'er before
Set foot upon a foreign shōre,

Weary of home, resolved to go
And see what Holland had to show.
He didn't know a word of Dutch,

But that could hardly grieve him much :

He thought as Frenchmen always do—
That all the world could "parley-voo."1

2. At length our eager tourist' stands
Within the famous Netherlands,
And, strolling gayly here and there
In search of something rich or rare,
A lordly mansion greets his eyes;
"How beautiful!" the Frenchman cries,
And, bowing to the man who sat
In livery' at the garden-gate,
"Pray, Mr. Porter, if you please,
Whose very charming grounds are these?
And-pardon me-be pleased to tell
Who in this splendid house may dwell?"
To which, in Dutch, the puzzled man

Replied what seemed like " Nick Van Stann.”*

3. "Thanks!" said the Gaul," "the owner's taste
Is equally superb and chaste;"

So fine a house, upon my word,

Not even Paris can afford.

8

With statues, too, in every niche,

Of course, Monsieur 10 Van Stann is rich
And lives, I warrant," like a king,—
Ah! wealth must be a charming thing!"

4. In Amsterdam the Frenchman meets
A thousand wonders in the streets,

1 Parley-voo, (pår lå vô), here means, speak French.

2 Tourist, (tor ist), one who makes a tour, or performs a journey in a circuit.

stately; elegant; showy.

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Chaste, pure, correct, or free from fault.

* Stǎt' ue, an image; a solid substance formed, by carving, into the likeness of a whole living being.

• Superb, (su pêrb'), grand; rich; or full confidence.

1

But most he marvels to behold
A lady dressed in silk and gold.
Gazing with rapture' at the dame,
He begs to know the lady's name,
And hears to raise his wonder mōre-
The very words he heard before!
"Merci!" he cries, "well, on my life,
Milord has got a charming wife;
"Tis plain to see, this Nick Van Stann
Must be a very happy man!"

5. Next day, our tourist chanced to pop
His head within a lottery-shop;

And there he saw, with staring eyes,
The drawing of the Mammoth' Prize.
"Ten Millions!-'Tis a pretty sum;
I wish I had as much at home!
I'd like to know, as I'm a sinner,
What lucky fellow is the winner ?"
Conceive our traveler's åmāze

To hear again the hackneyed' phrase}

6. "What! No?-not Nick Van Stann again?
Faith! he's the luckiest of men!
You may be sure we don't advance
So rapidly as that in France!
A house, the finest in the land;
A lovely garden, nicely planned;
A perfect angel of a wife,

And gold enough to last a life,—
There never yet was mortal man
So very blessed as Nick Van Stann !"

7. Next day the Frenchman chanced to meet
A pompous funeral in the street,

5

And, asking one who stood near by

Răpture, the state or condition of being rapt, or carried away from one's self by agreeable excitement; great joy or pleasure.

'Merci, (mår se), thank you.

'Măm' moth, resembling the mammoth [an extinct kind of elephant] in size; gigantic; very large. 'Hǎck' neyed, common.

4

Б

'Pomp' oйs, grand; showy.

What nobleman had pleased to die,
Was stunned to hear the old reply!

8. The Frenchman sighed and shook his head,
"Alas! poor Nick Van Stann is dead!
With such a house, and such a wife,
It must be hard to part with life;
And then, to lose that Mammoth Prize!
He wins, and-pop!-the winner dies!
Ah! well, his blessings came so fast,
I greatly feared they couldn't last;
And thus, we see, the sword of Fate
Cuts down ǎlike the small and great!"

JOHN G. SAXE.

II.

12. STUART, THE PAINTER.

F Stuart,' the painter, this amusing ănecdote is related. He had put up at an inn, and his companions were desirous, by putting roundabout questions, to find out his calling or profession. Stuart answered, with a grave face and serious tone, that he sometimes dressed gentlemen's and ladies' hair. At that time, high-cropped pomatumed' hair was all the fashion. 2. "You are a hair-dresser, then!" What," said he, "do I look like a barber?" "I beg your pardon, sir, but I inferred it from what you said. If I mistook you, may I take the liberty to ask what you are, then?" Why, I sometimes brush a gentleman's coat or hat, and sometimes adjust a cravat.”

66

3. "Oh, you are a valet,' then, to some nobleman ?" "A

1 Gilbert Stuart was born in Newport, R. I., in 1755, and died in 1828, He lived successively in Philadelphia, Washington, and Boston. His portraits are among the finest specimens of modern art. On a near and sudden view, they appear like mere daubs and blotches of paint; but, as the eye rivets its attention upon them, the canvas appears to be actually animated-there seems to be no

paint, nothing but living flesh and blood, with the actual features of the person in relief before us. Hence, Stuart's portraits are very highly estimated.

'Po mā' tumed, dressed with pomatum, a kind of scented oint. ment used on the hair.

3 Văľ' et, a waiting servant; a servant who attends on a gentle man's person.

valet! Indeed, sir, I am not. I am not a servant. To be sure, I make coats and waistcoats for gentlemen." "Oh, you are a tailor?" "A tailor! do I look like a tailor? I assure you, I never handled a goose,' other than a roasted one."

4. By this time they were all in a roar. then ?" said one. "I'll tell you," said Stuart.

"What are you,

"Be assured, all

I have said is literally true. I dress hair, brush hats and coats, adjust a cravat, and make coats, waistcoats, and breeches,' and likewise boots and shoes, at your service."

5. "Oh, ho! a boot and shoe maker, after all!" "Guess again, gentlemen. I never handled boot or shoe, but for my own feet and legs; yet all I have told "We may is true." you as well give up guessing." "Well, then, I will tell you, upon my honor as a gentleman, my bona fide' profession. I get my bread by making faces."

or

6. He then screwed his countenance, and twisted the lineåments of his visage,' in a manner such as Samuel Foote Charles Mathews' might have envied. His companions, after loud peals of laughter, each took credit to himself for having suspected that the gentleman belonged to the theater; and they all knew he must be a comedian by profession. When to their utter astonishment, he assured them that he was never on the stage, and very rarely saw the inside of a playhouse, or any similar place of amusement. They all now looked at each other in utter ǎmazement.

8

7. Before parting, Stuart said to his companions: "Gentleměn, you will find that all I have said of my various employments is comprised in these few words: I am a portrait painter. If you will call at John Palmer's, York Buildings, London, I

1 Goose, the iron with which the thor, actor, and mimic. Born 1721, tailor smooths his work. died 1777.

'Breeches, (brich' ez), a kind of short trowsers or pantaloons, covering the hips and thighs.

'Bō'na fi' de, Latin words, meaning in good faith; true; actual.

⚫ Line a ments, features; outlines. Visage, (viz aj), the face, countenance, or look of a person, or of other animals.

• Samuel Foote, an English au

"Charles Mathews, an English comedian, celebrated as a mimic. Born 1776, died 1837.

"Co me' di an, an actor or player in comedy; that is, a representation on a stage of the lighter passions of mankind, which generally terminates happily. When the story terminates sadly, it is called tragedy, and the player is called a tragedian.