The countryman, frightened 10 out of his wits, 10 immedi ately took to his heels," and running to the nearest village, told the villagers that he had met the devil on the road, and begged them to go and assist him to recover his cart and horses which he had left in his clutches. The peasants immediately set off armed with pitch-forks and flails, and soon arrived in sight of the supposed devil, who having a wooden leg could not run away. After some difficulty, he persuaded them to let him approach and convince them that he was really a human being.

They were for a long time incredulous, and the experiments he made of his art, increased their belief of1 his diabolic knowledge. At length, fortunately for Hoskins, the village curate arrived, and explained the matter to the satisfaction of the peasants, who then agreed to accompany the ventriloquist to the next public house, where he treated them with beer and a lunch. Soon after this, Hoskins was engaged13 at several of the London theatres, where he exhibited his art to the astonishment of the multitude, as ventriloquy was at that time almost unknown, particularly in the provinces.

45.

The Page and the Cherries.

A basket1 of fine cherries having been sent to Frederick, king of Prussia, at a time when2 that fruit was extremely carce, he sent them, by one of his pages, to the queen. The page, tempted by the beauty of the cherries, could not resist tasting,3 and finding them delicious, devoured the whole, without reflecting on (über) the consequences.

A few days afterwards, Frederick asked the queen how she had liked the cherries. "Cherries?" said her majesty, "what" cherries?" "Why, did not Clist, the page, bring you a basket the other day?" "No," replied the queen; "I have not seen any." "Oh! oh!" said his majesty, “I will give the lickerish rogue something more savory;" he

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then went to' his room, and wrote the following note to the officer of the royal guard: "Give the bearer twenty-five lashes, and take10 his receipt for them." He then called Clist, and told him to take the note to the guard-house ard wait for an answer.

The page, however, fearing that all was not right (a guilty conscience needs no accuser), determined to send the note by another hand, and just as he was going out, at the palace door, he met a Jew13 banker who was well known at court, and asked him to carry the note. The Jew, glad of an opportunity of obliging14 any one at the palace, immediately set off. On his arrival at the guardhouse, the officer read the note, told the messenger to wait, and called out the guard. The Jew, thinking it was to do honor to him, as a messenger from court, begged the officer not to give himself any unnecessary trouble. "I do not," replied he; "those ceremonies are quite necessary, as you will find." He then ordered the guard to seize the Jew, and give him twenty-five lashes, which was immediately done. The Jew, with his honor16 and his back severely wounded, was going away; but the officer told him he could not let him depart till he had given a written acknowledgment for what he had received. The Jew was obliged to comply, for fear of having another account to settle. The affair soon reached the ears of the king, who, though he could not help laughing heartily at the adventure, was obliged to confer some favors on the hero of it, as the Jews frequently advanced him considerable sums of money, in cases of necessity.

46.

The Lounger.

The following story, told of Franklin's mode of treating "loungers" is worth' putting into practice occasionally, One morning, while

even in this age and generation.

Franklin was preparing his newspaper for the press, a lounger stepped into the store, and spent3 an hour or more in looking over the books, etc., and finally, taking one into his hand, asked the shop-boy the price. "One dollar," was the answer. "One dollar!" said the lounger, "can't you take less than that?" "No, indeed; one dollar is the price." Another hour had nearly passed, when the lounger asked: "Is Mr. Franklin at home?" "Yes; he is in the printing-office." "I want to see him," said the lounger. The shop-boy immediately informed Mr. Franklin that a gentleman was in the store waiting to see him.

Franklin was soon behind the counter, when the lounger, book in hand, addressed him thus: "Mr. Franklin, what is the lowest you can take for this book?" "One dollar and a quarter," was the ready answer. "One dollar and a quarter! Why, your young man only asked a dollar." "True," said Franklin, "and I could have better afforded to take a dollar then, than to be taken out of the office." The lounger looked surprised, and wishing to end a parley of his own making, said: "Come, Mr. Franklin, tell me what is the lowest you can take for it?" "A dollar and a half," was the reply. "A dollar and a half! Why, you offered it yourself for a dollar and a quarter." "Yes," said Franklin, "and I had better10 have taken that price then, than a dollar and a half now." The lounger paid the price, and went about his business, in case he had any, and Franklin returned into the printing-office.

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47.

Cruelty of King John.

The Jews, since their dispersion, have been frequently treated with cruelty by Christian kings. John of England being much in want of money, and knowing that many of the Jews in his kingdom were very rich, taxed them very heavily, and threw them into prison, to remain there tili

they would pay. Several of them gave all3 they possessed but the king was not satisfied, believing they had yet money concealed: he therefore ordered them to be tortured, until they would acknowledge it.

Some were deprived of an eye, and one in particular, from whom a sum of ten thousand marks was demanded, was treated with yet greater cruelty. The king ordered that one of his teeth should be pulled out every day, till he paid the money. The Jew, not being disposed to reduce himself to poverty, resisted during a whole week, and thus lost seven of his teeth; but unable to bear the pain any longer, he consented on the eighth day, and thus preserved the rest of his teeth at the expense of his fortune: otherwise he would have soon lost all his teeth. Happily' for that people they live now in a less barbarous age. No one need fear punishment unless he deserve it.

48.

Real or Intrinsic Value.

A lady who had more money than good sense, was very fond, when she was in the country, of showing her jewels and other finery, in order to astonish the peasants, and give them an idea of her riches and superiority. One day a miller, who brought flour to the house, expressed his admiration of an elegant watch that she wore, and this flattered3 her pride so much that she showed him a superb diamond-necklace and bracelets.

The miller, after looking at them for some time with admiration, said: "They are very beautiful, and, I dare say, very dear." "Indeed, they are very dear; how much do you suppose they cost?" "Upon my word, I cannot guess," replied he. "Why, they cost more than 20,000 francs." "And what is the use of these stones, madam?" "Oh, they are only to wear."5 "And do they not bring you anything, madam?" "Oh, no." "Then," replied the

miller, "I prefer the two great stones of my mill; they cost me a thousand francs, and they bring me four hundred francs a year, and, besides that, I am not afraid that any. body will steal them." The lady was shocked at the vulgarity of his ideas, and the miller was astonished that any one could let so much money remain idle in such useless baubles.

49.

A Very Singular Excuse.

An Irishman, accused of having stolen a gun, was taken, and brought to justice. On the day of trial he was reflecting on2 what defense he should make before the juo çes, when he saw a fellow-prisoner return from the court, having been tried3 for3 stealing a goose. "Well," said the Irishman, "how have you come off?" "Oh!" replied the other, "I am acquitted." "What defense did you make ?" "Why, I told the judge that I had brought up the goose from the time it was a gosling, and that I had witnesses to prove it." "Very good, indeed," said Paddy, who was at that moment called into court to take his trial;" 7" wait a short time for me, I shall soon be acquitted."

He was then conducted to the bar, the accusation was read, and the judge asked him what he had to say in his defense. "My lord," replied the Hibernian, "I have brought up that gun ever since it was a pistol, and I can bring witnesses to prove it." The judge, however, and the jury were not sufficiently credulous, and poor Paddy was condemned to be transported.

50.

How to Catch a Pickpocket.1

A merchant in London, who used to walk very much in the city, the streets of which are always crowded and infested by pickpockets, was continually losing either his pocket-book, his snuff-box, or his purse, without ever being