The Velocipede Expedition Of Playfair And Puggings.

farmhouse , from which they returned accompanied by four stout men heaving planks and ropes . The men at once laid the planks across the ditch , so as to form an improvised rustic bridge , ancl a stalwart labourer stalked along them until he reached our two distressed friends , who were stuck as fast , knee-deep in mud , as ever prisoners were in the stocks in "the good old times , " and

slipping the running noose of a cart rope round Mr . Pnggings ' s fat belly , called out to his comrades to pull at the other end , which both they and the lacls did with a hearty goodwill , nearly squeezing that gentleman to death by their rough efforts to save him . They , however , succeeded in landing him safely on the green sward . Mr . Playfair had watched the whole proceeding in extricating his friend

Puggings with the utmost loathing ancl indignation , ancl when the fellow advanced , rope in hand , to operate upon him , he gave such a desperate jump to get out of the way that he loosed himself from the mud in which he had been fixed so fast , and floundered over on to his back , just as the man threw the noose , which caught round his ankles , ancl poor Mr . Playfair was pulled out like a snow sledge , cutting a way through the mud as he wentand leaving a track like a swept

, road behind him . When at last placed upon his feet , he presented an appearance such as Lot's wife might be supposed to have done , excepting that she was covered over with salt instead of mud . He certainly was an object of pity to gaze upon as he stood dripping upon the sward . The two gents having been extricated , the donkey was next to be thought about . It had , however , by some means or other , broke loose from the

velocipede , and reached the opposite side in safety , where it stood eating nettles and thistles with the utmost complacency . It was decided , therefore , to leave it there for the present , until its ragged ancl unkempt groom should return , ancl to see to the velocipede , which , with some difficulty , was extricated , little the worse , except that a few spokes were broken in the wheels , and , of course , the entire machine was very muddy . The two friends , you may be sure , did not volunteer to take it home , preferring to leave it in charge of the rustics , whom they rewarded well for their trouble , as people always ought to do when they have in their power to do so .

Mr . Playfair and Mr . Puggings then set off home , which they reached in safety , taking all the backways they could to avoid observation , and walking quick " to keep up the circulation . " Throwing off their wet clothes as soon as they arrived at their respective domiciles , putting their feet into warm water hefore getting into bed , and each swallowing a big basin of hot oatmeal gruel , into which a liberal allowance of good old Jamaica had been put , after getting between the blankets" they slept like tops" and happily avoided bringing on a

, , fever . They paid Mr . Shafto next clay to his satisfaction , for the damage done to his lumbering machine , ancl , to adapt the conclusion of Cowper ' s humourous ballad on the diverting history of John Gilpin , " When they next do ride abroad , may we be there to see . " 0 . L . T .

Literary Gossip.

LITERARY GOSSIP .

LORD BEACONSPIELD'S' new novel is somewhat of a disappointment . It presents as unprejudiced a picture of the political life of the last general tion as could be expected > frbm so prominent a part y man as its author ; but it lacks the power which has made "Lothair" and others of the ex-Preniier ' - earlier writings so popular . It has been well said that the world is governet by great names , and we may safely affirm that had " Endymion " appealed ts the public as the work of an unknown writer it would either have been passed