Forgotten Stories.

cottage of his mistress . His hair stood on end , and the vapours of the night sunk chill upon his brow as he lifted up the latch , and flung himself upon an oaken seat . " Preserve us ! " cried the old woman . "Whyye are mair than aneugh to

, frighten a body out o' her Avits ! To come in Avi' sic a flaunt ancl a fling , baresconced , and the red bluid spatter'd a' o ' er your new leather jerkin ! Shame on you , Andrew ! in what mishanter has thou broken that fule's head o' thine ? "

" Peace , mither ! " said the young man , taking breath , " I hae seen the bogle !" The old lady had a long line of reproaches , draAvn up in the order of march , between her lips , but the mention of the bogle Avas the signal for disbanding them .

A thousand questions poured in , in rapid succession . — "How old Avas she ? HOAV was she dressed ? Who was she like 1 What did she say ?" " She was a tall thin Avoman , about seven feet high !"

" Oh , Andrew ! " cried Effie . " As ugly as sin ) " " Other people tell a different story , " said Effie . " True , on my Bible oath ! and then her beard " " A beard , Andrew ! " shrieked Effie , " a Avoman Avith a beard ! for shame , Andrew !"

" Nay , 111 swear it upon my souls salvation ! She had seen saxty winters and mair , afore e ' er she died to trouble us ! " " I'll Avager my best new goun , " said the maiden , " that saxteen Avould be nearer the mark . " " But wha Avas she likeAndrew ?"

, saicl the old woman . " Was she like auld Janet that Avas drowned in the burn forenaint 1 or that auld Avitch that youi maister hanged for stealing his pet lamb 1 or Avas she like—" " Are yon sure she Avas na liko me ,

AndreAv 1 " said Effie , looking archly in his face . " You—Pshaw ! Faith , guicl mither , she Avas like to naebody that I ken , unless it be auld Elspetb , the cobbler ' s Avife , that Avas blamed for a' the mischief or misfortunes o' the kintra roun ' , and Avas droAvned at last for having sense aboon the lave . " ' " And how Avas she dressed , Andrew 1 "

"In that horrible three-cornered hat , which may I be blinded if ever I seek to look upon again ! an' in a lang blue apron . " " Green , AndreAv ! " cried Effie , tAvisting her OAVU green apron round her thumb . " HOAV you like to tease ane ! " said the lover . Poor AndreAV did not at all enter

into his mistress s pleasantry , for he laboured under great depression of spirits , and never lifted his eyes from the ground . " But ye hae na told us what she said , lad ! " said the old woman , assuming an air of deep mystery , as each question Avas put and ansAvered in its turn .

" Lord ! what signifies it Avhether she said this or that ? Hand your tongue , and get me some comfort ; for , to speak the truth , I ' m vera caulcl . " "Weel mayest thou be sae , " cried Effie , " for indeed" she continuedin a

, , feigned voice , "it was a cauld an' an eerie night to be sae late on Anneslie Muirl " AndreAv started , and a doubt seemed to pass OA'er his mind . He looked up at the damseland perceivedfor the first time

, , , that her large blue eyes Avere laughing at him from under the shade of a huge threecornered hat . The next moment he hung over her in an ecstacy of gratitude , and smothered with his kisses the ridicule Avhich she forced upon him as the penalty

of his preservation . " Seven feet high , Andrew !" "My clear Effie !"" As ugly as sin ! " — " My darling lassie ! ""And a beard !""Na ; na ! now you carry the jest o ' er far !"

"And saxty wintere !'' " Saxteen springs ; Effie ! dear , delightfu ' , smiling springs ! " "And Elspeth , the cobbler ' s wife ! oh AndreAv , Andrew , I never can forgie you for the cobbler ' s wife !—and what say you UOAV , AndreAv ! is their nae bogle on the muir 1 "

"My dear Effie , for your sake I'll believe in a' the bogles in Christendie ! " " That is , " said Effie , at the conclusion of a long and vehement fit of risibility , " that is , in a' that wear ' three-cornered hats . '" A . M'F .