"Fabella Exoleta Rediviva."

apparition of my friend sitting motionless in the great arm chair ! ! It is easy to bo courageous in theory , but difficult to be bold in practice , Avhen the mind has time to collect its energies ; but , taken as I Avas by surprise , I confess that astonishment and terror so far mastered all my faculties

, that , Avithout daring to casta second glance towards the - vision , I walked rapidly back into the garden , folloAved by the dog , who still testified the same agitation and alarm . Here I had leisure to recover from my first perturbation , and , as my thoughts

rallied , I endeavoured to persuade myself that I had been deluded by some conjuration of the mind , or some spectral deception of the visual organ . But in either case , IIOAV account for the terror of the dog 1 He could neither be influenced

by superstition , nor could his unerring sight betray him into groundless alarm ; yet it was incontestible that Ave had both been appalled by the same object . Soon recovering my natural fortitude of spirit , I resolved , Avhatever might be the consequences , to return ancl address the apparition . I oven began to fear it might have vanished ; for Glairville , A . ho has

written largely on ghosts , expressly says , — " that it is a very hard and painful thing for them to force their thin and tenuous bodies into a visible consistence ; that then bodies must need be exceedingly compressed , and that therefore they must be in haste to be delivered from their

unnatural pressure . " I returned , therefore , Avith some rapidity toAvards the library ; and although the dog stood immovably still at some distance , in spite of my solicitations , and kept earnestly gazing upon me , as if in apprehension of an approaching

catastrophe , I proceeded onward , and turned back the shutters which I hacl closed , determined not to be imposed upon by any dubiousness of the light . Thus fortified against deception , I re-entered the room Avith a firm step , and there , in the full

glare of day , did I again clearly and vividly behold the identical apparation , sitting in the same posture as before , and having its eyes closed !! My heart someAvhat failed me under this sensible confirmation of the visionbut

; , summoning all my courage , I walked up to the chair , exclaiming with a desperate energy— " in the name of heaven and of all its angels , Avhat dost thou seek here ?"—

"Fabella Exoleta Rediviva."

Avhen the figure , sloAvly rising up , opening its eyes , and stretching out its arms , replied— " A leg of mutton and caper sauce , Avith . a bottle of prime old port , for such is the dinner you promised me . " " Good heaA ens , " I ejaculated , " what can this

mean ? are you not really dead 1 " " No more than you are , " replied the figure ; " some open-mouthed fool told niy clerk that 1 Avas , and he instantly Avrote to tell you of it ; but it Avas my namesake , George Staples of Castle-street , not me , nor even one of my relations . So let us have dinner as soon as you please , for I am as hungry as a hunter . "

lne promised dinner being soon upon the table , my friend informed me , in the intervals of his ever-ready laughter , that as soon as he had undeceived his clerk , he ivalked over to Star Cross to do me the same favour ; that he had fallen asleep in the arm chair Avhile Availing my return

from the grounds ; ancl as to the dog , he reminded me that he had severely punished him at his last visit for killing a chicken , Avhich explained his terror and his crouching to me for protection , Avhen he recognised his chastiser . SMITH .

Shadows.

SHADOWS .

Around our earthly pathway 'midst the hours which depart , Through all tho disappointments and sorrows of the heart , With every fading happiness , and every fleeting year , The Shadows of our life-time long linger with us here .

They fall upon our being , thej' hover o ' er our way , They visit us by night , and they company us by day , They throw a mist or gloominess on all around u <_ now , Upon the stalwart presence , and on the placid brow . Amid eachgleam of sunshine , amid each hour of ease , As well in fears that daunt usas well in joys that

, please , Those Shadows still are hovering , we find them everywhere , Both in our happiest moments , as in those most do . pressed by care . E ' en youth in all its glowing hours , and scene ? fresh and fair ,

Amid its hopes so precious , amid its gifts so rare , Still finds those shadows falling upon its opening life . Shadows of toil and trouble , of weariness and strife . Maturer hours have come to us in all their strength and pride , And we are marching on our way with true comrades at our side ,