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some loathsome fluid. Lord! how she glared upon me as she presented this draught to my lips, and with her long bony fingers thrust into my mouth, forced me to swallow it. I felt it trickle down to my very heart in slow, cold drops, and when there, methought it burned like a raging fire. The torment maddened me; I attempted to spring upon the hag by whom it was inflicted; but a long, sallow arm held me down. I struggled with her; and in the struggle I awoke. The first sound that struck my ears was that unearthly scream, which I had heard a few hours before. It was repeated: it came from the window the casement flapped as if shaken by a strong wind; and though my very sinews seemed shrunk and withered by the sound, I threw myself out of bed, and staggered towards the window; I tore the curtains asunder, and there, pressed close against the glass, I saw a pale, bloodless visage, the glare of whose red eyes seemed to scorch my own. I well remember what followed-the impulse, which I could not resist, to dash my hand throught the panes. As I did so, the lips of the phantom quivered, the scream rang again through the apartment, and I fell senseless on the floor. The noise of the broken glass awakened the master of the house, who hastened into my room, and found me in【a swoon, with my hand dreadfully cut and bleeding. Here are the scars still remaining, continued Mr Carliel, showing the back and wrist of his right hand, " and I never look at them without a shuddering recollection of how they came there. »

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And was it never known,» said Mrs Dagleish, « how that poor creature came by her death? »

Never. The matter was hushed up; no enquiries were made by any of her family, and strangers, whatever they might think, did not care to come forward. I believe, indeed, not even Dr himself was acquainted with her name or history."

« Poor soul!» ejaculated Mary Falconer, yawning as she spoke.

This set them all yawning, which produced a general declaration that it was very late, and time to go to bed. But nobody moved.

And you saw the face quite plain through the glass, did you? asked Hugh Buckner, addressing Mr Carliel, at the same time directing his looks towards the window of the room in which they were sitting.

«Oh yes, replied Mr Carliel; « there was no mistake about the matter; and I have seen it many a time since. »

"Good gracious! where?» said Mrs Dagleish.

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I see it now, continued calmly, turning his eyes upwards to the ceiling. Immediately all their eyes were hurried upwards to the ceiling. And I can bring the hideous image before me at any time, so strong was the impression it produced. In like manner I often hear the scream ringing in my

ears, »

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He had scarcely uttered the words when a terrific screaming was heard, which appeared to come from below stairs. Mrs Dagleish and Mary Falconer screamed in chorus; Mr Carliel grew pale; Stephen Falconer caught up the poker; Hugh Buckner held fast by his chair; and Simon Barnardiston made for an old-fashioned cupboard in one corner of the room, into which he vanished in the twinkling of an eye.

The screaming continued,-foot-steps were heard hurrying along the passage,-the door flew open, and Jesse, the servant wench, rushed in.

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Oh, ma'am! said she, addressing her mistress, I have been so frightened. "

« Frightened! cried Simon, issuing from his hiding-place, the moment he heard her voice, what the devil was there to frighten you, you foolish girl?»

«Oh so frightened!» continued Jesse, dropping into a chair, and beginning to cry most lustily, holding her apron to

her eyes with both hands.

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She ought to be ashamed of herself, quoth Hugh Buck

ner, his teeth chattering as he spoke.

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Stephen Falconer gently restored the poker to its place,

advanced towards his sister, who seemed very much inclined

VOL. I.

9

to go into hysterics, called it a capital joke,» and tried to laugh.

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I don't know what it all means," said Mrs Dagleish, recovering from her alarm, but it is very trying to one's nerves to have such a scream in the house, just as we were all thinking about the poor screaming woman. »

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« The coincidence is certainly curious,» remarked Mr Carliel; but though startled at first, hang me if I can help laughing at it now; and forthwith they all began laughing at each other, which put a stop to Jesse's crying: she thought they were laughing at her, but wondered why. At last she laughed too, partly from the infectious nature of that inarticulate expression of sudden merriment,» as Johnson defines it, and partly from the recollection of what had caused her own fright.

"It was certainly very ridiculous!» exclaimed Mary Falconer, the tears running down her cheeks.

«Very," added Mrs Dagleish.

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Plenty of screaming, down stairs and up,» said Stephen.

I sha'nt forget how you looked when you laid hold of the poker, quoth Simon Barnardiston.

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« Nor how you looked, when you bolted into the cupboard in double-quick time,» retorted Stephen.

«Nor I, how we all looked, » observed Mr Carliel; at which the laugh began again, and continued till their very sides ached, and their temples throbbed.

Jesse meanwhile, who knew nothing of how the family had been amusing themselves since supper, could not for the soul of her understand why her screaming should be the cause of such excessive merriment.

At last they ceased laughing, and then she was called upon to explain what had happened to her, which she did in a few words. Waiting to go to bed, she had fallen asleep by the kitchen fire: but was awakened by something tickling her left ear. Putting up my hand, she continued, «to scratch my ear, I laid hold of I did not know what; it was soft and warm, like a mouse, but how a mouse could get behind

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my ear I could not think. However it jumped out of my hand, and came with such a bounce upon the floor that I thought it would run up my petticoats perhaps; so I set up a skreek, (I could not help it), and ran out of the kitchen. » The mystery thus solved, the Christmas gossipers soon after separated for the night, but not before it was settled that Mrs Dagleish should tell her story of the BLACK RIBAND, next morning at breakfast.

(To be continued.)

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BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.

ENGINEERING WORKS

OF THE ANCIENTS,

N' I.

THE PERSIANS.

Engineering has its archæology as well as architecture: the monuments of the Egyptians, of the Persians, of the Romans, are subjects which interest every class of readers. To some it may appear that the profession of a civil engineer is but of modern growth; it certainly may be so considered as regards its recent progress, but to the attentive observer a long chain of history is visible, which records the labours of engineers, not for hundreds of years merely, but for thousands. On the engineering profession, therefore, the contemplation of the works of their predecessors is imposed as a task, if they are at all desirous that their successors should pay the same homage to themselves. The works of classic authors abound with accounts of interesting works, the descriptions of some of which we mean to copy into the Journal, as into a common-place book trusting that it can never be considered

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