The Brakeman's Story.

to my senses , and I saAV that inside of tAvo minutes she would be there . " Seizing the lantern with one hand , I struck the last match , ancl bending doAvn , laid it carefully inside the straAV , and then dashed forward , waving the red light . The

g lare from the head light shone CIOAVU the track , and the engineer saw me , but did not notice the red light- —the sudden Avaving had put it out—only screeching be come straight on . When the train was almost on me I jumped one sideand

, slinging the lantern over my head , dashed it straight into the cab . The engineer saw the lamp as it broke on the floor , and seeing the red glass and the battered lantern , whistled the danger signal , and tried to check up .

" Looking CIOAVU the track , I almost screamed from excitement , the last match had found a dry spot , ancl the straw Avas blazing up bright . The train came to a standstill . She was saved ; that's all I remember . "The next I kneAV I Avas in the baggage

car . They said they had found me lying by the train , in a dead faint , and—excuse me , Ave are going to stop UOAV . " Stamford ! " he sung out . The train stopped , and the writer went home , satisfied that a brakeman ' s life is an exciting one ;

A Lay Of Modern Durham.

A LAY OF MODERN DURHAM .

From the "Durham University Journal : THE Warden of the Purple , By Beda's bones he swore That his degrees , though easy once , Should easy be no more . By Beda ' s bones he swore it ,

And fixed the fatal clay ; And sent his letters special forth , lb bring stern doctors to the north From Oxford grim ancl grey . From the thousand spires of Oxford Come back the stern replies

, And SAvift through Hall and College The deadly rumour flies . " oe to the passman grinding O ' er Vergil's classic tome , When Rawlinson ancl Creighton Have said that they will come !

From ancient Canterbury , Where toAA'ers the hoary pile , Forth comes the bearded Canon , With a most peculiar smile ; And Fathers grave , ancl Doctors Come lumbering in his Avake , The scanty brains of passmen To torture and to rake :

Milman in thirty volumes , And Liddon in a score , Lactantius ancl Origen , And half a hunched more ; And doctrines , dates , and councils Pile up the paper high , While the Warden of the Purple Regards complacently .

Creighton from cloistered Merton , With true scholastic skill , Rubs up his rusty logic From Mansel and from Mill , And o ' er forgotten ethics Runs his un Avon ted eye , And thumbs the page of many an age In ancient history .

In Hatfield by the river , In the Castle ' s stately tower , The studious oil is burning Till wanes the midnight hour . No more the nightly revel Disturbs tutorial rest , No more nocturnal ramblers fly To nooks and alleys , Avhen they spy The Proctor ' s velvet crest .

And now the day is on us , And IIOAV the schools are full ; And many a pallid artsman His downy tuft doth pull ; Ancl some are Aveak in grammar , Ancl others weak in facts ; And not a feAv of Trollope ' s creAV Make Shipwreck in the Acts .

NOAV daAvns the clay decisive , The session of the three , When viva voce turns the scale Of dubious degree . Then forth stood Outhbert Cosins , An apterous divine ; He trembled as he crossed the floor To face the froAvning trine .

They gave him viva voce Full fifty minutes long , And , though his papers had been weak , Yet Cuthbert came out strong , 2 F 2