Taken By Brigands.

message or letter frae reaching her . There seemed naething for it but just to turn round and gang back Avithoat doing my errand . Sae I said , " All ri ght , I can take ahint ; you needna' shoot , " and Avas going quietly off , when I found a fourth man and gun

behind me , and again received the order—« Halt !" " What do you want ? " I asked , in their lingo , sufficiently Avell to be understood . " Be silent , and come with us without resistance , " said one of them . " Well , but Avhere arc you taking me to ? " I inquired . "Mind your aiu business , " he replied ,

speaking , of course , his Sicilian jargon ; but the phrase was the same , and it seemed to me pretty cool , too—as if it Averena a mon ' s ain business to be carried off at midnight by four armed ruffians . However , it ' s ill arguing Avith men AVIIO hold cocked guns in their hands ; so I Avent

quietly uphill Avith them . U phill—ahvays uphill . Nae doubt they Avere taking a regular course ; but I couldna trace it . To me , their only rule seemed to be always to turn to the rising ground , and breast it . Through plantationsthrough vineyards

, , then up grassy slopes , Avhich grew rocky as Ave ascended , until , in bout twa hours ' time , Ave came to regular climbing . ( To be continued . )

Magic.

MAGIC .

BENEATH the shadow of an old oak tree , I heard a youth express love ' s grief and pain ; Happy and blest he never more could be , The loved had parted ne ' er to meet again , " Alas I" he cried , " no hope my grief shall soothe ;

The course of true love never did run smooth . " A beauteous presence chanced to pass that Avay , And 0 , the Avondcr that its magic wrought !

The youth look'd up and all his looks were gay , And all his Avoids Avith rapture sweet Avere fraught , For reconcilement had removed his pain , And truelove'scourse ran smoothly onagain .

Fairy Tales Utilised For The New Generation.

FAIRY TALES UTILISED FOR THE NEW GENERATION .

BY THEOPHILliS TOMLIKSON . No . Y . —PIQUET AVITH THE TUPT . WE shall all of us remember the story of " Riquet , " who , Avhen " a poor little bab y , Avas hardly thought human" and whoas

, , he grew up , had both a hump on his shoulder , and Avas called "Hicquet with the Tuft , " because he had a " curious tuft ofhaironthe top oF his head . " For all this , he was a Prince and a gentleman . Well , in process of time , as Ave shall also

call to mind , he met one of the twin daughters of a neighbouring Queen : a very charming young Avoman indeed , and fell desperately in love Avith her . Indeed , he seems to have proposed at their very first intervieAV , Avhich rather startled the young

and beautiful Princess , Avho had been particularly Avell brought up by a very strict Lady-in-AVaiting , and she Avas very much , and very properly , altogether taken aback , and no doubt got slightly nervous , and asked for , and received some sal A'olatile and water and a lump of sugar , or she might haA'e had jnst one—only

oneteaspoon of French brand }' , in a large glass of Apollimuis Avater . We are told expressly in the veracious Chronicle of those Fairy times , that the poor Princess " stood dumb with astonishment . She to marry that little , frightful creaturescarcely a man at all !"

, And Avhat do you think Avas his Hi ghness ' s reply ? It was certainly very cool , and not the least angry—but very cool , indeed ! " I see , " he said , " that my proposal offends and grieves you . AVell , I AVIU g ive yon a year to consider it . "

AA ill it surpriseyou to be reminded at this lapse of time ? that that young woman—and a Princess , to boot—actually then deliberately said that she Avould many him in a twelve month . The " Chronicle " adds that she Avas " so stupid that she

thought a year ' s end a long way off ; so long , that it seemed as if it mi ght not come at all , or something mi ght happen hetAveen whiles . " AVell , I don ' t . I think that she was an excessively prudent and clear-sighted young Avoman ; that she thought " half-a-loaf was