MTSCELLANEOUs.
The FAIR MAID OF FALAISE.


SKETCH FROM HISTORY.
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Day was finging from his pinions the
ast and loyeliest rays of light ere he left
he wood and wales of Normandy for a
lime TO darkness, as a gallant party OF
mounted hunters swept through the streets
dFalaise towards the castle of the duke.
The trampling of their steeds, the ringing
i strip and bit, the loud echo of the
agh and the Jest startled into atteRtion
BE silent street. The child stopped in


Egambollings-the old man, the matron
and the maiden forsook their avocations
ogaze at the stirring sight. The array
gept on, and was lost behind the wooded


ldalations that separated the castle from
he town.


When the sound Of the last hoof-stroke
lag died away, and the last glimpse had
osen caught Of the dancing caps and way-
lg scarfs, the little urchin got astride Of
l stick, and pranced and curvetted in
.yiul anticipation Of the day when he
Mould draw the rein and WELD the sword
u the train of some lordly maSter-the
ld man returned to the instrument Of
llsbandry he had been rudely fashioning,
lle matron to her household occupation; !;
le one TO tell, the other to listen to ex-
pots Of years when hairs, now silveTed
with age, curled dark as the ravens crest,
ald nerves, now tremulous and unfaithful,
we're strong and true as steel; the maiden
came back with deepened color on her
meek, and a brighter glance in her
aughlng eye, for she had caught look,
Perchance smile, from one of those bold
sfVItors that may feed her fancy until
ae next stolen meeting beneath the wav-
ag grove, or by the vineyards side.


But there was one who still fingered at
Y asr cottage door, leaning over the arbor-
Ike trellis work, her form half-hidden by
lae clustering vine. Her eye followed
not the path the cavalcade had taken, but
'as shaded by the long dropping lash.
lille the curl of her beautiful lip, the pet
dant stamp Of her little foot, and the
sading to the very fbres Of the vine leal
9her hands, told of some disappointment
nat was but lily borne. Thus entranced
y the magic of her own all-absorbing
,aaughts, she needed not that the suns
VT glance had smiled and faded on the
easile's highest tower, and that the broad
laI moon was flooding earth and sky with
aef softened radiance, while the "golden
orch Of sea-born Venus" as Bion styled
lat loyeliest and purest of heavens orbs,
sas cleaning like diamond on the brow
y ", night. Many leaf and twining ten
Sl'l :, ! had been plucked from its parent stem
y : lail IN shreds at her feet. while its place
.sas !. supplied by another and still another
II II. suleF the same unheeded fate, when
N, ~ sound Of a step upon the Eery


9 eaQsed her % start from (c