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to the barren waste of his prospects. Poor Corney started up, and fixed his eyes upon them with such beaming and undisguised admiration, that something of the poetry of enthusiasm imparting itself to his gaunt person, attracted in its turn the notice of the young equestrian.

He was in the act of dismounting to pay a visit in the very house upon whose doorstep Corney had been resting.

"Can I trust you to hold my horse?"-said he, addressing the poor fellow; who forthwith uttered in such uncouth accents his promise to have a care of the "baste as though 't were his own," as might have intimidated a less confiding nature, lest he should so far treat it as his own as to ride off with it, and be heard of no more.

The young man, however, who was most characteristically a young gentleman, as well as an officer in the Guards, possessed a sufficient insight into the mysteries of human physiognomy to intrust his property to the hands of Corney Cregan. After a word or two of instruction as to the mouth of the horse, and the best mode of holding the bridle, Captain Wrottesley entered the house, after declining the civil offer of one of the servants by whom the door was opened to officiate as his groom during his visit.

The first ten minutes were very long to Corney; for his mind was intent upon the few pence which he expected as the guerdon of his office. But by the time a quarter of an hour had elapsed, he was beginning to feel an interest in the fine animal under his charge; and when, at the close of an hour Captain Wrottesley reappeared, his poor heart was actually cheered by such intimate companionship with a beast so much more cared for, and so much better fed than himself.

The young soldier, on the other hand, was pleased to find that, instead of his horse being harassed, as is so often the case when intrusted to the care of some casual guardian, his orders had been strictly attended to. His visit had been a delightful one. His own spirit was as much the lighter for it, as Corney's; so that, instead of the shilling wherewith it was his custom to repay an hour's attendance, he bestowed a whole halfcrown upon his tattered esquire. Little did he suspect the opulence contained in that single coin, to the imagination of Corney Cregan!-Within another hour, he had appeased the gnawing pangs of hunger, and taken out of pawn the jacket which had obtained him a shilling to keep him from starving the preceding week. -That night he slept like an emperor !—

The following day, about the same hour, but more from the desire to renew an agreeable reminiscence than from any expectation of encountering his benefactor again, Corney rambled to the same spot. Judge of his delight when, as he entered the secluded street, he saw the "iligant baste of a chisnut horse, and his darlin' of a rider," entering it at the further extremity, and to his utter amazement found his services again in request. The handsome young officer and his Bucephalus seemed expressly sent by Providence as a blessing upon poor Corney!

"Harkye, my good fellow!" said Captain Wrottesley, at the close of his second visit, "you seem to be out of work, and living hereabouts. If you choose to try your luck every day at this hour, 'tis most likely I shall find you employment. I can't afford to give you halferowns every day. A shilling is my stint for such jobs, and a shilling you

shall have. Be here to-morrow. So long as I find I can rely upon you, you may rely upon me."

No need to record the countless benedictions lavished by poor Corney in the exuberance of his gratitude, upon Providence, the young officer, and the chestnut horse! It was as much as he could do to preserve a decent sobriety of deportment on his way home to St. Giles's; and when a week's official life had enabled him to lay by a sufficient sum, he felt it due to Captain Wrottesley to change his sleeping quarters to a mews in May Fair, in order to realize his patron's opinion that he was a denizen of the neighbourhood of Seamore Place.

It so happened that the daily visits which brought so bright a flush to the cheeks of the young guardsman, and imparted such brilliant vivacity to his eyes, were addressed to one with whose servants he was not willing to place his own groom in communication. It suited him to ride thither unattended; and it was consequently most satisfactory to him to have secured a trustworthy fellow to take charge of his favourite horse during the happy lapse of time he was devoting to one still dearer to his affections than the horse.

Week after week, were the services of Corney retained. Already, he was becoming attached to his employer. There was something so fascinating in the open countenance of young Wrottesley, that Cregan would willingly have served him for nothing, had it been needful. But the captain seemed to take as much pleasure in paying as the poor Irishman in being paid. The shilling thrown to Corney was but a trifling token of the joy thrilling in the young man's heart as he issued from those doors, in peace and charity with all the world,— grateful to the enchanting friend he had left, grateful to the sun for shining on him, grateful to the noble horse he was about to ride, -grateful even to the poor ragged fellow who had taken such good care of it during his absence.

By degrees, the ragged henchman assumed a more respectable appearance. Well-fed and well-clothed, he tried to appear more deserving the trust of the young soldier who had risked his property in his hands. Wrottesley, on the other hand, took pride in his protégé's well-doing. In the course of three months' daily intercommunion, he had become so much interested in Corney's prospects, and so much touched by the gratitude of the warm-hearted fellow, as to recommend his services to his brother officers. Corney became the messenger of the Guards, as Mercury of the gods: and, as a quaint mythologist has asserted that Hermes is represented with wings to his cap, as a token that the hat of a lackey ought to fly off to all mankind, the Irish peasant became courteous and humble in proportion as he rose in the world. He was applauded for his civility almost as much as for his probity and address. Corney Cregan was pronounced to be a fellow whom anybody might trust with anything, and who might be trusted to deliver anything to anybody. He could not give offence. All the morning he held horses at the door of Captain Wrottesley's club, or went confidential errands, or carried parcels of trust. He was at once the lightest light porter in St. James's Street, and the lightest hearted fellow in Great Britain!

As Corney became a man of substance, following the adage that "it is a poor heart that never rejoices," he allowed himself a little pleasure

nattimed to his multiplicity of vis Abtemet o dieczen mente de séan favoured himself with a mi-toe encanice into the 1 TIÓ Glas a certain partie of the panic to enjor a view and seiring of the thuj, mod stát a magis be enjived má if a mechi

Bus 4 scarcely entled Girner a vácka má asgje at What we placing the stage, at least introduced in to the xat the doors of the theatre, oftast vinkÇÉL CHÊTE sity, the Linkeracy of the Landie wind. They were his custyDel 13 26 le knew them me; and, after a cue process of eating and demenz eweng at digng, a their sweety. Carner Cregin Tay Bound to ends in the regimes-He pred fre le mú became one of the Limmat if the western meid:

On die versam, the ngi patrage enjored by the poor Irishana MYTHI VỀ MADSTIL, erre tim. The first time Corner officisted Amacos de internet si men vistamn from his end patries, and such eri sotien fim wi Invasiend to whom they reommended him. CHE LIPRÚT DE Ves wounted amung is Luciferian brethren as their grant me via the entity of the resin. The dancies of the day cev in v mme, is vel as sight; and Juliet was a minay to in mure - A ht § i 1 mme -ur rather, Romeo was a blockhead not *Comey. I wist my carriage," "Corney,

• Gamer fetch my Low;" - Cirney, a couch," EstiFuster De Mar Linkman cove is felors. In vain did the more oficiis meie av per: No-no!--I want Carney Cregm.-ww al ze en muchafed to their envious interference.

SAFLET WAS DOV Ir ne up of us profession; Carney had put money purse: Corner was 1 man weil to do in the world. It came to be known among the mustat Corney had always a fire-pound note or two, in his pocket-it, it the Fives-Court, or Epsom, or Ascot, to lend to a customer whose finds might run short; and such little obligation, were sure to be unisome17 acknowledged on payment of the debt. Let it not be mined that the Linkman was guilty of usurious practices to fur from that he is recorded to have been as mild and gentemany & crecer Duval a ighwayman. But his ausisbie forbearance brungit is ova reward Here are a couple of gulzeas for you. Corner because you did not plague me!" was by no Lan a tincta mida sé dung business with the only banker who ever made light of a diligitam

Amid all this fast of prosperity. Cregan considered it his duty to posterity to take a wife. He even asked the opinion and advice of Captain Writteder on the subject. a week after he had become the happy husband of little Kitty OC But, if somewhat late in the day for his counsels to be useful is assistance was not wanting to the poor fellow to whose fortunes his notice had been so providential. Being intimately acquainted with the kind-hearted man at that period lessee of the King's Theatre, the yang patron obtained for Corney the situation of porter to the Opera; and thenceforward, the eyes of Katty and admiring London saluted Mr. Cregan arrayed in a handsome dark-hlze livery, and a dignity of deportment suitable to so responsible an office.

- Bless your kind heart, Captain Wrottesley, sir!"-said he, addressing his patron at the close of his first season, only till me how I can e! I ben't road, sir!-Order me as you plase-For you, sir, ays be Corney Cragan!"

Under these happy auspices were a little Katty and a little Corney born to the thriving couple. Corney had his salary and his quarterday, like other ministers of state. But unluckily, like other ministers of state, he ran the hazard of a downfal. Managers, like captains, are casual things. The Opera was more brilliant than ever, the theatre constantly crammed; and the result was, the Gazette and Basinghall Street for the first lord of its treasury, and consequent loss of office to one whose letters were now occasionally directed, Cornelius Cregan, Esq. There was nothing left for it but to give up the cottage at Hampstead, pigsty, strawberry-bed and all, and re-enter the modest ranks of private life. Cornelius gazed wistfully upon the miniature Katty and Corney adorning his fireside, and, with a spirit of magnanimity worthy of Coriolanus, became Corney again. It was as though Louis Philippe were to secede from the throne of France, and become once more Duke of Orleans for the benefit of his interesting family!

That was a trying moment-the first night on which Corney took his station once more among his quondam confraternity, his humble link in his hand! Flesh is frail. Linkmen, though enlightened men, are but mortals; and it must be admitted that certain among them, jealous of his recent dignities, wagged their heads, saying, "Behold, this is our brother, who exalted himself, but who, being abased, is come to take the bread from our mouths, and the mouths of our children!"

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It was not till he had made them fully understand that he was a ruined man, a beggar like themselves,-one who, like Dogberry, had "had losses,' his whole amount of savings having been invested in the hazardous speculation which had just engulphed his place and his profits, that they forgave him his elevation, and forgave him his downfal, welcoming him cordially again to the world of flambeaux.

Such is the history of Corney Cregan,-the tulip of links; of whom as many bon-mots are on record as of Alvanley or Brummell, and who may be regarded as the Dr. Johnson of the vernacular of slang. Corney is now a veteran. He can no longer call a coach in the brilliant and original style that was wont to excite the plaudits of the stand, when Hughes Ball was a dandy and Theodore a wit. He is considered, however, the father of the links. His testimony has been more than once invoked in perplexing cases by the sitting magistrates, as the most trustworthy witness in cases of carriage-breaking, or footmanslaying, amid the crush of fashionable fêtes ;-for Corney is known to be a man of honour,-the Bayard of the kennel, as well as its admirable Crichton.—

It is astonishing the reverence shown him by the rising generation. Whenever a linkboy picks up a diamond cross in the mud, or receives a sovereign in place of a shilling from some reeling swell, it is in the hands of Corney Cregan the treasure is deposited till the question of property can be established. Corney is king of the elective monarchy of Links. Though not pensioned as an ex-porter, like others as exchancellors, he retains out of place almost all the consideration he enjoyed in his dark-blue livery. There is something imposing in the bassoon-like tone of his voice when gratuitously vociferating such names as those of the "Duke of Wellington," or the "Countess of Jersey," whenever their footmen are missing at some gay entertainment. The intonation of Corney hath a character as classically distinct

from that of inferior links, as the enunciation of Kemble from that of the lisping romantic school of modern tragedians.-Corney is the noblest Roman of them all!-Corney's reminiscences would be worthy the attention of the readers of Bentley's Miscellany. We recommend him to their notice, as a link of some value in the glorious chain of modern enlightenment. On issuing from the Opera-house on Saturday next, let them shout aloud the henceforward immortalized name of—“ CORNEY CREGAN!”—

THE MILL OF POULDU.

(FROM MISS COSTELLO'S FORTHCOMING ROMANCE, "THE QUEEN'S POISONER.") Is the old mill of Pouldu, not far from the point of rock which seems to cleave the roaring waves at its feet, lived the miller Trevihan, who was more than a hundred years old, and had lived in that mill as long as any man could remember. He had witnessed as many shipwrecks as there are nights in the year; he had seen as many steeples stricken with lightning as there are weeks; and no one could say how many times he had beheld the Doll-men with dancing dwarfs circling round its huge stones. He had visited the Tourigans in their caves; and he knew all things past and to come.

He was dwarfish in stature, and his large bragan-bras,* like great flour-sacks, seemed to bury him in their folds. His long thin legs were finished by huge long feet. His big head rested on his breast, which was prominent and pointed; his mouth was wide and grinning, and his two eyes unlike each other. When he sat at night in his mill, smoking his short pipe, he looked like a fiend risen up amidst the darkness; yet this frightful monster dared to love one of the prettiest girls in the parish. Her name was Francique, and she was betrothed to the young sailor, Kerias, who had been out for several weeks at sea; and during his absence her father, who was very avaricious, lent an ear to the proposals of the dwarf.

But Trevihan is old and hideous," said the pretty maiden, “and Kerias is so handsome and young; besides, I gave him my promise, and I will wed none but him."

When Trevihan heard this, he said to himself, "It is true I look aged, but I have the power to renew my youth; and why should I not again have recourse to the Tourigan, who will aid me?'

Accordingly he went into the pine-wood of Kérisonet, and there, in the midst of the trees, by the side of a little fountain, he saw the fairy combing her hair.

“What would you with me?" said she. "Fifty years ago, and ten before that, you came to me for youth; if I grant it you again, you must give me up your bride to nurse my little changeling, as you have done all your brides before."

“She shall be yours a year and a day after I have married her," said the miller. He drew his knife, and spilled three drops of his blood into the fountain; a cloud rose out of it, and covered him all round; when it cleared away there stood in his place a handsome young mariner, gay and sprightly, who took his way back to the village, and stopped at the gate of Francique.

• Culottes.

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