"No doubt," said the parson; "I should expect as much from the samples of their divinity I have met with."

“Well, sir,” said Herbert," I will enable you to judge for yourself, if it be agreeable to all our good friends here, through the medium of my indifferent translation of a little tale that is appropriate to the present season, and has not, I believe, as yet found its way into England."

The proposition was assented to by acclamation, and Herbert, after a moment's absence, returned with a small manuscript, from which he read as follows:

THE BELLS OF ST. BRUNO.

There never was a colder night known within the memory of the oldest man in Suabia than the night of the 31st of December 17-. The snow lay thick in the little valley of St. Bruno, and the frost had set in with unusual severity. The goatherds had all come down from the lowest chalets on the mountain sides, and thronged the village, and not a soul that had a grain of common sense showed his nose out of doors since sunset. It had gone one quarter past eleven by the old church clock, when a sharp, impatient knock at the door of the little "Bierhaus," dignified by the name of "Die drei Engel," as might be seen by the sign of the three angels over the door, kept by old Caspar Schwemmen, made that worthy start from the chair in which he was dozing before the fire, and attend to the summons.

"In heaven's name, gossip Caspar, open your door and let me in."

"What! is that you, neighbour Hans Klingel? You must have pressing need to be out such a night as this: the bears and wolves will hardly leave their dens this weather."

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Pressing need," grumbled the little old man, as he stepped in and sat down by the fire. Ay, pressing need, truly. Do you forget that to-morrow will be New Year's Day? and don't you know that I am the bell-ringer of St. Bruno's, and that I must peal the chimes at midnight to rouse honest folks from their sleep; and get the ague, and the rheumatism, and be frostbitten to boot in the bell-tower. Marry! if I don't, the township will stop my salary, I'll warrant them."

"Faith," said the vintner, "I think they would; and hang thee out of the steeple, moreover, if thou should'st be guilty of such a crime as to let the new year steal in upon us without the welcome of a merry chime."

"Ay, hang me. A dog's life is sure to find a dog's death at last. But, I say, Caspar, let us have a tankard of thy strongest, gossip. My old bones are so stiff with cold, that I have hobbled across the way just to thaw them at thy rousing fire, while we toss off a pot or two, and talk over old times."

Hans, or as he was more generally called, Hännschen, was, if the truth must be told, an old toper, and as fond of his flagon as any one in the village, with one exception, and that was mine host of "The Three Angels ;" and the two old men had been toping it together I know not how many years. It is wonderful how difficult it is to please thirsty people in the matter of the weather. It is always too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry for them; and accordingly they have to be cooled or heated, dried or moistened, as sure as the sun rises in the heavens; and all this is done by the aid of the tankard. Now, as I said, this was a terribly cold night, and the two old fellows stood in need of an unusual amount of caloric: so they sat down right heartily, and they mulled their ale, and they smoked their pipes, and they made themselves as happy as they could by grumbling at their own lot and envying their neighbours.

"I tell thee again, Caspar," said Hännschen, "I lead a dog's life; day and night digging in damp graves and ringing of bells; exposed to all sorts of weather-ah! the weather is not now what it was when we were boys-broiled and baked in summer, and drowned and frozen in winter. But the worst of all is ringing these chimes at Easter, and Christmas, and New Year's Day, and I know not what other days. If a lord is married, or a lady bear a little one, why I get a thaler or two for a merry peal, and even the poorer folks will not forget to give me a florin for a toll or two at their wedding; but I have not a kreutzer for all this holyday work, you see, and so I have no love for it."

"You say true, neighbour," said Caspar, "so far as the matter of love; but the chimes go in your year's work, and you

have your salary. If it is small, it is certain: you are not like me, depending on chance custom. Ah! Hans, people are changing, and not for the better either, and if things don't mend, I must shut my door and take down my angels."

The old fellows talked and sipped away, and time passed on unheeded, till they were in a state, it must be confessed, not very becoming either a Christian vintner, under the protection of angels, or a reverend bell-ringer on the eve of a great festival. At last the clock chimed out in the silence of the frosty night, and Hännschen rose up in trepidation.

"Holy angels!" said he, somewhat confusedly, "how many quarters chimed, Caspar ?"

"Well, I didn't count them, Hännschen, but I think only two,"

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'Nay, I'll be swore it was four."

"Thou'rt drunk, man, and see'st double," said the vintner, laughing sottishly.

But Caspar had toddled off with what speed he might, and was soon at the tower hard by, where he fumbled at the lock with the key, and at length let himself in. By the time he had struck a light, he found that it still wanted near a quarter of midnight; so he sat down at the bench in the porch with the intention of resting a moment, and then returning to finish his stoup. But the rapid exercise and the night air had their usual effect, and he was in a state that might be pronounced

Well, well, all men have their failings, and the less we say about Hännschen's state the better. He began to think, if not with great precision, at least with great assiduity, and even attempted a prayer, or a hymn, or a drinking-song; he was not sure which, for he had a great stock of each sort, and he was, moreover, a poet in a small way himself. By degrees things seemed to change around him, and he found himself somehow before the great clock above in the belfry, with its big white face staring upon him, as it was lit up by the moonlight. There were to be seen the twelve Apostles in their niches, who came out to strike the hours daily, and above them all was the image of their Master. And Hännschen stared at the clock-face in turn with all his might, till at length the figures seemed to

fidget, and shift, and change beneath his gaze, as if he were putting the saints out of countenance. While he was yet staring, the tongue of the clock-bell swung, and swayed to and fro within the great mouth of the bell, and, hark! crash went the first stroke of midnight. Then one of the figures stepped forth from its niche and stood before the image which was above; and when Hännschen looked up at the image, behold it was altogether changed. The halo that encircled its head was enlarged till it became a mighty ring encircling the whole figure, and upon it were inscribed, in letters of fire, the word

And the figure that stepped forth from the niche bowed down before the other, and Hännschen heard them speak thus:

First Spirit. "I am the Spirit of the first month of the year that thou gavest to man. Lo! I am here at the summons of the bell, and my brethren await thy call."

Spirit of Eternity. "Render thy account."

First Spirit. "From the hands of thy servant, Time, in the darkness of the night, received I the young year. I wrapped him in my snow-wreath till the morning light broke on the world, and then I showed him to men, and they sang with joy when they saw his face: and I told him of his appointed work -how he was to raise up and hurl down nations; to slay with the pestilence and famine; to save souls and to destroy them; to teach men to cope with angels in knowledge and power; to career amid the clouds upon the wings of the winds; to bid the fleet lightnings do their errands, and the light of heaven paint the hues and images of all visible things for them and I watched as he grew and strengthened and wrought his work, and then I left him to my brother."

:

Spirit of Eternity. "Thou hast well done. Go hence, and write it in the Book of Life."

Then the first Spirit passed away back into its place, and, lo! the second stroke of midnight rang out, and forth came another figure from its niche, and bowed before the Spirit of Eternity, and again Hännschen heard voices, and they spake thus:

.. Eternity.

Second Spirit. "I am the Spirit of the second month of the year that thou gavest to man. Lo! I am here at the sum

mons of the bell."

Spirit of Eternity. "Render thy account."

I the year.

that crippled his young I filled for him the deep

Second Spirit. "From the hands of my brother received I melted away the ice limbs, and I bathed him with rains. rivers, and I made the springs to gush forth, and the streams to rush down a thousand hills. For him I prepared the earth's bosom for the goodly seeds, and I told him of his appointed work to prepare the heart of man for its seed likewise, and he grew, and increased, and wrought his work, and then I left him to my brother."

Spirit of Eternity.-"Thou hast well done. Go hence, and write it in the Book of Life."

Then the second Spirit passed away back into its place, and, lo! the third stroke of midnight rang out, and forth came another figure from its niche, and bowed before the Spirit of Eternity.

Third Spirit. "I am the Spirit of the third month of the year that thou gavest to man. Lo! I am here at the summons of the bell."

Spirit of Eternity." Render thy account."

Third Spirit." From the hands of my brother received I the year. I dried up for him the moistened ground. I opened the earth's bosom, and I placed therein the seed, the corn, and the pulse. I planted the vine and the olive, and I covered it in again, and I told him of his appointed work, how he should watch over the seed sown in the heart of man wherein were the issues of life; and I gladdened him with early flowers, the primrose, the daisy, and the violet; and I brought out the young lambs to sport in the fields, and the small fish to throng the rivers; and I gave him the song of the throstle and the hum of the bee; and in hope and joy I left him to my brother." Spirit of Eternity. "Thou hast done well. Go hence and

write it in the Book of Life."

Then the third spirit passed away back into its place, and, lo! the fourth stroke of midnight rang out, and forth came