judices overcome. For architectural effect, we may add, extensive family, old maids, cross daddy, and a romantic the floor system is infinitely preferable to that of nar-old mommy, all want to put thur fingers into the young row independent houses. It also abolishes, to shopkeepers, the monstrous inconvenience of having to take a house along with the place of business, whether it be needed or not.* uns dish of sweet doin's, and the gal's fractious besides, Whatever, then, be the success of the Birkenhead experiment, its utility as a model, and as showing what goodly dwellings can be furnished to the workingclasses at a moderate charge, is very great. We hope, however, to see houses of this kind for the most part built in the very places heretofore occupied by unhealthy tenements. There a double good would be accomplished. Before such structures can be seen rising in many places, good harvests must have done their proper work in facilitating human labour. We may add, that before working-men can hope to attain houses at a ratio of rent not exceeding that of the middle classes, it will be necessary that some plan be adopted for securing the landlord in his returns. We have always been aware that insecurity in this respect was a means of greatly increasing rents to the workingclasses; but we never knew till lately how high, in some instances, this increase is carried. A gentleman who takes charge of the incomes of a number of persons in humble life, lately adopted the plan of leasing for them a group of houses, insuring the payment of the rent. They were obtained at thirty per cent. below the usual rates. The extent to which honest and careful men thus suffer for the negligent and unworthy, is surely much to be deplored. Perhaps the evil might be in a great measure overcome, and a needful encou-shaped fixin's that ever propelled anythin' human, and ragement at the same time given to speculators, by a plan of mutual guarantee amongst operative tenants for the faithful payment of rents.] COURTING IN FRENCH HOLLOW. Ir is a pity that American fun, like Irish fun, has a patois of its own, which it is not a little difficult to understand. The patois, indeed, was originally part and parcel of the joke; but the best joke in the world will not bear a hundred times telling. In a book before us, just published in Philadelphia, called 'Streaks of Squatter Life,' there is a good deal of cleverness, and some genuine humour; but it is spoiled for the European palate by an impracticable dialect. Perhaps the following is the most readable article (with the exception of the Pre-emption Right,' an excellent tale, chiefly in good English, which is too long for our pages), and we give it to show how Jonathan progresses' in a kind of writing peculiar to American literature: 'Courtin' is all slick enough when every body's agreed, and the gal aint got no mischief in her; but when an · * A Suburban' correspondent of The Builder' proposes the introduction to the metropolis of the system which has been found to work so well in, and, in fact, in great measure to constitute, the northern City of Palaces,' Edinburgh. In London, as observed, persons not prepared to give more than L.30 a-year have no choice between the most paltry lath-and-plaster' cottages-so raw, damp, and undrained, and full of green wood, as to be little better than a domicile under the greenwood tree' itself-or unfurnished lodgings in houses not built for the purpose of accommodating separate families, and where the intermixing of the landlord and his lodgers is most unpleasant. In fact, in the metropolis itself, the great body of the middle classes are actually without appropriate or class dwellings altogether, for the green-wood cottages are suburban more than urban residences. The projector, however, in the meantime recommends that a handsome building, like those in the Temple, but with more domestic conveniences, should be erected in a convenient suburb, and let out in chambers; and the first experiment might be made in the following manner :Let a builder of capital procure plans and elevation from a competent architect; and having found a suitable piece of land, announce that, as soon as he had the names of a sufficient number of parties willing to rent (say thirty sets of chambers), he would commence the first block. The subscription of parties, willing to engage for a year certain, would be filled up in a week. The Bank of England clerks would alone supply a score of tenants, and all the government offices a tithe of poor proud couples. Eventually, perhaps, the economy of a public kitchen and joint-stock cook might be arranged by some of the tenants on the club system. 'How about that afarr of your'n with old Fecho's gal in St Louis, Tom?' inquired one of the circle. 'What, that little French gal?' inquired Tom, with a grin. Well, that thar was a salty scrape, boys; and though the laugh is agin me thar, I'm blessed if I don't gin you the sarcumstince.' So Tom squared himself for a yarn, wet his lips with a little corn juice, took a small strip of Missouri weed, and let out.' That gal of old Fecho's wur about the pootyest creatur, fur a foreigner, I ever took a shute arter; her eyes jest floated about in her head like a star's shadow on a Massissippi wave, and her model was as trim as the steamer Eagle; 'sides, her paddles wur the cleanest her laugh rung like a challenge-bell on a "fast trip”— it couldn't be beat. She run into my affecshuns, and I couldn't help it. I danced with her at some on the balls in Frenchtown, and thar I gin to edge up and talk tender at her, but she only laughed at my sweet'nin'. Arter a spell, when I cum it strong about affecshun, and the needcessity of towin' side and side together, she told me that her old daddy wouldn't let her marry an American! Ef I warn't snagged at this, I wouldn't say so. The old fellar wur a sittin' on a bench smokin' and lookin' on at the dance, and I jest wished him a hot berth for a short spell. "Well, Marie," said I, "ef I melt the old man down, will you gin in ?" "Oh," says she, "you so vair strong at de vat you call coar, I shall not know how to say von leetel no.' 'So havin' fixed it all with her smooth as a full freight and a June rise, I drew up alongside of the old fellar, jest as he had cleared his chimley for a fresh draw of his pipe. Old Fecho had been a mountain trader, was strong timbered, not much the worse fur wear, and looked wicked as a tree'd bear. I fired up, and generated an inch or two more steam, and then blew off at him. "That's an onconscionable slick gal of your'n, mounseer," says I, to begin with; and it did tickle his fancy to have her cracked up, 'cause he thought her creation's finishin' touch-so did I! "Oui, sair," says old Fecho, "she vair fine leetel gal, von angel wizout de ving; she is, sair, mine only von fille." 66 'Well, she is a scrouger," answered I; "a parfect high pressure, and no dispute !" "Vat you mean by him, eh? vat you call s-c-r-r-r-ouge, eh? vat is he, sair? My leetel gal no vat you call von s-c-r-r-r-ouge, sair!" and here old Fecho went off into a mad fit, jest as ef I'd called her bad names. I tried to put down his "safety-valve," but he would blow off his wrath, and workin' himself into a parfect freshet of rage, he swore he would take the little gal off home; and I'm blessed ef he didn't. As soon as eyed the old fellar startin', I got in his wake, and follered him, detarmined to find out whar he located; and arter an eternal long windin' through one street arter another, down he dived into French Hollow. Jest as he wur about to enter a house built agin the side of the hill, the old fellar heered my footsteps, and turnin' round in the darkness, he shouted-"Ah ha! von sneak Yankee doodel, vat call my leetel gall von_s-c-r-r-r-ouger; I shall cut you all up into von leetel piece vidout von whole." 'You know, boys, I aint easy skeer'd, but I own up that old fellar did kind a make me skeery; they told sich stories about the way he used to skin Ingins, that I gin to think it was about best to let him have both sides of the channel ef he wanted it, so I didn't darr go to see Marie fur a long spell. One day I felt a strong hankerin', and jest strolled along the holler to git a glimpse on her; and sure enough thar she wur, a-leanin' out the winder, smilin' like the mornin' sun on a sleepin' bayou. I sidled up to the house, and asked her ef I darr cum and sit up with her that evenin'. I told her I was jest fritterin' away all to nothin' thinkin' on her, and a small mite of courtin' would spur me up amazin'; and then I gin her sich a look, that she fluttered into consent as easy as a mockin'-bird whistles. 66 Oh, oui, you shall come some time dis night, when mon pere is gone to de cabaret; but you must be vair quiet as von leetel rat, vat dey call de mouse, and go vay before he come back to de maison." In course I promised to do jest as she said. I kissed my hand to her, and said aur ravoir, as the French say for good-by, and then paddled off to wait for night. I felt wuss than oneasy until the time arriv, and when it did git round, I gin to crawl all over. I swar I was a little skeered. Hows'ever, it warn't manly to back out now when the gal was expectin' me, so I started for the Hollow. I think a darker night was never mixed up and spread over this yearth. You remember, Bill, the night you steered the old Eagle square into the bank at Milliken's bend? well, it wur jest a mite darker than that! A muddy run winds along through the ravine whar the house stands, and I wur particularly near floppin' into it several times. A piece of candle in the winder lighted me to whar the little gal was awaitin', and when I tapped at the door below, she pattered down and piloted me up to the sittin'-room, whar we sot down and took a good look at each other. She looked pooty enough to tempt a fellar to bite a piece out on her. I had all sorts of good things made up to say when a chance offered, and here the chance wur, but cuss me ef I could get out the fust mutter. Whether it wur skeer at the idee of the old Frenchman, or a bilin' up of affecshun fur his darter that stuck my throat so tight, I'm unable to swar, but thar I wur, like a boat fast on a sand-bar, blowin' some, but makin' mity little head his scape-pipe: the old man might as well try to catch a Massissippi catty with a thread-line, as get his fingers on me." I had no sooner said so, than bang went the door below, and old Fecho, juicy as a melon, came feelin' his way up stairs, mutterin' like a small piece of fat thunder, and swarin' in French orfully. I know'd thar warn't much time to spare, so I histed the winder, and backed out. Jest as I was about to drop, Marie says to me-" Oh, mon Dieu! don't drop into de vell!" and instanter shut the winder. My har riz on eend in a moment-" don't drop into the well!" I'll tell you what, boys, a souse into the Massissippi in ice time warn't half as cold as her last warnin' made me. It was so etarnal dark, that I couldn't begin to tell which side of the buildin' I wur on, and that wur an all-important perticuler, fur it wur jest three storeys high on one side, towards the Hollow, and it warn't only one on the side next the hill-in course, all the chances wur in favour of the well bein' on the low side. I'd gin all I had then to know which side was waitin' below fur me. I looked up, as I hung on, to see ef thar warn't a star shinin' somewhare, jest to give a hint of what was below; but they'd all put on thar nightcaps, and wouldn't be coaxed from under the kiver; then I'd look below, and listen, until I made sartin in my mind that I could hear the droppin' of water, somewhare about fifty feet below me! Old Fecho was a-tearin' through the room, and a-rippin' out French oaths, in an oncommon rapid manner, and declarin' that he knew some one had bin thar, fur he'd been told so. Two or three times he appeared to be a-rushin' for the winder, and the little gal would coax him back agin; and then he'd cuss de Yankee doodles, and grit his teeth most owdaciously. Well, ef I warn't in an oneasy situation all this time, then I'm more than human-my arms jest stretched out to about a yard and a-half in length, and gin to cramp and git orful weak. I couldn't, fur the life of me, think on any prayer I'd ever heerd: at last, jest as one hand was givin' way its hold, I thort of a short one I used to say when I was a younker, and mutterin'-"Here I drop me down deep, I pray the Lord my bones to keep!" I sot my teeth together, drew a long breath, shut my eyes, and let go!-Whiz!-r-r-r-ip!-bang! I went, as I supposed, about fifty feet; and didn't I holler, when I lit and rolled over, and the water soused all round me! "Murder! Oh, get me out! Oh-0-0-0, murder!" The people came a-rushin' out of their houses with lights, and sich another jargon of questions as they showered at me--askin', altogether, who'd bin a-stabbin' me? what wur the marter? and who'd hit me? I opened my eyes to tell 'em I'd fell from the third storey, and broke every bone in my body, when, on lookin' up, thar wur the old Frenchman and his darter grinnin' out of the top winder about ten feet above me! The fact wur, boys, I'd dropped out on the hill-side of the house, and jumped down jest four feet from whar my toes reached-I had lit on the edge of a water-pail, and it flowed about me when I fell over! Arter old Fecho told them the joke, they pretty nigh busted a-larfin' at me. I crawled off, arter firin' a volley at old mounseer of the hardest kind of cusses; and from that day to this I han't gone a-courtin' in French Hollow!' The present number of the Journal completes the seventh volume (new series), for which a title-page and index have been prepared, and may be had of the publishers and their agents. END OF SEVENTH VOLUME. Printed and Published by W. and R. CHAMBERS, Edinburgh. Sold by W. S. ORR, Amen Corner, London. |