being all this while perceived in him."  The
urso-mania appears to us to be distemper
enough for the time. We believe in this
receipt;  for we have seen people who have
taken  "a cup of liquor"  too much, behave
themselves exactly like bears!

We wish we had as much faith in the last
extract we shall make from the Ayscough
MS., which involves a secret that we
understand many people have been anxious
to discover for some time— namely:

"To make money spent, to return. Make
a purse of mole's skinne and wright in it:
'Belzebub, Zetus, Caiaphas,' with the bloud
of a batt. And lay a good pennie in the high
waie, for the space of three days and three
nights; and after put it in the purse. And
when you will give it, say  'Vade et vine.'"

THE GHOST-RAISER.

MY Uncle Beagley, who commenced his
commercial career very early in the present
century as a bagman, will tell stories.  Among
them, he tells his Single Ghost story so often,
that I am heartily tired of it.  In self-defence,
therefore, I publish the tale in order that
when next the good, kind old gentleman
offers to bore us with it, everybody may say
they know it.  I remember every word of it.

One fine autumn evening, about forty years
ago, I was travelling on horseback from
Shrewsbury to Chester.  I felt tolerably
tired, and was beginning to look out for some
snug way-side inn, where I might pass the
night, when a sudden and violent thunderstorm
came on. My horse, terrified by the
lightning, fairly took the bridle between his
teeth, and started off with me at full gallop
through lanes and cross-roads, until at length
I managed to pull him up just near the door
of a neat-looking country inn.

"Well," thought I, " there was wit in your
madness, old boy, since it brought us to this
comfortable refuge."   And alighting, I gave
him in charge to the stout farmer's boy who
acted as ostler.  The inn-kitchen, which was
also the guest-room, was large, clean, neat, and
comfortable, very like the pleasant hostelry
described by Izaak Walton.  There were
several travellers already in the room—
probably, like myself, driven there for shelter—
and they were all warming themselves by the
blazing fire while waiting for supper.  I joined
the party.  Presently, being summoned by the
hostess, we all sat down, twelve in number,
to a smoking repast of bacon and eggs, corned
beef and carrots, and stewed hare.

The conversation naturally turned on the
mishaps occasioned by the storm, of which
everyone seemed to have had his full share.
One had been thrown off his horse;  another,
driving in a gig, had been upset into a muddy
dyke;  all had got a thorough wetting, and
agreed unanimously that it was dreadful
weather—a regular witches' sabbath!

"Witches and ghosts prefer for their sabbath
a fine moonlight night to such weather
as this!"

These words were uttered in a solemn tone,
and with strange emphasis, by one of the
company. He was a tall dark-looking man,
and I had set him down in my own mind as
a travelling merchant or pedlar. My next
neighbour was a gay, well-looking, fashionably-
dressed young man, who, bursting into a peal
of laughter, he said:

"You must know the manners and customs
of ghosts very well, to be able to tell that they
dislike getting wet or muddy."

The first speaker giving him a dark fierce
look, said:

"Young man, speak not so lightly of things
above your comprehension."

"Do you mean to imply that there are such
things as ghosts?"

"Perhaps there are, if you had courage to
look at them."

The young man stood up, flushed with
anger. But presently resuming his seat, he
said, calmly:

"That taunt should cost you dear, if it were
not such a foolish one."

"A foolish one! " exclaimed the merchant,
throwing on the table a heavy leathern purse.
"There are fifty guineas.  I am content to
lose them, if, before the hour is ended, I do
not succeed in showing you, who are so
obstinately prejudiced, the form of any one of
your deceased friends; and if, after you have
recognised him, you allow him to kiss your lips."

We all looked at each other, but my young
neighbour, still in the same mocking manner,
replied:

"You will do that, will you?"

"Yes," said the other "—I will stake these
fifty guineas, on condition that you will pay a
similar sum, if you lose."

After a short silence, the young man said,
gaily:

"Fifty guineas, my worthy sorcerer, are
more than a poor college sizar ever possessed;
but here are five, which, if you are satisfied,
I shall be most willing to wager."

The other took up his purse, saying, in a
contemptuous tone:

"Young gentleman, you wish to draw
back?"

"I draw back! " exclaimed the student.
"Well! if I had the fifty guineas, you should
see whether I wish to draw back!"

"Here," said I, "are four guineas, which
I will stake on your wager."

No sooner had I made this proposition than
the rest of the company, attracted by the
singularity of the affair, came forward to lay down
their money; and in a minute or two the fifty
guineas were subscribed. The merchant
appeared so sure of winning, that he placed all
the stakes in the student's hands, and prepared
for his experiment.  We selected for the
purpose a small summer-house in the garden,
perfectly isolated, and having no means of exit