condition. She had moreover a sweet musical
voice, and for a person of her time of
life, her enunciation was peculiarly distinct,
while the words she uttered were remarkably
well-chosen.

The servants, who were in advance of
Luchmuneea's carriage, passed the old woman
without taking notice of her. The lower
classes of the people in India have little or
no feeling for the distresses of their fellow-creatures.
But the young bride, who had a
tender heart, and who had also, like all native
children in India, a reverence and respect for
all very aged people, took pity on the old
woman, and called to the driver to stop the
carriage. He instantly checked the bullocks,
and from behind the curtains Luchmuneea
inquired of the old woman the cause of her
sorrows and lamentations.

"Child," she cried; "may God preserve
you in safety! I have a granddaughter in
Muttra whom I wish to see before my death.
I was walking there, but my strength has
failed me, and it is my fate to remain here,
and eat the dust of this desert. May you be
happy, child! And may your fortune never
lie hid beneath a stone"

"Mother," said Luchmuneea, "do not cry.
Compose yourself and take heart, and you
shall see your granddaughter. I am going to
Muttra, and you shall go with me. Get into
the bylee (carriage)."

The old woman, who was eloquent in
blessings, showered them down plentifully on
Luchmuneea's head. "May your throne be
perpetual! May your children give you joy!
May you be the mother of a line of kings!
May all the riches of the world be thrown
into your basket! " And here she kissed
Luchmuneea's feet and pressed her little
ancles, around which were heavy golden
ornaments.

After a brief while, the old woman began to
recount her history, which was an unbroken
chain of calamities. The young bride listened
with interest and compassion. The old woman
then began—for it was becoming dark—to
beguile the time by repeating several lively
stories, relating to Rajahs and Ranees, who
had lived some thousands of years ago.

The driver of the vehicle, to keep himself
awake, began to sing at the top of his voice,
while the jingling of the bells on the necks of
the bullocks formed an accompaniment to his
monotonous song. The old woman then
recommended the bride to take some rest; and
shampooed her, with all the tenderness and
skill of an experienced nurse, until Luchmuneea
fell into a sound sleep.

The procession moved on, and about three
o'clock in the morning arrived at the Havâlee
(dwelling place) of Narein Bysack, which was
within the ancient city of Muttra. The huge
iron-bound doors were thrown open, and, the
train admitted in the court-yard, were again
closed and bolted. All the relatives and
dependants of Narein (except the bridegroom,
who was not yet privileged to see her) were
there assembled to welcome Luchmuneea to
her future home.

The bride's servants, fancying she was
asleep, called to her, "Baba, Baba! awake!
awake! You have arrived!" They also
called out, "Boorheea! Boorheea! (old woman,
old woman) get up, get up! " But there was
no answer.

The mother of the bridegroom withdrew
the curtains of the vehicle. She looked in,
and seeing Luchmuneea lying at full length
on the flooring of the carriage, she said to
her, "My life! arouse yourself and let me
take you to my breast." Luchmuneea did
not move; and her mother-in-law placed her
hand upon the child's shoulder: she found
it cold. A torch was lifted up, and by its
strong light, the young bride was discovered
a corpse. She had been strangled during the
night, and the thin cord with which her life
had been taken was still about her neck.
She had fallen a victim to a woman Thug—
the old hag upon whom she had taken pity
on the road! Her jewels and golden
ornaments, for which she had been murdered, had
been taken from her person, and violence
had been resorted to, in pulling her bracelets
over her hands, and her anklets over her feet.
The old hag had laid in wait for Luchmuneea,
of whose departure for Muttra on a certain
day she had acquired information.

After a few months, she, with the
whole gang to which she belonged, was
apprehended in the district of Bolundshuhur.
Amongst other diabolical crimes to which
she confessed was this most cold-blooded
murder. At about midnight, she said, when
the child was sleeping, she fastened around
her neck the fatal noose, which, she carried
concealed about her person. The child
struggled and made a faint noise, but it was
drowned by the jingling of the bells on the
bullocks' necks, and the song the driver was
singing. When the deed was done, she slipt
quietly from the back part of the carriage,
and it proceeded on its way to Muttra, bearing
the lifeless body of the young bride,
whose coming was so anxiously looked for by
the family of her husband.

Thuggee has of late very much decreased
in India—at least in those provinces under
British rule. The case here narrated occurred
in the cold weather of eighteen hundred and
forty-seven.

On the 7th of March will be published, price 5s. 6d.,
neatly bound in Cloth,
THE SIXTH VOLUME
OF
HOUSEHOLD WORDS.
Containing the Numbers issued between September llth,
1852, and February 26th, 1853; including the extra
Christmas number, entitled, "A ROUND OF STORIES BY
THE CHRISTMAS FlRE."