Page:Monthly scrap book, for September.pdf/24

24 A Remarkable Anecdote.—Lord Craven lived in London when the last great plague raged. His house was in that part of the town called Craven Buildings. On that sad calamity growing epidemic, his Lordship, to avoid the danger, resolved to retire to his seat in the country. His coach and six were accordingly at the door, the baggage put up, and all things in readiness for the journey. As he was walking through his hall with his hat on, his cane under his arm, and putting on his gloves, in order to step into his carriage, he overheard his negro (who served him as postilion) say to another servant, "I suppose, by my Lord's quitting London to avoid the plague, that his god lives in the country, and not in town." The poor negro said this in the simplicity of his heart, as really believing a plurality of gods. The speech, however, struck Lord Craven very sensibly, and made him pause—"My God (thought he) lives everywhere, and can preserve me in town, well as in the country; I'll e'en stay where I am. The ignorance  that negro has preached a useful sermon to me—Lord, pardon that unbelief, and that distrust of thy providence, which made me think  running away from thy hand." He immediately ordered the horses be taken from the coach, and the luggage to be brought in. He continued in London, was remarkably useful among his sick neighbours and never caught the infection.

Caledonian Estimation of Money.—A Scotch pedestrian, by three highwaymen, defended himself with great courage and obstinacy, but was at last overpowered, and his pockets rifled. The robbers expected, from the extraordinary resistance they had experienced to lay their hands on some rich booty; but were not a little to discover, that the whole treasure which the sturdy Caledonian  been defending at the hazard of his life, consisted of no more than  crooked sixpence "The duce is in him," said one of the  "if he had possessed eighteen-pence, I suppose he would have  the whole of us.

Plant strawberries and box-edgings. Transplant lettuce, endive and all evergreen shrubs. Look wall-trees and espaliers, and fasten straggling  Prepare ground for planting fruit trees. Dig up all vacant borders, and clean and roll gravel walks. snails, caterpillars, and other vermin. Slip and transplant fibrous-rooted plants and flowers.