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another coast to ben before us, and so they were. And thus we passed that perilous vale, and found therein gold and silver, and precious stones, and rich jewels great plenty, both here and there, as us seemed; but whether that it was as us seemed, I never knew; for I touched none, because that the devils be so subtle to make a thing to seem otherwise than it is, for to deceive mankind; and therefore I touched none: and also because that I would not be put out of my devotion ; for I was more devout than ever I was before or after, and all for the dread of fiends, that I saw in divers figures; and also for the great multitude of dead bodies that I saw there lying by the way, by all the vale, as though there had been a battle between two kings, and the mightiest of the country, and that the greater part had been discomfited and slain. And I marvelled much that there were so many, and the bodies of all whole withouten rotting. But that might not be to my advice, that so many should have entered so newly, ne so many newly slain, without stinking and rotting. And many of them were in habit of christian men; but I trow well, that it were of such that went in for covetousness of the treasure that was there, and had overmuch febleness in faith; so that their hearts might not endure in the belief, for dread. And therefore were we the more devout a great deal; and yet we were cast down, and beaten down many times to the hard earth, by winds, and thunders, and tempests; but evermore, God, of his grace, helped us. And so we passed that perilous vale, without peril, and without incumbrance, thanked be Almighty God.

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FREDERICK AND SABINE; OR, THE MYSTERIOUS FIELD.

Ir happened that some little time before the peace of Westphalia, there assembled at the foot of the Riesenberg, in a beautiful part of the country of Silesia, a number of persons who were the relations, and had lately succeeded to the property, of an opulent deceased farmer. This man had died without children, and had left several farms and fields scattered about that fertile country, and his heirs were now met together to divide the inheritance. For this purpose they had assembled in a barn in one of the principal villages, and they found no difficulty among themselves as to the allotment of every part

of the estate, except with regard to a particular field which was known by the name of the Haunted Field, in consequence of the wonderful stories that were told respecting it.

This field was now entirely evergreen with wild flowers and weeds, which nevertheless from their strong growth betokened at the same time the excellent nature of the land, and its desolate and neglected condition; for many years had now passed since it had been disturbed by the ploughshare, or received the seed from the hands of the industrious husbandman; as it was related that no sooner had the ploughman at any time entered within its bounds than the oxen became frantic under the yoke, and ran off in affright; and that the ploughman and the seedsman, struck with the like panic, would fly in dismay, affirming that some supernatural beings, under pretence of assisting them in their labours, approached them with such hideous aspects that no one could look on them and keep their senses.

The question now arose to whom this Haunted Field should be allotted. Every one felt an insurmountable objection to it himself, but thought his neighbour might perhaps manage it, and, as is the way of the world, was desirous of shifting the burden off his own shoulders. They could, however, come to no agreement, and it was now late in the evening and time to depart, when one of them proposed an expedient which he hoped would satisfy all parties. "We are bound," he said, agreeably to the testator's will to bestow a legacy on his poor cousin who dwells in this village. The maiden is, to be sure, only very distantly related to the departed, yet she is virtuous and frugal, and well deserving of a good husband, and goes by the name of the pretty Sabine. Now I purpose that we

present this maiden with the Haunted Field, and we shall in that way discharge the wishes of our lamented relation, and it may perhaps prove a rich dowry to her if she can find a husband that will venture to cultivate it." They were all delighted at this proposal, and immediately despatched one of their number to communicate to the cousin the intelligence of their bounty.

It was about the same time in the evening that Sabine heard in the twilight, a gentle tap at her cottage window, and on asking who knocked, was answered by a voice, at the first sound of which the rustic bolt was drawn back and the little window thrown open. It was the brave young Frederick, whom she had been long expecting, and who being born as poor as herself, had for the last ten years devoted himself to the wars, in order to win some little subsistence to enable him to marry the pretty Sabine, whose kind heart was all his own. It was a delightful picture, to see Sabine leaning out of her wired lattice with tears of joy starting in her beautiful eyes, and the brave young Frederick looking up to her and proffering her his faith. "Ah! Frederick," she said, "God be praised, thou art returned safe; this has been my constant prayer morn and evening; and tell me, Frederick, have you made your fortune in the campaign?"- "Fortunes are not so soon won," said Frederick, shaking his head and smiling, "and prizes do not fall to every one. However, I am better off than when I departed, and if you have a bold heart I think you may venture to marry."-""Ah!" sighed

Sabine, "thou kind-hearted Frederick, to take a poor orphan for better and worse."- 66 Nay," said Frederick, "give me but one friendly yes, and promise to be mine, and I will

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warrant we shall thrive and live like princes." "And hast thou got thy discharge, and art no longer a soldier?" Frederick, looking into his knapsack, that held his treasures, brought out a silver medal which he reached to Sabine, and as she received it, the light of the little lamp in her chamber fell on the piece. There was a burst drum figured in an old-fashioned manner, and over it was written the words-" God be praised, the war is ended."Perhaps," added Frederick, helping her to decipher the medal; "in truth it is not yet peace, but we shall have no more fighting at present, and our colonel has discharged his men." At this intelligence Sabine held out her hand as a pledge of her affection to her lover, and invited her betrothed to come into her little chamber, where he seated himself down by her side, and related how he had won his gold and silver in honourable battle, and in the open field, from a foreign officer of rank whom he had made prisoner, and obtained the money as his ransom. After an approving smile conferred on her brave soldier, the industrious maiden took up her spindle, rejoicing that there was no ill-got gain belonging to either of them.

Just at this moment the cousin arrived, to communicate the message entrusted to him. Sabine, with maidenly blushes, presented to him the stranger, as her intended husband, and the cousin added, "This is well! I am arrived just in time, for if your betrothed has not brought back a fortune from the wars, this will be a welcome gift, which I am directed to present to you in the name of your relations, as it was the will of the testator that you should be remembered in some way or other." Frederick was too much offended at the boasting manner in which this communication was made to testify any

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