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pointment in his looks. “My son,” said she, ■‘‘you must not despise a gift because its ex terior is unpromising. This mill contains, and will supply to you, every necessary of life, (I do not mean gold or jewels,) if you only employ it judiciously, and do not abuse it.” . . , “ And how am I to use it 1” he inquired. “I will show you,” replied his aunt. “Is there anything which you would particularly wish for at this moment “Ah, my dear aunt,” said Nicholas, “1 have not eaten a morsel to-day; and I should like of all things, a couple of penny rolls.” The old dame set the mill upon the table, and said very slowly and deliberately— “ Mill, mill! grind away Some fresh penrfy rolls 1 pray !” [n an instant the mill was in motion, and be fore long a roll, fresh from the oven, came forth, and then a second, and a third! But when the fourth made its appearance, the old dame suddenly cried —• “ Bravo, mill! rest thee now ; Thou hast ground enough, I trow !” And in a moment the mill was at rest! Silly Nicholas had looked on in silent wonder; but silly as he was, he at once perceived the use to which it might be turned; and therefore, while he was eating his penny rolls, he learned very accurately from his aunt, both the rhymes which were to be employed. He then shook her affectionately by the hand, took his mill under his arm, and went aboard ship in the highest spirits. When his ship mates saw the old coffee-mill, they burst into a loud laugh, and ridiculed him without end. Silly Nicholas, however, let them enjoy them selves, stowed his mill away in a quiet cor ner, and for the rest of the voyage they were all so occupied with their plans of future op eration, that they forgot it altogether. At length they reached their destination; and Silly Nicholas, who had been thinking, the whole voyage through, how he could best turn his capital to account, went to the captain and asked leave to go on shore for the purpose of transacting a little business. “I will give you leave certainly, my boy,” said the captain; “but I fear you will make no great hand of it.” “Time will tell,” replied Nicholas; “but, as a specimen, I engage to produce for you, at a moderate price, within four and twenty hours, any sort of merchandise you may de sire.” “ A bargain !” said the captain, resolved to amuse himself with the lad’s (as he believed) simplicity and silliness. “All my poultry have been eaten during the voyage, and I am longing for some fresh chickens. Bring me, therefore, to-morrow, a couple of dozen, and I shall not only give you the leave, but pay you well for the fowls.” Silly Nicholas cheerfully took his mill un der his arm, and sauntered leisurely through the city, till he reached a quiet and retired spot fitted for his operations. He first made a large wicker-cage, and placing his mill be fore the door, repeated his rhyme — “ Mill, mill! grind away Fine fat poultry now, I pray !” The mill began to turn, and in a few mo ments out popped a beautiful chicken, and flew, crowing and clapping its wings, into the cage. Nicholas watched closely, and when the full number of two dozen was completed, cried out — “ Bravo, mill! rest thee now ; Thou hast ground enough, I trow!” As soon as this task was finished, he lay down on the grass beside his birds, and fell asleep perfectly happy. Next morning he presented his poultry. The captain kept his word honourably, paid him a dollar for each of the chickens, which were a rarity in that country, and gave him a month to employ for his own private advantage. Silly Nicholas had observed in the market-place a large wooden booth, where some itinerant jugglers had held their exhibition. This he hired, and he got a painter to paint over the entrance in large letters — “All sorts of goods supplied here for half-price at a day’s notice.’ 1 ’ Having made these preparations, he placed his mill in a quiet corner, and sat down to abide the result. Next morning a customer presented himself. “Is it true sir,” said he, “ that on a day’s notice you supply goods at half price'?” “Certainly,” said Nicholas; for we must henceforward drop the prefix which he de served so little. “If so,” said the stranger, “I request you will supply me to-morrow with six wagon ioads of corn. There has been a greatdearth this harvest, and I .shall pay you a hundred gold dollars for it on the spot.” §©®.*O , I2I§ISS!I BaiUfSlßj&l&'tf ®A%HIF IT & * “Agreed!” cried Nicholas. “Let your horses be here to-morrow.” He kept his word; and when the wagons were loaded, the horses could scarcely move them from the door. The man gladly paid the hundred dollars, and something over, and went his way. By this transaction Nicholas soon establish ed a character, and his mill was seldom al lowed to stand idle. He was in a fair way of soon being a rich man; but what pressed most upon him was, that his month’s leave was nearly out, and the captain was not will ing to extend it, for he expected to be able to turn his apprentice’s talents to his own priv vate advantage. This fact was quite notorious, and every one in the city pitied the poor young man, that, with such prospects, he should be com pelled to return to his former degrading occu pation. They advised him to run aw T ay; but he was too honest to follow the advice, and resolved to submit to his fate if he could find no honorable means of avoiding it. In this crisis of his fortunes the minister of w T ar came to him one day, and told him that, having heard of his great fame, and of his extraordinary resources, he had come in the hope of being released from great embarrass ment. The sultan, his master, had suddenly commanded a grand review of the army, and they were all in the greatest perplexity, as, in consequence of the non-arrival of cloths from England and Leipsic, the body-guards were not all provided with their new uniforms. “ If, therefore,” said he, “ you can produce within two days, two thousand scarlet caftans with white facings, of this pattern, you shall share the profits with myself, and I will get you named Army-Contractor to his Majesty the Sultan. This appointment will free you from your present obligations, and will be but a step to higher promotion.” Nicholas promised to do his best; and be fore the end of forty-eight hours, the two thousand caftans were punctually delivered. The minister kept faith honourably, and three hours before the expiration of the captain’s leave, Nicholas received a large parchment patent, whereby he was named “Court-and- Army Contractor to the Sultan.” No one was more indignant at this than the captain. He could no longer reclaim his ap prentice, now that he had been created a no bleman, nor compel him to share his wealth with himself. He therefore tried every means to discover Nicholas’ secret, and was con stantly spying about his workshop. At last an opportunity offered. Nikolas had gone out to a neighbour’s house, and had omitted to close the door as carefully as usual. The captain went in, and searched evfery imagina ble spot; but that day’s goods had all been re moved, and there was nothing to be seen but the four bare walls. At last, just as he was going to retire, he spied a little recess, and, on, examination, discovered in it the old coffee mill which Niclftlas had brought on board, and which had been the subject of so much ridicule. He recollected, too, that Nicholas had taken this with him when he came on shore. “ Beyond a doubt,” said he, “thismill must be the work of some great conjuror, and does everything the silly fellow wishes to have done. I had better seize on it at once, and hereafter, by force or stratagem, I shall dis cover the way to use it, and then I am a made man! ” As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to seize it. But at thts moment Nicholas, who had come in meanwhile, and overheard his old master’s soliloquy, cried out suddenly— “ Mill, mill ! grind away Stout oak cudgels now, I pray ! ” when lo! the mill began to turn furiously, and a multitude of cudgels issued from it, and be laboured the unfortunate captain’s back till they left it black and blue, and in a most mel ancholy plight. He shouted and stormed, al ternately threateningand imploring for mercy; but in vain. The castigation continued, and indeed became more violent; for the mill was constantly setting new cudgels in motion, and when the early ones fell off, there were ever new recruits to take their place, “Ah my dear, sweet Master Nicholas! ” sobbed the unfortunate captain, “do, pray do, stop this cudgelling, or 1 shall expire. Oh — oh—oh! Why did I ever call this stupid young rascal, who by right should be my ser vant —why did I call him “ sweet Master Nicholas ! ” Stop this moment your infernal tricks, you worthless scoundrel, or I shall hang you up at the mast-head like a weather cock, there you shall dangle while there is breath in your body ! Oh murder! murder!” Nicholas, instead of answeringhim, pointed to the blue caftan—his uniform as an officer of the court—which sheltered him from all the captain’s menaces. “ Yes, yes ! ” the wretched man replied ; “ I was wrong when I spoke so disrespectful ly to your excellency. I regret it bitterly; and if you will only have pity on my wounded back, I shall never forget myself so again.” “Well, I am begining myself,” said Nicho las, “to think that you have got enough to teach you never to lay your hand on another’s property again. I shall open the door for you therefore, and you may go about your busi ness; but be sure never to attempt such a trick again, else you shall not escape so cheaply.” The captain flew, as if he had wings, through the open door, and all the cudgels pursued him merrily. But as soon as he was a short distance away, Nicholas cried— “ Bravo, mill! rest thee now ; Thou hast ground enough, I trow ! ” The cudgels ceased, therefore, and the unfort unate captain was left to pursue his way in peace, as well as his pains would permit him ; but from this day forth he entertained a deep grudge against Nicholas, and vowed and de clared that he would leave no stone unturned to get posessionof this magic mill, and if pos sible, to revenge himself some other way.— For a long time he planned and planned, but in vain, till at length a thought occurred to him which appeared very feasible. He could not set about it at once, however, for he was obliged to wait till the traces of the cudgelling had disappeared. But the delay only made his hatred the more deep and bitter, and the very moment he was well, he went straight to Master Nicholas, offered him his hand, told him that they should mutually forgive and forget, and in evidence of the sincerity of his reconciliation, invited Nicholas to a splendid entertainment at the principal hotel, to which he had asked a number of his friends. Nicholas, who was naturally a good-hu moured youth, at once accepted the invitation. The wine proved very attractive, and in a short time Nicholas had taken quite enough for the captain’s purpose. He would gladly have sliced off the poor fellow’s ears as he lay, but the presence of Nicholas’ friends com pelled him to bridle his revenge; and while they were engaged in conveying Nicholas to bed, the captain hastily repaired to the poor youth’s house, having previously abstracted the key out of his pocket, and began to search for the mill. He found it without difficulty, concealed it carefully under his cloak, flew like lightning to the ship, and lest, when Nicholas had slept off his drunken fit, he should raise an alarm about the robbery, ordeied the ship to put to sea without a moment’s delay. Late in the evening Nicholas awoke, and was greatly surprised to find himself in bed in a strange place. After a little, however, calling to mind the occurrences of the day, he was dreadfully alarmed; for he saw r that what had happened with the captain and his friends was a concerted plan, and that they had avail ed themselves of his insensible condition to play a villainous trick upon him. He flung on his clothes, and hurried without delay to his house; but found, to his indescribable af fliction, that his precious treasure, the origin and foundation of his wealth, was gone. Still he resolved to do his best, though he feared it was too late, to recover his treasure. Summoning his neighbours to his assistance, therefore, he went down to the river where the ship had been lying. But alas! she had long since set sail, and now had reached the open sea, where it was hopeless to attempt pursuit. Sick at heart, and deeply.downcast, he returned to his house, and from that mo ment he was of course compelled to leave his orders unexecuted, and to break up his estab lishment. The people in the city said he had speculated too far, and had run out his capit al. But Nicholas himself knew where the shoe pinched, and quietly betook himself to the country, where he had time, in his cooler moments, to reflect that he was better oft'than he thought at first; having contrived, while his trade lasted, to lay upa considerable sum, sufficient to purchase a very nice property, on which he lived till a good old age, pouring blessings on his old aunt and her still older coffee-mill. Meanwhile the thief was sailing over the deep sea, and chuckling at his good fortune. He indulged himself in thinking w T hat a multi tude of speculations he would embark in, till he should at last be the first man in the land. “ And then,” said he, “ I shall break the old mill to pieces, lest any one else should grow as rich as myself. Luckily I still recollect, since that cursed cudgelling, the words which set the mill in motion.” During this soliloquy he had begun to feel hungry, and ordered the cook to serve dinner w ithout delay. The cook soon presented him self. “ A nice dinner it will be! ” said he, with a countenance full of ill-humor.— “ Where am Ito find it, pray ? We set sail in such a hurry, that we have not a fortnight’s provisions on board! And this moment, when I went to put some salt in your soup, I found to my horror that there is not a grain of salt in the ship!” “Well, well!” said the captain in great good-humour, “ make your mind easy about it. Be assured we shall want for nothing ; and in the first place, I must get you some salt for the soup.” He took the coffee-mill down from the shelf as he spoke, and said with great solemnity— “ Mill, mill! grind away: Let us have some salt, I pray !” The mill according to its wont, began to turn, and, to the captain’s great delight, forth came a thick stream of salt. The cook opened his mouth and hut could not forhislife con ceive how this came to pass, till at last, when there was already a large heap of salt lying before them, he said, “ That may do for the present, and the mill if it pleases, may grind us something else.” The captain also, w T ho saw that they now’ had salt enough to last for a year and a day, w 7 as disposed to stop the working of the mill ; but, alas! to his horror, it now 7 struck him for the first time that he did not know the words necessary to stop it! In his terror and an guish of mind he grasped it for the purpose of stopping its revolutions; but it struck him such a blow upon the fingers, that the blood spouted out furiously, and he drew back screaming with pain and affright. “It must be some devil or hobgoblin we have got on hoard! ” cried the cook, who, as the heap of salt continued to increase, ran aw r ay to the fore-deck, and told the sailors what the captain had done. Meanwhile the captain tried every speciec of prayer, and every form of exorcism; but to no purpose. At last he flew 7 into a rage, and drew 7 his sword. “Worthless thing that you are! ” he cried with fury, “ I will knock you to shivers, and put an end to your magic at once! ” He aimed a terific blow at the mill, and struck it with such effect, that it flew into two pieces. At first he was delighted with his heroism; but what was his horror when he saw both halves stand erect, and both begin to grind away as busily as the one mill had ground before ! He was struck dumb with terror, and could make no farther effort to re lieve himself. Meanwhile the mills continued to grind away busily, and at last they ground such a quantity of salt, that the ship could not float any longer under the weight, but sunk to the bottom w r ith the captain and crew ! From that time forth—as the story books go —the sea has been salt , and it will always con tinue so; for both the mills are still at work, and never fail to maintain the supply ! Nniispaper Analects, CHILTERN HUNDREDS, [Doubtless many of our readers have heard and read of the “ Chiltern Hundreds”, and yet have no definite idea of the meaning of the expression. As it frequently occurs in arti cles taken from English Journals, and in En glish books, we have thought that the follow ing brief account of it would be acceptable.— Ed. S. L.G.] The acceptance of this office, or Steward ship, vacates a seat in parliament, but with out any emolument or profit. Chiltern is a ridge of chalky hills crossing the country of Bucks, a little south of the centre, reaching from Tring in Hertfordshire to Herdy in Ox ford. This district belongs to the crown, and from time immemorial has given title to the nominal office of stewards of the Chiltern hun dreds. Os this office, as well as the manor of East Hundred, in Berks, it is remarkable, that that although frequently conferred upon mem bers of parliament, it is not productive either of honor or emolument; being granted at the request of any member of that house, merely to enable him to vacate his seat by the accep tance of a nominal office under the crown; and on this account has been granted to three or four members a week. SENTENCES WORTHY TO BE GOT BY HEART. As you cannot overtake time, the best way is to be always a few minutes before him. Whatever your situation in life may be, lay down your plan of conduct for the day'. The half hours will glide smoothly on, with out crossing or jostling each other. When you set about a good work, do not till you have completed it. In the morning, think on what you are to do in the day, and at night, think on what you have done. Religion is the best armour, but the worst cloak. 37