the hall, could be heard. She had gained
a complete victory; the ghost was never heard again on the premises, and
the whole affair was soon forgotten. Some weeks afterward some friends
dropped in to take a cup of tea and talk over the last piece of gossip.
Among other things the wine was mentioned, and the maid sent to get some
from the cellar. She soon returned, and gasping for breath, rushed into
the room, exclaiming, "'Tis all gone, ma'am;" and sure enough it was all
gone. "The ghost has taken it"--not a drop was left, only the empty cask
remained; the side was half eaten away, and marks of sharp teeth were
visible round the ragged margins of the newly made bungholes.

This discovery fully accounted for the noise the ghost had made, which
caused so much alarm. The aboriginal rats in the dame's cellar had found
out the wine, and communicated the joyful news to all the other rats in
the parish; they had assembled there to enjoy the fun, and get very
tipsy (which, judging from the noise they made, they certainly did) on
this treasured cask of wine. Being quite a family party, they had
finished it in two nights; and having got all they could, like wise rats
they returned to their respective homes, perfectly unconscious that
their merry-making had nearly been the death of the rightful owner and
"founder of the feast." They had first gnawed out the cork, and got as
much as they could: they soon found that the more they drank the lower
the wine became. Perseverance is the motto of the rat; so they set to
work and ate away the wood to the level of the wine again. This they
continued till they had emptied the cask; they must then have got into
it and licked up the last drains, for another and less agreeable smell
was substituted for that of wine. I may add that this cask, with the
side gone, and the marks of the rats' teeth, is still in my possession.

SNAKES AND THEIR POISON

From 'Curiosities of Natural History'

Be it known to any person to whose lot it should fall to rescue a person
from the crushing folds of a boa-constrictor, that it is no use pulling
and hauling at the centre of the brute's body; catch hold of the tip of
his tail,--he can then be easily unwound,--he cannot help himself;--he
"must" come off. Again, if you wish to kill a snake, it is no use
hitting and trying to crush his head. The bones of the head are
composed of the densest material, affording effectual protection to the
brain underneath: a wi