-
He whistles for our crumbs.

But, like the child of want, he hails
Too oft where avarice prevails--
Devoid of charity;--
Where hearts 'neath rich-clad bosoms glow,
Yet never feel the inspiring throe
Of tender sympathy.

Tho' pleas'd with wildly-warbled song,
The minstrel's life will they prolong
With food and shelter warm?
No,--see, to shun the cruel snare,
Again he wings the frozen air,
And dies amidst the storm.

How sweeter far it were to see
The bird familiar, fond, and free,
With confidence intrude;--
To see him to the table come,
And hear him sing o'er ev'ry crumb
A song of gratitude.

C. COLE.

* * * * *

BUYING AND SELLING THE DEVIL.

(_For the Mirror._[3])

"Every thing may be had for money," is an old remark, and perhaps no
less true.

There have been also proverbial sayings of buying and selling the devil;
but that such a traffic was actually ever negociated will appear
incredible. Blount's "Law Dictionary," under _Conventio_, gives an
instance of a sale; it is extracted from the court rolls of the manor of
Hatfield, near the isle of Axholme, county of York, where a curious
gentleman searched for it and found it regularly entered. There then
followeth an English translation for the benefit of those who do not
understand the original language.

"Curia tenta apud Hatfield die Mercurii Prov post Festum. Anno II Edw.
III."

Robert de Roderham appeared against John de Ithon, for that he had not
kept the agreement made between them, and therefore complains, that on a
certain day and year, at Thorne, there was an agreement between the
aforesaid Robert and John, whereby the said John sold to the said Robert
the devil, bound in a certain bond, for threepence farthing; and
thereupon the said Robert delivered to the said John one farthing as
earnest-money, by which the property of the said devil rested in the
person of the said Robert, to have livery of the said devil on the
fourth day next following, at which day the said Robert came to the
aforementioned John, and asked livery of the said devil, according to
the agreement between them made. But the said John refused to deliver
the said devil, nor has he yet done it, &c. to the grievous damage of
the said Robert to the amount of sixty shillings; and he has therefore
brought his suit, &c.

The said John came, &c., and did not deny the said agreement; and