ce
raised the building some twenty feet above the ground: the extreme height
is to be sixty feet. This is the last adventure of the Enchanted Rock; but
we trust a brilliant history is before it, in which, instead of expending
its energies in idle cruises, it will act the part of the beneficent
preserver of life and property.

THE FORCE OF FEAR. (FROM CHAMBERS'S EDINBURGH JOURNAL.)

At the close of the winter of 1825-6, about dusk in the afternoon, just as
the wealthy dealers in the Palais Royal at Paris were about lighting their
lamps and putting up their shutters (the practice of the major part of
them at nightfall), a well-known money-changer sat behind his counter
alone, surrounded by massive heaps of silver and gold, the glittering and
sterling currency of all the kingdoms of Europe. He had well-nigh closed
his operations for the day, and was enjoying in anticipation the prospect
of a good dinner. Between the easy-chair upon which he reclined in perfect
satisfaction, and the door which opened into the north side of the immense
quadrangle of which the splendid edifice above-mentioned is composed,
arose a stout wire partition, reaching nearly to the ceiling, and resting
upon the counter, which traversed the whole length of the room. Thus he
was effectually cut off from all possibility of unfriendly contact from
any of his occasional visitors; while a small sliding-board that ran in
and out under the wire partition served as the medium of his peculiar
commerce. Upon this he received every coin, note, or draft presented for
change; and having first carefully examined it, returned its value by the
same conveyance, in the coin of France, or indeed of any country required.
Behind him was a door communicating with his domestic chambers, and in the
middle of the counter was another, the upper part of which formed a
portion of the wire partition above described.

The denizen of this little chamber had already closed his outer shutters,
and was just on the point of locking up his doors, and retiring to his
repast, when two young men entered. They were evidently Italians, from
their costume and peculiar dialect. Had it been earlier in the day, when
there would have been sufficient light to have discerned their features
and expression, it is probable that our merchant would have defeated their
plans, for he was well skilled in detecting the tokens of fraud or design
in the human countenance. But they had chosen their