of ropes from a lady's balcony is as
good as a staircase; and as I told you last night, 'love laughs at
locksmiths.'"

Of course old Beppo stormed and swore, as irascible old gentlemen are
very apt to do in similar circumstances, but he ended by forgiving the
lovers, as that was the only act in his power. He not only forgave
them, but gave up his gondola to the stronger hands of Antonio, and
settled a handsome portion on Zanetta; nor did he ever regret his
generosity, for they proved grateful and affectionate, and were the
stay and solace of his declining years. Such is the veritable history
of a carnival incident of the olden days of Venice.

THE SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS.

A MILITARY SKETCH.

It was a great day for Dogtown, being no other than the anniversary of
the annual militia muster; and on this occasion not only the Dogtown
Blues were on parade upon the village green, but the entire regiment
of which they formed a part, commanded by the gallant Colonel
Zephaniah Slorkey, postmaster and variety-store keeper, was to engage
in a sham fight, representing the surrender of Cornwallis. There was
no attempt at historical costume, but it was understood that Slorkey,
with his cowhide boots and rusty plated spurs, his long,
swallow-tailed blue coat, and threadbare chapeau with a cock's tail
feather in it, mounted on his seventy-five dollar piebald mare,
promoted from the plough and "dump cart," was the representative of
General Washington. Major Israel Ryely, his second in command, a
native of the rival village of Hardscrabble, was to figure as Lord
Cornwallis; and the selection was the more appropriate, since the
private relations of these two great men were any thing but amicable,
and they espoused opposite sides in politics. Dr. Galenius Jalap, an
apothecary and surgeon of the regiment, a man with a hatchet face,
hook nose, and thin, weeping whiskers, the color of sugar gingerbread,
undertook the character of La Fayette at very short notice, and a very
dim conception of the character he had.

The entire population of Dogtown and Hardscrabble turned out to
witness the stupendous military operations of the day. On the American
side were the Dogtown Blues, with four companies of ununiformed
militia, armed with rifles, fowling pieces, and rusty muskets, and
typifying the continental army. Their artillery consisted of two light
field pieces, served by a select band of volunteers. These pieces were
posted on an