Sporting.—­Burton, in his “Anatomie of Melancholy,” tells us of a physician in Milan, who kept a house for the reception of lunatics, and by way of cure, used to make his patients stand for a length of time in a pit of water, some up to the knees, some up to the girdle, and others as high as the chin, according as they were more or less affected.  An inmate of this establishment, who happened, for the time to be pretty well recovered, was standing at the door of the house, and seeing a gallant cavalier ride past with a hawk on his fist, and his spaniels after him, asked, “What all these preparations meant?” The cavalier answered, “To kill game.”  “What may the game be worth which you kill in the course of a year?” rejoined the patient.  “About five or ten crowns.”  “And what may your horse, dogs, and hawks, cost you for a year?” “Four hundred crowns.”  On hearing this, the patient, with great earnestness of manner, bade the cavalier instantly begone, as he valued his life and welfare; “for” said he, “if our master come and find you here, he will put you into his pit up to the very chin.”

An American heroine.—­During the summer of 1787, writes Mr. McClung, in his Sketches of Western Adventure, “The house of Mr. John Merrill, of Nelson County, Kentucky, was attacked by the Indians, and defended with singular address and good fortune.  Merrill was alarmed by the barking of a dog about midnight, and on opening the door in order to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, he received the fire of six or seven Indians, by which one arm and one thigh were broken.  He instantly sank upon the floor, and called upon his wife to close the door.  This had scarcely been done when it was violently assailed by the tomahawks of the enemy, and a large breach soon effected.  Mrs. Merrill, however, being a perfect amazon, both in strength and courage, guarded it with an axe, and successively killed or wounded four of the enemy as they attempted to force their way into the cabin.  The Indians ascended the roof, and attempted to enter by way of the chimney; but here again they were met by the same determined enemy.  Mrs. Merrill seized the only feather bed which the cabin afforded, and hastily ripping it open, poured its contents upon the fire.  A furious blaze and stifling smoke instantly ascended the chimney, and brought down two of the enemy, who lay at her mercy.  Seizing the axe she quickly despatched them, and was instantly afterwards summoned to the door, where the only remaining savage now appeared, endeavoring to effect an entrance.  He soon received a gash in the cheek, which compelled him, with a loud yell, to relinquish his purpose, and return hastily to Chillicothe, where, he gave an exaggerated account of the fierceness, strength, and courage of the ’long knife squaw!’”