But now comes forward more than before, an officer of the guards—­a guardsman is now become indispensable—­who is also in love with the marquess’s daughter, and being not at all scrupulous of the means of accomplishing his point—­a very worthless person in short—­he plays Iago, and pours into the lady’s ear the tale of Hyde’s gambling propensities, and his deep involvements; and moreover of a lady whose affection he had wantonly won, and wantonly cut, and who was now actually dying for him.  This, however, was not all true; the lady alluded to was the daughter of his father’s friend and neighbour; she and Hyde had been brought up together from children, and played and romped together, and once, before Hyde went to Oxford, he had forced from her a kiss.  The poor fond girl had treasured up the kiss, and Hyde had thought no more of her, or of it.  She, however, pined away, and let concealment feed on her damask cheek; and at this time was at Brighton for change of air.  She has a brother, a lancer; he hears, through Hyde’s precious rival, of the state of his sister, and for the first time, of the cause.  He flies to the duke’s—­though deeply occupied, at the moment, in seducing the affections of a married woman in Ireland—­and calls upon Hyde to meet him forthwith.  Hyde’s rival is the lancer’s second.  Hyde falls, and as he is borne bleeding to the house, Lady Georgina, the marquess’s daughter, meets him.  The shock kills her outright, and the story stops; but hints are given that he slowly recovers, and by still slower degrees is brought to think of the charming girl, who had treasured his boyish kiss, and marries.—­Monthly Magazine.

* * * * *

MAN-EATING SOCIETY.

There is a horrible institution among some of the Indian tribes, which furnishes a powerful illustration of their never-tiring love of vengeance.  It is called the Man-Eating Society, and it is the duty of its associates to devour such prisoners as are preserved and delivered to them for that purpose.  The members of this society belong to a particular family, and the dreadful inheritance descends to all the children, male and female.  Its duties cannot be dispensed with, and the sanctions of religion are added to the obligations of immemorial usage.  The feast is considered a solemn ceremony, at which the whole tribe is collected as actors or spectators.  The miserable victim is fastened to a stake, and burned at a slow fire, with all the refinements of cruelty which savage ingenuity can invent.  There is a traditionary ritual, which regulates, with revolting precision, the whole course of procedure at these ceremonies.  The institution has latterly declined, but we know those who have seen and related to us the incidents which occurred on these occasions, when white men were sacrificed and consumed.  The chief of the family and principal members of the society among the Miames, whose name was White Skin, we have seen, and with feelings of loathing, excited by a narrative of his atrocities, amid the scenes when they occurred..—­North American Review.