leaves which the poor boy prized so highly.  Would that they had proved as a talisman to guard him from evil!  I listened with much interest to Terry’s story till our conversation was suddenly interrupted by Mr. ——­ calling him, in no very gentle tones, to go and drive home the cows from the pasture.  To reach this pasture he must needs pass through about a quarter of a mile of thick woods.  He had a great dread of walking alone in the woods, which his imagination filled with wild animals.  When he returned that evening he seemed very much terrified, and when questioned as to the cause, he replied that he “had met with a wild baste in the woods, and was kilt entirely wid the fright uv it.”

We endeavoured to gain from him a description of the animal he had seen, but for some time were unable.  “What color was the animal?” enquired Mrs. ——.  “Indade Ma’am, an’ its jist the color uv a dog he was,” answered Terry.  This reply was greeted with a burst of laughter from all present, at which he was highly offended.  In order to pacify him I said, “we would not laugh at you, Terry, only that dogs are of so many different colors that we are as much in the dark as ever regarding the color of the animal you saw.”  “Well thin,” replied he, “if you must know, he was a dirthy brown, the varmint, that he was.”  From what we could learn from him we were led to suppose that he had met with one of those harmless little creatures, called the “Woodchuck,” which his nervous terror, aided by the deepening twilight, had magnified into a formidable wild beast.

A few evenings after, two or three friends of the family chanced to call; and in course of conversation some one mentioned an encampment of Indians, who had recently located themselves in our vicinity, for the purpose of gathering material for the manufacture of baskets, and other works of Indian handicraft.  Terry had never seen an Indian, and curiosity, not unmixed with fear, was excited in his mind, when he learned that a number of those dark people were within three miles of us.  He asked many questions regarding their personal appearance, habits, &c.  It was evident that he entertained some very comical ideas upon the subject.  After sitting for a time silent, he suddenly enquired, “Do they ate pratees like other people?” A lady, present, in order to impose upon his credulity, replied, “Indeed Terry they not only eat potatoes, but they sometimes eat people.”  His countenance expressed much alarm, as he replied, “Faix thin, but I’ll kape out o’ their way.”  After a short time he began to suspect they were making game of him, and applied to me for information, saying, “Tell me, sir, if what Mrs. ——­ says is true?” “Do not be alarmed, Terry,” I replied, “for if you live till the Indians eat you, you will look even older than you now do.”