happiness, he knows, or cares to know, how often the remembrance of
his story has stopped the current of conceited day-dreams, and brought
me back to practical duty with the humble prayer, "Keep Thy servant
also from presumptuous sins."




FRIEDRICH'S BALLAD.

A TALE OF THE FEAST OF ST. NICHOLAS.


"Nè pinger nè scolpir fia più che queti,
L'anima volta a quell' Amor divino
Ch'asserse a prender noi in Croce le braccia."

"Painting and Sculpture's aid in vain I crave,
My one sole refuge is that Love divine
Which from the Cross stretched forth its arms to save."

_Written by_ MICHAEL ANGELO _at the age of 83._


"So be it," said one of the council, as he rose and addressed the
others. "It is now finally decided. The Story Woman is to be walled
up."

The council was not an ecclesiastical one, and the woman condemned to
the barbarous and bygone punishment of being "walled up" was not an