( 240 ) 



THE BAWNVONE. 



(Concluded from page 136.) 



IN the centre of the town where our hero was located there had been 

 erected, some years before, what was properly termed a market- 

 house, a lofty, commodious building, of an oblong shape, to which 

 resorted upon stated or market-days the surrounding farmers or 

 their wives, with the produce of their industry. A country town has 

 seldom many attractive features, but, on a market-day, the dullest 

 becomes interesting. On such an occasion we see the best specimens 

 of our country-people snug farmers, with immense jock-coats, alike 

 intended for resisting wet and keeping out the sun ; the dress, how- 

 ever, somewhat lightened in its effect by the light corduroy small- 

 clothes and gray stockings, displaying the well-proportioned legs 

 the women, with bright scarlet mantles, sometimes clasped with a 

 silver buckle, and a real silk handkerchief drawn over the head and 

 tightened under the chin, yet 'not so as to hide the cap-border of 

 thread-lace, when thread-lace cost as much by the yard as would 

 now load a pedlar's back with the production- of the looms of Notting- 

 ham. Then the anxiety to dispose of the sacks of meal, or potatoes, 

 or butter, or eggs, or yarn, in order to go shopping through the 

 town, and complete all necessary purchases before dark, with the 

 usual chorus of beggars and ballad-singers, who find also their best 

 market on the occasion, presents altogether a scene of bustle and vi- 

 vacity which makes the market-day to be looked forward to as some- 

 thing to relieve the monotony of country-town life. 



It was upon such a day that, as the i neighbours" were flockingin 

 with their different commodities, a creature of miserable aspect was 

 seen squatted in the centre of one of the principal entrances of the 

 market-house the simplicity of the times rendered gates or doors 

 unnecessary for such a place. An idiot, or, in the language more 

 generally applied, a fool, was an object of such frequent appearance 

 that such a creature never excited a stronger feeling than that of 

 compassion one whose claims 'upon charity were unquestionable. 

 But upon the present occasion there was every thing in the aspect of 

 the unknown to cause alarm and disgust. A wretched remnant of a 

 cloak was sufficient to wrap up the miserable little figure, which was 

 that of a female, to whom other causes rather than that of years gave 

 the stamp of advanced life. The hair, which was a grisly black, 

 almost hid the face, and, being: matted with the rain, conveyed a mi- 

 serable chill to the beholder. The eyes literally glared with insanity, 

 and the whole look was that as of one deprived suddenly of reason and 

 totally paralyzed by some horrible spectacle. This feeling was con- 

 siderably strengthened by the ceaseless gibbering of the wretch, 

 who, rocking herself backward and forward, repeated the same 

 sounds, and which perhaps the fancy, coming to the aid of the sen- 

 sation first caused, interpreted into something of which the word 

 murder formed as it were the burden. She was invoked, after every 



