CURRAN. 822 recruit, and was glad to find him already promoted to the honour of a halberd; he had no doubt that the young serjeant would prove a valuable acquisition to the regiment, although he had cut rather an aukward figure upon the first night's drill. The manceuvres and discipline of his squad might be a little irksome, because so different from that of the corps he had lately quitted, and in wbich he bad served so long with credit as an expert soldicr; bat he might improve in time, and ehtitle himself to higher pay and promotion. At present, tbe worthy serjeant's situation reminded him of an incident while he was a boy, which occurred to the master of a puppet-show in his native village. This itinerant manager, with bis company of wooden comedians, large as life, on his arrival sent forth his pickle herring, with fife and drum, to announce his performance: the quality of the place, including the squire, the attorney, the apothecary, the exciseinan, and the church-warden of the village, with their ladies, attended the performance. The Roscius of the drama, Mr. PUNCH, excited the warmest admiration of the audience, he was all eloquence, wit, and pleasantry, and so fascinated the lady of the squire, and chief magistrate in particular, that, on her return home, she talked and dreamed of nothing bat Mr. Punch, and at last made a positive demand of her husband that he should purchase Mr. Panch from the manager, as an ornament to her cabinet In vain did her worshipful, spouse remonstrate, and inveigh against the folly of such a whim, ia vain did he warn het of wiat the neighbours would say; he talked to no purpose, PUNCH she must have, she could hot live without him. The gray mare was the better horse:" the magistrate was obliged to comply, and the very next day concluded an expensive treaty with the manager for the purchase of his chief actor. But when punch was transferred to my lady's chamber, all his faculties failed him, all his vivacity vanish- ed; he could neither talk, joke, laugh, nor amuse, as he was wont. The lady tried to rouse his spirits, she raised one hand, bat it fell lifeless by his side; she tried the othet, with the
