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to the great regret of her parents. Since this catastrophe, misfortune upon misfortune had come over her father's house, and when he was reduced to starvation, her generous partner who had again realized great property, hastened to the parental house, and there relieved the sufferers of their anxiety and want, by presenting them with a large sum of money. And this man had formerly been sent away from the door of his father-in-law, because the sum of money, which he brought as a dowry, was not considered sufficient. So much for the generosity of this noble minded man.
A young husband lost his wife and was sorrowing for her loss, when the cold hand of death also removed his concubine. Being inconsolable, he retired to a solitary cupola in the garden to indulge freely in his grief. He was sitting up late and reading a book, when suddenly the figure of an old woman gliding along the wall made him startle. He had, however, assurance enough to meet the spec- tre boldly, and ascertaining that it was a hobgoblin, drove it forth- with out of the room. Very soon afterwards, there appeared the shadow of a very beautiful woman, which the disconsolate husband was anxious to catch. The figure seeing no escape possible, began to assume the human form, and addressed the mourner: “A number of women are buried under your house, and being envious of your consort, we killed her. All of us have assumed the shape of demons, and hover about at pleasure; the old woman you saw before was my duenna when alive, and also serves me in hades. If you wish to have accounts of your late wife, I shall appear to you regularly every evening, and become the courier of your desires to your spouse.' When the husband heard this he was greatly delighted, and instantly closed the bargain. This intercourse had lasted for some time, when the ghostly visitor declared, that she must now revenge her own death, for her husband by his improper conduct, had forced her to hang herself. The case had never been sufficiently investigated, and she was now going to Shántung to bring the whole matter before the pro- per tribunal. But I cannot walk, she added, and you must therefore give me a horse to ride upon. The widower readily agreed to pro- vide her with a charger, but stipulated, that during her absence, his wife should be allowed to have interviews with him in a private apartment unknown to any one in the house. To this the fairy easily agreed; the husband had a proper horse made, burnt it at his door, and she rode off instantly to the court of justice. The shade of his wife now came regularly, and the intercourse grew daily more and more endearing, when one evening she began to complain of dreadful