The Story Of A Wood-Carver At St. Paul's.

Hannah Haybittle , " only daughter of Ralph Haybittle , at Sudbury , describing tho meaus he adopted to procure employment as a carver at the works in St . Paul's Cathedral , then erecting by Sir Christopher Wren , and runs thus : —

" No . 9 , Ivy-lane , London , "September 3 , 1669 . "Dearest Hannah , my sweet Mistress , —Pray God that this may find my own sweet heart and lyfe well . I hope that James Herbert put into your hands one letter whicli I sent . I gave him the letter myself , ancl he promised most faithfully to find occasion to

conveys it to you . I know , my dear Hannah , you think it both hard and wrong to hide anything from the knowledge of so kind a father as yours . The waggon returns into London on Tuesday , so I went to the yard in Bishopsgate , and waited for it to arrive . At last I heard the bells ; and Jim Herbertas he turned

, under the gateway , smiled at me pleasantly , and he said , ' Wait a bit , young chap , I have somewhat to say to thee . ' After a while he came to me , and told me how he met you walking on the croft , with your maid Susan , and how he contrived to give you my packet unseen of her . To think of such craft under

a waggoner his frock ! But no letter from you . He says that you looked well , and seemed happy to receive my letter , and I am contente . But had you no opportunities to write oue line ? I know how it is , dear Hannah ; you dislike any artifice . Indeed , it is hardly right for me , who owe so much to your good father , even the abilities to write this , as he sent me , a poor orphan , to the free school—to tempt you in this matter .

. " I can no longer put off telling you the good news . God has , indeed , been good to us . Little did 1 expect such happiness when I left Sudbury last May . That morning , when I looked for the last time from the hill , I thought my hearte would surely burst , and at one moment I was inclined to turn back ; but then came to my mind what kind neihbour Smith should

g say she heard your father say about Loudon ; so I plucked up courage , and walked very fast over the Tye . Dear Hannah , it is a very sad lyfe to he alone in a great city . At Sudbury , I did contrive to see you , though at a distance , every day ; and I could walk in the leasaunt fieldsand think about youand

p , , read Master Shakspear his plays which you gave me , and which trulie have been , latterlie , with my Bible , my onlie comforte . In the evening I could pass your house to catch a glimpse of your shadowe on your ¦ casement , or to hear your spinnet sounding ; and sometimes I found the neighbours showing the

carvings to a farmer or two who had been at the market ; and it was siveete to my poor vain heart to hear them tell how the rich merchant , Master Haybittle , retired from London to his native town , and bought a house , and employed a poor young man who showed some taste for such mattersto carve upon the woodwork

, elephants aud lions , aud other wonderful beasts from the distant lands where he used to send merchandise . Then all said the carver must go up to London and become a great man .

Well , I got to London , but no one would employ me , and my little pittance of money got lower and lower ; and I used , for want of employment , to go to the Churchyard of St . Paul , aud watch the building , which will certainlie be oue of the wonders of the

world . Suddenly it struck me one day , that they would surelie put into such a grand building carvings , such as I have often seen at Melford and the other churches ; and I spoke humblie to the foreman , but they repulsed me , saying , ' We want no hedge carpenters here . ' Nevertheless , I went day after day to

look on at a distance ; and a week yesterday , . as I stood as usual , iu great admiration , a gentleman approached , with papers in his hand , and he talked with the workpeople ; and at last his eye fell on me , and he said to the foreman , ' What does that young man want ? I will not have any person about here unless

they have business . ' And the foreman answered , ' Please you , Sir Christopher , he is a country fellow , who troubles us to give him some of the carving work to do . ' On this the gentleman , who I then knew to he the great architect , Wren , beckoned me towards himand said'Friendyou

, , , want carving work . What have you used to carve ?' Haunah ! indeed you will hardly credit it , but I was so confused that , forgetting all but what I earned my bread by whilst I was in the country , I answered , stammeringlie , 'Please , your Worship , Sir ChristoherI have been used to carve troughs . ' ' Troughs '

p , , said he , ' then carve me , as a specimen of your skill , a sow and pigs ; it will be something in your line ; and bring it to me this day week . I shall be here . ' On which he went away smiling , and all the foremen and workpeople burst into loud laughter .

" I do not know how I reached my lodgings , hut when I did I throwed myself on the bed , and shed bitter tears , and reproached myself for losing such an opportunitie of explaining what I had done on your father his house . In the evening the good Quaker womanwhose back-garret I rentcame upstairsand

, , , , entering my room , said , ' Friend Philip , I have not seen thee since morning ; I feared thou wert ill ; see , I have brought thee some broth . ' But I could not touch it ; so she said , ' Tell me , I pray thee , thy trouble ; it may be I can help thee . ' So I told her , and she said , ' Thou art wrong , for if the man who is

building that great steeple-house requires such and such a thing clone , why , if thou really hast skill , it will be showed as well in that as in any other matter . ' Her words were comforting to me , and I sat up on the bed , and ate the broth ; and then I took my last guinea , and I went out and bought a block of peartree wood , and worked at my task continually ; and

yesterday morning I dressed myself in my best , and wrapping it an apron , borrowed from my landlady , I went to the building . The workpeople jeered me , and pressed very much that I should show it to them , but on no account would I do so . I waited two or three hours , and then it was rumoured that Sir Christopher Wren was arrived with a partof the qualit

y y , to whom he was showing the building . At last he and the rest passed where I stood , but when I would have gone forward to speak with him , the foreman and others would have hindered me , saying , this is not the proper time ; you may see that Sir Christopher is otherwise engaged . ' But necessity made me then

bolder , and I said , 'He himself appointed me this morning , ' and I pressed through them . Directly his eye caught me , he beckoned , and I went towards him , and I bowed aud undid the apron , and presented the carving to him . Eor a minute he held it in his hand , —Oh ! deare Hannah ! what an anxious minute!—