ma, stop all whom they
meet, and having very civilly lightened them of their purses, oblige
the plundered persons to accompany the robbers, till all arrive near
to the city gate, when the banditti disperse. Some ride boldly into
the town; many conceal themselves in the thickets of canes; whilst
others cut across the country, and return quietly to their homes, to
enjoy the spoil, or follow their usual occupations. The banditti, on
such extraordinary occasions, amount to twenty or thirty in number;
and it has happened that they have had about twenty carriages, besides
persons dismounted and made to lead their own horses, in the train,
which was regularly brought up by a rear-guard, while the advanced
scouts pushed on to secure fresh booty. They seldom commit murder; and
whenever it is possible, they avoid robbing officers of the army, or
civilians in the employment of government. Neither do they, when
acting in small parties, attack persons of note. Foreigners and
strangers are in general their usual victims.--_Memoir of General
Miller_.

* * * * *

STEALING A SHEET.

A bet was laid by a gentleman that he would procure an Indian thief
who should steal the sheet from under a person without waking him. The
thing was effected in the following manner:--the Bheel approaching the
person, who lay on his side, from behind, carefully folded up the
sheet in small compact plaits till it reached his back; then, taking a
feather, he tickled the nose of the sleeper, who immediately scratched
his face and rolled over on the other side, when with a slight effort
he completely released the sheet, and bore it off in triumph.--_Twelve
Years' Military Adventures_.

* * * * *

EDUCATION AND AMUSEMENTS OF THE LOWER CLASSES.

A correspondent of the _Gardener's Magazine_ observes that "next to
the existing school societies, there is nothing I am more anxious to
see, or would more gladly contribute to, than a _Society for promoting
the Rational Amusements of the Lower Classes_, the first aim of which
should be to instruct itinerant teachers of music, singing, and
dancing, in improved modes of imparting their arts, and thus fairly
set the plan agoing, when it would soon work its own way, and might
then be extended to higher objects. The taste for flowers among the
Paisley weavers, for gooseberry-growing at Manchester, and for music
among the west of Yorkshire clothiers,