nothing of the previous occurrences, on his return home, observed, that he could not conceive what mischief was in agitation, as his face had been closely examined by more than one person, in passing the lamps, who wore masks, and appeared to be actuated by curiosity, or some other motive, to an extraordinary degree. Those who were acquainted with the events of the evening, were at no loss to conjecture for whom they were on the watch. An obnoxious individual can at any time be put out of the way, in Rome, for a very small reward. To save these obliging and tender-hearted gentry further trouble, and to consult his own safety, he early the next morning left the dominions of the church, and pursued his journey to Naples. If individuals, and incidents of such a character, should frequently present themselves to the notice of the tourist, it would almost induce him to deny himself the delights and advantages of foreign travel, and adopt this sentiment of COWLEY, _About the spacious world let others roam, The voyage life, is longest made at home._ ☞ FOR THE RURAL MAGAZINE. THE VILLAGE TEACHER. Twice in every year our otherwise quiet village is thrown into a ferment, which agitates its little community like an earthquake, and unsettles all the habits of order and industry for which we are usually remarkable. The cause of this great tumult is the militia training--that system which supposes every citizen to be a soldier, and undertakes to instruct him in the art and mystery of holding a musket and putting the right foot foremost. On the last of these occasions, I was surprised to find that my whole school had played truant; and observing an unusual ferment in the streets, found, upon inquiry, that at the last election for officer, Ezekiel Snip, the village tailor, a man with fierce red whiskers and a peculiar altitude of chin, had been elected captain. Ezekiel had dipt into Duane's Hand-Book, and was esteemed profoundly skilled in the manual exercise; so that the neighbours were all on the tiptoe of expectation to witness the parade of the day. As this took place opposite to my school-room, I seated myself quietly at the window to watch how matters proceeded. About eight o'clock, the tavern porch began to be filled with people, some bringing old rusty rifles, others their fowling pieces, and some armed with a stout oaken stick. Then sallied forth a valiant drummer, aided by a no less valiant fifer, at the head of some dozens of the town boys, to alarm the village. They marched up the street, and down the street, and beat tantarara, and whistled out of all tune,--till my head ached,--to the infinite delight of the idle urchins at their heels, and the gaping housemaids at the doors and windows, as they passed. When this preparatory ceremony was gone through, forth issued captain Snip from the tavern door, in all the glory of a blue coat, epaulettes, a sword and feather.