SCENE V.--_Dark.--The Sleepy Hollow, in the bosom of the mountains

occupying the extreme extent of the stage,--stunted trees, fragments of rocks in various parts.--Moon in the horizon; the entrance to this wild recess being by an opening from the abyss in the rear of the glen._

_Music.--Grotesque Dutch figures with enormous masked heads and lofty tapering hats, discovered playing at cards in various places, others at dutch pins--battledores and shuttlecocks--the majority seated on a rock drinking and smoking._

_Gauderkin._ Heit is unser fire dawg. Fooftzich yohr is unser tzeit im barrick doh, un luss uns all now looshtich si.

_Icken._ De froke is now weaga ’m fowla ding, os mer im owet hen nooner g’shickt for ebbas fun der goota schnappsish awrt--wo war ar g’west de longa tzeit?

_Gaud._ Ferleicht hut ebber eem troovel g’maucht--

_Icken._ Wann sell so is, was sawgt er now; we long un wass for ’n awrt de shtrofe?

_Gaud._ Tzwansich yohr im doda shlofe. Awer wann ar goot g’noddoord un looshtich is, don luss ’n goots gadrawm enjoya.

_Icken._ Unser bruder coom’d--dort coomd ar ivver de felsa ruf, un mit ’m coomd ’n fremmer ding in mensha g’shtalt.

_Omnes._ Tzwansich yohr im doda shlofe. Sell is now dem ding si shtrofe. Ar coom’d, ar coom’d--sei’d all now shtill, doh coomd ar now.

[_The spirits retire up and station themselves in motionless attitudes. Music.--SWAGGRINO descends by the opening in the rear, followed by RIP, with the keg.--RIP advances on the L. H.; and, with the assistance of his conductor, places the cask on the rock. The spirits remain immovable in front._

_Rip._ Now bin ich awer ’n doder mon, in coryose un fremmy coompany! Wass gebt ’s now mit meer? Wann ich yusht widder derhame wær--yaw, noch gor derhame by miner olty. Orrick os sell is, ’s wær doch besser os in so ’m crowd we dar doh!

_Music.--The figures severally advance, and stare at him, then resume their games. SWAGGRINO taps the cask, motions the astonished RIP to assist him in distributing its contents into various flagons; an injunction with which he complies.--SWAGGRINO helps his companions._

_Rip._ (_On L. H._) Om end sin des doch ordlich gooty karls. Se sin anyhow net bais, un du ’n ame nix. Un se sin aw all shtumm un dawb. Gott im Himmel! Wann yusht my fraw so goot un fridlich era maul halta date! Ich glawb by chucks os des all hexa sin. Un ’s coom’d mer fore se du’n sich goot enjoya. Ich wooner awer now wass for shtuft os se in dem fessly doh hen? Of course, ’s shod nix wann mer anes mit ena nemmt. (_Fills a flagon._) Doh gaits now--olles tzum deifel un fomelia tzu’m deifel un g’sundheit un long’s lava. [_Drinks._

_Omnes._ Ha, ha, ha!

[_Music.--A grotesque dance ensues, during which RIP continues to supply himself from the keg.--He at length joins in the dance, and becomes so exhausted, that he reels forward and sinks in front. The dancing ceases, the spirits utter three ho, ho, ho’s!--Some of them sink.--Music, piano, as the curtain slowly descends._

END OF ACT I.