fourteen children, keeping, with her third husband, the sign of the Cat and Bagpipes somewhere about the Dock of Liverpool. I never could muster up courage to enter the house. The very sound of her voice saying, "Eightpence, sir," in reply to my question of what I had to pay, would inevitably overcome my feelings.

I was born to be unhappy; but I shall not intrude my sorrows on a thoughtless world.

THE TWO BOYS.

I SAW a boy with eager eye
Open a book upon a stall,
And read, as he'd devour it all;
Which when the stall-man did espy,
Soon to the boy I heard him call,
'You Sir, you never buy a book,
Therefore in one you shall not look."

The boy pass'd slowly on, and with a sigh

He wish'd he never had been taught to read,

[need.

Then of the old churl's books he should have had no

Of sufferings the poor have many,

Which never can the rich annoy :

I soon perceived another boy
(Who look'd as if he'd not had any
Food, for that day at least,) enjoy

The sight of cold meat in a tavern larder.
This boy's case, then thought I, is surely harder,
Thus hungry, longing, thus without a penny,
Beholding choice of dainty-dressed meat.

No wonder if he wish he ne'er had learn'd to eat.

THE MAN OF FASHION; OR, HOW TO RECEIVE A CREDITOR.

It was considerably past mid-day, and in one of the best houses of the Chaussée d'Antin, and the noble tenant of the mansion had not arisen from his bed, he could not sleep; but it was some satisfaction to extend his limbs, wearied by many successive nights of dissipation. He was a handsome young man, from twenty-five to thirty years of age, with small black mustachious, apparently very sedulously cultivated, but the languid expression of his countenance betrayed the fatigue of a life of pleasure.

Presently a bell was heard to ring pretty loudly, and almost immediately after, a valet entered the bed-room of his master.

"What the devil is that noise?" said the Count de Senneville, angrily, "you seem determined that I shall have no rest this morning; 'pon my life it's quite frightful. Leblond, my dear lad, I must positively part with you, you really know nothing of the duties of service.'

"Pardon, Monsieur," replied the valet, approaching his master's bed respectfully, and slightly dividing the silk curtains; "but I really believe the people have been plotting an annoyance this morning; several are now waiting, and say, the Count has promised them money, and

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Well, I know it; and I can promise them again and again,-any thing to content them. I'll promise them everlastingly, if they will but let me sleep. Ah! Leblond, you do not take pains to improve,-you do not know how to receive a creditor,-you ought to have taken lessons of Labrie. I was a fool to let him go to England, he was the pearl of valets. The cries of the industrious never reached me then.” Really, Monsieur," said Leblond, “I ought to know something of the duties you allude to; for during the six months that I have had the honour of serving you, I have done but little else."

"There, there, that's enough; now tell me, who is this new claimant ?"

"Your German tailor, Monsieur, who cannot be made to comprehend that you must not be disturbed. He says, indeed, that he will not go without speaking to the Count."

"Did he say so? impudent rascal! egad, then so he shall. Give me my dressing gown, -those slippers too. Place my foils on the table, my sword, and my little Turkish sabre; my pistols-there, now let the tailor come in."

The Count rose, and hastily put on his things, and then commenced lunging at a mark on the wall with one of the fencing foils, as though intent on practice. In a few minutes, a little shrivelled old man, whose long yellow face bore the expression of extreme ill-humour, glided into the chamber, murmuring between

his teeth"Come, I can speak my mind to him at last." The Count did not appear to notice his entrance, further than to observe, while continuing his practice, "Ah! M. Kirchman, is that you? by what chance do you come here?

"By no chance at all, Monsieur," sulkily replied the German ; you promised me

money, and—”

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"One, two-a good hit. Yes, M. Kirchman, very true; I did promise you,―one, two,-capital: but you see I'm rather busy,good again. I have two duels on hand,―one, two, two men to kill. Pardieu! a good thought, M. Kirchman, you shall practice with me."

"How, Sir? I never touched a sword in my life," screamed the tailor, alarmed at the proposition; "I came about_"

"Nonsense! a German, and not understand the small sword. Leblond hand the gentleman a foil."

"Sir,-really-I assure you," cried the German into whose hand Leblond had unceremoniously thrust the foil. "I never in my life-ah!"

"One, two-there I had you; take care of yourself,-one, two."

"Ah? good God! ah!

One, two,-capital point that: don't be alarmed!"

"Ah! grand dieu! ah!"

"The foils are well buttoned. One, two,there you have it again; one, two

"Ah! for God's sake,-ah!"

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One, two,-another touch; if the foils had not been well buttoned, you had been a dead tailor;-one, two."

"Ah? Count! Monsieur! pray, ah !

mercy

"Third button-hole, there you have it, one, two!" The little tailor was by this time in an agony of fear. The one, two! of the count, sounded to him like something demoniacal. He retreated till the corner prevented further regress, pursued by the everlasting one, two!-every rib in his body bearing the mark of his adversary's lunges; when, seeing his case desperate, he threw the foil from him, and falling on his knees, shrieked out:

"Mercy! ah! spare my life-ah! for God's sake, ah !"

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Why, M. Kirchman, what's the matter?" asked the count, with an affectation of concern; while the valet was stuffing a handkerchief into his mouth, to prevent an explosion of laughter. "Ah! I see-you are not quite at home with the small sword, the sabre is your weapon. Leblond, hand M. Kirchman a sabre," and heedless of cries and entreaties, the Count proceeded " You Germans are so fond of the sabre,-rather dangerous, but never mind. I'm in good practice,-I'll try. not to wound you-at least not severely."