his name as Mr William Frederick Augustus Stapleton, was brought up yesterday, charged by several tradesmen,' &c, &c,- you know the rest. The charges were proved to be false and last night, my friend there, Mr Stapleton, was discharged out of custody by the worthy

-

magistrate."

“Yes, sir

said Stapleton," and I have given my solicitor instructions to bring an action against the publishers of the Morning Sun for a libel; and now, I'll indict you for this assault."

I'll

"Get out of my house, you scoundrel, or by Heaven!

"A civil action, Billy; damages

damages!" cried Mr Stapleton's friend, winking impudently at me. "I'll damage you, rascal," said I making a blow at him with the poker, but he avoided it, by jumping back; and the landlady, and two or three of her family, coming up to see what was the matter I was obliged to desist. "You seed that, Missus, now, didn't ye?" "Dear me! yes what is the matter? of murder' has alarmed the neighbors." "Oh! you heard a cry of murder too That'll do

-

That cry

did ye?"

come along, Billy - here's lots of wit

a trounce you finely for this,

Mister

Was there ever such an unlucky mortal, as the last of all the SLYS! Here, in the course one morning, was I lugged into two actions at law, and a chancery suit! But my troubles were not to end there.

I could see, by my landlady's face, that she had something dismal to communicate. She had evidently been crying, and her daughters were still weeping. I should have mentioned, that, as soon as Mr Stapleton and his companion had left the house, the mother and daughters came into my room, and sat down.

"What is the matter, ladies?"

said I, rather an

grily, for I did not relish their intrusion at such a

moment.

"Oh! Mr Sly!" sobbed the eldest daughter - "Such an unfortunate event has happened!

"This is the first of April, Madam "

66 Oh, but - cried the second daughter

said I.

(she was a girl of about fourteen or fifteen), we don't intend to make a fool of you, Mr Sly; indeed indeed we

don't."

"In the name of Heaven, then, say what has happened?"

"" Tell him, mother."

do you, my dear I really have not words

to to express

I was almost frantic ; women are always such a time before they will come to the point!

"What is the matter? speak quickly, or I'm off." "Mr Johnstone, my landlord, has has put a broker into the house."

"A broker, Madam?"

"Yes, sir cried the second daughter, "and all your handsome furniture will be seized and sold, if the arrears of rent are not paid, he says, by 12 o'clock."

"Heavens! Madam, you cannot have treated me so shamefully? You told me that your rent was paid up to Christmas, and I was fool enough to take your word for it."

"Alas! sir, I was in hopes of being able to pay it but I have not succeeded in raising the money. There are three quarters due - exactly a hundred and twenty pounds."

"6 Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!" cried I

"where 's my

hat? Let the fellow take the furniture I don't care what becomes of me. But as for you, ma'am, I must say such conduct is abominable, atrocious, scandalous! To cheat your lodgers in this way! O you wicked woman!" I ran down stairs - and, at the street door, met Mr Brown, Mr Abel Simpkins's agent. That gentleman politely handed me a copy of a writ, at the suit of Felicia Simpkins, spinster; for a breach of promise of marriage.

"I am uncommonly obliged to you," said I, grinning hideously at him, and set off at a tremendous pace to the office of the Morning Sun.

When I got there, Mr Twitchet, the editor, abused me violently for having brought an action for libel on the proprietors' shoulders.

It seems, Mr William Frederick Augustus Stapleton had been at the office, and given a very exaggerated account of the attack I had made upon him, that morning; that is to say, he denied having offered me any provoca

tion!

"Such conduct is dreadful," quoth Mr Twitchet, "and may seriously injure our paper."

"I don't care that for your paper,

" said I, snapping

my fingers. "If a man presume to insult me, he must take the consequences.

"Very well, then, sir," said he, "the sooner we part, the better. Your services are no longer required in this

"So!" muttered I to myself, as I walked slowly down

the Strand," I am now a ruined man - ruined for ever! and certainly, by no fault of mine; for I would have married Felicia, had she been true to me. Now, what a figure shall I cut in the newspapers! And every body reads a breach-of-promise-of-marriage case. Then, that swindling Mr Stapleton! Why the deuce will tradespeople bring charges which they can't substantiate? He was accused by no less than four different shop-keepers of having grossly swindled them. His friends, I suppose, have got the matter hushed up. I shall certainly be made to pay dearly for that assault; for his companion, whom he brought as a witness, will, I am sure, swear to anything. And then the costs, the costs of both actions,— not to mention the expenses of that confounded chancery suit. Oh, dear! Oh, dear! that suit may, perhaps, be hanging over my head for twenty years. Turned out of my situation! my furniture and clothes seized, too! What roguery there is in the world! Ha! a lucky thought has come across me, I'll go to Georgiana Taulmarsh tell her what has happened, and if she consent to elope with me, I'll make arrangements to be off to France or America, this very night. Thank Heaven! I have still got upwards of £3,000 at my bankers, and though it is very annoying to lose the deposit money I paid at the auction-mart, it is best to put up with the first loss." Luckily, I found Miss Taulmarsh at home, and alone. She was sitting on the sofa, reading "Romeo and Juliet." My dear Miss Taulmarsh," said I, endeavoring to look as much like a forlorn Romeo, as possible "I have come to bid you an eternal adieu; tomorrow I leave Englaud for ever!"

or

"Gracious! Mr Sly, you do not mean

“ ́Alas! I am, indeed, in earnest,” said I, taking my seat by her side. "Fortune has been playing me some slippery tricks of late; but I am determined not to be beaten by her. What property remains to me, I will preserve. Yet, the thought of leaving you,- Oh, Georgiana!"

"Oh, Mr Sly! I looked into her eyes images of myself were reflected there.

two little

"I see my own face in those beauteous mirrors, dearest Georgiana. Oh, if I could flatter myself that my image was engraved on thy heart, as thy dear

"Mr Sly! Mr Sly! for pity's sake forbear!"

"Must we part then, Georgiana? for ever, Georgiana?" I fell upon my knees, and looked up, as pathetically as a whipped spaniel, in her face.

"What would you have me do, Mr Sly?" cried the young lady, a little moved.

"Fly with me, Georgiana?"

"Whither?" (this was in a whisper.)

"To France, or AMERICA.

"Mr Sly! " rising, and looking very angry, "I'm astonished at you, (now, had I said " Gretna Green," I am sure she would have jumped into my arms,) — leave me sir, instantly I insist. "

"You won't go then, Miss Taulmarsh?" said I, very composedly, brushing the dust off my knees.

"How dare you repeat the question? "

"Good b'ye, then, I wish you as good a husband, as 1 should have made ye; that's all, Miss Taulmarsh! Adieu. Two days after that interview, I took my passage for