nankeen jacket, which was the case at the time I am speaking of.

"Well, Mr. Cobb, what may be your pleasure with me? You must not detain me long, as I was about to call on Mrs. St. Felix."

"So I presumed, my dear sir," replied he, "and for that very reason I requested you to walk in. Take a chair. Friendship, Tom, is a great blessing-it is one of the charms of life. We have known each other long, and it is to tax your friendship that I have requested you to come in."

"Well, be as quick as you can-that's all," replied I. "Festina lente, as Dr. Tadpole often says, adding that it is Latin for hat and boots. I am surprised at his ignorance of the classics; any schoolboy ought to know that caput is the Latin for hat, and Bootes for boots. But lately I have abandoned the classics, and have given up my soul to poetry."

"Indeed!"

'Yes,- Friendship and love' is my toast, whenever I am called upon at the club. What does Campbell say?"

"I'm sure I don't know."

"I'll tell you, Tom:

Without the smile from heav'nly beauty won,
Oh, what were man? A world without a sun.'

"Well, I dare say it's all true," replied I; "for if a woman does not smile upon a man, he's not very likely to marry her, and therefore has no chance of having a son."

"Tom, you have no soul of poetry."

"Perhaps not-I have been too busy to read any." "But you should-youth is the age of poetry."

Well, I thought it was the time to work: moreover, I don't understand how youth can be age. But pray tell me what is it you want of me, for I want to see Mrs. St. Felix before dinner-time."

"Well, then, Tom, I am in love-deeply, desperately, irrevocably, and everlastingly in love."

"I wish you well out of it," replied I with some bitterness. "And pray with whom may you be so dreadfully in love-Anny Whistle?"

"Anny Whistle!—to the winds have I whistled her long ago. No, that was a juvenile fancy. Hear mcI am in love with the charming widow."

"What, Mrs. St. Felix ?"

"Yes.

Felix means happy in Latin-and my happiness depends upon her. I must either succeed, or -Tom, do you see that bottle?"

"Yes."

"Well, it's laudanum-that's all."

"But, Tom, you forget; you certainly would not supplant your patron, your master, I may say, your benefactor-the doctor?"

"Why not? he has tried, and failed. He has been trying to make an impression upon her these ten years, but it's no go. Ain't I a doctor, as good as he-ay, better,-for I'm a young doctor, and he is an old one! All the ladies are for me now. I'm a very rising young man."

"Well, don't rise much higher, or your head will reach up to the shop ceiling. Have you anything more to say to me?"

"Why, I have hardly begun. You sec, Tom, the widow looks upon me with a favourable eye; and more than once I have thought of popping the question over the counter; but I never could muster up courage, my love is so intense. As the poet says,—

Silence in love betrays more woe

Than words, howe'er so witty;

The beggar that is dumb, you know
Deserves our double pity.'

Now, Tom, I wish to tax your friendship-I wish you to speak for me."

"What, speak to Mrs. St. Felix?"

66

Yes, be my ambassador.-I have attempted to write some verses; but somehow or another I never could find rhymes-the poetic feeling is in me nevertheless. Tell me, Tom, will you do what I ask?"

"But what makes you think that the widow is favourably inclined ?"

"What? why, her behaviour, to be sure. I never pass her but she laughs or smiles; and then the doctor is evidently jealous,-accuses me of making wrong mixtures of paying too much attention to dress—of reading too much-always finding fault-however the time may come I repeat my request. Tom, will you oblige me? You ought to have a fellow-feeling."

This last remark annoyed me. I felt convinced that Mrs. St. Felix was really laughing at him-so I replied

"I shall not refuse you, but recollect that he who has been so unsuccessful himself, is not likely to succeed for others. You shall have your answer very soon."

“ Thanks, Tom-thanks; my toast, as I said before, when called upon, is- Friendship and love." "

I quitted the shop, and went into that of Mrs. St. Felix, who, I thought, looked handsomer than ever.

"Come at last, Tom," said the widow, extending her hand; "I thought you would have called yesterday. Your sister was here."

"I have been less pleasantly engaged. You know that Spicer is dead."

"One of the pensioners-I never saw him that I know of; but I heard Old Ben mention his death this morning and that you were with him: was he a friend of yours?"

“ No, indeed; I thought you knew something of him, or I should not have mentioned his name." I then changed the conversotion, telling her what had passed at Deal, and listening to her remarks upon Old Nanny, my mother, and our mutual aequaintances.

"And the doctor-how is he?"

"As busy as ever: I'm sorry, however, that he complains very much of Tom Cobb, and says that he must dismiss him. He has made some very serious mistakes in mixing the medicines, and nearly killed five or six people."

"Had he killed them outright, their deaths must have been laid at your door," replied I, very seriously. "Good Heavens! what do you mean, Tom ?"

"I mean this—that your bright eyes have fascinated him; and that, to use his own expression, he is deeply, . desperately, irrevocably, and everlastingly in love— with you."

Here Mrs. St. Felix burst out in a laugh, so violent

that I thought it would end in hysterics. As soon as she had recovered herself, I continued

"It is all true--and independent of the five or six people half killed, you will have to answer for a whole death besides, for Tom has intimated to me that if he fails in his suit, he will have recourse to the big bottle of laudanum. You must further know that he has taxed my friendship to make known to you his deplorable condition, being unequal to the task himself."

"He must be mad," observed Mrs. St. Felix, quietly.

"He flatters himself that you have given him encouragement: I asked him in what way;-he says you always laugh at him."

"True as the Bible-I can't help laughing at such a droll figure as he makes of himself. Mercy on me, what are men made of! Well, Tom, I'm sure I ought to be flattered-for (let it be a secret between us, Tom) this is the second offer I have received within these twenty-four hours."

"The doctor, I presume: Tom says that he is jealous."

"I mention no names.

This is all very foolish." "But you have not yet rejected both-Tom awaits his answer."

"Tell him anything that you please-by-the-by, you may just as well add that instead of taking the laudanum, he had better resort to his old remedy-of liquorice and water. It will look just as killing in the phial, and not be quite so fatal in its results."

"I shall certainly execute your commission in as delicate a way as I possibly can."

"Do, Tom, and pray let me hear no more of this