this! Well, I married too high, and now my pride is laid low. Jack, never marry a lady's ladies' maid; for it appears that the longer the names, the more venomous the cattle be."

Just as he had finished, I heard my mother coming down stairs, with Virginia, whom she had taken up and dressed, to take away with her. "Hush!" I heard her softly say to Virginia, "don't speak, dear, or you'll wake your naughty father."

She had hardly said this, when she made her appearance, with Virginia on one arm, and a large bundle on the other. But as soon as she perceived that my father was awake, and cognisant of her revenge, she uttered a loud scream, dropped Virginia and the bundle, and, running up stairs to her own room, locked herself in.

Poor little Virginia set up a roar at this very unusual (and, I believe, felonious) act of child-dropping on the part of my mother. I ran to her, and carried her to the sofa; while my father, with compressed lips, first taking two or three quarter-deck strides up and down the room, locked the street door, put the key in his pocket, and then ascended the stairs to pay a visit to my mother, who, I believe, would very willingly have been "not at home:" but some people are importunate, and will take no refusal; and when my father retired three or four steps from the door, and, with a sudden run, brought the whole weight of his foot to bear upon it, it flew open. At first, my mother was not visible: my father thought she had escaped; but at last he spied her legs under the bed. Seizing her by her extremities, he dragged her out,

E

without any regard to propriety, until he had her into the middle of the room, with his foot upon her. What a situation for a lady's ladies' maid! I had put Virginia down on the sofa, and crept up the stairs, to see what took place. My father and mother were in these relative positions, and he thus addressed her

"I have heard say that a man mustn't thrash his wife with anything thicker than his own thumb. That's as may be and I do recollect when the first lieutenant wanted to cut off the men's hair that the purser told him that it was felony, under the act of cutting and maiming. I don't know whether the first lieutenant would have made a felony or not; but this I'm sartain of- he'd have made a mutiny. You desarve no mercy, and you shall have none. This pigtail of mine shall be what I shall use upon you and if the colt is heavy, recollect you cut it for yourself; and as you may not be able to hear what I say by the time I have done with you, I'll just tell you now. I'll point the end, and work a mouse on this pig-tail of mine, and never part with it. I'll keep it for your own particular use, and for nobody else's; and as sartain as I come back, so sartain every time I come you shall have a taste of pigtail without chewing, my lady's ladies' maid.”

Having made this uncommon long speech, to which my mother offered no reply, her eyes being fixed in terror upon the brandished tail, which was nearly as thick as her own arm, my father proceeded to put his threats into execution. Blow resounded after blow; my mother's cries became feebler and feebler, until at last she appeared senseless. Then I ran to my father

and clinging to his leg, cried, "Oh! father, she's dead !"

This observation induced him to leave off. He looked at my mother's face; her eyes were closed, and her jaw had fallen. "Well, she has had enough of it, this time," said my father, after a pause- "may be, too much on it. But when I looks at this tail in my hand, I feel as if I could still give her more. And if she be dead, I think the judge would not hang me, if I showed him what I have lost. I'd rather have parted with an arm or a leg, any day of the week. There's been provocation enough, at all events, if she be deada saint in heaven couldn't stand it."

During these remarks my mother gave no signs of returning animation, and at last my father became seriously alarmed. "Jack," said he, "I must cut my stick, or they may put me into limbo. As soon as I have cleared out, do you run for a doctor to look at your mother; and mind you don't forget to tell that old chap who was boosing with me last night everything which has happened; and the people will say, come what will on it, that I was aggravated sufficient — and, Jack, if there be a Crowner's Inquest, mind you tell the truth. You know, I didn't want to kill the old woman, don't you, my boy - for didn't I say that I'd keep the tail to give her another dose when I came back again?-that proves I didn't intend that she should slip her wind, you know, boy. I said I' give her another dose, you know, Jack-and," continued my father, "so I will, if I finds her above ground when I comes back again."

My father then went down stairs.

Little Virginia

had fallen asleep again on the sofa; my father kissed her softly, shook hands with me, and put a crown in my hand. He then unlocked the door, and, thrusting the end of his pigtail into his breast, coiled it, as it were, round his body, hastened down the alley, and was soon out of sight.

CHAPTER VIII.

IN WHICH THE DOCTOR PAYS A VISIT AND RECEIVES NO FEE, AND I AM OBLIGED TO WORK VERY HARD TO PROCURE MYSELF A LIVELIHOOD.

I DID not forget my father's injunctions, for I was very much frightened. There was a doctor who lived half way up Church Street, a short distance from Fisher's Alley. He was a little man with a large head, sunk down between two broad shoulders his eyes were small and twinkling, his nose snubbed, his pate nearly bald; but on the sides of his head the hair was long and flowing. But if his shoulders were broad, the rest of his body was not in the same proportion for he narrowed as he descended, his hips being very small, and his legs as thin as those of a goat. His real name was Todpoole, but the people invariably called him Tadpole, and he certainly in appearance somewhat reminded you of one. He was a facetious ittle fellow, and, it was said, very clever in his profession.

"Doctor Tadpole," cried I, out of breath with running, "come quick - my mother is very bad indeed."

"What's the matter?" said he, peering over a mortar in which he was rubbing up something with the pestle. "External or internal ?"

Although I did not know what he meant, I replied "Both, doctor, and a great deal more besides." "That's bad indeed," replied Tadpole, still rubbing

away.

"But you must come directly," cried I. along - quick!"

"Como

Festina lente, good boy- that's Latin for hat and boots. Tom, are my boots clean?"

"Ye'es, sir," replied a carroty-headed boy, whom I knew well.

The doctor laid down his pestle, and taking his seat on a chair, began very leisurely to pull on his boots, whilst I stamped with impatience.

Now, do be quick, doctor-my mother will be dead."

"Jack," said the doctor, grinning as he pulled on his second boot, "people don't die so quick before the doctor comes - it's always afterwards: - however, I'm glad to see you are so fond of your mother. - Tom, is my hat brushed ?"

"Ye'es, sir," replied Tom, bringing the doctor's hat.

"Now then, Jack, I'm all ready. -Tom, mind the shop, and don't eat the stick liquorice — d'ye hear?"

"Ye'es, sir," said Tom, with a grin from ear to ear. The doctor followed me very quickly, for he thought from my impatience that something serious must be the matter. He walked up to my mother's room, and I hastened to open the door, when, to my surprise, I