making his country-house of it! Sir, you look a genuine gentleman, I will make few words with you,—you see me in the right humour for you. The lease is yours on the same terms that I have it, and all charges paid up to Christmas." "Done!" said the gentleman, who was a gentleman, though Greatfaith, in his usual precipitate, confiding way, had not made a single inquiry about him, when he thus at once struck the bargain. "Done! it is of all things what I have set my heart on. I will be here the moment the transfer of the lease is completed." "Come to-morrow if you will," said Greatfaith, exchanging addresses with the unknown, and appointing the very next day to meet at his solicitor's. Scarcely had he quitted the stranger, when at the bottom of the lane he met his old friend and neighbour, Captain Bontems. Oh! a thousand welcomes, Greatfaith! I hope you are coming home now." "Not I," replied Greatfaith, "I am going home; I have left this place for ever." "You have! why, Greatfaith, then I think you have not used me well." "Not used you well, Bontems! what, in the name of St. Michael, can you mean?" Here Captain Bontems informed Mr. Greatfaith that two of his friends, great fishermen, had been anxious to take his premises, but that Fox, on all applications, had assured him that they were not to be let; " and now," said he, "without a word to me, you have thrown up your lease to a stranger." We need not attempt to describe Greatfaith's exasperation. He explained to Captain Bontems to what an extent he had been duped, and wringing his hand with an energy in which indignation against his plunderers gave to Bontems a somewhat delusive idea of the warmth of his friendship for him, he for the last time ascended to the village, and steamed away to London. Remember poor Greatfaith, and that there are such things as licensed agents, all ye who want to "Let your house and go abroad!" THE COUNTRY MANTY-MEKKER THE more one sees of other countries, the more one is satisfied of the truth of the common assertion, that there is no country where such variety of curious and independent individual character abounds as in our own. The freedom of our constitution, both in politics and Religion, is undoubtedly the cause of it. We have so many sects, and so many opinions of our own on all matters, that we stand up for them with a pertinacity which grows on us both with the growth of centuries, and of our own years. We have no government police entering into our houses, however they may now parade before them, and compelling us to do this and that, even to the sweeping of our chimneys, and the making of our coffins, contrary to |