There were some, however, who had risen like herself: these she treated with the most becoming and agreeable politeness, but received them all as utter strangers just introduced."

"Wonderful! But what has all this to do, pray, with the eldest Miss Lumsdaine and her marriage."

the

"Why, my dear Mrs Fife, this is precisely way she intends to act."

"But what can she do, poor thing?"

"She is to know nobody, as the wife of a poor Lieutenant, but hopes to return as some Mrs General, and put every body to fear as well as to flight. In fact, the first intimation of the match to the uninitiated is to be found in the public papers. The bridal cake is to be an uncommonly small one, and only to be distributed amongst a few; while, to reduce the number of those who by right should be present at the marriage, the ceremony is to take place in the country. And to effect a still further separa

tion between the dame and her fashionable friends, the parties are to jink about here and there, along with the rest of the troops, till,

having rendered themselves at length, now and forever, inaccessible, they are to return in the manner described."

"Miss Patchwell didn't tell you all this, did she?"

"She did not. But a few visits here and there,' and an additional cup of tea to some folks that you and I know of, gave me all the materials that were wanted:-and I think, if I am not mistaken, I know the folks, and for what they are fit."

"You know every thing, I must confess;-a second edition of Mr Madrake. But I forgot to inform you, that I am just looking over a few things before I leave town for Fife!"

"Leave town, my dear Mrs Fife!"

"Yes: The weather seems fine; Miss Leslie can't be prevailed on to leave her aunt; and I really think, sometimes, that this place is too much for my distracted nerves."

"Perhaps some day next week?"

"Next week! my dear, I am going to-night. I want to surprise both Miss Leslie and her aunt; and intend pouncing upon them in a

moment, merely for the purpose of finding out what they really can possibly be about. One would think that an easy chair, and an old wife, could be no entertainment for a girl of Sophia Leslie's age and spirits."

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O, she is remarkably quiet and good."

"I know she is a remarkable favourite of yours; but I was just thinking all night, that I should like to know, after all, what she has got to amuse herself with. In fact, I do believe it is because I cannot live now-a-days very well without her, that I feel so little at ease in her absence."

"In that case, Ma'am, I had better leave you."

"Why, yes: I have not got too much time left; and then, I have to send excuses to Lady Methodical and Mrs Regular about their next month's Tuesday and Wednesday dinners; for they always take in the ladies—for variety's sake, I suppose at the last.-But, good morning, good morning, Miss M'Tavish; I think I hear Mrs Gregory's voice; and, you know, she leads me such an anxious life!"

CHAPTER XIV.

"I have a long letter from C-tr-r, extremely affecting to us both, but exceeding wild,—more wild than witty. I begin to have apprehensions about that worthy friend."

Letters of John Wilkes, Esq.

"DEAR MRs Fife,

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Being aware of your total want of curiosity about the fate of passing events, I have coaxed myself to give you some account of what is going on with that fallen-back descendant of my ancestors-old change-penny M'Pech. All the actors, in these our times, are running after him; and in such various shapes and disguises, that they appear only to want you, to make up a company fit for the performance of a certain pseudo play I once went to see, called Punch.

"There is a dark closet, as I have been told, in every family, and my dark closet contains just one hundred thousand pounds; and it is in

the mean time my wonder that you, a party interested, should have remained so long indifferent to such a vast disposable force. For certainly such an event--in a quiet plain town like this, which owes its principal topics of conversation to more illustrious and active Regalitiesought to have been a subject of the last importance to you, as it has been with the rest; even though your bad cold and inflammation, assisted by your incredulity, had lifted you half-way up to Heaven already. I wish you, however, rather to contrive, with your usual dexterity, to continue a little longer upon the earth; to dismiss your nasty cough; and to exert yourself a little longer in looking after this fag-end of an old farthing-Josiah Munchcrum M.Pech.

"Recommending you, therefore, in the mean time, to the universal providence of the sacred band of wasps, hornets, shrimps, and squills, I take my leave in pronouncing myself your very faithful servant, THEOPHILUS MADRAKE.

"P. S.-Pray do not read the above, but come over here as fast as possible; as, if in time,