The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-06 00:00:00

THE LANDLADY IN DIFFICULTIES.

. .
p said he respected and admired that woman :
and worthy of respect she was in her way. She painted
her face and grinned at poverty. She laughed and rattled
with care gnawing at her side. She had to coax the milk-
man out of his human kindness : to pour oil—his own oil—
upon the stormy epicier's soul : to melt the tutterman : to
tar the wine merchant : to mollify the butcher : to invent
new pretexts for the landlord : to reconcile the lady boarders,
Mrs. General Baynes, let us say, and the Honourable Mrs.
Boldero, who were always quarrelling : to see that the din-
ner, when procured, was cooked properly; that Francois, to
whom she owed ever so many months' wages, was not too
rebellious or intoxicated ; that Auguste, also her creditor,
had his glass clean and his lamps in order. And this work
done and the hour of 6 o'clock arriving, she had to carve
and be agreeable to her table ; not to hear the growls of the
discontented (and at what table d'hote are there not grum-
blers ?) ; to have a word for everybody present ; a smile and
a laugh for Mrs. Bunch (with whom there had been very
likely a dreadful row in the morning) ; a remark for the
colonel ; a polite phrase for the general's lady ; and even a
good word and compliment for sulky Auguste, who just be-
fore dinner-time had unfolded the napkin of mutiny about
his wages. Was not this enough work for a woman to do ?"
The second article, " Food—How to take it," is in-
teresting and judicious, although it requires, like
its subject, to be taken cum grano salis. "Keeping
Up Appearances" will not find favour with the lady
readers of the Cornhill, as it advocates prudence
versus sentiment, and echoes, in spirit, the cele-
brated dictum of Punch, "Advice to persons about
to marry—Don't."

Temple Bar.

" The Seven Sons of Mammon" is continued, and
this portion is very important, inasmuch as the
most striking personage of the tale is now verging
towards the crisis of her doom. Florence Armytage
is doomed, and the hounds are on her track
Meanwhile she, like many another victim, is
desporting herself in her brief hour on the stage of
life's meanest vanities, and thus she will be
lured on to destruction. The designation of
this woman is one of the cleverest sketches
of this author, and exhibits considerable knowledge
of the world. This magazine is celebrated for its
fictions. "For Better for Worse" is finished. It
is a pleasing tale, full of domestic sketches and
replete with wise hints on social subjects. Many a
Sir Philip now walkiNg the earth may learn in
these pages not to be ashamed of the partner he
has chosen, but to stand by her against the
observations of his family with the same daring he
exhibited on his first choosing her for his wife, in
her retirement and isolation. Ethel, too,
has her c)unterparts in life, and these
may take the lesson to heart, not to slight
the affection they have prized too highly, but to be
consistent through good and evil, for " Better" and
for " Worse," as they thread the mazes of life's
tangled labyrinth. " School Girls and Girls'
Schools" is an instructive article that takes note of
the various improvements that have taken place in
the department of female education. "London
Poems" is this month called "The River." It is
well written, and contains some impressive truths.
" The Corporal's Story" is a peculiar record of ad-
ventures that a man met with in his endeavours to
form a second marriage.