, 1859-05-20
REvERSEs.

thrust my hands into tho pockets Of my
dressing-gown, which, by the by, is far the hand.
soonest piece Of old brocade have ever seen
q large running pattern Of gold holy.hock, with
silver stalks and leaves, upon rich, deep, Pomp.
adour-colored ground-and, walking 81 ,wly back
wards and forwards in my room, | continued,
There never was, there never can have been, so
happy fellow rs myself! What on earth have
l to wish for more? Maria adores mel adore
Maria. To he sure she's detained at Brighton !;
but hear from her regularly every morning by
tho post, and We are to DO united for life in q
fortnight. Who was ever so blest IN his love
Then again John Fraser-my old schooliellowi
] don't believe there's anything in the world
he would not do for me. I'm sure there's no
living thing that he loves so much as myself ex-
cept, perhaps, his old uncle Simon, and his black
mare"
! had by this time returned to the fireplace,
and, rcscat!ng myself began TO apostrophize my
magnificent black Newfoundland, who, having
partakcn Of my diIntr, was following the advice
and example Of Abernethy, and sleeping On the
rug, as il digestcd "Anj you, too, my old
Neptune, ar'nt you the best and handSOmest dog
10 the universc2"
Neptune, finding himself addressed, awoke
leisurely from his slumbers, and fixel his eyes
on mine with an affirmative expression.
"Aye, to be sure you are; and capital swim
mcr, tool"
Neptune raised his head from the rug, and beat
the ground with his tail, first to the right hand,
and then to the lcn.
"And is hc not finc faithful fellow! And
docs he not love his mastere"
Neptune rubbed his head against my hand,
and concluded the conversation by again sinking
into rcposc.
"That dogs philosopher, /" said; "he never
says word more than is necessary. Then, again,
not only blcst in love and friendship and my
dog; but what luck It was to SELL and in these
tines, too, that old, lumbcring houss Cf my a.
thrr s, with its bleak, bare, hlly acres Of chalk
and stone, for eighty thousand pou IDS, and to
have the money paid down, on the very day the
bargain was concluded. BY the by, though,
had forgot:-l may as wrll write to Mcssrs.
Drax and Drayton about that money, and order
them to pay It Immediately into Coutts s-smighty
honest people and all that; but faith no solicitors
should be trusted or tempted too far. It's q
foolish way, at any time, to leave money in other
peoples hands-in anybOdy's hands-and III
write about Il at once"
As said, so did. wrote my commands to
Messrs. Drnx and Drayton, to pay my eighty
thousand pounds in to Coutts's; and after de.
string that my note might DO forwarded to them,
the first thing in the morning, took my candle,
and accompanied by Neptune, who always keeps
watch by night at my chamber door, proceeded
to bed, as the watchman was calling "past
twelve o'clock" beneath my window.
II Is indisputably very beneficial for man TO
60 To bed thus early il secures him such pleasant
dreams. The visions that filed my imagination
during sleep were not Of less animated nature
than those Of my waking lucubrat:ons. 1dreamt
that II was daybrcak on my wedding morning;
that was drest in white satin and silver lace, to
av.1 L. Nls.A -
painted and gilt sedan chair, was conveyed to
the church BY the parson and clerk, who wore
white fayors in their wigs, and noscgays in the
breasts Of their canonicals; that hands were
joined by Hymen in person, who shook his torch
over our heads at the altar, and danced pas de
deur with the bride down the middle Of Regent
Street. as we turned in procession from st.
James's; that walked by the side Of Neptune,
who was, in some unaccountable manner, iden.
tilted with my friend John Fraser, and acted rs
father Of the bride, and alarmed me in the midst
Of the ceremony by whispering in my ear that
he had forgotten TO order any 6rJ akiast for the
party; that on returning to my house, which
appeared 70 be the pavilion at Brighton, found q
quantity Of money bags, full Of sOvcreigns, each
marked $4,000, ranged in rows on q marble
table; that was beginning to empty them at
the feet Of the bride with an appropriate COM
plimCnt-when my dream was suddenly inter
rupted by the hasty entrance Of my valet, who
stood pale and trembling at my bedside, and in.
formed me, with an agitatcd voice, that he had
carried my note, as ordered, to the Office Of
Messrs. Drax and Drayton, the first thing in the
morning, and had seen Mr.. Drax; but that Mr..
Drayton had decamped during the night, taking
away with him my $4,000, and 95OO Of his
partners!
Twas horror-struck! Twas ruined! What
was 10 be done! The clock had not vet struck