Year: 1859

And you do not know any man who
will come on more moderate terms ?" said a
fashionably dressed lady to musie-seller,
few mornings since.


81 assure you," replied he, the price is
exceedingly low. He is an excellent vio-
linist, and knows his business well. Quad
rifles, waltzes, and anything else you may
require, he will execute perfectly to your
satisfaction


Mind, may want him to remain rath-
er late," said the lady.


"Any time you please" replied the mu-
sic-seller che is accustomed to late hours,
and we have never known him to grumble
He's a very industrious man, with sick
daughter to support entirely by his exer-
tionso


Humph !" said the lady. "Canhe play
Scotch reels"


"Capitally," replied the music-seller."


"And you are sure that he will bring a
good harpist with him :" said the lady.


"You may depend upon it." said he.


"Well, then, l think we may as well
conclude with him." said the lady, taking
card from her visiting-card case, and hand
ing it over the counter. There is my ad-
dress We may not want him before half
past eight o'clock, but you had better let
him be with us by halfpast seven, if you
please. Good morning. Now mind you
don't disappoint me-"


You may rely upon his being punctu-
al" said the music-seller. Hepolitely held
the door open, and the lady tripped out,
apparently satisfied with her bargain.


In the attic of a lodging house, situated
in narrow turning leading from Drury
Lane, was seated, that evening, an elderly
man, by the side of an almost expiring fire.
A small lamp glimmered on the table, cast
ing sufficient light over the apartment to
illumine the pallid face of a young girl,
who was reclining on mattrass near the
fire, supported by pillows. Everything in
the room betokened abject poverty. The
countenance of the man was ruled with
lines which misery, and not age, had i'm
planted there and, as he glanced from
time to time at the patient near him, it
might be seen that his eyes were red, and
that his grief, though subdued, was intense.
Yet he held violin to his shoulder, and in
the midst of this scene of misery was play
ing lively quadrilles and Scotch reels.


The invalid was his daughter Having
received a good education, she had for some
time supported herself by teaching the
piano-forte; but ladies and gentlemen,
somehow, will insist upon getting thing
done as cheaply as they can, and the spirit
of competition being rather briskly kept
up in this line, il happened that, one by
one, her pupils haddropped off. The daugh-
ter of rich grocer in the neighborhood had
clung to her to the last, but the feeling of
the age was too strong to be fought against /:
she was taken away and given to the re-
dueed widow of an officer in the army, who
undertook her education at FIVE shillings a
quarter less. Thus her only hope was
gone, and she was about to seek situa-
ton as governess, when her health failed
her, and she was thrown on bed of sick
ness Want of air, exercise, and society
are bad aids to the recovery of an invalid
and the seeds of consumption having been
too surely sown, doctors could afford her
but temporary relief.


The small clock on the mantel-sheli
struck seven, and the man arose, placed his
violin in the case, took bis hat from peg
and approached the side of the patient He
feared to awaken her, lest the sudden shock
should prove too much. He had thatmorn
ing received a summons from the music
seller, to whom the reader has already been
introduced, and as it was the first engage