Puttyput's Protégée: a story, in three books ... With illustrations by Wallis Mackay

Front matter

THE VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. [book I. CHAP, ll PUTTYPUT'S PROTEGEE; OR, ROAD, RAIL, AND RIVER. _t_.t.l) dTourt.-it 2l.u_ .ratio n_ .j? __.allte i__acfeai). LONDON : SAMUEL TINSLEY, 34, SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND. PUTTYPUT'S PROTEGEE: g. gbtorg, tn ©fire. iSooks. By HENRY GEORGE CHURCHILL. (WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY WALLIS MACKAY.) To make tbe whole in lively colours glow, To bring before us something that we know, And from all honest men applause to win ; I'll group the company, and put them in. Charles Churchill. LONDON : SAMUEL TINSLEY, 34, SOUTHAMPTON ST., STRAND 1872. [A ll Dramatic and other Mights strictly Reserved. TO Emily Churchill, THIS SIMPLE STORY IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED, BT Heh Husband, The Autiioi;. August lo, 1872.

Preface

. H. G. C. Green House% Lmtkwaite, 1872. CONTENTS BOOK THE FIRST— THE ROAD. PACE

Prologue

: — I CHAP. I. SHOWING HOW MR. PUTTYPUT KEPT A GENERAL SHOP NEAR DRURY LANE 12 II. HOW BOB BEMBROW JUMPED OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN INTO THE FIRE l8 III. IN A GARRET NEAR THE SKY 27 IV. BLANCHE DUPREZ 35 V. A PEER OF THE REALM 5 1 VI. IN WHICH MR. CUTSHORT DOES A FATHERLY ACTION . 59 VII. A PEERLESS PEERESS 68 VIII. DETAILING HOW THE TIDE TURNED 76 IX. THE "P.D." 8l X. A RETIRED TALLOW-CHANDLER WITH A WONDERFUL LEGACY 94 XI. AN OLD ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIP IO4 XII. THE HAPPY FAMILY II3 XIII. THE GUEST AT THE " VULCAN " 120 XIV. THE PARTING 130 XV. ON THE RACK I40 XVI. THE SIGNAL I48 XVII. HUNTED DOWN ! THE ROAD ! GONE AWAY ! ! . . . 1 59 BOOK THE SECOND— THE RAIL. i. waterloo station . . . . . . . . 1 67 11. blue peter's plot •.' .174 iii. the railway accident 180 iv. polly scollop's arrival l86 v. bob bembrow at stale wharf again .... i98 vi. a summary of events 212 vii. showing how a strange pair of trousers contained BOB'S FORTUNE 2l8 VIII.

HUSBAND AND WIFE . ' 237 IX. EXPLAINING HOW THE TIME PASSED WITH SLITHEREM . 245 X. IN WHICH BOB GIVES MR. DUSE THE SACK .... 255 XI. TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO 263 XII. THE UN-HAPPY FAMILY 270 XIII. BOB BEMBROW'S PARTY 277 XIV. SLITHEREM'S TWO SUITS — LOVE AND LAW .... 313 XV. A CALL AT MARESFIELD HOUSE 333 XVI. RE PUTTYPUT'S PROTEGEE CONTENTS. CHAP. PAG| XVII. ILLUSTRATING THE MEETING BETWEEN BOB AND DOLLOPS . 346 XVIII. THE DEVONSHERRY BROTHERS 359 XIX. THE GUEST AT THE " VULCAN " 3^3 XX. REFERRING TO THE LOSS OF BOB'S POCKET-BOOK AND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF DOLLOPS 3^9 XXI. ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE AND THE CONSE- QUENCES 397 XXII. PERSUASION BETTER THAN FORCE 4°2 XXIII. BOB QUESTIONS DOLLOPS AND (BUT NO THANKS TO HIM) RECOVERS HIS MONEY ■ 4J0 XXIV. A WAIF FROM THE OCEAN 4-9 BOOK THE THIRD— THE RIVER.

I. TEMPUS FUGIT 421 II. SLITHEREM THINKS HALF A LOAF BETTER THAN NO BREAD 455 III. THREE APPOINTMENTS AND DIS-APPOINTMENTS . . . 453 IV. BOB MAKES A DISCOVERY, UNBOLTS, AND BOLTS . . 458 V. A MEMORABLE EVENING 47*- VI. THE DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIP 492 VII. TO THE RESCUE! 5°4 VIII. IN WHICH THREE LAMPS THAT BURNED BADLY ARE BLOWN OUT 515 IX. MABEL REDIVIVUS 517 X. A DOUBLE WEDDING FROM THAMES VILLA .... 527 XI. A "PARTICULAR PURPOSE" 533 XII. SIR GEORGE TALBOT BREAKS THE SEAL .... 54O XIII. IN WHICH MR. PALLWOLE SEES AN

ADVERTISEMENT.

. . 552 XIV. PALLWOLE SHUTS UP SHOP 559 XV. "ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL" — THE RIVER . . . 563

Epilogue

570 THE ILLUSTRATIONS. THE VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY (Frontispiece) 27 THE ESCAPE FROM BORTONBROOK ASYLUM ( Vignette) . . . 465 IN A GARRET NEAR THE SKY . . 30 THE HAPPY FAMILY Hg THE ROAD! HUNTED DOWN! "LADY MARESFIELD ESCAPED! GONE ! ! " jfo THE LUCKY NUMBER ' 236 BOB BEMBROW'S PARTY ....... \ ' 304 THE MYSTERIOUS FOURPENCE ' 352 THE DEVONSHERRY BROTHERS ....... 370 A WAIF FROM THE OCEAN .... . ' 410 SLITHEREM THINKS HALF A LOAF BETTER THAN NO BREAD . . 450 THE DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIP cqO A "PARTICULAR PURPOSE" " " ' ' -xy THE RIVER ! ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL " ... . PUTTYPUT'S PROTEGEE.

PROLOGUE.

. Scene.— Interior ofa West End Club House, Personæ. — The Earl of Dunderdine ; John Dawley, Esq. ; Frederick Foster, Esq. ; George Talbot, Esq. ; Miss Vivian Talbot ; Lord Maresfield ; Smith ; Sir Gerald Talbot ; Mrs. Waldegrave, etc. A WINTRY evening had just closed in ; the blinds had been drawn down, and the heavy curtains carefully arranged by one ofthe waiters, in a truly magnificent room of the Club : this done, he stirred the fire together, the lurid glare from which imparted a glow of cheerfulness deli ciously inviting, and then he lit the gas and dispelled in part the cozy appearance of the room. He was in the act of ex tinguishing the taper, by means of which he had performed that operation, when the door opened and John Dawley entered. John Dawley was undoubtedly a handsome man, in age about twenty-three, of medium height and haughty bearing; there was a restlessness in his eyes and an undecided man ner in his movements, which attracted the attention of the observer to him ; he had a habit of picking the corner of his mouth with his left hand — not for any purpose whatever, but only from habit.

By keen observation I have been able to affix a habit to almost every man of my acquaintance, some ludicrous, some absurd, but still a habit so wedded to them that nothing can break them of it, and the knowledge of these peculiar habits in the hands of a detective, in pur-

PROLOGUE.

. 2 suit of some defaulting or criminal party, would be an im portant clue to his discovery. I know one man, a business monger of age and experience, who has a habit of putting his pen over his ear from the back, turning it round in his hand, and bringing it over his ear, holder first. Another whose habit it is to draw letters and figures over every available space while he converses with you; his choice letter being a T of respectable dimensions, which he draws in perspective to a nicety— should no paper be at hand he scruples not to adorn the table or door with his workman ship. Another has a knack of trimming_ his nails the moment he is asked a question. A fourth, bf winking his eyes four or five times in quick succession, and then allow ing them to rest until attacked with his habit again, and so on indefinitely.

John Dawley's — or as he was more popularly known, Jack Dawley — being to pick his mouth. Turning his back to the fire he questioned the waiter as to whether there were any letters for him. "I don't know, sir," replied that functionary; "but I will inquire ; " and he left the room for that purpose. Seating himself in an arm-chair, Dawley proceeded lei surely to relieve himself of his gloves, which he threw care lessly into his hat, and then running his fingers lightly through his curly hair, he leaned his chin on his hands and his elbows on his knees, and gazed vacantly at the fire. His thoughts, whatever they were, were disturbed by the entrance of the waiter, bearing upon a salver a note, which he handed to him, and retired. The note bore the crest of a noble house, and its receipt seemed to arouse Dawley from his reverie.

" So," said he, " his lordship descends to ask me for the ten pounds I borrowed some weeks back, because, forsooth, he is going abroad and wants to put himself straight both as debtor and creditor. / am in a fearful position ; something must be done, and speedily, or I shall suffer for it. Three thousand pounds would just clear me, but my father is deaf to my entreaties and will pay my debts no more. Ah," he continued, rising and pacing the room, " had I the heart of Fred Foster, I should stick at nought to accomplish my purpose. Money I must have, by fair means or foul. Let me think. There is Talbot — George Talbot, my dear friend Talbot, why should I not make him my victim ? He can

PROLOGUE.

. 3 bear it as well, perhaps better than any other of my dear friends. It shall be — I will hesitate no longer. It must be." And seating himself at a table, he took a pen, and turning the Earl of Dunderdine's letter over on its face he com menced practising the copy of a signature — his father's. Twenty or thirty times did he write the name, until at last thinking he had mastered it, he drew a blank cheque from his pocket, and hastily and successfully forged that name to it. During this trial of skill by Jack Dawley, a second person age had entered upon the scene, the Earl of Dunderdine himself. He had opened the door noiselessly, and advanced half way into the room. Without disturbing Dawley, who was so pre-occupied with his crime, the Earl watched the proceeding with some interest, at last hoping he was perhaps mistaken in the thoughts which suggested themselves con cerning it, he coughed to announce his presence.

Dawley sprang to his feet as one shot, clutching with one hand the letter, which he crushed up and flung into the grate, and with the other he conveyed the forged cheque to his pocket. " Good evening, Mr. Dawley; sorry 1 disturb you ; but I was passing and looked in to see if there were any letters for me. By the bye, did you get my note ? " " I did, my lord ; and am sorry to say " " Oh, no matter, if not convenient," replied the Earl, interrupting Dawley in his excuse, and moving towards the fireplace to relight his cigar, which had gone out during the foregoing. " I am off to-morrow for Italy, where I shall probably remain twelve months or so. However, you can pay it into my bankers' any time to suit your own convenience." " Thank you, my Lord. I shall do so next week.'' " By the bye, I saw Foster outside ; he's in deuced low spirits."

" Did you ? I want to see him. Which way did he go ? asked Dawley, seizing his hat and moving towards the door. " He was talking to Captain Clements on the steps. I've no doubt he's there now." " You'll excuse me a minute, my Lord ? " " Don't mention it ! " and Dawley left the room. The Earl turned slowly round, and stooping, picked up from among the ashes the letter which Dawley had thrown

PROLOGUE.

. 4 there on his entrance. " My letter, by Jove ! " said he, opening it out. " But what the deuce is this all over the back ! Why, the fellow has been signing his father's name here some twenty times. Can he be intent on forgery ? No; he can never be such a fool. Still I will keep this letter for future reference should circumstances require ; " and folding it he placed it carefully in his pocket-book, just as Dawley re-entered the room accompanied by Fred Foster, a swell ofthe first water. " Well," said Dunderdine, taking his hat, " I'll leave you, gentlemen, to yourselves, and bid you adieu, lest I should not see you again before I start." " Good-bye, old fellow," said Foster, in a patronizing voice. " Good-bye," echoed Dawley; and the Earl had gone. " Foster," said Jack, after he had been to the door and satisfied himself that the Earl had departed — "Foster, I've done the deed to-night.

I've forged the governor's scrawl to a blank cheque, and the only question now undecided is — how much shall I fill in the body for ? " Foster gave an expressive, prolonged whistle ; then gazed for a full minute in astonishment at the face of Dawley before he ventured a remark. " Why, Jack, you're getting plucky all at once." "Circumstances necessitate it; to-morrow I should have been a prisoner." " And may be yet," said Foster, " unless you have some exquisite move prepared for disarming suspicion should any question be raised upon the signature." "Look at it," said Dawley, producing it. "Could you swear to it ? " " Remarkable 1 " ejaculated his friend ; " exact ! " " Well — three thousand will clear me. Suppose I fill it up for four? " " Why ask me ? " " Why, merely in case you are short.

I may as well make it four thousand as five hundred while I am about it." "Oh certainly — make it four, then, by all means. I am always open to oblige a friend by spending his spare cash," replied Foster, delighted at the chance of pocketing a cool thousand. " Then here goes," said Dawley, seating himself before

PROLOGUE.

. 5 filling up the body ofthe cheque ; he dipped the pen in the ink, picked the corner of his mouth for several minutes, during which he calculated the chances of success attending his scheme, while Foster proceeded leisurely to smoke a cigar at the fire and scan the evening paper. " Pro — eeed," cried Foster, suddenly. "Are you funking ? Hark, a step ; " and throwing the paper to Dawley, the latter covered the cheque therewith, and pretended to be deeply engaged in the day's Money article. The door opened, and George Talbot entered the room. " Oh, Talbot, how d'ye do ? " said Foster, ejecting a thin thread of smoke from between his lips, and offering two fingers of his left hand for Talbot to agitate. Dawley appeared " deeply engaged " for one or two minutes, and then rose, having in the interim folded the cheque and conveyed it to his pocket.

" Good evening, my dear Talbot," said he, grasping George's hand warmly; " glad to see you. Any news ? " " Nothing public of any interest ; but privately, bad," he replied. " Concerning whom ? " asked Dawley, glancing at Foster, who, however, was much interested in the manufacture of a cigarette. " Oh, only me," said Talbot, "at present." " Anything very bad ? " drawled Foster, as he wetted and fastened the paper covering of his handiwork. "Anything I can help you in ? " suggested Dawley. "Well, I don't know," said Talbot, removing his hat and seating himself in front of the fire. " Draw up and I'll tell you." Foster preferred standing at the right ofthe mantelpiece. Dawley fetched a chair, and placed himself on the left of Talbot. " Now," said Jack, " we are all attention." " You know Tappet ?

" asked George. " Rather!" " Sold me that little mare you so admired on Thursday." " Exactly ! " " Well, promised me three months' credit, and came down on me to-day like a thunderbolt, and wanted the money." " Deuced mean," suggested Foster, lighting a fusee.

PROLOGUE.

. " So I thought," said George : " told him it was impossible I could let him have it till the end of February or the beginning of March, and he threatened legal proceedings and all sorts of disagreeables unless he had it by Monday." " Why not send the animal back ? " asked Dawley. "There's the deuce of it !" said Talbot, slapping his knee. " I'd just made a present of it to Miss Timperley -" " Ah ! " ejaculated Foster, " that's where the wind is, eh?" "What, seventeen-year-old Flora Timperley?" asked Dawley. " Exactly," replied Talbot ; " so you see I am in a pre dicament." " Dash it, Fred," said Dawley, " lend Talbot the cash— he'd do as much for you at any time." Foster slowly raised his eyes and gazed at Dawley, and the latter replied by an expressive wink, a signal which Foster well understood.

" Nothing more easy," said Foster ; " of course supposing you are prepared with that thousand you owe me, Dawley." "Ah, there you pinch me," said Jack, pretending to be annoyed. " Stay, I gammoned the governor out of a cheque yesterday — question whether I brought it with me ; " and he dived into every pocket but that in which he knew it was, in search of the document. " By Jove ! " cried he at last, " here he is. Ah, the governor's a 'cute old customer. 'Jack,' said he, when I asked him for this — 'Jack,' said he, ' don't you serve me as you did last time, and fill it up for seven thousand when I told you you might have five,' and then he tossed me this bit of paper bearing his jolly old signature and leaving it to me to fill up." " Capital," said Foster, laughing at the idea. " And what did he restrict you to this time ?

" " Oh, he said I might have five this time ; but I shan't draw that much, and then I can go to him again. See that ? " " Clever, by Jove ! " cried Foster, referring, of course, to Dawley's acting. " Can you really lend me this cash, then? " asked Talbot, gazing anxiously at Foster. " Depends entirely on Dawley, my dear fellow."

PROLOGUE.

. 7 George turned an inquiring gaze upon Jack. " Oh ! well — may as well have it now as a week hence. Here, Foster, fill it up," said Dawley, holding it out to him. " My hand's so deuced shaky." " So is mine. Here, Talbot, make yourself useful ; " and Foster transferred the cheque to him. George Talbot rose joyfully and proceeded to the table, where he seated himself and took up the pen. " How much ? '' he asked. " Oh ! three thousand," said Dawley. "And my thousand makes four," quietly observed Foster. " Very well, make it four ! " And in two minutes the body of the cheque was filled in in the handwriting of George Talbot. " Done," said he, rising and handing it to Dawley. "And well done, too ! " added that gentleman significantly. "Almost as well as if I'd done it myself," said Foster, pretending to glance at it.

" Well," said Dawley, picking his mouth, " the best way will be for you to take the cheque, get it cashed, give Foster his thousand, less your loan, and hand me the balance to-morrow. I will be at the Duke of York's candlestick at eleven, as I'm going to the Horse Guards to see Swallow." " Thanks," said Talbot, putting it carefully in his pocket book. " And where shall I see you ? " he asked, turning to Foster. "Oh, can't say — just pay it into my credit at Truebury and Co.'s, there's a good fellow ! " " Right," said George. " And now, my dear friends, what's the game this evening ? " "Well, Foster and I are waiting for an old hunk of a captain in the Royal Navy who was to be here by six." And here the speaker drew a handsome hunter from his pocket. " Five minutes to — by Jove ! " said he, rising hastily and pushing back his chair.

"Good night, Talbot," he continued, offering his hand and giving him a hint to go. " Success in the Timperley stables. Plenty of the ready to be had there, I believe." " Well, if you're engaged, good night," replied Talbot. " Need hardly say how obliged I am " " There, no thanks ; all in the same boat. Good night, old fellow."

PROLOGUE.

. 8 " Good night I " " Good night ! " And as the door closed upon the victim, the two plotters' faces assumed a sardonic grin, and Dawley rang the bell. " Then Talbot's in for it ? said Foster, presently. " A little ! '' answered his friend. Here the door opened and the waiter entered. "Did a gentleman pass you in the corridor?" asked Dawley. " Yes, sir." " Who was it ? "Didn't notice particular, sir: thought it was Lord Clapton. ' " No, it was the Earl of Dunderdine ! he's just left me because I expect a Captain Tassell. Has anyone inquired for me of that name ? " " No, sir." " It's past six," continued Dawley, consulting his watch. " Shall wait ten minutes more ; if he don't come, I shall go. Say we waited for him, Smith, and will call upon him if he wishes it." " Very well, sir." " That will do !

" The waiter bowed and retired. " What the deuce is that little comedy for ? " asked Foster, when they were again alone. " Why, Smith will prove that the Ear I of Dunderdine left here at six o'clock, should anything occur that Talbot wishes to prove otherwise." " Ah ! thoughtful again," said Foster. " Besides, we are evidently here to meet Captain Tassell." "And Captain Tassell? " " Is a myth ! " <_ Six days have elapsed, and George Talbot has been arrested on a charge of forgery. Dawley swore to the hand writing in the body of the cheque ! Every one acknowledged the signature to be a most skilful copy ofthe old gentleman's genuine one. Tappet proved the receipt of his bill for the horse.

PROLOGUE.

. 9 Foster swore that Talbot owed him a thousand pounds, part of which he had found paid into Messrs. Truebury's to his account. Smith swore that Talbot was not at the club on the night in question, but that Dawley and Foster were engaged with the Earl of Dunderdine up to six o'clock. The Earl of Dunderdine was on the high seas, en route no one knew exactly where. The jury retired to consider their verdict. " Guilty," was recorded, amidst a breathless silence, and the judge passed sentence. Transportation for life ! ! ! ■si- Vivian Talbot was a beautiful girl; nineteen years of age; and the beloved sister of poor George. The trial had well-nigh been her death, for she did not be lieve George guilty, though all the world beside did. Still, after the trial she was shunned by every one ; her father, Sir Gerald Talbot, died ; he only survived the trans portation of his son three weeks, and the beautiful orphan was heartbroken.

Sir Gerald Talbot had become deeply involved through horse-racing, and the estate was heavily mortgaged. Im mediately on the death of the Baronet, the mortgagee took possession, and poor Vivian was left almost entirely dependent upon her friends, very few of whom stood by her in her sorrowful position. Her father's steward, Felix Waldegrave, had been killed in a poaching affray the previous year, in the preserves of Talbot Court, when, with the help ofthe Baronet and his gamekeepers, a gang of these ruffians had been successfully captured. His widow and two children, a boy aged eight and a girl aged five, had been removed to London, and it was with this old domestic that Vivian found a home after the downfall of her fortunes and the dispersion of her family and retainers. Dawley was a detested suitor for her hand before this event.

Afterwards he hunted her from place to place, until as a last resource she accepted a post as governess in a noble man's family, and went abroad under an assumed name.

PROLOGUE.

. 10 Here four years after she met Lord Maresfield, who, struck by her beauty, and satisfied with her ability to fill the position in society his wife should do, proposed ; and, after a full explanation of her antecedents from Vivian herself, was accepted ; he entering fully into her opinion as to the innocence of George, and resolving to lend every help to clear him should chance occur. They returned to England, and were married with great eclat at St. George's, Hanover-square. After the honeymoon they received society at Marsefield House, Piccadilly. Dawley and Foster still moved in the highest society, and the former still persecuted Vivian with his cowardly attentions. She threatened him with Lord Maresfield's whip. He asked whether she had heard lately from her convict brother and so on !

For society had forgotten " the Talbot Forgery ;" and Lady Maresfield did not, for the sake of her husband, wish to revive it. So she suffered, and was insulted. And Dawley and Foster worked well together in all villanies they could perpetrate, stopping at nothing short of murder. Heaven knows if they would have shrunk from that! No news came from George at the penal settlement. He might be dead ! * # * * The Earl of Dunderdine at the time ofthe trial was in Italy ! Six months after, at an out of the way spot in Spain, he saw in an English newspaper an account of the early portion of the trial. Debating within himself as to whether he should be useful as a witness, he referred to the date, and saw at once the utter uselessness of his evidence. Suddenly he was summoned in haste to attend the death bed of his father in Russia.

In this country he remained six years ; and although the event had entirely escaped his memory, the letter which he picked from the ashes under the club-room fire-grate on the eventful night was still in his possession, and would, should occasion require, recall every circumstance.

PROLOGUE.

. 11 Then he travelled about for six or seven years more, visiting almost every place of note on the face of the globe. George Talbot still remained a prisoner at Botany Bay. END OF THE

PROLOGUE.

. An interval of fifteen years takes place between the commencement ofthe Prologue and the story. BOOK THE FIRST— THE ROAD.

Chapter I. Showing How Mr

PUTTYPUT KEPT A GENERAL SHOP IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF DRURY LANE. DRURY LANE at any period of the year is not an inviting neighbourhood, still less so are some of the little by-streets, courts, and alleys appertaining thereto ; in one of which might be found, after due search, a row of small shops, affectionately leaning towards their neighbours on the opposite side of the way, as though doubting the support of the general public, and considering it better to support each other. Two of these tenements were occupied respectively by Obadiah Puttyput, general dealer, and Theophilus Cutshort, cooked-meat emporium and dining-rooms. Obadiah Puttyput, or as he was most generally known, Puttyput, the " Obadiah " being understood, was a Quaker : a short, fat, clean-shaven man of fifty years of age. His con nection with the shop he occupied had outlived the memory of the oldest inhabitant, for the many changes constantly taking place amongst the neighbours made a residence of seven or ten years quite an era.

But Puttyput had been there some twenty years ; he seemed to thrive, certainly he always paid his way. That bugbear of society, high and low, the tax-gatherer, never called but once; and although Puttyput enjoyed the custom of the whole street, it was not likely that this was enough to enable him to afford regularly on the first of May in each year an entire renovation of the paint ■3 covering the shutters and window frames, and other wood work in the front of his establishment. This was the grand mystery of the locality, but in our character of novelist we are possessed ofthe secret of his success, which, with a due sense of our responsibility, we now disclose. Mr. Puttyput had a wife ! Mrs. Puttyput had money ! ! Together they had care, industry, frugality, happiness, and consequently no anxiety for the future ; the profits of the business paid the rent, Mrs Puttyput's income kept them, and a surplus was always standing to their credit at the bank.

Mrs. Puttyput was not of the quaker persuasion, that is previous to her becoming a wife, but she had, at the desire of her husband, whom she regarded as a sort of " nonesuch," and admired and loved accordingly, fallen into his views, and adopted his religion, at the same time that she fell in love with him and adopted his name. They had never had a harsh word together ; and such was the desire of each to give way to the other in the most trivial matter, that after five and twenty years experience it was not likely they ever would ; in fact, they were a thoroughly happy couple. The portion of the house which Puttyput appropriated to his own use, was the shop, parlors, kitchen beyond, and the first floor over; the rest of the premises was let unfurnished, with the exception of one small bedroom, which they had furnished to accommodate a young man, a clerk at one of the riverside wharves, who gloried in the name of Bembrow.

Mr. Robert Bembrow he wished the world to call him, but that body and its satellites persisted in designating him " Bob." As it is absolutely impossible to describe this worthy — we must leave his character and peculiarities to leak out as the story advances. The other lodgers in the house were Mr. Type, a com positor, on the second floor, with his wife and family of three children, and Mr. Coney, a bird-catcher, in the third floor front. It was nine o'clock on a bright September morning, and Puttyput had arranged his herrings due north and south ; burnished his scales, swept out the shop, adjusted sundry refractory bundles of firewood, emptied and reset the mouse trap, collected half-a-dozen apoplectic bodies of dead flies and thrown them into the street, strewn a quart of sawdust on the floor, covered a glaring crack in one of his dummy cheeses with a " Best Mixed at 2s. 8d.," wiped his spectacles on the corner of his apron, and taken his stand at the door to glance right and left, and make himself acquainted with any alterations in the neighbourhood since he closed the previous night.