426 fcfr TO RICHMOND. 



I did ; it was my favourite dish, 



And drest in great perfection ; 

 'Twas then I gave words to my wish, 



And told her my dejection : 

 She said that I might live in hope ; 



I left her at 1 1 ; 

 And, ah ! I thought, without a trope, 



Pall-Mall the path to heaven ! 



" Mark the passionate change in the measure," said Smith, " so 

 descriptive of the tumult of his feelings : " 



But, ah ! one Corporal O'Hara, 



Of I know not what dragoons, 

 Went off next day with Sarah, 



Who sent me back my spoons ! 

 Then break, my heart! thou art betray 'd, 



And in the trap art taken, 

 Caught by a luring bait well laid, 



Calves' liver fried with bacon ! 



This unexpected climax took us all by surprise, and even the most 

 sentimental of our party laughed, as may well be supposed. I suspect 

 that the song is Smith's, and no footman's it is beyond the powers of 

 the plush-breeches gentry. 



" But what in the name of wonder, has become of Jones and Miss 

 Simpson all this while?" exclaimed Wilson, with an expression of 

 anxiety which I shall never forget, it was so amiable: Wilson is, 

 indeed, a very amiable man in many respects. We had forgotten them 

 there is no use in mincing the matter; but as we were not quite 

 indifferent to their welfare, we walked leisurely down the lawn to the 

 boat, where we expected to find them. What was our surprize ! they 

 were not on board, nor could we perceive them anywhere around. 

 Our anxiety now grew serious. " He has not jumped into the river in 

 his tantarums," said Tomlins " Trowsers," said Smith, interrupting 

 him. " And Miss Simpson plunged in after him ?" continued Tomlins. 

 " Cork cannot sink," said Smith, sarcastically. I never knew him so 

 severe. I put an end to this unseasonable levity by remarking, that it 

 was our duty to discover what had become of them. " That is no hard 

 task/' said Smith, laughing, " for there they go in a wherry to Rich- 

 mond !" We looked, and there they were, sure enough. Jones had 

 hailed a waterman sculling by, and had deserted us in high dudgeon. 



" Man the boat, and give chase !" I commanded. The ladies were 

 put on board the rudder shipped I grasped an oar, and we were 

 once more on the bosom of the deep ; but what with Wilson's wilful- 

 ness and Tomlins's awkwardness, we made little or no way for some 

 time and the wherry distanced us so rapidly, that we at last lost sight 

 of it altogether. At length we got into better working trim, and 

 pushing along, came, after an hour's hard chase, in sight of Richmond 

 bridge. As we neared that beautiful structure, the Diana steamer 

 pushed off from the shore, and almost ran us under water. What was 

 our astonishment, at that trying moment, lo ! behold Jones standing 

 coolly on the paddle-box, with his hands in his pockets, laughing at us 

 in the most insulting manner. " This is too bad !" I exclaimed, with 

 all that energy of which I am master. " It is it is !" cried one and 



