180 THE BOARDING-HOUSE. 



up as she had been, she knew no mode of living so agreeable as a 

 boarding-house ; and having nothing to do, and nothing to wish for, 

 she naturally imagined she must be very ill an impression which was 

 most assiduously promoted by her medical attendant, Dr. Wosky, and 

 her handmaid, Agnes, both of whom, doubtless for excellent reasons, 

 encouraged all her extravagant notions. 



Since the catastrophe recorded in our last, Mrs. Tibbs had been 

 very shy of young lady boarders. Her present inmates were all 

 lords of the creation, and she availed herself of the opportunity of 

 their assemblage at the dinner table, to announce the expected arrival 

 of Mrs. Bloss. The gentlemen received the communication with stoical 

 indifference, and Mrs. Tibbs devoted all her energies to prepare 

 for the reception of the valetudinarian. The second-floor front was 

 scrubbed, and washed, and flannelled, till the wet went through to 

 the drawing-room ceiling. Clean white counterpanes, and curtains, 

 and napkins; water-bottles as clear as crystal, blue jugs, and 

 mahogany furniture, added to the splendour and increased the com- 

 fort of the apartment. The warming-pan was in constant requisition, 

 and a fire lighted in the room every day. The chattels of Mrs. Bloss 

 were forwarded by instalments. First there came a large hamper of 

 Guinness's stout and an umbrella ; then a train of trunks ; then 

 a pair of clogs and a bandbox; then an easy chair with an air 

 cushion ; then a variety of suspicious-looking packages ; and 

 "though last not least" Mrs. Bloss and Agnes, the latter in a 

 cherry- coloured merino dress, open-work stockings, and shoes with 

 sandals ; looking like a disguised Columbine. 



The installation of the Duke of Wellington, as Chancellor of the 

 University of Oxford, was nothing in point of bustle and turmoil to 

 the installation of Mrs. Bloss in her new quarters. True, there was 

 no bright doctor of civil law to deliver a classical address on the 

 occasion ; but there were several other old women present, who spoke 

 quite as much to the purpose, and understood themselves equally well. 

 The chop-eater was so fatigued with the process of removal that she 

 declined leaving her room until the following morning ; so a mutton- 

 chop, pickle, a two-grain calomel pill, a pint-bottle of stout, and 

 other medicines, were carried up stairs for her consumption. 



" Why, what do you think, ma'am?" inquired the inquisitive Agnes 

 of her mistress, after they had been in the house some three hours ; 

 " what do you think, ma'am ? the lady of the house is married." 



" Married !" said Mrs. Bloss, taking the pill and a draught of 

 Guinness, " married ! Unpossible !" 



" She is indeed, ma'am," returned the Columbine; " and her hus- 

 band, ma'am, lives he he he lives in the kitchen, ma'am." 



" In the kitchen !" 



" Yes, ma'am ; and he he he the housemaid says, he never 

 goes into the parlour except on Sundays ; and that Mrs. Tibbs makes 

 him clean the gentlemen's boots; and that he cleans the windows, too, 

 sometimes ; and that one morning early, when he was on the front 

 balcony cleaning the drawing-room windows, he called out to a 

 gentleman on the opposite side of the way, who used to live here 

 ' Ah ! Mr. Calton, Sir, how are you ?' " Here the attendant laughed 



