THE BOARDING-HOUSE. 187 



" When you think every one has retired to rest to-night/' said 

 Evenson very pompously, "if you'll meet me without a light, just 

 outside my bed-room door, by the staircase window, I think we can 

 ascertain who the parties really are, and you will afterwards be ena- 

 bled to proceed as you think proper." 



Mrs. Tibbs was easily persuaded ; her curiosity was excited, her 

 jealousy was roused, and the arrangement was forthwith made. She 

 resumed her work, and John Evenson walked up and down the 

 room with his hands in his pockets, looking as if nothing had hap- 

 pened. The game of cribbage was over, and conversation began 

 again. 



" Well, Mr. O'Bleary," said the humming-top, turning round on 

 his pivot, and facing the company, " what did you think of Vaux- 

 hall the other night ?" 



" Oh, it's very fair," replied Orson, who had been euthusiastically 

 lelighted with the whole exhibition. 



" Never saw any thing like that Captain Ross's set-out eh ? 



" No," returned the patriot with his usual reservation " except 

 in Dublin." 



" I saw the Count de Canky and Captain Fitzthompson in the 

 Gardens," said Wisbottle ; " they appeared much delighted." 



" Then it must be beautiful !" snarled Evenson. 



" I think the white bears is partickerlerly well done, suggested 

 Mrs. Bloss. " In their shaggy white coats they look just like Polar 

 bears don't you think they do, Mr. Evenson ?" 



" I think they look a great deal more like omnibus cads on all 

 fours," replied the discontented one. 



" Upon the whole, I should have liked our evening very well," 

 gasped Gobler ; " only I caught a desperate cold which increased 

 my pain dreadfully ; I was obliged to have several shower baths, 

 before I could leave my room." 



" Capital things those shower-baths !" ejaculated Wisbottle. 



" Excellent !" said Tomkins. 



" Delightful !" chimed in O'Bleary. (He had seen one once, out- 

 side a tinman's,) 



" Disgusting machines !" rejoined Evenson, who extended his dis- 

 like to almost every created object, masculine, feminine, or neuter. 



" Disgusting, Mr. Evenson !" said Gobler in a tone of strong in- 

 dignation. " Disgusting ! Look at their utility consider how 

 many lives they've saved by promoting perspiration." 



ef Promoting perspiration, indeed," growled John Evenson, stop- 

 ping short in his walk across the large squares in the pattern of the 

 carpet " I was ass enough to be persuaded some time ago to have 

 one in my bedroom 'Gad, I was in it once, and it effectually cured 

 me certainly, for the mere sight of it threw me into a profuse perspi- 

 ration for six months afterwards." 



A general titter followed this announcement, and before it had sub- 

 sided, James brought up " the tray," containing the remains of a leg 

 of lamb which had made its debut at dinner ; bread, cheese ; an 

 atom of butter in a forest of parsley, one pickled walnut and the 

 third of another, and so forth. The boy disappeared, and returned 



