1831.] The London-Bridge. Lion. 299 



In vain did I ensconce myself behind the shadowing shelter of a bonnet, 

 whose magnitude I for the first time admired. A sudden bend by the 

 ■wearer of it exhibited me to his recognizing eye. In another instant 

 his hand was stretched out, as if to drag roe from my retreat. " Ha ! 

 my dear Sir," shouted he, as I shrank and looked round for compas- 

 sion, " you are fortunate ; I suddenly lost sight of you the last time we 

 met — but I have something in my pocket which I mtist shew you — 

 you'll be delighted." And, suiting the action to the word, he drew 

 from his pocket — let the reader guess what — a huge coloured print of the 

 " Ceremony of opening the New London Bridge \" The fat lady woke 

 ■with the commotion which this occasioned, and — with a mental thanks- 

 giving — I felt my leg liberated. The liberation came too late— my hand 

 was imprisoned. " Look here — here it is," he continued ; " you can trace 

 all the different groups and positions as I explained them to you the 

 other day. All very good, indeed, very like — except the balloon! 

 That's not the thing— I must speak to Green." — " And pray. Sir," said a 

 small sour-visaged youth, who had once or twice attempted to stem 

 the torrent, with an effort to be quizzical, " at what part of the bridge 

 were you stationed, that you could observe all this so accurately ?" The 

 orator turned a supercilious eye upon him — " I was not on the bridge at 

 all_I was there .'" — " There ! — where. Sir ?" He pointed triumphantly 

 with his finger, and looked round at us all. " There !" he said, in a 

 tone that evinced his consummate satisfaction. We all leaned over to 

 look. His finger rested upon a spot far beyond the reach of every 

 spectator in the picture but one. We scarcely trusted our eyes. He 

 actually pointed to the car of the balloon. " Mr. Green !" we all 

 shouted simultaneously — but we were all wrong. It was not Mr. 

 Green — it was only " the gentleman that went up jvith Mr. Green !" — 

 the renowned Sir Claudius Stephen's locum-tencns 



This is my story. Whether it be worth telling or not, I hardly know. 

 I only know that it is true. B- 



THE FATAL SPOT. 



I'm good enough myself — but, whilst I live, 



Adam and Eve I never will forgive. 



Who left their offspring so devoid of grace — 



We would not give a button for the race ; 



But listen, neighbour, to the tale I tell ; 



You will not wonder, for you know us well. 



The documents are scanty, I'm afraid. 



And do not mention where the venu 's laid ; 



But speak of one Sir Charles, a bonny knight. 



Who " came, and saw, and conquered," at first sight. 



The Lady Mary — handsome, cliaste, and true — 



A few years older — and she said hut few. 



Both parties were agreed, and, past redress. 



They soon renounced their single blessedness. 



Thanking the gracious gods, who linked together. 



Hearts to love on through every change of weather — 



Thanking, indeed !— they'd houses, lands, and carriage, 



Tliough not the smalleat iafdut from this marriage ; 



