546 The SifcopfiafiL [^Nov, 



that the villain had absolutely forged some letters, written others (ano- 

 nymously, of course), and moved heaven and earth, to be revenged 

 for our jest. He had blackened us in a most horrid degree, and when 

 it was all discovered his excellency's coldness was fully explained. 

 Bearfoot's scheme was more characterised by cunning than wisdom ; but 

 as we were talking of our meditated punishment for his transgressions, 

 and of their probable result, the news burst upon us, like a thunder- 

 cloud, that Winterton, the lying, sycophantish Winterton Bearfoot, had 

 absolutely stolen a march upon the governor, and clandestinely married 

 the youngest and most lovely of his daughters ; we pitied the girl, and 

 we sympathised most truly with her parents, and well we might, for 

 it nearly broke the old man's heart. He saw the perfect and utter 

 unworthiness of the man she was united to, as an officer and a gen- 

 tleman he could not acknowledge a branded liar, and his feelings as a 

 father had been most deeply outraged by the duplicity she had been 

 induced to practise. They were obliged to leave the country without 

 money and without pardon ; but we heard that the governor procured 

 him some small situation in the West India Islands. I have known 

 nothing of him since ; but his salutation tells me he is unreformed." 



I must now pass over a few additional months, and tlien introduce 

 my readers to a very miserable room, in the neighbourhood of Ken- 

 nington — a little attic of one of those new paper-like houses, where the 

 wind displaces the cement intended to unite the mixture of coarse clay 

 denominated, in builder's terms, " close burnt brick." A man in soiled 

 and worn-out garments was arranging the remains of what had been 

 fine and abundant liaii*, at a three-cornered bit of looking-glass, which 

 rested against the creaking window-frame, his features were ghastly 

 and attenuated, and a low, wheezing cough, interrupted in a most pain- 

 ful manner the dialogue he was carrying on, Avith a slight and ele- 

 gantly formed woman, whose beauty had been evidently destroyed 

 both by want and sorrow ; but little fire crouched amid the three rusty 

 bars which served as a grate, yet a girl of about thirteen was endea- 

 vouring to heat an iron over its embers, with the evident intention 

 of ironing a yellowish shirt-collar, and still more yellow neckcloth, on one 

 end of a napless blanket, which had been half drawn off the wretched 

 bed for the purpose ; a boy, of, perhaps five, with the restlessness of 

 childhood, was endeavouring to catch those cold, blue-looking flies, 

 that buzz so incessantly in deserted windows, robbing even the ambushed 

 spiders of their prey. 



" How can I get it out, love ?" said the woman, in a gentle, expos- 

 tulating tone ; " it was my last resource, God knows, to pledge it, and I 

 would not have taken ic but to procure them food." 



" It must be had, for all that — it is the only thing I can wear — it 

 hides all defects ; and, indeed, I have every reason to believe that I 

 shall be able to obtain this situation at last." 



The woman shook her head. 



" Between both our connections — they do not know the absolute state 

 of starvation we are in — but I must have the cloak." 



" Winterton," replied she, soleumly, " even my ring — my wedding 

 ring, is gone — of all my jewels not a stone, not a pearl remains. We 

 have hardly wherewith to cover our worn limbs — and the chain — " 



"Ay, woman-like, mourn over your baubles," he replied unfeel- 



