f^oU) Ci)ei) Courtetr. 117 



Miss Robinson herself on one fatal occasion picked 

 up and read a very affectionate effusion simply 

 directed "For Kate," which chanced also to be her 

 own baptismal designation, and found, subsequently 

 and ruefully, that it was instead intended for her 

 bewitching pupil, that sour-visaged old lady very 

 quickly brought things to a crisis, which resulted in 

 our friend Charley having to adopt the system I have 

 alluded to, during the little time his idol and he him- 

 self were destined to remain in the neighbourhood. 

 It w'as not long, for Miss Ponsonby's health was 

 pronounced to require a change (not by herself I may 

 remark), and she was accordingly placed under orders 

 to visit for awhile an elderly and uninteresting Aunt at 

 Brighton, whilst poor Charley, who was, alas ! plucked 

 for his examination, and no wonder, was doomed to 

 twelve months' travel on the continent. These were 

 truly trying times for both of them ; but the quantity 

 of pretty lace-bordered handkerchiefs that weekly 

 swelled Kate's washing account it is not my province 

 to reveal. The best of friends and truest of lovers 

 must, alas ! at times part ; so sufBce it in this instance 

 to say, that old Smith, the Bath-chair man, was 

 handsomely bribed to ensure them, if possible, an 

 opportunity of finally exchanging and reiterating 

 the old vows previous to their respective departures. 

 " The powers that were" were much on the alert, 



