1840-42. A FOOLISH INCIDENT. 291 



hope in the hearts of the home circle, as his strength visibly 

 decreased. In December a long letter to his cousin, "dear 

 Jeems," gives token of unquenched heartiness amidst the deep- 

 ening shadows. Speaking of the death of Mr. Kenneth Kemp, 

 3iis fellow- teacher in chemistry, which had just occurred, he 

 says, 



" And now that the ground is clear, I have to sit quietly by, 

 cultivating patience, and seeing some one else step into the 

 poor fellow's shoes. Well, seeing that shoes are out of the ques- 

 tion with me, and that I could only at furthest step into another 

 man's shoe, I won't be mulcted out of my patience by any man, 

 but bide my time. 



" Meanwhile, for our mutual gratification, I shall tell you 

 a foolish enough incident, at which I laughed very heartily 

 when I heard of it. Y has returned to town, and is at his 

 old diverting tricks. A vacant chair at the Medical Society 

 has led to the ordinary amount of canvassing and crimping of 

 voters, Y , of course, as recruiting serjeant-major, taking the 

 lead in the business. Mght before last, Y having parted 

 with me, found at N 's a certain young gentleman partaking of 

 supper, and in a state of considerable excitation. He was at 

 once pounced upon for his vote, and by due management the 

 full pledge was obtained. I suppose they nattered the poor 

 rogue terribly, for he had opened his heart to them, and told 

 them of some lady of 30,000 who was dying for him ; besides 

 another worth some 15,000, who was in the same distressing- 

 condition. He referred to this as the explanation of what had 

 surprised everybody, viz., his giving up a capital place, with the 

 certainty of an appointment in the army. Well, this Narcissus 

 carried on at this rate for some hours, drinking tumblers of 

 strong toddy all the while ; and finally, at three o'clock A.M., 

 was handed out of N 's place in, I fear, a somewhat overtaken 

 condition. After he was gone, N thinking it highly possible 

 he might fail to find his way home, resolved to run after him 

 and keep a look-out on his movements. Y determined to 

 join him, and some little tune was lost in getting ready. When 

 they reached the street they looked about in all directions for 

 their friend, and seeing some little way before them a gentleman 



