cleverer than you-he an actor indeed! no, he has never been any thing so lowyou only say that to set me against him; but it is of no use-I like a man with interlects."

"La! we shall be so happy," said Kate, “all of us with a beau except 'ma!" "No, not all," replied Jerry Larkins, "for I suppose Miss Fitzallan will go with us to the play.'

"Dear me, no!" said Kate; "she is a Methodist, and who ever heard of a Methodist going to a play? it will be of no manner of use to ask her."

"I don't suppose we, any of us, want her company," replied Miss Hobson, “she is so dull and so queer.”

But in this idea she was mistaken, for her brother would have been pleased if she had been of their party, as he very much wished to try whether he could not convert her from Methodism, and persuade her to bestow herself and fortune upon him; but this was not the moment to ex

press

press his secret thoughts, and after keeping it up till midnight, the company separated, with a promise of meeting the next evening to go to Drury-lane theatre.

As soon as Miss Fitzallan was certain the guests had departed, she returned to the drawing-room, where Mrs. Bridgemore and Kate were undressing themselves by the fire.

"Before I retire to rest, Mrs. Bridgemore," ," said Rosella, "I wish to inform you, that when I became an inhabitant of your house, I expected to have my apartments entirely to myself, and to see no company except those I invited; but since I find you seem to consider yourself and family at liberty, not only to intrudè upon me yourselves, but also to introduce your visitors, I beg to say that I shall quit you to-morrow, as neither my health nor spirits are in a state to bear such disagreeable intrusion."

Mrs. Bridgemore's looks confirmed her assertion, that she was amazed and struck

all

all on a heap." Why, Kate,” said she, turning to her daughter, who was torturing her lank hair into curls, " I say, Kate, did not you tell me as how you had spoke to Miss here, to give us leave to ask our company into the drawing-room?"

"I am sorry for her own sake if she has told such a falsehood,” replied Miss Fitzallan," for I assure you, ma'am, I was utterly unprepared, and not a little disconcerted at seeing your visitors; and you must remember I declined your proposal of taking tea in my apartment—I have many heavy sorrows on my mind, which at present unfit me for society-I beg to repeat I shall quit your house to-morrow." She then bade them good-night and retired.

66

Well, who cares?" said Kate. "Let her go, a proud thing! as soon as she likes-I am sure we have work enough to do, with-> out 'pa being so mean as to let lodgings."

"Your father will break your bones, hussy," replied Mrs. Bridgemore, "if he

comes

.

comes to find out he has lost his lodger through you-oh dear, dear! sure I am one of the most unfortinatest women under the sun!-nobody as breathes meets with such troubles and mishaps as falls to my lot-only think of Tom breaking the china plate that has been in the family for a hundred years or more!-I am sure it quite took away my stomach-I hardly tasted the supper."

"La! how can you say so?" said Kate. "I saw you help yourself to the wing and the leg of a fowl, and three or four slices of ham, and then you eat three custards and a plateful of apple-tart."

you

Well, I am sure, Miss Pert, and did you grudge me what I eat?" asked Mrs. Bridgemore. "It was fine manners of to watch what was put upon people's plates; but my children are like nobody else's-they do nothing but put me to expence, and bring me into trouble-there's you affronting the lodger, and Martha breaking the best china teapot; your father,

ther, I expect, will play old Harry among us when he comes home-dear, dear! it would have been much better if we had taken a comfortable hand at whisk, along with Larkins, in the little parlour, for all this trouble has come through having wisitors; if we had not invited no company, we should not have had these here misfortunes and wexations."

"No," returned Kate, "nor I should not have seen Dicky Hobson; but as to that, 'ma, you care nothing in the world' about me as long as your favourite Martha is pleased and happy-no matter it seems about me."

"You are an ungrateful slut," said Mrs. Bridgemore; "the thinking "the thinking of you, and indulging of you, has brought all this here mischief upon my back: there was, first and foremost, all the nice buttered muffins thrown into the ashes, the very cat could not eat them--then the china plate got broke then the bottom fell out of the best teapot, and a matter of an ounce of super