vant handed to him a very handsome dressing-case, which he took with him to the scene of play; then seating himself at the table, he would place it beside him, and take out cash, as he from time to time required it. The Baronet was by no means a rash or extravagant player. He appeared to take much pleasure in the game's variety, and in the endeavour to bring the occurrence of events within the rule of calculation; but, like many hundreds who before and since have wasted time and talent upon the delusive problem, he continually arrived at the opposite proof, and paid for the lesson. His eccentric and systematic habit excited for a time some attention at the table; but the novelty wore off in time, and the formality of the dressing-case was thought no more of than the appearance of a pocket-book.

Moore gives eloquent expression to the fact, that

"One clear idea waken'd in the breast

By memory's magic, lets in all the rest.”

so, by recurrence to one or two examples of peculiar character, recollection is awakened to many strange instances and acts familiar to, and connected with, Fielder's establishment. Never can memory be dead to the extraordinary manner in which the gallant Captain H-, of the navy, was accustomed to give vent to his mortification under his losses. He would deliberately, and under little or no appearance of angry excitement, rise from the table, and walk up to the fire-place, over the handsome marble chimney-piece of which stood a magnificent glass. Opposite to this he would very frequently place himself, and with his shadowed portrait, as created by the reflective powers of the mirror, would he hold angry and emphatic converse and remonstrance, the substance reminding the shadow of the resolutions made before commencing play; and so excited would he often become in such conference with his other self, that he would sometimes assume the most menacing attitudes of pugilistic chastisement, and bestow on himself no very complimentary epithets, as due to his folly and imprudence. Strange as was such conduct, it was considered but as one of the many infirmities that so peculiarly exhibit themselves in individuals, under the trials and excitements of play. Ill-timed mirth would on such occasions lead most probably to serious results; independently of which, gentlemanly feeling would control any thoughtless outbreak. The gentleman referred to is of high standing in society, of amiable disposition and generous heart, and universally respected. He is still living, as the writer of this inoffensive anecdote can testify, and looking almost as young, certainly as well in health, as when, twenty-six years ago, his corporeal threatened his incorporeal, before the mirror in Bennett Street, with a broken head.

Equally vivid in recollection is the eccentricity of the gallant but infatuated Captain P—, of the navy, a relation of the distinguished admiral and hero of his name. The Captain was one of the most bold and desperate players of the day, and as frequently operated to the destruction of banks as the banks broke him, with the difference only that he would lose his whole capital at one sitting, without any reserve for another venture. Such was his imprudence, that his resources were almost invariably risked in their gross amount, and too frequently lost as soon as they came to hand; and though he

would occasionally, and not unfrequently, from small sums run into large amounts by daring and successful play, yet, lacking all prudence, he would recklessly venture the whole of such amount on a subsequent opportunity, and in the same rash and intemperate manner. One anecdote will serve at once to illustrate his occasional extraordinary good fortune, and his habitual imprudence at play :the occurrence took place also at Fielder's. The Captain had lost a few pounds in the ordinary course of the game, and, having no further supply of cash at command, he sat for some time a mute observer of the proceedings. Having remained thus inactive for some time, he suddenly thrust his hands into the recesses of his waistcoat pockets, and drew thereout silver amounting to four shillings and sixpence (being sixpence only short of a crown), which he hastily staked on one of the colours. The event was successful, as were many succeeding ones, and the gallant Captain won very considerably on the deal. Finding himself thus most unexpectedly in funds again, he commenced the next deal in his usual bold style, and at the termination of it his capital had miraculously increased to an amount exceeding five hundred pounds. Not content, however, with what most men would have considered, and been satisfied with, as a most bountiful and especial mark of Fortune's favour, the Captain continued his speculations, and ultimately, from the small capital of four shillings and sixpence, absolutely realized between eleven and twelve hundred pounds, with which sum he was absolutely compelled to retire, the bank having closed its operations for the night, under a general run of ill fortune. The Captain was in high spirits; and, after taking supper, with the accompaniment of a bottle of claret, and liberally feeing the servants of the establishment, he made his way towards home. On the following night he returned to the attack, and, most unwisely, with one thousand pounds of the money he had won. Luck was decidedly against him, and he speedily lost every shilling. He was a man of most eccentric and impulsive character, and, under the disappointment and vexation of loss, would give utterance to the most extraordinary oaths and ludicrous observations that ever dropped on the ear of On the occasion alluded to, under the mortification of so severe a reverse, he, on the disappearance of his last stake of fifty pounds, let fly a broadside of the most incoherent nautical imprecations, and making one spring, jumped through the cane-work of the chair on which he had been sitting. There he stuck, to the irrepressible mirth of the company, who, although indisposed to laugh at the misfortunes of the gallant officer, found it impossible to restrain the risible impulse occasioned by the Captain's ludicrous position. Happily a good effect was produced by the event; for the Captain, finding himself in so droll and singular a state, immediately gave way to the full mirth of the moment, and half forgot his losses, which, it must be remarked, seldom preyed very heavily on his elastic spirits. He was indeed a noble, brave, and generoushearted creature, and, but for his unfortunate and excessive love of play, would doubtless ere this have arrived at the highest honours of his profession; instead of which, he lost connections, friends, and the fairest expectations of fortune. The Captain was related to the late Mr. A-, of St. James's Square, a gentleman of great wealth, and who is said to have been most generous in his life-time to his

man.

improvident kinsman; but, knowing his fatal passion for play, and being convinced that any fortune bequeathed to him would be wasted in such fatal indulgence, he is said to have confined his bequest to an annuity sufficient to provide against absolute want. The Captain's errors are reported to have worked most favourably to the fortunes of a worthy Baronet, late in high Commission of the Peace (and formerly himself a little addicted to the amusements of the gaming-table), who stepped into a much larger property than he might have done, had the Captain been a more wise and prudent

THE WITHERED ROSE.

DICK SPARROW'S EVENING "OUT.”

BY CHARLES WHITEHEAD, AUTHOR OF "RICHARD SAVAGE," &c.

WITH AN ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN LEECH.

It was with a perceptible amount of nervous excitement that Mr. Richard Sparrow stood in superintendence, while an old fellowthe private watchman of the neighbourhood-put up the shutters of the shop in which his father during so many years had carried on the business of a button-maker. This job done, the young gentleman hurriedly retreated to his own chamber, where he completed his evening toilet with as much expedition as is compatible with the nicest care, and whence he soon descended to the dining-room to receive that tribute of admiration from his aunt Reddish, who was arranging the "tea-things," which the good lady never failed to pay, when a new vest or a stock of novel sprig or tie exacted it.

Our young friend Dick accepted this homage with laudable moderation, only murmuring a few words to the effect, that an "air distingwy" was something that was not readily attainable by all classes of people; and then, changing the subject, begged his aunt to give him an instant cup of tea, as his father would not return from the "Woolpack" for half an hour at least, whither the old gentleman had gone, as was his use, to smoke his pipe.

"And so you're invited out to supper at Garton's?" remarked aunt Reddish. "Bless me, they live a great way off, don't they?"

"Delta Villas, Bellevue Road, somewhere between Camden Town and Islington," answered Dick. "I shall know the house by two great stone lions on each side of the door, that sit flanking the steps. But what do you think of old Garton inviting me to supper? Ain't I as fit as any one else I believe you too, to drink champagne, and cry Hip, hip, hurrah! Yes, and return thanks in a neat speech. I think I ought to stand a little higher in his estimation than cold meat and a glass of grog, now he's trying to hook me into marrying his daughter."

"True; but your father says she's a nice girl, and has a bag full of money," suggested Mrs. Reddish.

"Yes; but mind you, aunt, there are lots of nice girls, with lots o' tin, that go a-begging now-a-days," returned Dick. "Not but what," he added after a moment, "I deeply and truly love Maria Wilcocks Garton."

Ah!" sighed Mrs. Reddish, into whose sentimental province Dick's remark had seemed to threaten an invasion, "when two young hearts are tightly and sincerely knit together, when there's a harmony-"

"That reminds me," interrupted Dick, "of a capital thing I said yesterday. Prater looked in, and told me he was going to dine with Garton to-day, they're such old friends. But,' says he, you're not to suppose he gives this party because he's got into his new house. It's his wedding-day that he means to keep. Now, if that ain't fulsome, Prater,' said I. A man keep his wedding-day who's got a daughter old enough to be escorted up to the hymeneal altar!' Ah, but,' says he, Mr. and Mrs. Garton have been a very happy

.

couple all their lives: they have, so help me Dunmow!' And he told me about the Dunmow flitch. You've heard of it, aunt, have you? Well,' says I,—for I was aggravated Prater should be asked to dinner, and I not, well, if the Dunmow flitch waited till they claimed it, it would be precious rusty. And,' I says, 'I'll lay a side o' Wiltshire to a rasher o' streaky, never a week passes but they're at it, hammer and tongs.'"

"You were very wrong to talk in that manner to Mr. Prater, who is so particular a friend of the Gartons," observed Mrs. Reddish, shaking her head admonishingly, "especially now they 're so likely to be related to you."

"D'ye think so?" answered Dick, laying down his tea-cup; "then I won't do so again.”

Dick now drew his chair to the side of his aunt, and began expressively, but in haste, to stigmatize his father as an old screw, who would never let him have any tin; and as Mrs. Reddish officiated as the old gentleman's housekeeper, the topic was not disagreeable to her.

"Don't you think he's a most desperate and aggravating old citizen?" urged Dick. "Doesn't he try to keep me as much back as he can? And does he care a button for me, although he's less cause to set a value on buttons than most men ?"

Having obtained satisfactory replies to these queries, Dick hinted at the phthisicy state of his exchequer, and in his most insinuating manner besought the loan of four sovereigns, and his late uncle Reddish's highly-admired ring,-the sovereigns merely to have about him, lest they should be required as counters if he sat down to cards, and the ring to flash conviction upon the eyes of the assembled guests that the wearer was an eligible partner for life of Miss Maria Wilcocks Garton.

Admiring the worldly wisdom of the youth, and perceiving nothing very unreasonable in his request, Mrs. Reddish suffered herself to be prevailed upon to accede to it. The boy was right. It was a crying shame that his father-who, by the bye, had recently permitted him to open an account with a tailor-should not long ago have suffered him to make a better appearance. Accordingly, she handed out the four sovereigns, with awful and almost terrifying injunctions that he should take the most painful care of them, and placed the ring on his finger with her own hands, shedding a few tears, as she did so, to the memory of its original wearer.

Dick, affected by these symptoms, made all needful promises and protestations, and was suffered to depart. He brightened wonderfully as he descended the stairs, and was all himself again at the street-door. The postman, as he sallied forth, was delivering on the opposite side of the way, and held up a letter to his nose, intimating that its destination was Sparrow's; but Dick waved his fingers gracefully, and directed his thumb backwards towards the first floor, thereby giving the public functionary to understand that epistolary matters would be duly attended to within, and so went on his way rejoicing.

Now, we have seemed to intimate, in what has gone before, that Dick Sparrow was in a hurry,—a circumstance likely to excite the surprise of the acute reader, seeing that Dick had just swallowed a cup of tea, and was invited to sup with a friend somewhere near