f Morgiana; and then of the bill which was to
become due on the 16th; and then of a light-blue velvet waistcoat with
gold sprigs, in which he looked very killing, and so was trudging round
in his little circle of loves, fears, and vanities. "Hang it!" Mr.
Walker was thinking, "I AM a handsome man. A pair of whiskers like mine
are not met with every day. If anybody can see that my tuft is dyed, may
I be--" When the door was flung open, and a large lady with a curl
on her forehead, yellow shawl, a green-velvet bonnet with feathers,
half-boots, and a drab gown with tulips and other large exotics painted
on it--when, in a word, Mrs. Crump and her daughter bounced into the
room.

"Here we are, Mr. E," cries Mrs. Crump, in a gay folatre confidential
air. "But law! there's a gent in the room!"

"Don't mind me, ladies," said the gent alluded to, in his fascinating
way. "I'm a friend of Eglantine's; ain't I, Egg? a chip of the old
block, hay?"

"THAT you are," said the perfumer, starting up.

"An 'air-dresser?" asked Mrs. Crump. "Well, I thought he was; there's
something, Mr. E., in gentlemen of your profession so exceeding, so
uncommon distangy."

"Madam, you do me proud," replied the gentleman so complimented, with
great presence of mind. "Will you allow me to try my skill upon you, or
upon Miss, your lovely daughter? I'm not so clever as Eglantine, but no
bad hand, I assure you."

"Nonsense, Captain," interrupted the perfumer, who was uncomfortable
somehow at the rencontre between the Captain and the object of his
affection. "HE'S not in the profession, Mrs. C. This is my friend
Captain Walker, and proud I am to call him my friend." And then aside to
Mrs. C., "One of the first swells on town, ma'am--a regular tiptopper."

Humouring the mistake which Mrs. Crump had just made, Mr. Walker thrust
the curling-irons into the fire in a minute, and looked round at the
ladies with such a fascinating grace, that both, now made acquainted
with his quality, blushed and giggled, and were quite pleased. Mamma
looked at 'Gina, and 'Gina looked at mamma; and then mamma gave 'Gina a
little blow in the region of her little waist, and then both burst out
laughing, as ladies will laugh, and as, let us trust, they may laugh
for ever and ever. Why need there be a reason for laughing? Let us laugh
when we are laughy, as we sleep when we are sleepy. And so Mrs. Crump
and her demoiselle laughed to their hearts' content; and both fixed
their