lear gone, thank
Heaven! and I hope the old lady will be happy; and I must say I don't
envy the Rev. Grimes Wapshot." So we put Mrs. Hoggarty out of our
thoughts, and made ourselves as comfortable as might be.

Rich and great people are slower in making Christians of their children
than we poor ones, and little Lord Poynings was not christened until the
month of June. A duke was one godfather, and Mr. Edmund Preston, the
State Secretary, another; and that kind Lady Jane Preston, whom I have
before spoken of, was the godmother to her nephew. She had not long been
made acquainted with my wife's history; and both she and her sister loved
her heartily and were very kind to her. Indeed, there was not a single
soul in the house, high or low, but was fond of that good sweet creature;
and the very footmen were as ready to serve her as they were their own
mistress.

"I tell you what, sir," says one of them. "You see, Tit my boy, I'm a
connyshure, and up to snough; and if ever I see a lady in my life, Mrs.
Titmarsh is one. I can't be fimiliar with her--I've tried--"

"Have you, sir?" said I.

"Don't look so indignant! I can't, I say, be fimiliar with her as I am
with you. There's a somethink in her, a jenny-squaw, that haws me, sir!
and even my Lord's own man, that 'as 'ad as much success as any gentleman
in Europe--he says that, cuss him--"

"Mr. Charles," says I, "tell my Lord's own man that, if he wants to keep
his place and his whole skin, he will never address a single word to that
lady but such as a servant should utter in the presence of his mistress;
and take notice that I am a gentleman, though a poor one, and will murder
the first man who does her wrong!"

Mr. Charles only said "Gammin!" to this: but psha! in bragging about my
own spirit, I forgot to say what great good fortune my dear wife's
conduct procured for me.

On the christening-day, Mr. Preston offered her first a five, and then a
twenty-pound note; but she declined either; but she did not decline a
present that the two ladies made her together, and this was no other than
_my release from the Fleet_. Lord Tiptoff's lawyer paid every one of the
bills against me, and that happy christening-day made me a free man. Ah!
who shall tell the pleasure of that day, or the merry dinner we had in
Mary's room at Lord Tiptoff's house, when my Lord and my Lady came
upstairs to shake hands with me!

"I have been speaking to Mr. Preston," says my Lord, "the g