. The servants at the gate said that his Lordship was
too ill to see company; but, at the Alderman's pressing entreaty, their
cards were taken, and soon afterwards they were ushered into the lofty
apartments of Woodside Hall, and through the library into the Earl's
private garden. There they found his Lordship walking up and down the
terrace, evidently in a most unamiable state of mind. Mrs. Gobble drew
back when she saw his fierce looks; and the Alderman, taking off his
hat, seemed undecided whether it would not be advisable to beat a
retreat before his Lordship ate them both up, for so he seemed inclined
to do. At last Mr. Gobble told his errand, and solicited the favour of
his Lordship's interest. If Earl Falcon was angry before, he was enraged
to madness now; he screamed at his visitors, stamped his feet, and
rushed at them, cane in hand, so impetuously, that the intruders flew
away with all the haste they could, regained their carriage, and took a
post-chaise back to London without delay.

Alderman Gobble returned to town sadder, but wiser; and was never
afterwards heard to talk of the honour of being a member of Parliament.

As for the borough of Woodside, Lord Falcon gave to Mr. Weesel, the
family lawyer, who, report said, was somehow the cause of the death of
poor Mr. Rabbetson.

MRS. STRUTT'S SEMINARY.

THE bells of Farmfield's Church rang merrily when young Mr. Strutt
married his neighbour's daughter, Miss Waddle. The school-children had a
holiday, and the labourers at all the farms in the village dined off
roast beef and plum-pudding. Young Mr. Strutt had passed the College of
Surgeons, and set up in practice in London, in a new and fashionable
neighbourhood at the West End; that is, he had hired two rooms in a
respectable-looking house, and bargained to have his name on a great
brass plate on the door. But neither his wedding nor his brass plate
brought him any patients; and after a two years' trial, Mr. Strutt
retired from the profession in disgust.

It luckily happened that Mrs. Strutt's papa, Mr. Waddle, determined that
his daughter should receive a _superior_ education, had sent her to a
very distinguished seminary, where young ladies were taught the most
wonderful accomplishments by the very first masters; but where,
unfortunately, they did not include the art of making apple-dumplings.

As Mrs. Strutt had no children of her own, she now determined to devote
her acquirements to the benefit