ether foreigners from the wilds of America, the Cape of Good Hope,
and even savages from the isles of the Pacific; in fact, she was the
notorious lion-hunter of her age. It was supposed that she had a
peculiar ignorance of the laws of meum and tuum, and that her monomania
was such that she would try to get possession of whatever she could
place her hands upon; so that it was dangerous to leave in the
ante-room anything of value. On application being made, however, the
articles were usually returned the following day, the fear of the law
acting strongly upon her ladyship's bewildered brain.

THE DUCHESS OF GORDON

This leader of fashion, who was wont to be the admiration of all
circles, was looked upon as the most ambitious of women, and her vanity
was fully gratified by the marriage of her daughters to the first
people in the realm--the Dukes of Richmond, Manchester, and Bedford,
and the Marquis of Cornwallis.

THE LATE MRS. BRADSHAW (MARIA TREE)

The two Miss Trees, Maria and Ellen (the latter now Mrs. Kean), were
the great favourites of the Bath Stage for many seasons before they
became leading stars in London. Miss Ellen Tree made her first
appearance in a grand entertainment, called the Cataract of the Ganges,
in a magnificent car drawn by six horses. Her beauty made a deep
impression on the audience, which was naturally increased by her
subsequent exhibition of great talents.

Miss Maria Tree was much admired as a vocalist, and her Viola, in
Twelfth Night, was one of the most popular performances of the day.
Mr. Bradshaw became desperately enamoured of her during her engagement
in London, and having learnt that she was about to go by the mail coach
to Birmingham, where she was to perform her principal characters,
thought it a favourable opportunity of enjoying her society; so he sent
his servant to secure him a place by the mail, under the name of
Tomkins. At the appointed time for departure, Mr. Bradshaw was at the
office, and jumping into the coach was soon whirled away; but great was
his disappointment at finding that the fair object of his admiration
was not a fellow-passenger: he was not consoled by discovering that
there were two mails, the one the Birmingham, mail, the other the
Birmingham and Manchester, and that whilst he was journeying by the
latter, Miss Tree was travelling in the other.

On arriving at Birmingham, early in the morning, he left the coach and
stepped into the ho