friend of the ambassador, and
surprised me myself by a visit the night before last."

"What a dear delightful old man! how he loves you, Mr. Deuceace!"

"Oh, amazingly!" says master, throwing his i's to heaven.

"He spoke of nothing but you, and such praises of you!"

Master breathed more freely. "He is very good, my dear father; but
blind, as all fathers are, he is so partial and attached to me."

"He spoke of you being his favorite child, and regretted that you were
not his eldest son. 'I can but leave him the small portion of a younger
brother,' he said; 'but never mind, he has talents, a noble name, and an
independence of his own.'"

"An independence? yes, oh yes; I am quite independent of my father."

"Two thousand pounds a year left you by your godmother; the very same
you told us you know."

"Neither more nor less," says master, bobbing his head; "a sufficiency,
my dear Miss Griffin,--to a man of my moderate habits an ample
provision."

"By-the-by," cries out Lady Griffin, interrupting the conversation, "you
who are talking about money matters there, I wish you would come to the
aid of poor ME! Come, naughty boy, and help me out with this long long
sum."

DIDN'T HE GO--that's all! My i, how his i's shone, as he skipt across
the room, and seated himself by my lady!

"Look!" said she, "my agents write me over that they have received a
remittance of 7,200 rupees, at 2s. 9d. a rupee. Do tell me what the sum
is, in pounds and shillings;" which master did with great gravity.

"Nine hundred and ninety pounds. Good; I daresay you are right. I'm sure
I can't go through the fatigue to see. And now comes another question.
Whose money is this, mine or Matilda's? You see it is the interest of a
sum in India, which we have not had occasion to touch; and, according to
the terms of poor Sir George's will, I really don't know how to dispose
of the money except to spend it. Matilda, what shall we do with it?"

"La, ma'am, I wish you would arrange the business yourself."

"Well, then, Algernon, YOU tell me;" and she laid her hand on his and
looked him most pathetickly in the face.

"Why," says he, "I don't know how Sir George left his money; you must
let me see his will, first."

"Oh, willingly."

Master's chair seemed suddenly to have got springs in the cushns; he was
obliged to HOLD HIMSELF DOWN.

"Look here, I have only a copy, taken by my hand from Sir George's own
manuscript. Soldiers, you know, do not em