a new horse; and the dashing widow did make her
appearance in a curricle; but it was unfortunately driven by a
strapping young Irish dragoon, with whom even Master Simon's
self-complacency would not allow him to venture into competition, and
to whom she was married shortly after.

It was a matter of sore chagrin to Master Simon for several months,
having never before been fully committed. The dullest head in the
family had a joke upon him; and there is no one that likes less to be
bantered than an absolute joker. He took refuge for a time at Lady
Lillycraft's, until the matter should blow over; and occupied himself
by looking over her accounts, regulating the village choir, and
inculcating loyalty into a pet bulfinch, by teaching him to whistle
"God save the King."

He has now pretty nearly recovered from the mortification; holds up
his head, and laughs as much as any one; again affects to pity married
men, and is particularly facetious about widows, when Lady Lillycraft
is not by. His only time of trial is when the general gets hold of
him, who is infinitely heavy and persevering in his waggery, and will
interweave a dull joke through the various topics of a whole
dinner-time. Master Simon often parries these attacks by a stanza from
his old work of "Cupid's Solicitor for Love:"

"'Tis in vain to wooe a widow over long,
In once or twice her mind you may perceive;
Widows are subtle, be they old or young,
And by their wiles young men they will deceive."

LOVE-CHARMS.

------Come, do not weep, my girl,
Forget him, pretty Pensiveness; there will
Come others, every day, as good as he.

--SIR J. SUCKLING.

The approach of a wedding in a family is always an event of great
importance, but particularly so in a household like this, in a retired
part of the country. Master Simon, who is a pervading spirit, and,
through means of the butler and housekeeper, knows every thing that
goes forward, tells me that the maid-servants are continually trying
their fortunes, and that the servants'-hall has of late been quite a
scene of incantation.

It is amusing to notice how the oddities of the head of a family flow
down through all the branches. The Squire, in the indulgence of his
love of every thing that smacks of old times, has held so many grave
conversations with the parson at table, about popular superstitions
and traditional rites, that they have been carried from the parlour to
the kitchen by the