ribbons and bits of
soiled flowers. No; some other language than this must be devised. A
phraseology not only startling but new must be invented in preparing
the final sale of the house of Brown, Jones, and Robinson.

He threw himself back in his chair, and sat for awhile silent, with
his finger fixed upon his brow. The first words were everything, and
what should be the first words? At last, in a moment, they came to
him, and he wrote as follows:--

RUIN! RUIN!! RUIN!!!

WASTEFUL AND IMPETUOUS SALE.

At Magenta House, 81, Bishopsgate Street, on March the
5th, and three following days, the Stock in Trade of
the bankrupts, Brown, Jones, and Robinson, valued at
209,657_l._ 15_s._ 3_d._, will be thrown broadcast before
the public at the frightful reduction of 75 per Cent. on
the cost price.

To acquire the impetus and force necessary for the
realization of so vast a property, all goods are quoted for
TRUE, HONEST, BONA-FIDE SALE at One-Quarter the Cost Price.

This is a Solemn Fact, and one which well merits the
earnest attention of every mother of a family in England.
The goods are of the first class. And as no attempt in
trade has ever hitherto been made of equal magnitude to
that of the bankrupts', it may with absolute truth be said
that no such opportunity as this has ever yet been afforded
to the public of supplying themselves with the richest
articles of luxury at prices which are all but nominal. How
will any lady hereafter forgive herself, who shall fail
to profit by such an opportunity as this?

Such was the heading of his bills, and he read and re-read the words,
not without a glow of pleasure. One can be in love with ruin so long
as the excitement lasts. "A Solemn Fact!" he repeated to himself; "or
shall I say a Glorious Fact? Glorious would do well for the public
view of the matter; but as it touches the firm, Solemn, perhaps, is
more appropriate. Mother of a Family! Shall I say, also, of every
Father? I should like to include all; but then the fathers never
come, and it would sound loaded." Again he looked at the bill, again
read it, and then proceeded to describe with great accuracy, on a
fly-leaf, the dimensions of the paper to be used, the size of the
different types, and the adaptation of various colours. "That will
do," said he; "I think that will do."

But this which he had now done, though, perhaps, the most important
part o