im to "go on" with his yarn. During the
progress of the narrative, an old, comical looking man, not over well
dressed, had entered the room, unnoticed; and seating himself in one
corner, he pulled a pipe from his pocket, lighted it, and began to
smoke, at the same time taking a keen and intelligent survey of the
motley assembly. Jew Mike, having quenched his thirst, resumed his
story. [The reader will be good enough to observe, that while we give
the substance of this worthy gentleman's narrative, we pretend not to
give his precise words. It is highly probable that he adapted his
language to the humble capacities of his low and illiterate auditors;
and we have taken the liberty to clothe his ideas in words better suited
to the more intelligent and refined understandings of our readers.]

"Well, ladies and gentlemen," said Jew Mike--"as I was saying, Lady
Hawley and Captain St. Clair got so bad that they never minded my
presence a bit, but talked and acted before me with as much freedom as
if I were both deaf and blind. My lady would dress herself in the
Captain's uniform, which fitted her to a charm, for she was a large,
magnificent woman, while he was of no great stature for a man,
although exceedingly well-made and handsome. Not was that all: the
Captain would attire himself in her splendid garments, and, but for
his moustache and imperial, might have passed for a very handsome
woman. And, to carry out the idea still further, my lady would pretend
to take very wild and improper liberties with her lover, which he
would affect to resent with all the indignation proper to his assumed
sex. Then they would roll and tumble upon the soft carpet until they
were quite spent and breathless; after which the Captain would run
into the chamber, and conceal himself beneath, behind, or _in_ the
bed; she would follow in pursuit, close the chamber door, and--I would
apply my eye to the key-hole; but as I am a polite man, and as there
are ladies present, (ahem!) you'll excuse me for not entering into
particulars.

"So much for their actions, now for their words. I was attending them
at supper one night, and to say the truth they were both of them
highly elevated in consequence of having too profusely imbibed their
favorite wine, seasoned with the _essence of Lagrange,_ the name which
I had privately given it. The Captain was very slightly attired, and
my lady had on nothing but a very