ual place.

'She left us early this morning,' quietly replied the landlady.

'Gone--really gone?' was repeated in various tones of
disappointment; and one old gentleman, who had paid the absent lady
marked attention, demanded in a chagrined voice: 'Pray, where has
she gone? Can you tell us _that_, ma'am?--heigh!'

'No, sir, I cannot,' replied our hostess. 'All I can say is, that
Miss Jerningham is a very honourable and generous lady, and wherever
she is, I wish her well.'

'Humph!' said the old gentleman gruffly; 'she must have a good
fortune to do as she does.'

'Yes, sir, she must,' was the reply: 'and go where she will, I
believe that Miss Jerningham always gives plentiful alms. It seems
her settled habit, like.'

'Settled habit!' muttered the old gentleman: 'she hasn't got a
settled habit, ma'am: she is a most unsettled and extraordinary
individual.'

'Well, sir, perhaps so,' replied Mrs Smith; 'but Miss Jerningham is
quite the lady.' And in that opinion we all coincided, supposing our
hostess by the word lady to have meant gentlewoman.

A few months afterwards she called upon us in London. She was not
staying with her brother, but declined giving her address, remarking
that it was not worth while, as she was about to change her abode
immediately. By accident, however, we discovered afterwards that
Miss Jerningham had lodged for the whole period within a dozen doors
of us. Our surprise was lessened in after-years at the pertinacity
with which she continued to appear to us, although always at
uncertain intervals; for a service rendered by our father, referring
to some banking transaction, apparently never escaped her memory,
and she invariably alluded to this act of kindness with expressions
of gratitude. This circumstance operated, we conjectured, as an
encouragement to bestow on us an unusual mark of confidence and
friendship, for such Miss Jerningham considered it when requesting
permission to add our address to an advertisement she was about
inserting in the _Times_ for 'eligible board and lodging.' She knew
that newspapers were prohibited articles in our circle,
consequently we had no opportunity of finding out that portion of
the transaction she wished to conceal. In what locality this
'eligible board and lodging' was advertised for, we never inquired,
judging it would be needless to do so, but we consented to receive
the letters Miss Jerningham expected in answer.

Poor Miss Jerningham! great was