ackguards, I determined to gratify
an inclination I had long entertained, and make a little tour. I applied
for leave of absence, and set off THAT VERY NIGHT. I can fancy the
disappointment of the brutal Waters, on coming, as he did, the next
morning to my quarters and finding me GONE. Ha! ha!

After this adventure I became sick of a military life--at least the life
of my own regiment, where the officers, such was their unaccountable
meanness and prejudice against me, absolutely refused to see me at mess.
Colonel Craw sent me a letter to this effect, which I treated as it
deserved.--I never once alluded to it in any way, and have since never
spoken a single word to any man in the North Bungays.

AUGUST.--DOGS HAVE THEIR DAYS.

See, now, what life is! I have had ill-luck on ill-luck from that day
to this. I have sunk in the world, and, instead of riding my horse and
drinking my wine, as a real gentleman should, have hardly enough now to
buy a pint of ale; ay, and am very glad when anybody will treat me to
one. Why, why was I born to undergo such unmerited misfortunes?

You must know that very soon after my adventure with Miss Crutty, and
that cowardly ruffian, Captain Waters (he sailed the day after his
insult to me, or I should most certainly have blown his brains out; NOW
he is living in England, and is my relation; but, of course, I cut the
fellow)--very soon after these painful events another happened, which
ended, too, in a sad disappointment. My dear papa died, and, instead of
leaving five thousand pounds, as I expected at the very least, left only
his estate, which was worth but two. The land and house were left to
me; to mamma and my sisters he left, to be sure, a sum of two thousand
pounds in the hands of that eminent firm Messrs. Pump, Aldgate and Co.,
which failed within six months after his demise, and paid in five years
about one shilling and ninepence in the pound; which really was all my
dear mother and sisters had to live upon.

The poor creatures were quite unused to money matters; and, would you
believe it? when the news came of Pump and Aldgate's failure, mamma only
smiled, and threw her eyes up to heaven, and said, "Blessed be God, that
we have still wherewithal to live. There are tens of thousands in this
world, dear children, who would count our poverty riches." And with this
she kissed my two sisters, who began to blubber, as girls always will
do, and threw their arms round her neck, and