ck says."

"Don't you say nothink against poicks, BETSEY, and I'll say nothink
against musicians," retorted Mrs. GAMP, mysteriously.

"Oh! then it _was_ to call me over the Carpet that you sent for me so
sudden and peremptory?" rejoined Mrs. PRIG, with a smile.

"DRAT THE CARPET!!!" again ejaculated Mrs. GAMP, with astonishing
fierceness. "Wot do _you_ know about the Carpet, BETSEY?"

"Why nothink at all, my dear; nor don't want to," replied Mrs. PRIG,
with surprise.

"Oh!" retorted Mrs. GAMP, "you don't, don't you? Well, then, I _do_, and
it's time you did likewise, if pardners we are to remain who 'ave
pardners been so long."

Mrs. PRIG muttered something not quite audible, but which sounded
suspiciously like, "'Ard wuck!"

"Which share and share alike is my mortar," continued Mrs. GAMP; "that
as bin my princerple, and I've found it pay. But Injin Carpets for our
mutual 'ome, of goldiun lustre and superfluos shine, as tho' we wos
Arabian Knights, I cannot and I will not stand. It is the last stror as
camels could not forgive. No, BETSEY," added Mr. GAMP, in a violent
burst of feeling, "nor crokydiles forget!"

"Bother your camels, and your crokydiles too!" retorted Mrs. PRIG, with
indifference. "Wy, SAIREY, wot a tempest in a teapot, to be sure!"

Mrs. GAMP looked at her with amazement, incredulity, and indignation.
"Wot!" she with difficulty ejaculated. "A--tempest--in--a--Teapot!! And
does BETSEY PRIG, my pardner for so many years, call her friend a
Teapot, and decline to take up SAIREY'S righteous quarrel with a Mrs.
HARRIS?"

Then Mrs. PRIG, smiling more scornfully, and folding her arms still
tighter, uttered these memorable and tremendous words,--

"Wy, certainly she does, SAIREY GAMP; _most_ certainly she does. Wich I
don't believe there's either rhyme or reason in sech an absurd quarrel!"
After the utterance of which expressions she leaned forward, and snapped
her fingers, and then rose to put on her bonnet, as one who felt that
there was now a gulf between them which nothing could ever bridge
across.

* * * * *

THE PATIENT AT PLAY.

_Adviser._ Have you ever been present at a performance of _The Dead
Heart_?

_Patient._ No; and I know nothing of a _Tale of Two Cities_.

_A._ Then surely you are well acquainted with _All for Her_?

_P._ I regret to reply in the negative.

_A._ Perhaps, you have seen the vision in _The Bells_, or the _Corsican
Brothers_?