rington,
pleased with the other's exultation. "Well, you may get bread and
cheese, Pen: and I own it tastes well, the bread which you earn
yourself."

They had a magnum of claret at dinner at the club that day, at Pen's
charges. It was long since he had indulged in such a luxury, but
Warrington would not baulk him: and they drank together to the health of
the Spring Annual.

It never rains but it pours, according to the proverb; so very speedily
another chance occurred, by which Mr. Pen was to be helped in his scheme
of making a livelihood. Warrington one day threw him a letter across
the table, which was brought by a printer's boy, "from Captain Shandon,
sir"--the little emissary said: and then went and fell asleep on his
accustomed bench in the passage. He paid many a subsequent visit there,
and brought many a message to Pen.

F. P. Tuesday Morning.

"MY DEAR SIR,--Bungay will be here to-day, about the Pall Mall
Gazette. You would be the very man to help us with a genuine West-end
article,--you understand--dashing, trenchant, and d---- aristocratic.
Lady Hipshaw will write; but she's not much you know, and we've two
lords; but the less they do the better. We must have you. We'll give you
your own terms, and we'll make a hit with the Gazette.

"Shall B. come and see you, or can you look in upon me here?--Ever
yours,

"C. S."

"Some more opposition," Warrington said, when Pen had read the note.
"Bungay and Bacon are at daggers drawn; each married the sister of the
other, and they were for some time the closest friends and partners.
Hack says it was Mrs. Bungay who caused all the mischief between the
two; whereas Shandon, who reads for Bungay a good deal, says Mrs. Bacon
did the business; but I don't know which is right, Peachum or Lockit.
But since they have separated, it is a furious war between the two
publishers; and no sooner does one bring out a book of travels, or
poems, a magazine or periodical, quarterly, or monthly, or weekly, or
annual, but the rival is in the field with something similar. I have
heard poor Shandon tell with great glee how he made Bungay give a grand
dinner at Blackwall to all his writers, by saying that Bacon had invited
his corps to an entertainment at Greenwich. When Bungay engaged your
celebrated friend Mr. Wagg to edit the 'Londoner,' Bacon straightway
rushed off and secured Mr. Grindle to give his name to the 'Westminster
Magazine.' When Bacon brought out his comic Irish nove