appellation of my cousin the Colonel, who seemed inwardly to enjoy the farce, as the arch expression of his eye denoted.

When Amelrosa retired for the night, instead of the wax taper that filled the silver candlestick (which had likewise disappeared) was substituted a tallow candle so slender, that it emitted less light than a rush-light. Supposing it was occasioned by some mistake, she mentioned it to the servant who was in her chamber filling the jug with water, and was assured by her, it was placed there by the commands of her mistress; and that they never used any other candles but when they had particular company; and by her master's orders candles were made on purpose for him, thirty to the pound, to prevent waste. Hearing this, Amelrosa said no more, but thought it very extraordinary.

At breakfast the following morning, stale bread, coarse brown sugar, rank salt butter,

butter, with tea of inferior quality were exhibited; and Amelrosa, for the first time, was impressed with an idea that the candid avowal of her circumstances, had occasioned this visible alteration in their treat. ment of her.

During breakfast, of which Amelrosa eat but sparingly, as her appetite was delicate from the indifferent state of her health and the repast before her, far from inviting, made her eat still less, the footman entered, saying, Mr. Green had sent his master a present of a haunch of venison, with his compliments. "Here, then,” said Mr. Taylor, "give the person who brought it these halfpence for a pint of beer. The footman went out, and returning with a suppressed grin on his countenance, repeated that the man who brought the venison was the gentleman's groom, and would not take the halfpence,-never having less, he said, than half-a-crown or five shillings when his master sent him with a present of venison any where.

At

At this speech Mr. Taylor's penury and passion conquered his pride, and in a violent rage he exclaimed, "Let the fellow take the haunch back again!-half-a-crown or five shillings indeed, why I can get mutton cheaper and like it better."

The groom, however, dared not take it back, fearful of displeasing his master; and throwing it down in the hall, d-ed Mr. Taylor for an old stingy curmudgeon. This adventure ruffled his temper for the whole day, and after an uncomfortable dinner of fat mutton and suet dumplings, which they called dampers, and drinking tea in the same elegant manner as the breakfast, Mr. Taylor addressed Amelrosa, and rubbing his hands with a face of glee, said, "Suppose, my dear, we have a bit of fun tonight, and go to bed without any supper?" Purposely to provoke him, Amelrosa replied, "Why really, Sir, I could propose a much better diversion, and that is, to have a very good supper before we go to bed."

This answer seemed to seriously offend him, and he rejoined, it was easy for people to talk who never knew the expence of providing for a family; that taxes were high and provisions dear, and it was necessary for every one to be economical.

The next day she was much amused with hearing, as she sat in the drawing-room, two of the maid servants, when their master and mistress were out, conversing on the staircase. The door was a-jar, and one of them who was sweeping the stairs, had rested on her broom, and told the other, who was a new servant, that the reason her master always walked with his arms stuck out from his sides, was from fear that the sleeves of his coat, rubbing against the sides, might wear it out sooner than it would else." When no company dines with him," she continued, "he always eats his dinner in a drawer, that the crumbs may not be wasted; and what was still more laughable in the old niggard, when

the

the servants were at dinner, which was earlier sometimes than his, he would come into the kitchen to watch how much they eat, and ask leave to dip a bit of bread in their gravy, eating dry bread alone for his lunch.-Mrs. Taylor was not half so stingy," added the maid; "but he wanted to make her as bad as himself, and she was getting more like him, so that no servant ever lived with them lately, longer than a month."

The more distinct knowledge Amelrosa had acquired of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, from this little circumstance, in addition to several others that had happened since her short residence with them, added to the change in her situation which had operated in disclosing the littleness of their minds, altogether contributed to inspire her with a complete contempt for them; and she resolved, as soon as possible, to quit their inhospitable mansion.

Mrs.