Ask Mamma

ance. "Take care, sir, there's a step, sir," continued he, stopping and showing where the first stumbling-block resided. Billy then commenced the gradual accent of th

a nobleman's house, it seemed more like summut in a book or a play than downright reality. Still there was no reason why a fine lady should not take a fancy to him-many deuced deal uglier

now passed through an invisible door in the gilt-papered wall. "Mr. William Pringle, ma'm," whispered Ben, in a tone that one could hardly reconcile to the size of the monster: and Miss Willing having risen at the sound of the voice, bowing, Billy and she were presently locked hand in hand, smiling and teeth-showing most extravagantly. "I'll ring for tea

g, as Billy still stood staring and making a mental inventory of her charms. "Seat"-(puff)-"seat" (wheeze), gasped Billy, looking around at the shining amber-coloured magnificence by which he was surrounded, as if afraid to venture, even in his nice salmon-coloured shorts. At length he got squatted on a gilt chair by his charmer's side, when taking to look at his toes, she led off the ball of conversation. S

thmatical, as a hall-porter ought to be, at length brought it in of his own accord. Most polite he was; "My lady" and "Your ladyship-ing" Miss Willing with accidental intention every now and then, which raised Billy's opinion of her consequence very considerably. And so

s and two brandy's. A good old-fashioned black-bottomed kettle having next mounted a stand placed on the top bar, Miss intimated to Ben that if they had a few more coals, he need not "trouble to sit up;" and these being obtained, our friends made a brew, and then drew

of the inspiring fluid, our friend Mr. Pringle was soon in full fervour again. He anathematise

, "he wasn't"-but there were many, many considerations, and many, many points to be discussed, and many, many questions to be asked of ea

d footman, or an under-sized stripling, or a buttony boy of a page, or be waited upon by that greatest aversion to all female minds, one of her own sex. Not that she had the slightest idea of saying "No," but her experience of life teaching her that all early grandeur may be mastered by footmen, she could very soon calculate what sort of a set down she was likely to have by knowing the style of her attendant. "Show me your footman, and I

entimentality; and Miss, thinking she had got him far enough, and seeing it was nearly twelve o'clock, now urged him to rise, and allow her maid to go and get him a coach. Saying which, she disengaged her hand, and slipping through the invisible door, was presently whispering her behests to the giggling Pheasant-feathers, on the other side of the folding ones. A good half-hour, however, elapsed before one of those drowsy vehicles could be found, during which

liner, dress and mantle-maker's, who will be happy to exec

as fond of the pursuit as any one. She looked Billy over with a searching, scrutinising glance, thinking what a flat he was, and wondered what he would think of himself that time twelvemonths. Billy, on his part, was rather dumb-foundered. Talking before two women was not so easy as talking to one; and h

ntle that is to say)

na Green-she dare say'd he'd heard of it; but then it was a tremendous distance, and would take half

rs. Other difficulties were then discussed, particularly that of publicity, which Miss dreaded more than the journey to Gretna. It must

his arrangement being perfected, and liberty given to Billy to write to his bride, whose name and address were now furnished him, he at length took his departure; and the ladies having talked him over, then resolved themselves into a committee of taste, to further the forthcoming tournament. And by dint of keeping all hands at work all night, Miss Willin

of Honiton as has caused her to hide her diminished head ever since, but our pen is unequal to the occasion, and even if we had had a Joh

of the old poke bonnets of former days? To keep things right,

the l

k, Head-and-shoulders Smith. Big Ben, who was dressed in a blue frock coat with a velvet collar, white kerseymere trousers, and varnished boots, looking

t proclaimed to the "great world," that sphere of one's own acquaintance, that William Pringle, Esquire