think you are both wrong-such splendid eyes! a little too large, perhaps a very ox-eyed Juno, indeed. I do not know her; I wish I did-but I hear that she is very clever, and I am very certain that she looks so."

"She is very clever," observed Mrs. Poggleton; "at all events in her own conceit."

"And very lively," said Mr. Jenks.

"Very," remarked Mrs. Poggleton.

"I couldn't help laughing," continued Julian, "to see her face, when Drawlincourt came to that part of the service where he has to say, 'with all my worldly goods I thee endow,'-she was standing by Frederick Splashington, and I saw her give him a nudge. It was certainly very ridiculous, for I should fancy that Drawlincourt's worldly goods consist chiefly of his patent leather boots and his whisker-brushes."

Hereupon Mrs. Poggleton laughed, and observed that she had always thought it was a bad match, and was now perfectly convinced of it, having said which she added, with a sly look at the hero of this story" He, he, he! after all, she had better have taken you, Peregrine."

"Taken me!" exclaimed Peregrine Pultuney.

Yes-you-only think, what a sly boy you are to be sure just as though I did not know all your goings on, Master Peregrine. He, he, he! I know -that I do-all about it."

"About what, aunt? I really don't know,"

urged Peregrine Pultuney; "pray tell me what it's all about."

"Yes, tell us," added Mr. Jenks; "he is a sly dog, Mrs. Poggleton."

know

Yes-yes, I know," continued that lady. "I well how it was. very I have heard about your proposing-only think, such a boy as you! -proposing to Miss Gowanspec-and how she juwabed you-dear me!-you sly boy, I know all about it "

"And seemingly a great deal more than I know myself," observed Peregrine. "Was it Lucretia Gowanspec who juwabed me?"

"Yes, yes, you know," returned Mrs. Poggleton. "She as good as told me so herself-and Mr. Drawlincourt positively mentioned it to Frederic Splashington as a fact."

"What lies people can tell," observed Peregrine "I declare, upon my honour, aunt, that I never did more than kiss her in my life."

Mr. Jenks whistled.

"Kiss her!" exclaimed Mrs. Poggleton. "And what could you do more, I should like to know? Only think! you never did more than kiss herand enough too-what a boy it is!"

"Well, aunt, I must positively protest

"Oh! never mind your protesting," interrupted Mrs. Poggleton. "I want to hear more about the wedding. It rained in the middle-didn't it, Mr. Jenks? I thought they would all get soaked

only think, the bride's veil—and no portico to the back entrance."

In reply to this, Mr. Jenks explained that it did rain during the ceremony, and whilst the people were taking their departure, and that, in consequence, the bride and the bridegroom could not effect their exode by the door in the rear of the altar. That Mr. and Mrs. D. therefore came back again and waited in a pew until all the people had gone. That Mrs. D. seemed to enjoy the dilemma, though the cornet was apparently disconcerted by the contre-temps, and very much disposed to swear at the rain-with divers other very interesting circumstantial details, the recital of which appeared to afford the utmost satisfaction to Mrs. Poggleton.

Having informed the lady that he understood the Drawlincourts had been disappointed in procuring the Flag Staff Bungalow in Barrackpore Park for the honeymoon, and had therefore been necessitated to repair to one of the minor refuges for the destitute in that river-side Cannan-a thatched inconvenience erected for the reception of an A. D. C., Mr. Jenks was fain to change the subject, but as it was one in which Mrs. Poggleton especially delighted, the matter was not so easy; and it is more than probable he would have failed utterly, if the khansamah, just as Mrs. Poggleton had asked if the bridegroom spoke out, had not entered and announced dinner.

Mrs. Poggleton upon this suppressed her selfish inclinations, and went up stairs to relieve her daughter. The dinner-party consisted of Peregrine (on a sofa wheeled to the table) his cousin Julia, and Mr. Jenks-there was just one too many, at least so Peregrine thought; and yet he was sincerely attached to his friend Julian Jenks.

Peregrine went home to Dr. Fitz-simon's a little before ten; but he had remained away a few hours too long, and on the following morning he was feverish, aguish, and sick-thrown back at least a week, and necessitated for some time to keep to his couch.

Our hero, though an excellent fellow, was a very bad patient, as young gentlemen in love invariably are; and after some half dozen relapses, the greater part of them occasioned by his own indiscretions and the remainder by changes of the moon, it was deemed absolutely necessary that Peregrine should seek for health in change of air, and get what is called "leave to sea"-a very excellent thing in some cases; but in very many, only a government permission to die in the very midst of all possible inconveniences, on board a miserable country ship, some three or four months sooner than on shore and in one's own house-Oh! it is a vile custom thata very vile custom indeed.

Not, however, that Dr. Fitz-simon did otherwise than judge most wisely, when he recommended Peregrine to take a sea voyage and pay a visit to Sin

gapore, Penang, or the southern coast of Madras: for our hero's life was saved by it. He chose the latter, for many reasons, amongst the foremost of which was, firstly, the reflection that he could proceed to Madras in the same ship with the Poggletons, and, secondly, that he had a cousin on the southern coast-a civilian, to whom he had often promised and wished to pay a visit. And so it was settled. The leave of absence for six months was obtained, and Mr. and Mrs. Poggleton, Julia, and Peregrine sailed from Calcutta in the same good ship, against the south-west monsoon about the middle of August.