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TEN THOUSAND A YEAR.

man, it's the fact!" said the other, in a
low vehement tone.

"Then-say Wednesday, nine o'clock,
A. M. You understand? No mistake,
Fitz!" replied his companion, looking him
steadily in the face as he spoke.

"None-honour !"-After a pause"Who is it?”

"A villain! It's been of only eighteen months' standing," interrupted the other, in an indignant mutter.

appearing like a gentleman in the world was rapidly drawing to a close, and he was beginning to think of returning to the doghole he had crawled out of in the morning, and the shop for the rest of the week; the great, the gay, and the happy folks he was looking at, were thinking of driving home to dress for their grand dinners, and to lay His companion took a slip of paper out out every kind of fine amusement for the ensuing week, and that was the sort of life of his pocket, and in a whisper read from they led every day in the week. He heav-it" Cabs, harness, &c., £197, 10s." At that moment a ed a profound sigh. superb cab, with a gentleman in it dressed in great elegance, and with a very keen and "Between ourselves, he is rather a sharp striking countenance, came up with a cab of still more exquisite structure and appoint- hand. Then, I am sorry to say there's a ments, in which sate a young man, evident-detainer or two I have had a hint of "D-n their souls!" exclaimed the other, ly of consequence; very handsome, with splendid mustachios; perfectly well-dress- with an expression of mingled disgust, ed; holding the reins and whip gracefully vexation, and hatred, and adding, "Wedin his hands, glistening in straw-colored nesday, nine"-drove off a picture of trankid gloves-and between the two gentlemen quil enjoyment. ensued the following low-toned colloquy, which it were to be wished that every such sighing simpleton (as Titmouse must, I fear, now appear to the reader) could have overheard.

“Ah, Fitz!" said the former mentioned gentleman to the latter, who blushed scarlet when he perceived who had addressed him-" when did you return to town?" "Last night only."

"Enjoyed yourself, I hope?"

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Pretty well-but I suppose you "Sorry for it," interrupted the first speaker in a lower tone, perceiving the vexation of his companion, "but can't help it, you know."

"When?"

"To-morrow at nine. Monstrous sorry for it-'pon my soul, Fitz, you really must look sharp, or the thing won't go on much longer."

"Must it be, really?" inquired the other, biting his lips at that moment kissing his hand to a very beautiful girl, who slowly passed him in a coroneted chariot-"must it really be, Joe?" he repeated, turning towards his companion a pale and bitterly chagrined countenance.

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-" inquired
“Would not Wednesday?—
the other, leaning forwards towards the for-
mer speaker's cab, and whispering with an
"The fact is
air of intense earnestness.
I've engagements at C's on Monday
and Tuesday nights with one or two coun-
try cousins, and I may be in condition-eh?
you understand?"

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I need hardly say that he was a fashionable young spendthrift, and the other a sheriff's officer of the first water-the genteelest beak that ever was known or heard of who had been on the look-out for him several days, and with whom the happy youngster was doomed to spend some considerable time at a cheerful residence in Chancery Lane, bleeding gold at every pore the while; his only chance of avoiding which, was, as he had truly hinted, an honourable attempt on the purses of two hospitable country cousins, in the meanwhile, at C's! And if he did not succeed in that enterprise, so that he must go to cage, he lost the only chance he had for some time of securing an exemption from such annoyance, by entering Parliament to protect the liberties of the people-an eloquent and resolute champion of freedom in trade, religion and every thing else; an abolitionist of every thing, including, especially, negro slavery and imprisonment for debt-two execrable violations of the natural rights of mankind.

But we have, for several minutes, lost sight of the admiring Titmouse.

"Why," thought he, am I thus spited

"Poz, 'pon my life. Cage clean, how-by fortune?"The only thing she's given me is nothing!" "D-n every thing!" ever, and not very fullexclaimed Mr. Titmouse aloud, at the same time starting off, to the infinite astonishment of an old peer, who had been for some minutes standing leaning against the railing, close beside him, who was master of a magnificent fortune, "with all appliances and means to boot:" with a fine grown-up family, his eldest son and heir having just gained a Double First, and promising wonders; many mansions in different parts of England; exquisite taste and accomplish

His companion shook his head distrustfully.

"Upon my word and honour as a gentle

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ment; the representative of one of the oldest families in England; but who at that moment loathed every thing and every body, including himself, because the minister had that day intimated to him that he could not give him a vacant riband, for which he had applied, unless he could command two more votes in the Lower House, and which at present he saw no earthly means of doing. Yes, the Earl of Cheviotdale and Mr. Tittlebat Titmouse were both miserable men; both had been hardly dealt with by fortune; both were greatly to be pitied; and both quitted the Park, about the same time, with a decided misanthropic tendency.

Mr. Titmouse walked along Piccadilly with a truly chopfallen and disconsolate air. He almost felt dissatisfied even with his personal appearance. Dress as he would, no one seemed to care a curse for him; and, to his momentarily jaundiced eye, he seemed equipped in only second handed and shabby finery-and then he was really such a poor devil. Do not let the reader suppose that this was an unusual mood with Titmouse. No such thing. Like the Irishman who "married a wife to make him un-aisy; " and also not unlike the moth that will haunt the brightness that is her destruction; so poor Titmouse, Sunday after Sunday dressed himself out as elaborately as he had done on the present occasion, and then always betook himself to the scene he had just again witnessed, and which once again had excited only those feelings of envy, bitterness, and despair, which I have been describing, and which, on every such occasion, he experienced with, if possible, increased intensity. What to do with himself till it was time to return to his cheerless lodgings he did not exactly know; so he loitered along at a snail's pace. He stood for some time staring at the passengers, their luggage, the coaches they were ascending and alighting from, and listening to the strange medley of coachmen's guards' and porters' vociferations, and passengers' greetings and leavetakings-always to be observed at the White Horse Cellar. Then he passed along, till a street row, near the Haymarket, attracted his attention and interested his feelings; for it ended in a regular set-to between two watermen attached to the adjoining coach-stand. Here he conceived himself looking on with an easy air of a swell; and the ordinary penalty (paying for his footing) was attempted to be exacted from him; but he had nothing to be picked out of any of his pockets except that under his very nose, and which contained his white handkerchief. This over, he struck into Leicester Square, where, (he was in luck that

night,) hurrying up to another crowd at the further end, he found a man preaching with infinite energy. Mr. Titmouse looked on, and listened for two or three minutes with apparent interest; and then, with a countenance in which pity struggled with contempt, muttered, loud enough to be heard by all near him," poor devil;" and walked off. He had not proceeded many steps, before it occurred to him that a friend-one Robert Huckaback-much such another one as himself-lived in one of the narrow, dingy streets in the neighbourhood. He determined to take the chances of his being at home, and if so, of spending the remainder of the evening with him. Huckaback's quarters were in the same ambitious proximity to heaven as his own; the only difference being, that they were a trifle cheaper and larger. He answered the door himself, having only the moment before returned from his Sunday's excursion-i. e. the Jack Straw's Castle Tea Gardens, at Highbury, where, in company with several of his friends, he had "spent a jolly afternoon." He ordered in a glass of negus from the adjoining public house, after some discussion, which ended in an agreement that he should stand treat that night, and Titmouse on the ensuing one. As soon as the negus arrived, accompanied by two captains' biscuits, which looked so hard and hopeless that they would have made the nerves thrill. within the teeth that attempted to masticate them, the candle was lit-Huckaback handed a cigar to his friend; both began to puff away, and chatter pleasantly concerning the many events of the day.

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"Any thing stirring in to-day's Flash?"" inquired Titmouse, as his eye caught sight of a copy of that able and interesting Sunday newspaper, which Huckaback had hired for the evening from the news-shop on the ground-floor of his lodgings.

"Not knowing, can't say," answered his friend, removing his cigar with his right hand, and then, with closed eyes and inflated cheeks, he very slowly ejected the smoke which he had last inhaled, and rose and took down the paper from the shelf.

"Here's a mark of a beastly porter pot that's been set upon it, by all that's holy! It's been at the public house! Too bad of Mrs. Coggs to send it to me in this state!" said he, handling it as though its touch were contamination.

66 Faugh! how it stinks!" "What a horrid beast she must be!" exclaimed Titmouse, in like manner expelling his mouthful of smoke. "But, since better can't be had, let's hear what news is in it. De, it's the only paper published, in my opinion, that's worth reading! Any fights a stirring?"

"Haven't come to them yet," replied Huckaback, fixing his feet on another chair, and drawing the candle closer to the paper. “It says, by the way, that the Duke of Dunderhead is certainly making up to Mrs. Thumps, the rich Nightman's widow;-a precious good hit that, isn't it? You know the Duke's as poor as a rat!"

“Oh ! that's no news. It will quite set him up-and no mistake. Seen the Duke ever?" "Yees! Oh, several times!"-This was a lie, and Tittlebat knew that it was. "D- -d good looking, I suppose?"

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Why-middling; I should say middling. Know some that needn't fear to compare with him-eh! Tittlebat?"—and Huckaback winked archly at his friend.

"Ah, ha, ha!-a pretty joke! But, come that's a good chap! You can't be reading both of them at once-give us the other sheet, and set the candle fair betwixt us! Come, fair's the word!"

Huckaback, thus appealed to, did as his friend requested; and the two friends read and smoked some minutes in silence.

"Well-I shall spell over the advertisements now," said Titmouse; "there's a pretty lot of them-and I've read every thing else-precious little there is, here, besides! So, here goes!-One may hear of a prime situation, you know-and I'm quite sick of Dowlas!"

inquired Titmouse, his eyes still glued to the newspaper.

"No by George! Never was either of us fellows so precious wide awake in our lives before, that I'll answer for!" Titmouse sate still and silent, and turned very pale.

"Read it up, Huck!-Let's hear how it sounds, and then we shall believe it!" Huckaback read it aloud.

"It sounds like something, don't it?" inquired Titmouse, his colour a little returning.

"Uncommon !-If this isn't something, then there's nothing in any thing any more!"

"No!-now, do you really think so?" said Titmouse, seeking further confirmation than he had yet derived from his senses of sight and hearing.

"I do, by

! What a go it is! Well, my poor old mother used to say, 'depend on it, wonders never will cease; and curse me if she ever said a truer word!"

Titmouse again read over the advertisement; and then relighting his fragment of cigar, puffed earnestly in silence for some moments.

"Such things never happens to such a poor devil of a chap as me!" exclaimed Huckaback with a sigh.

"What is in the wind, I wonder?" mut

"Who knows-hem!-who knows. But now really-" he paused, and once more read over the pregnant paragraph. "It can't

Another interval of silence ensued. Huck-tered Titmouse. aback was deep in the details of a trial for murder; and Titmouse, after having glanced listlessly over the entertaining first sheet of advertisements, was on the point of lay-no, it can't be " ing down his half of the paper, when he suddenly started in his chair, and stammered

"Hollo!-hollo!-Why-" "What's the matter, Tit?-eh ?" inquired Huckaback, greatly astonished.

For a moment, Titmouse made no answer, but fixed his eyes intently on the paper, which began to rustle in his trembling hands. What occasioned this eloquent outbreak, with its subsequent agitation, was the following advertisement:

"What, Tit? what can't be ?" interrupted Huckaback eagerly.

"Why, I've been thinking-but what do you think, eh?-it can't be a cursed hoax of the chaps in the premises at Dowlas"?"

"Bo!-Is there any of 'em flush enough of money, to do the thing? And how should they think it would ever come to be seen by you? Then, besides, there isn't a chap among them that could come up to the composing a piece of composition like that—no, not for a whole year's salary-there isn't, by George!"

"Ah! I don't know," said Titmouse, doubtfully. "But-honour!-do you really now think there's any thing in it?”

"I do-hanged if I don't, Tit!" was the Sententious answer.

"NEXT OF KIN.-Important.-The next of kin, if any such there be, of Gabriel Tittlebat Titmouse, formerly of Whithaven, cordwainer, and who died somewhere about the year 1793, in London, may hear of something of the GREATEST POSSIBLE IMPORTANCE to himself, or herself, or themselves, "Tol de rol, de rol, de rol, de rol,by immediately communicating with Messrs. didl'em daddl'em-bough!" almost shoutQuirk, Gammon, and Snap, solicitors, Saf-ed Titmouse, jumping up, snapping his finfron Hill. No time is to be lost. 9th July, gers, and dancing about in a wild ecstacy, 182-. The third advertisement." which lasted for at least a minute. "By George! Here is a go!" exclaimed Huckaback, almost as much flustered.

"We aren't dreaming, Hucky, are we?"

"Give me your hand, Hucky," said he, almost breathless. "If I am a made mantol de rol, lol de rol, lol de rol, lo!-

you see, Huck!—if I don't give you the handsomest breast-pin you ever saw! No paste! real diamond! hurrah! I will, by jingo!" Huckaback grasped and squeezed his hand. "We've always been friends, Tit— haven't we?" said he affectionately.

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now? Ah, here they are-Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, solicitors."

"I wonder if they're great ones? Did you ever hear of them before?"

"Haven't I! Their names is always in this same paper; they are continually getting people off, out of all kinds of scrapes." "But, my dear fellow-Saffron Hill.Low, that; low, 'pon my soul! Never was near it in my life.”

"My room won't hold me to-night!" continued Titmouse; "I'm sure it won't. I feel as if I were swelling all over. I'll walk the streets all night. I couldn't sleep a wink, for the life of me. I'll walk about till the shop opens. Oh, faugh! how nasty! Confound the shop, and Dowlas, Tagrag, (especially Tagrag,) and every thing, and every body in it! Thirty-five pounds a year! See if I won't spend as much in cigars the first month!" "Cigars! Is that your go? Now, I should take lessons in boxing, to begin with. It's a deuced high thing, you may depend upon it, and you can't be fit compa--your employers-" ny for swells without it, Tit!"

"Whatever you like, whatever you like, Hucky! I'm sorry to say it, but how precious lucky that my father and mother's dead, and that I'm an only child-too-raladdy! too-ra-laddy!" Here he took such a sudden leap, that I am ashamed to say he split his trowsers very awkwardly, and that sobered him for a moment, while they made arrangements for cobbling it up as well as might be, with a needle and thread, which Huckaback always had by him.

"We're rather jumping in the dark a bit, aren't we, Tit?" inquired Huckaback, while his companion was repairing the breach."Let's look what it all means-here it is." He read it all aloud again—“ greatest possible importance"-what can it mean? "Why the deuce couldn't they speak out plainly?" "What? in a newspaper? Lord, Hucky! how many Titmouses would start up on all sides, if there isn't some already! I wonder what greatest possible importance' can mean now ?"

"Some one's left you an awful lot of money, of course."

"It's too good to be true."

"Or you may have made a smite; you ain't such a bad-looking fellow when you're dressed as you are now." Mr. Titmouse was quite flustered with the mere supposition, and also looked as sheepish as his features could admit of.

“E-e-e-eh, Hucky! how very silly you are!" he simpered.

"Or you may be found out heir to some great property, and all that kind of thing. But when do you intend to go to Messrs. What's-their-name? I say, the sooner the better. Come, you've stitched them well enough, now; they'll hold you till you get home; but I'd take off my straps if I were you. Why shouldn't we go to these gents

"But they live there to be near the thieves. Lud, the thieves couldn't do without 'em! But what's that to you? You know a very dirty ugly toad has often got a jewel in his belly,' so Shakspeare or some one says. Isn't it enough for you, Tit, if they can make good their advertisement? Let's off, Tit-let's off, I say; for you may not be able to get there to-morrow

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My employers! Do you think, Hucky, I'm going back to business after this?"

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Suppose it all turns out moonshine." "Lord, but I won't suppose it! It makes me sick to think of nothing coming of it! Let's go off at once and see what's to be done!"

So Huckaback put the newspaper in his pocket, blew out the candle, and the two started on their important errand. It was well that their means had been too limited to allow of their indulging to a greater extent than a glass of port wine negus (that was the name under which they drank the "publican's port"-i. e. a decoction of oak bark, logwood shavings, and a little brandy) between them; otherwise, excited as were the feelings of each of them by the discovery of the evening, they must in all probability have been guilty of some piece of extravagance in the streets. As it was, they talked very loudly as they went along, and in a tone of conversation pitched a little too high for their present circumstances, however in unison it might be with the expected circumstances of one of them.

In due time they reached the residence of which they were in search. It was a large house, infinitely superior to all its dingy neighbours; and on a bright brass plate, a yard long at least, and a foot wide, stood the awe-inspiring words, “QUIRK, GAMMON, & SNAP, SOLICITORS."

"Now, Tit," whispered Huckaback, after they had paused for a second or two"now for it-pluck up a sperrit-ring!"

"I-I-feel all of a sudden uncommon funky-I think that last cigar of yours wasn't-"

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Stuff, Tit-ring away! ring away!— Faint heart never wins!""

"Well, it must be done; so here goes, at any rate!" and with a short nervous jerk

he caused a startling clatter within, which was so distinctly audible without, that both of them instinctively hemmed, as if to drown the noise which was so much greater than they had expected. In a very few moments they heard some one undoing the fastenings of the door, and the gentlemen looked at one another with an expression of mingled expectation and apprehension. A little old woman at length stood before them, with a candle in her hand.

"Who are you?" she exclaimed, crustily. "Is this Messrs.-what is it Huck?Oh! Messrs. Quirk & Co.'s?" inquired Titmouse, tapping the end of his cane against his chin, with a desperate effort to appear at his ease.

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Why, where are your eyes? I should think you might have seen what was wrote on this here plate-it's large enough, one could have thought, to be read by them as can read? What's your business?"

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"We want Give us the paper, Hucky"he added, addressing his companion, who produced it in a moment; and Titmouse would have proceeded to possess the old woman of all his little heart, when she cut him short by saying, snappishly-"They aren't none on 'em in; nor never is on Sundays so you'll just call to-morrow, if you wants 'em. What's your names?" "Mr. Tittlebat Titmouse," answered that gentleman, with very particular emphasis on every syllable.

“Mr. Who?” exclaimed the old woman, opening her eyes, and raising her hand to the back of her ear. Mr. Titmouse repeated his name more loudly and distinctly.

"Tippetitippety!-what's that?"

"No, no!" exclaimed Titmouse peevishly; "I said Mr. Tit-el-bat Titmouse!-Will

that suit?"

"Tick-a-tick-a-tick! Well, gracious! if ever I heard such a name. Oh! I see you're making a fool of me! Get off, or I'll call a constable in. Get along with you, you couple of puppies! Is this the way-"

"I tell you," said Mr. Huckaback, "that this gentleman's name is Mr. Tittlebat Titmouse; and you'd better take care what you're at, old woman, for we've come on business of wital consequence."

"I dare say it'll keep till to-morrow." The friends consulted for a moment, and then Titmouse asked if he might not goi o in and write a letter to Messrs. Quirk.

"No," said she; "how do I know who you are? There's a public house close by, where you may write what you like, and bring it here, and they'll get it the first thing in the morning. So that's what you may take away with you!"-with which the

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complaisant old janitrix shut the door in their faces.

"Huck, I'm afraid there's nothing in it," said Titmouse despondingly, to his friendboth of them remaining rooted to the spot. "Oudacious old toad!" muttered Huckaback, indignantly.

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"If there was any thing in it," said Titmouse, with a deep sigh, they must have made a deal of talk about it in the house: and this old thing must have heard my name often enough. It ain't so common a name, is it?"

"I-I own I don't half like the looks of it," replied his friend, putting his newspaper into his pocket again; "but we'll try if we can't write a letter to sound 'em, and so far take the old creature's advice. Here's the public house she told us of. Come, let's see what's to be done?"

Titmouse, greatly depressed, followed his friend; and they soon provided themselves with two glasses of stout, and implements for writing. That they made good use of their time and materials, let the following epistle prove. It was their joint composi tion, and here is an exact copy of it :

"To MESSRS. QUIRK, GAMMON, AND SNAP. "SIR,

"Your Names being put in an advertisement in this present Sunday Flash, Newspaper of to Day's Date, Mr. T. T. begs to inform your respectable House I feel anxious to speak with them on this truly interesting subject, seeing it mentions the Name of Gabriel Tittlebat Titmouse, which two last names of that Deceased Person my own name is, which I can any Day (as soon as possible) call and prove to you, by telling you the Same, truly. He being Engaged in Business during the week very close for the Present, I hope that if they Have any thing particular to say to Him, they will write to Me without the least Delay, and please address, T. T., at Dowlas and Co.'s, No. 375. Oxford Street, Post-Paid, which will ensure its being duly Taken in by my Employers, and am, Gents,

"Your's obediently,

TITTLEBAT TITMOUSE. "P. S.-My Friend, that is with me writing This, (Mr. Robert Huckaback,) can prove who I am if Necessitated to do

So.

"N. B.-Shall have no objection to do the Liberal Thing if any thing suitable Turns up of it. T. T.

"Sunday Evening, 9|7|182—. "Forgot to Say, I am the only Child of my Honoured Parents, who died; before I knew them in Lawful Wedloc, and was 27

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