envy of her capacity.* The consequence of this wholesale method of doing business was that Susan became somewhat fuddled, and, a half an hour afterwards, passing by a table whereon I was preparing a dose of arsenic for a man that wanted his father's lands, she staggered against it, and throwing down a bottle of laudanum, made such a mixture of the two kinds of food as I did not want. Enraged at this, I so far forgot the lessons she had taught me as to threaten to turn her out of doors,— and, the next minute, Mrs. Smith was in full chace of his flying better half. The back door of the house consisted of two parts, of which the lower was then closed. I had my hand upon the latch, and was about to open it, when the lady came up, and seizing me by the waistband of my breeches, saved me the trouble by lifting me over as she would a kitten.* 'There !' she spluttered, as I bounced upon the hard ground, ' Fou'ZZ turn me out of doors, will ye! Learn to spell able first, you pot-bellied son of

a b- !' For two years I led this quiet life with my

beloved, having all my fleshly desires gratified—as far as thumps, and kicks, und scratches could effect so desirable a point,—when, one dark night, the cider-soaker took it into her head to appease her thirst m a neighbouring mill-pond, and, drinking rather too freely, never came out again. So, as her father was yet living, my pail of milk was dashed to the ground, and the eggs and chickens, (otherwise, cows and pastures,) went to the devil,—to seek my wife, I suppose.—Disgusted with the transitory nature of all human happiness, I left the scene of my departed joys, without a tear, (for, alas! excess of grief had dried my lachrymal ducts,) and carrying with me no other proofs of increased estate from marriage than sundry deeds of fee in tail, subscribed, in large blue characters, with the sign pedal of Susan Udderbagg. A friend of mine was, at this time, about to leave his native land to

settle in South America. He spoke of the huge fortune which he expected to amass in a very few months, mentioned that there was a great want of good physicians in the New World, and that therefore a man of my extraordinary abilities would be sure to succeed In

a word, he wanted a companion; and the consequence is, that I am now here, blessed with very good practice, and the largest belly of any man in Cumana."

"And no more likely to be tempted by fat cows and green pastures."

"Tempted !" exclaimed, or rather screamed, the Doctor.— "O, if ever I marry again!" and the Doctor bi(

his lip, to show the earnestness of his resolution.

"Well, Jerry, what say you now? Don't you think I'm right to enjoy the only bequest my angel left me,— viz. the privilege of abusing every thing that wears petticoats?'

"Not at all. There is a wide difference, I should say, between bathing in stagnant water and washing one's sell in the Manzanares. Your Susan was something like the tail of one of her own cows,— too thick with uastinc

for any one but a cowboy to handle; but my Beatriz' »

"'O, dea certe!' Well, man, I believe it is your fate to be always dangling at some woman's apron-string: and so, for old friendship's sake,

Ai:i:r non alio rege pucr.tite,
Mutatieque simul togee,

remembering that we were once fellow-sufferers under the ferula, and had the pleasure of turning ourselves out of school together, I'll do my best to restore you to leading-strings. Clout, I'm going now to your mistress."

"What?"

"O, true! I did not tell you, my mooncalf, that your Beatriz, when she so cunningly insisted on my leaving her to visit her lover, added, with equal cunning, that the

Doctor might stop on his return and see how she did — that is, tell her how the poor gentleman was doing."

•* Smith !— And why did you not tell me this before?"

"'Gad, I've too much sense for that! I knew you'd pop me off in an instant, and I wanted to stay and talk a little with you first. But make yourself easy,— I'm now about to commence my practice as physician in ordinary, and — something else in ordinary, to their royal majesties, King Jeremy and Queen Beatrice. Good night, man."

"Do hasten, Harry. Tell Beatriz that I shall soon recover,— tell her that I'm doing very well,— that I'm perfectly well."

"Yes. Goodnight."

"And remember, Harry,— observe how she looks \rh«n you speak about me."

"Yes, yes. Good night."

"And don't forget,— if you can put in a good word for me to the parents";

"Yes, yes, yes! Good night."

"And"

"O! sh, sh, sh,— stop crying, deary,— stop it now,— or mama will whip it, so she will.— Damme, man, if you've a mind to play the fool, you shall never complain of being wise for want of a friend. Good night."

And, rolling from side to side, like one of his favourite animals when descending a hill, the widower of Susan Udderbagg trundled his belly from the apartment.

CHAPTER VII.

It has deceived thee.

Pen Ono! fortwice itcall'd, so loudly call'd,
With horrid strength, beyond the pitch of nature!
And Murder! Murder! was the dreadful cry.
A third time it returti'd, with feeble strength;
Bnto' the sudden teas'd, asluo. the words
Were smother.d rudely in the grappled throat;

And all was still again

De Hmtjort.

That accidents, which at first sight wear the colour of misfortunes, often turn out to be real benefits, is an observation as trite as the pen of every novelist can reader it, and one most amply heaped with illustrations,—if the accumulated grains of every man's experience can make a heap. Had not the interview at the Indian cabin terminated as it did, I might never have gained possession of Beatriz; but now, moved by revenge for the attempted assassination of his daughter, urged moreover by Smith's representations in my favour, and by anxiety for the character of Beatriz, which the breath of scandal was already beginning to sully, Don Cesar consented to receive me as his son-in-law, vice De Mulo resigned.

It was settled, that the marriage should take place immediately on my recovery. In the mean time, I was loaded with civilities by the different members of the Creole family. Don Cesar and his male relatives paid me regular visits of ceremony; and Donna Meiindrosa was constantly sending to my lodgings presents of preserved fruits, and other confections, which my medical attendant as constantly ate up, remarking that he had no objections to act as Mercury wherever it promoted the procreation of sweatmcats.— Of course, under these circumstances, the surgical skill of Smith was attended with the happiest result, and, -in little more than a fortnight's time, I was again upon my feet.— By the way, however, I must mention that as yet, notwithstanding all the exertions made to discover them, nothing had been heard of Don Caspar or Father Joseph.

It was in the evening when I paid my first visit to the parents of Beatriz. Though Don Cesar was at home on no other subject than the segars of Cumanacoa, and Donna Melindrosa, (one of that virtuous class of females so admirably described by Moliere*,) would converse on nothing but religion, I did not leave till a very late hour; for Beatriz was present, and, if I was debarred from speaking on the subject I had most at heart, I took ample amends with my eyes for the restraint which was laid upon my tongue. As the night was remarkably beautiful, and my feelings were under strong excitement, from the images of happiness which the recovery of my health and the sudden ripening of my hopes had brought before me in almost tangible shapes, I did not return immediately home, but had recourse to my favourite sedative, the exercise of a solitary ramble. Accordingly I directed my steps to the shore.— The moon had just passed the meridian, and her rays fell, with the rich lustre peculiar to tropical climates, upon the quiet sea, causing its harmless little waves to glitter with a tremulous splendour that was even dazzling to look upon. As I walked, with my eyes fixed upon the sparkling water, and wooed to my cheek the freshness of the night breeze, while my mind indulged in reflections, which, as every one, between the years of sixteen and fifty, can imagine them for himself, I am not novelist enough to occupy some dozen pages by detailing, I was startled by a loud shriek, or rather yell, of distress, that sounded as if it came from some distance, and the