whether the change might contribute to their happiness or not.  Mr Revel may be said to have long deserted his family; he lived nobody knew where, and seldom called, unless it was to “raise the wind” upon his wife, who by entreaties and threats was necessitated to purchase his absence by a sacrifice of more than half her income.  Of his daughters he took little notice, when he did make his appearance; and if so, it was generally in terms more calculated to raise the blush of indignant modesty than to stimulate the natural feelings of affection of a daughter towards a parent.  Their mother, whose income was not sufficient to meet the demands of a worthless husband, in addition to the necessary expenses attendant on three grown-up women, was unceasing in her attempts to get them off her hands:  but we will introduce a conversation which took place between her and a sedate-looking, powdered old gentleman, who had long been considered as a “friend of the family,” as thereby more light will perhaps be thrown upon her character.

“The fact is, my dear Mr Heaviside, that I hardly know what to do.  Mr Revel, who is very intimate with the theatre people, proposed that they should try their fortune on the stage.  He says (and indeed there is some truth in it) that nowadays, the best plan for a man to make himself popular is to be sent to Newgate; and the best chance that a girl has of a coronet, is to become an actress.  Well, I did not much like the idea; but at last I consented.  Isabel, my youngest, is, you know, very handsome in her person, and sings remarkably well, and we arranged that she should go on first; and, if she succeeded, that her sister Charlotte should follow her; but Isabel is of a very obstinate disposition, and when we proposed it to her, she peremptorily refused, and declared that she would go out as a governess, or anything, rather than consent.  I tried what coaxing would do, and her father tried threatening; but all was in vain.  This was about a year ago, and she is now only seventeen; but she ever was a most decided, a most obstinate character.”

“Very undutiful, indeed, ma’am; she might have been a duchess before this:—­a very foolish girl, indeed, ma’am,” observed the gentleman.

“Well, Mr Heaviside, we then thought that Charlotte, our eldest, had the next best chance of success.  Although not by any means so good-looking as her sister; indeed, to tell you the truth, Mr Heaviside, which I would not do to everybody, but I know that you can keep a secret, Charlotte is now nearly thirty years old, and her sister, Laura, only one year younger.”

“Is it possible, madam!” replied Mr Heaviside, looking at the lady with well-feigned astonishment.