“Sir,—­It appears from this night’s adventure my name has heretofore been useful to you, and on the present occasion your impersonation of it has been useful to me.  We are thus far quits. I, as the ’real Simon Pure,’ will tell you what to do.  Protest you are not the man.  Get witnesses to hear you say so; and when taken to London (as you will be) and the men are undeceived, threaten to bring an action against the Sheriff unless those harpies, Messrs. Gallowsworthy and Pickles, give you 20l. for yourself, and a receipt in full for the debt and costs.  Keep my secret; I’ll keep yours.  Burn this.—­H.F.F.”

No sooner read than done; and all came to pass as the note predicted.  Gallowsworthy and Pickles grumbled, but were compelled to pay.  Fitzflam and Fitzfunk became inseparable.  Fitzflam was even heard to say, he thought in time Fitzfunk would make a decent walking gentleman; and Fitzfunk was always impressed with an opinion that he was the man of talent, and that Fitzflam would never have been able to succeed in “starring it” where he had been “The Great Creature.”

FUSBOS.

N.B.—­The author of this paper has commenced adapting it for stage representation.

* * * * *

THE DESIRE OF PLEASING.

“May I be married, ma?” said a lovely girl of fifteen to her mother the other morning.  “Married!” exclaimed the astonished matron; “what put such an idea into your head?” “Little Emily, here, has never seen a wedding; and I’d like to amuse the child,” replied the obliging sister, with fascinating naivete.

* * * * *

THE HEIR OF APPLEBITE.

CHAPTER VIII.

[Illustration:  A]A serious accident to the double-bass was the extraordinary occurrence alluded to in our last chapter.  It appeared that, contrary to the usual custom of the class of musicians that attend evening parties, the operator upon the double-bass had early in the evening shown slight symptoms of inebriety, which were alarmingly increased during supper-time by a liberal consumption of wine, ale, gin, and other compounds.  The harp, flageolet, and first violin, had prudently abstained from drinking—­at their own expense, and had reserved their thirstiness for the benefit of the bibicals of the “founder of the feast,” and, consequently, had only attained that peculiar state of sapient freshness which invariably characterises quadrille bands after supper, and had, therefore, overlooked the rapid obfuscation of their more imprudent companion in their earnest consideration of themselves.