“I begged she would take the most favorable view of her prospects, and at the same time not feel embarrassed.

“‘But tell me, sir,’ she resumed, with a look of great earnestness, ‘did you come on business for my first husband, Mr. Primrose?’

“Not wishing to make her anxiety painful, (for I am not a man of evil inclinations,) I discovered my business to her, but said nothing of the state of my finances.

“’You have my thanks for the condescension you have vouchsafed, sir,’ she replied, evidently much pleased at the prospect of so famous a lodger; ’but I fear my lodgings are far too humble for one of your position.  They are small, and furnished according to my scanty means.’

“I at once told her that obscurity was my object, and that it was enough that there was peace in the house, for I was engaged over a mighty project, which I could not perfect with so many striving to do me honor.  If she was before pleased, she now became exultant, and nimbly led the way up two pair of narrow stairs, entering more freely into conversation, and saying the parlor was at my service when company called.  ’Now these are not large, but comfortable rooms,’ she continued, showing me into a little ten by twelve nook; ’I have six lodgers similarly situated, and they are all genteel men, doing a large business.’  She then began giving me an account of their various business pursuits, which was so confused and indefinite as to render it impossible clearly to understand whether they were bankers, doctors, clergymen, or stock brokers.  In truth, by her own showing, they conversed of stocks, chips, sermons, and splits, with equal facility.  But there was something I could not exactly understand, in the manner of her thanking God, that though reduced to this humble style of living she was comfortable, and expected soon to see the day when she would be restored to the rank in society from which she had fallen.  ‘There was, as I am a lady,’ she added, with a look of sorrow shadowing her face, ’a time when every button on my father’s coat cost a dollar, and our family servants all wore as nice liveries as could be seen in Fifth Avenue, for we had them changed a number of times, until we got them unlike any one else’s.’  She was evidently distressed with some past trouble; and when I said, ’Madam, I will do myself the honor to become an inmate of your house,’ she seemed so overjoyed that it was with difficulty she could withhold her tears.  On inquiring her name and what business her husband followed, she replied that her name was Mrs. Pickle, (she having dropped Primrose for sufficient cause,) and that of her husband, Mr. Stephen Pickle, of the young American Banking House of Pickle, Prig, & Flutter, doing business near Wall Street.  We returned to the parlor, and when the valise bearing my name, which I took good care to keep in sight, was sent up stairs, and I had told her how the accident to her portrait was caused, she blushed and was so ready to unbosom her griefs, that she immediately proceeded to give me an account of herself, and how it was that she was Mrs. Pickle and Mr. Primrose still living.