he had done.

This was just; and however illegal were the means, I applauded them for
the end.

Our friend B___d, that incorrigible punster, said, "that his horse had
put his foot in--and he had paid his footing,"

B___d, by the bye, is a nonpareil; whether horses, guns, or dogs, he is
always "at home:" and even in yachting, (as he truly boasts) he is never
"at sea." Riding with him one day in an omnibus, I praised the
convenience of the vehicle; "An excellent vehicle," said he, "for
punning;"--which he presently proved, for a dowager having flopped into
one of the seats, declared that she "never rid vithout fear in any of
them omnibus things."

"What is she talking about?" said I.

"De omnibus rebus," replied he,--"truly she talks like the first lady of
the land; but, as far as I can see, she possesses neither the carriage
nor the manners!"

"Can you read the motto on the Conductor's button?" I demanded. "No;" he
replied, "but I think nothing would be more appropriate to his calling
than the monkish phrase--'pro omnibus curo!'"

At this juncture a jolt, followed by a crash, announced that we had lost
a wheel. The Dowager shrieked. "We shall all be killed," cried she;
"On'y to think of meeting vun's death in a common omnibus!"

"Mors communis omnibus!" whispered B___d, and----

I had written thus far, when spit--spit--splutter--plop!--my end of
candle slipped into the blacking bottle in which it was "sustained," and
I was left to admire--the stars of night, and to observe that "Charles's
wain was over the chimney;" so I threw down my pen--and, as the house was
a-bed--and I am naturally of a "retiring" disposition, I sought my
pallet--dreaming of literary fame!--although, in the matter of what might
be in store for me, I was completely in the dark!

AN INTERCEPTED LETTER FROM DICK SLAMMER TO HIS FRIEND SAM FLYKE.

eppin-toosday

my dear sam

i've rote this ere for to let you no i'm in jolly good health and harty
as a brick--and hope my tulip as your as vell----read this to sal who
can't do the same herself seeing as her edication aintt bin in that line
----give her my love and tell her to take care o' the kids.----i've got a
silk vipe for sal, tell her; and suffing for 'em all, for i've made a
xlent spec o' the woy'ge and bagg'd some tin too i can tell you; and vont
ve have a blow out ven i cums amung you----napps----that's the ass----is
particklar vell and as dun his dooty like a riq'lar flin