cards and at the
races. One or two of the large faro banks of the city were certainly the
losers by his visits. The ladies, however, were indignant at such
stories. His Lordship was divine. All the women were crazy after him,
and any of them would have taken him at the first offer.

By and by the newspapers began to take notice of the young man, and
boldly asserted that there was no such name as Lord Richard X--- in the
British peerage. Society laughed at this, and declared that everybody
but ignorant newspaper men was aware that the published lists of titled
personages in England were notoriously incomplete.

Meanwhile, his Lordship played his cards well, and it was soon announced
that he was "to be married shortly to a well-known belle of Fifth
avenue." The women were green with jealousy, and the men, I think, were
not a little relieved to find that the lion did not intend devouring all
the Fifth avenue belles. The marriage came off in due season; the
wedding-presents fairly poured in, and were magnificent. The new Lady
X--- was at the summit of her felicity, and was the envied of all who
knew her. The happy pair departed on their honeymoon, but his Lordship
made no effort to return home to England.

During their absence, it leaked out that Lord X--- was an impostor.
Creditors began to pour in upon his father-in-law with anxious inquiries
after his Lordship, against whom they held heavy accounts. Proofs of the
imposture were numerous and indisputable, and the newspapers declared
that Lord X--- would not dare to show his face again in New York.
Everybody was laughing at the result of the affair.

What passed between the father-in-law and the young couple is not known;
but the bride decided to cling to her husband in spite of the imposture.
Father-in-law was a prudent and a sensitive man, and very rich. For his
daughter's sake, he accepted the situation. He paid Lord X---'s debts,
laughed at the charge of imposture, and spoke warmly to every one he met
of the great happiness of his "dear children, Lord and Lady X---." On
their return to the city, he received them with a grand party, at which
all Fifth avenue was present, and, though he could not silence the
comments of society, he succeeded in retaining for his children their
places in the world of fashion. He was a nabob, and he knew the power of
his wealth. He shook his purse in the face of society, and commanded it
to continue to recognize the impo