his pocket; and then, as he saw
Charles leaning on his mother's breast, and making more noise with his
heart and lungs than he could have done if he had been hanged, he
resolved, after due deliberation, to let the "hanging drop" have its own
way in sticking on the top of his cheek, and determined not to fall for
all his jerking.

"BARBADOES, _15th July_ 18--.

"MY DEAREST LITTLE JEANNIE,--I am at length settled the manager of a
great sugar factory, with L400 a year. Tell your mother I will write her
by next post; and all I can say meantime is, that Messrs. Coutts and Co.
will pay her L100 a year, half-yearly, till I return to keep you, for
saving me from the gallows. Accept the offer of the old man. He is worth
L500 a year; and you're just the little winged spirit that will keep up
a fire of life in a good heart only a little out of use.

"_P.S._--Tell uncle that I will send him five pounds of snuff, by next
ship, in return for the five pounds I took out of his box on that
eventful night, which was the beginning of my reformation.

"Tell Mrs. S----k and Mrs. W----pe that their sons arrived at Jamaica;
but, poor fellows, they are both dead.

"The same vessel that carries the snuff will convey to mother a hogshead
of sugar and a puncheon of rum. So that at night, in place of the tiny
phial which held a glass, and which you used to draw out of your pocket
so slily when mother was weakly, you may now mix for her a tumbler of
rum-punch; and if you don't take some too, I'll send you no more. But,
hark ye, Jeannie, don't give uncle a _drop_, though he tried to give me
one that, I fear, would have made my head, like yours, a little giddy.
Adieu, dear little Ariel."

THE PROCRASTINATOR.

Being overtaken by a shower in Kensington Gardens, I sought shelter in
one of the alcoves near the palace. I was scarce seated, when the storm
burst with all its fury; and I observed an old fellow, who had stood
loitering till the hurricane whistled round his ears, making towards me,
as rapidly as his apparently palsied limbs would permit. Upon his nearer
approach, he appeared rather to have suffered from infirmity than years.
He wore a brownish-black coat, or rather shell, which, from its
dimensions, had never been intended for the wearer; and his
inexpressibles were truly inexpressible. "So," said I, as he seated
himself on the bench, and shook the rain from his old broad-brimmed hat,
"you see, old boy, '_Procrastination is the