included in parlour
price; that is to say, a private pupil had Signor Billsmethi's parlour to
dance _in_, and Signor Billsmethi's family to dance _with_; and when he
had been sufficiently broken in in the parlour, he began to run in
couples in the assembly-room.

Such was the dancing academy of Signor Billsmethi, when Mr. Augustus
Cooper, of Fetter-lane, first saw an unstamped advertisement walking
leisurely down Holborn-hill, announcing to the world that Signor
Billsmethi, of the King's Theatre, intended opening for the season with a
Grand Ball.

Now, Mr. Augustus Cooper was in the oil and colour line--just of age,
with a little money, a little business, and a little mother, who, having
managed her husband and _his_ business in his lifetime, took to managing
her son and _his_ business after his decease; and so, somehow or other,
he had been cooped up in the little back parlour behind the shop on
week-days, and in a little deal box without a lid (called by courtesy a
pew) at Bethel Chapel, on Sundays, and had seen no more of the world than
if he had been an infant all his days; whereas Young White, at the
gas-fitter's over the way, three years younger than him, had been flaring
away like winkin'--going to the theatre--supping at harmonic
meetings--eating oysters by the barrel--drinking stout by the
gallon--even out all night, and coming home as cool in the morning as if
nothing had happened. So Mr. Augustus Cooper made up his mind that he
would not stand it any longer, and had that very morning expressed to his
mother a firm determination to be 'blowed,' in the event of his not being
instantly provided with a street-door key. And he was walking down
Holborn-hill, thinking about all these things, and wondering how he could
manage to get introduced into genteel society for the first time, when
his eyes rested on Signor Billsmethi's announcement, which it immediately
struck him was just the very thing he wanted; for he should not only be
able to select a genteel circle of acquaintance at once, out of the
five-and-seventy pupils at four-and-sixpence a quarter, but should
qualify himself at the same time to go through a hornpipe in private
society, with perfect ease to himself and great delight to his friends.
So, he stopped the unstamped advertisement--an animated sandwich,
composed of a boy between two boards--and having procured a very small
card with the Signor's address indented thereon, walked straight at once
to t