urning into the front
drawing-room.--'What! Mrs. Tibbs and Mr. Evenson!!'

'Mrs. Tibbs and Mr. Evenson!' repeated everybody, as that unhappy pair
were discovered: Mrs. Tibbs seated in an arm-chair by the fireplace, and
Mr. Evenson standing by her side.

We must leave the scene that ensued to the reader's imagination. We
could tell, how Mrs. Tibbs forthwith fainted away, and how it required
the united strength of Mr. Wisbottle and Mr. Alfred Tomkins to hold her
in her chair; how Mr. Evenson explained, and how his explanation was
evidently disbelieved; how Agnes repelled the accusations of Mrs. Tibbs
by proving that she was negotiating with Mr. O'Bleary to influence her
mistress's affections in his behalf; and how Mr. Gobler threw a damp
counterpane on the hopes of Mr. O'Bleary by avowing that he (Gobler) had
already proposed to, and been accepted by, Mrs. Bloss; how Agnes was
discharged from that lady's service; how Mr. O'Bleary discharged himself
from Mrs. Tibbs's house, without going through the form of previously
discharging his bill; and how that disappointed young gentleman rails
against England and the English, and vows there is no virtue or fine
feeling extant, 'except in Ireland.' We repeat that we _could_ tell all
this, but we love to exercise our self-denial, and we therefore prefer
leaving it to be imagined.

The lady whom we have hitherto described as Mrs. Bloss, is no more. Mrs.
Gobler exists: Mrs. Bloss has left us for ever. In a secluded retreat in
Newington Butts, far, far removed from the noisy strife of that great
boarding-house, the world, the enviable Gobler and his pleasing wife
revel in retirement: happy in their complaints, their table, and their
medicine, wafted through life by the grateful prayers of all the
purveyors of animal food within three miles round.

We would willingly stop here, but we have a painful duty imposed upon us,
which we must discharge. Mr. and Mrs. Tibbs have separated by mutual
consent, Mrs. Tibbs receiving one moiety of 43_l._ 15_s._ 10_d._, which
we before stated to be the amount of her husband's annual income, and Mr.
Tibbs the other. He is spending the evening of his days in retirement;
and he is spending also, annually, that small but honourable
independence. He resides among the original settlers at Walworth; and it
has been stated, on unquestionable authority, that the conclusion of the
volunteer story has been heard in a small tavern in that respectable
n