imes including two or three
extremely vivacious and pretty, as well as fashionably dressed, young
women, whom he was not in the habit of meeting in society, but who were
known quite familiarly to Abel and his friends.

Upon other occasions these little dinners took place out of town, whither
the gentlemen drove alone in their buggies by daylight, and, meeting the
ladies there, had the pleasure of driving them back to the city in the
evening. The "buggy" of Abel's day was an open gig without a top, very
easy upon its springs, but dangerous with stumbling horses. The drive
was along the old Boston road, and the rendezvous, Cato's--Cato
Alexander's--near the present shot-tower. If the gentlemen returned
alone, they finished the evening at Benton's, in Ann Street, where
they played a game of billiards; or at Thiel's retired rooms over the
celebrated Stewart's, opposite the Park, where they indulged in faro.
Abel Newt lost and won his money with careless grace--always a little
glad when he won, for somebody had to pay for all this luxurious life.

Boniface Newt remonstrated. His son was late at the office in the
morning. He drew large sums to meet his large expenses. Several times,
instead of instantly filling out the checks as Abel directed, the
book-keeper had delayed, and said casually to Mr. Newt during Abel's
absence at lunch, which was usually prolonged, that he supposed it was
all right to fill up a check of that amount to Mr. Abel's order? Mr.
Boniface Newt replied, in a dogged way, that he supposed it was.

But one day when the sum had been large, and the paternal temper more
than usually ruffled, he addressed the junior partner upon his return
from lunch and his noontide glass with his friends at the Washington
Hotel, to the effect that matters were going on much too rapidly.

"To what matters do you allude, father?" inquired Mr. Abel, with
composure, as he picked his teeth with one hand, and surveyed a cigar
which he held in the other.

"I mean, Sir, that you are spending a great deal too much money."

"Why, how is that, Sir?" asked his son, as he called to the boy in the
outer office to bring him a light.

"By Heavens! Abel, you're enough to make a man crazy! Here I have put you
into my business, over the heads of the clerks who are a hundred-fold
better fitted for it than you; and you not only come down late and go
away early, and destroy all kind of discipline by smoking and lounging,
but you don't manif