l her turn came, he
retired to a corner of the room, and waited a full hour and more,
until her business was settled, when he bowed ceremoniously, till his
pigtail pointed to the zenith, and tendering his arm, escorted her
home with all the vivacity and politeness of the days of hoops and
high-heeled shoes. I have scarcely yet found out the reason why it was
that the spectacle of this happy, kind old soul, made me feel a
little, only a little, ashamed of myself.

This cosy old couple had hardly tripped out of sight, when our prosy
synod was honoured by the advent of a real and extraordinary
phenomenon. This was nothing less than a half-crazy poetess, who
prided herself on speaking in rhyme--and such rhyme, amusing from its
very badness. On she was going at a great rate, when she was called to
order in a manner which admitted of no demur.

'Mrs Margaret Maggs!' roared the beadle; and the tenth Muse, brought
to a sudden stand-still, ceased her oracular utterances, and, grasping
her modicum of shining silver, vanished from the presence.

The distribution lasted the whole of the day; and it was a weary day
for some of the poor applicants, whose turn came last, and who almost
fainted for want of refreshment. But all who deserved it, went home
effectually relieved and gladdened; and many who did not, got a lesson
upon the occasion, and learned that Charity is not always as blind as
she is supposed to be. The whole of the money collected is not
distributed at once. About a third part of the amount is reserved
until the approach of the next ensuing winter, when a second
distribution takes place, generally to the same applicants.

I have heard it insinuated before now, that City functionaries of all
sorts are prone to take too good care of themselves, whenever they
meet to consider the wants of the poor. I may perhaps be allowed to
say, that when we have a feast, we pay for it; and that not one
farthing of any collection made in the City for the poor was ever, to
my knowledge, appropriated to any other purpose. As a respectable man,
I, for one, would never countenance any intromission of that kind.

OCCASIONAL NOTES.

LONDON CAB REFORM.

If John Bull were not, with all his grumbling, one of the most patient
animals in existence, he could never have endured so long the cabs
which he has to employ for the conveyance of his person through the
streets of his metropolis. They are very poorly furnished and nasty,
far