aid enough--the same rule applies with
equal force to the tale-writer. There are two errors into which he may
fall--he may say too little, or he may say too much. The first is a
venial ~473~~ sin, and easily forgiven--the second nearly unpardonable.
Such, at all events, being my ideas on the subject, I shall merely
proceed to give a brief outline of the fate of the principal personages
who have figured in these pages ere I bring this veritable history
to a close. Cumberland, after his flight from the scene at the
turnpike-house, made his way to Liverpool, and, his money being secreted
about his person, hastened to put his original plan into execution. A
vessel was about to start for America, by which he obtained a passage to
New York. In the United States he continued the same vicious course of
life which had exiled him from England, and, as a natural consequence,
sank lower and lower in the scale of humanity. The last account heard
of him stated that, having added drinking to the catalogue of his
vices, his constitution, unable to bear up against the inroads made by
dissipation, was rapidly failing, while he was described to be in the
most abject poverty. The captain of an American vessel with whom I am
slightly acquainted, promised me that he would gain more particulars
concerning him, and, if he were in actual want, leave money with some
responsible person for his use, so as to ensure him against starvation.
The result of his inquiries I have yet to learn.

Old Mr. Coleman was, as may be imagined, dreadfully irate on the receipt
of the singular epistle bearing the joint signatures of Lawless and Mr.
Lowe Brown, and was only restrained from bringing an action for breach
of promise by having it strongly represented to him that the effect of
so doing would be to make himself and his niece ridiculous. Freddy and
Lucy Markham had the good sense to wait till Mr. Coleman had taken the
former into partnership, which he fortunately inclined to do almost
immediately; being then, with the aid of Lawless's receivership, in
possession of a very comfortable income, the only serious objection
to the marriage was removed; and the father, partly to escape Mrs.
Coleman's very singular and not over-perspicuous arguments, partly
because he loved his son better than he was himself aware, gave his
consent.

George Lawless is still a bachelor. If questioned on the subject, his
invariable reply is, "Eh, married? Not I! Women are a kind of