nceal, that they were smiling], "'e's 'itherto been
_h_at 'ome so seldom, that I've 'ardly _h_ever known what 'appiness
_h_is."

I somewhat abruptly broke in upon the conversation, by suggesting
that she had better look through the house, and inquire the
conditions of tenancy. We consequently went through the various
rooms, and in every one of them she had "an _h_objection to this,"
or "a 'atred for that," or would give "an 'int which might be
useful" to the lady when she removed. The young ladies were heard
tittering very much whenever Mrs. H. broke out, in a loud voice,
with her imperfect elocution, and I felt so much annoyed, that I
determined to cure her of her defective speaking.

In the evening, after returning home, we were sitting by the fire,
feeling comfortable and chatty, when I proposed to Mrs. Hitching the
following enigma from the pen of the late Henry Mayhew:--

The Vide Vorld you may search, and my fellow not find;
I dwells in a Wacuum, deficient in Vind;
In the Wisage I'm seen--in the Woice I am heard,
And yet I'm inwisible, gives went to no Vurd.
I'm not much of a Vag, for I'm vanting in Vit;
But distinguished in Werse for the Wollums I've writ.
I'm the head of all Willains, yet far from the Vurst--
I'm the foremost in Wice, though in Wirtue the first.
I'm not used to Veapons, and ne'er goes to Vor;
Though in Walour inwincible--in Wictory sure;
The first of all Wiands and Wictuals is mine--
Rich in Wen'son and Weal, but deficient in Vine.
To Wanity given, I in Welwets abound;
But in Voman, in Vife, and in Vidow ain't found:
Yet conspicuous in Wirgins, and I'll tell you, between us,
To persons of taste I'm a bit of a Wenus;
Yet none take me for Veal--or for Voe in its stead,
For I ranks not among the sweet Voo'd, Vun, and Ved!

Before the recital of the enigma was half completed, Mrs. Hitching
laughed heartily--she saw, of course, the meaning of it--that it was a
play upon the Cockney error of using the V instead of the W, and the
latter instead of the V. Several times, as I proceeded, she exclaimed
"_H_excellent! _h_excellent!" and when I had finished, she
remarked that is was very "_h_ingenious," and enough to
"_h_open the _h_eyes" of the Cockneys to their stupid and
vulgar manner of speaking.

A more difficult