r Street was the country--a stagecoach between us
and London passing four times a day--I do not care to own that it was a
sight of Flora Cammysole's face, under the card of her mamma's "Lodgings
to Let," which first caused me to become a tenant of Our Street. A fine
good-humored lass she was then; and I gave her lessons (part out of the
rent) in French and flower-painting. She has made a fine rich marriage
since, although her eyes have often seemed to me to say, "Ah, Mr. T.,
why didn't you, when there was yet time, and we both of us were free,
propose--you know what?" "Psha! Where was the money, my dear madam?"

Captain Bragg, then occupied in building Bungalow Lodge--Bragg, I say,
living on the first floor, and entertaining sea-captains, merchants, and
East Indian friends with his grand ship's plate, being disappointed in a
project of marrying a director's daughter, who was also a second
cousin once removed of a peer,--sent in a fury for Mrs. Cammysole, his
landlady, and proposed to marry Flora off-hand, and settle four
hundred a year upon her. Flora was ordered from the back-parlor (the
ground-floor occupies the second-floor bedroom), and was on the spot
made acquainted with the splendid offer which the first-floor had made
her. She has been Mrs. Captain Bragg these twelve years.

Bragg to this day wears anchor-buttons, and has a dress-coat with a gold
strap for epaulets, in case he should have a fancy to sport them. His
house is covered with portraits, busts, and miniatures of himself. His
wife is made to wear one of the latter. On his sideboard are pieces
of plate, presented by the passengers of the "Ram Chunder" to Captain
Bragg: "The 'Ram Chunder' East Indiaman, in a gale, off Table Bay;"
"The Outward-bound Fleet, under convoy of her Majesty's frigate
'Loblollyboy,' Captain Gutch, beating off the French squadron, under
Commodore Leloup (the 'Ram Chunder,' S.E. by E., is represented engaged
with the 'Mirliton' corvette);" "The 'Ram Chunder' standing into the
Hooghly, with Captain Bragg, his telescope and speaking-trumpet, on the
poop;" "Captain Bragg presenting the Officers of the 'Ram Chunder' to
General Bonaparte at St. Helena--TITMARSH" (this fine piece was painted
by me when I was in favor with Bragg); in a word, Bragg and the "Ram
Chunder" are all over the house.

Although I have eaten scores of dinners at Captain Bragg's charge,
yet his hospitality is so insolent, that none of us who frequent his
mahogany f