ife used to fling plates at his Emma's head, and who perished from
a fatal attachment to the bottle. I am inclined to think that Colonel
Newcome was not much cast down by the loss of his wife, and that they
lived but indifferently together. Clive used to say in his artless way
that his father scarcely ever mentioned his mother's name; and no
doubt the union was not happy, although Newcome continued piously to
acknowledge it, long after death had brought it to a termination, by
constant benefactions and remembrances to the departed lady's kindred.

Those widows or virgins who endeavoured to fill Emma's place found the
door of Newcombe's heart fast and barred, and assailed it in vain. Miss
Billing sat down before it with her piano, and, as the Colonel was a
practitioner on the flute, hoped to make all life one harmonious duet
with him; but she played her most brilliant sonatas and variations in
vain; and, as everybody knows, subsequently carried her grand piano to
Lieutenant and Adjutant Hodgkin's house, whose name she now bears.
The lovely widow Wilkins, with two darling little children, stopped at
Newcome's hospitable house, on her way to Calcutta; and it was thought
she might never leave it; but her kind host, as was his wont, crammed
her children with presents and good things, consoled and entertained the
fair widow, and one morning, after she had remained three months at the
station, the Colonel's palanquins and bearers made their appearance, and
Elvira Wilkins went away weeping as a widow should. Why did she abuse
Newcome ever after at Calcutta, Bath, Cheltenham, and wherever she went,
calling him selfish, pompous, Quixotic, and a Bahawder? I could
mention half a dozen other names of ladies of most respectable families
connected with Leadenhall Street, who, according to Colonel Newcome's
chum--that wicked Mr. Binnie--had all conspired more or less to give
Clive Newcome a stepmother.

But he had had an unlucky experience in his own case; and thought within
himself, "No, I won't give Clive a stepmother. As Heaven has taken his
own mother from him, why, I must try to be father and mother too to the
lad." He kept the child as long as ever the climate would allow of his
remaining, and then sent him home. Then his aim was to save money for
the youngster. He was of a nature so uncontrollably generous, that to be
sure he spent five rupees where another would save them, and make a
fine show besides; but it is not a man's gif