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upheld no more by these stimulants, and the Dignity of Labour, he sinks into his comfortable grave, then, my lady”— here Sir Joseph blew his nose—“I will be a Friend and a Father—on the same terms—to his children.”

Toby was greatly moved.

“O! You have a thankful family. Sir Joseph!” cried his wife.

“My lady,” said Sir Joseph, quite majectically, “Ingratitude is known to be the sin of that class. I expect no other return.”

“Ah! Born bad!” thought Toby. “Nothing melts us.”

“What man can do, I do.” pursued Sir Joseph. “I do my duty as the Poor Man’s Friend and Father; and I endeavour to educate his mind, by inculcating on all occasions the one great moral lesson which that class requires. That is, entire Depend­ence on myself. They have no business whatever with—with themselves. If wicked and designing persons tell them other­wise, and they become impatient and discontented, and are guilty of insubordinate conduct and black-hearted ingratitude—which is undoubtedly the case—I am their Friend and Father still. It is so Ordained. It is in the nature of things.”

With that great sentiment, he opened the Alderman’s letter, and read it.

“Very polite and attentive, I am sure!” exclaimed Sir Joseph. “My lady, the Alderman is so obliging as to remind me that he has had ‘the distinguished honour’—he is very good—of meeting me at the house of our mutual friend Deedles, the banker; and he does me the favour to inquire whether it