her the justice to relate the manner in which she spent this unhappy evening. It was about seven when Booth left her to walk in the Park; from this time, till past eight, she was employed with her children, in playing with them, in giving them their supper, and in putting them to bed.

When these offices were performed, she employed herself another hour in cooking up a little supper for her husband, this being, as we have already observed, his favourite meal, as indeed it was her's; and, in a most pleasant and delightful manner, they generally passed their time at this season, though their fare was very seldom of the sumptuous kind.

It now grew dark, and her hashed mutton was ready for the table, but no Booth appeared. Having waited therefore for him a full hour, she gave him over for that evening; nor was she much alarmed at his absence, as she knew he was, in a night or two, to be at the tavern with some brother officers; she concluded therefore that they had met in the Park, and had agreed to spend this evening together.

At ten then she sat down to supper by herself; for Mrs. Atkinson was then abroad. And here we cannot help relating a little incident, however trivial it may appear to some. Having sat some time alone, reflecting on their distressed situation, her spirits grew very low; and she was once or twice going to ring the bell, to send her maid for half a pint of white wine; but checked her inclination in order to save the little sum of sixpence; which she did the more resolutely as she had before refused to gratify her children with tarts for their supper from the same motive. And this self-denial she was very probably practising to save sixpence, while her husband was paying a debt of several guineas, incurred by the ace of trumps being in the hands of his adversary.

Instead therefore of this cordial she took up one of the excellent Farquhar's comedies, and read it half through, when, the clock striking twelve, she retired to bed, leaving the maid to sit up for her master. She would, indeed, have much more willingly have set up herself; but the delicacy of her own mind assured her that Booth would not thank her for the compliment. This is indeed a method which some wives take of upbraiding their husbands for staying abroad till too late an hour, and of engaging them, through tenderness and good nature, never to enjoy the company of their friends too long when they must do this at the expence of their wives'

rest.

To bed then she went, but not to sleep. Thrice indeed she told the dismal clock, and as often heard the more dismal watchman, till her miserable husband found his way home, and stole silently, like a thief, to bed to her; at which time, pretending then first to awake, she threw her snowy arms around him; though, perhaps, the more witty property of snow, according to Addison, that is to say, its coldness, rather belonged to the poor captain.

CHAPTER VI.

Read, gamester, and observe.

BOOTH could not so well disguise the agitations of his mind from Amelia, but that she perceived sufficient symptoms to assure her that some misfortune had befallen him. This made her in her turn so uneasy that Booth took notice of it, and after breakfast said, 'Sure, my dear Emily, something hath fallen out to vex you.' Amelia, looking tenderly at him, answered, 'Indeed,

my dear, you are in the right. I am indeed extremely ' vexed.' 'For heaven's sake,' said he, 'what is it?' Nay, my love,' cries she,' that you must answer your'self. Whatever it is which hath given you all that 'disturbance that you in vain endeavour to conceal from me, this it is which causes all my affliction.'

'You guess truly, my sweet,' replied Booth; 'I am 'indeed afflicted, and I will not, nay, I cannot conceal 'the truth from you. I have undone myself, Amelia.' 'What have you done, child?' said she in some consternation, Pray tell me.'

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'I have lost my money at play,' answered he.

'Pugh!' said she, recovering herself,-'what signifies the trifle you had in your pocket? Resolve never to play again, and let it give you no farther vexation; I warrant you, we will contrive some method to repair 'such a loss.'

'Thou heavenly angel, thou comfort of my soul,' cried Booth, tenderly embracing herThen starting a little from her arms, and looking with eager fondness in her eyes, he said, 'Let me survey thee; art though really 'human, or art thou not rather an angel in a human 'form?—O, no!' cried he, flying again into her arms, 'thou art my dearest woman, my best, my beloved wife!'

Amelia having returned all his caresses with equal kindness, told him, she had near eleven guineas in her purse, and asked how much she should fetch him.-'I 'would not advise you, Billy, to carry too much in your pocket, for fear it should be a temptation to you to return to gaming, in order to retrieve your past losses. 'Let me beg you, on all accounts, never to think more, if 'possible, on the trifle you have lost, any more than if you had never possessed it.'

Booth promised her faithfully he never would, and refused to take any of the money. He then hesitated a

VOL. IX.

Q

moment, and cried-'You say, my dear, you have eleven guineas; you have a diamond ring likewise, which was 'your grandmother's, I believe that it is worth twenty pounds; and your own and the child's watch are worth 'as much more.'

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'I believe they would sell for as much,' cried Amelia; 'for a pawnbroker of Mrs. Atkinson's acquaintance 'offered to lend me thirty-five pounds upon them when 'you was in your last distress. But why are you

'computing their value now?'

'I was only considering,' answered he, 'how much we 'could raise in any case of exigency.'

'I have computed it myself,' said she; and I believe 'all we have in the world, besides our bare necessary 'apparel, would produce about sixty pounds: and suppose, my dear,' said she, 'while we have that little sum, we should think of employing it some way or other, to procure some small subsistence for ourselves and our 'family. As for your dependence on the colonel's friendship, it is all vain, I am afraid, and fallacious. Nor do 'I see any hopes you have from any other quarter of 'providing for yourself again in the army. And though the sum which is now in your power is very small, yet 'we may possibly contrive with it to put ourselves into some mean way of livelihood. I have a heart, my Billy, which is capable of undergoing any thing for 'your sake; and I hope my hands are as able to work 'as those which have been more inured to it. But think, เ my dear, think what must be our wretched condition, เ when the very little we now have is all mouldered away, as it will soon be in this town.'

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When poor Booth heard this, and reflected that the time which Amelia foresaw was already arrived (for that he had already lost every farthing they were worth) it touched him to the quick; he turned pale, gnashed his

teeth, and cried out, Damnation! this is too much to 'bear.'

Amelia was thrown into the utmost consternation by this behaviour; and with great terror in her countenance, cried out, 'Good Heavens! my dear love, what is the 'reason of this agony ?'

Ask me no questions,' cried he, 'drive me to madness.'

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unless you would

My Billy! my love!' said she, what can be the 'meaning of this?-I beg you will deal openly with me, ' and tell me all your griefs.'

'Have you dealt fairly with me, Amelia?' said he.

'Yes, surely,' said she; 'Heaven is my witness how fairly.'

'Nay, do not call Heaven,' cried he, to witness a 'falsehood. You have not dealt openly with me, Amelia. 'You have concealed secrets from me; secrets which I 'ought to have known, and which, if I had known, it 'had been better for us both.'

'You astonish me as much as you shock me,' cried she. 'What falsehood, what treachery have I been ' guilty of ?'

'You tell me,' said he, 'that I can have no reliance on 'James; why did not you tell me so before?'

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I call Heaven again,' said she, 'to witness; nay, I appeal to yourself for the truth of it; I have often told you so. I have told you I disliked the man, notwithstanding the many favours he had done you. I ' desired you not to have too absolute a reliance upon 'him. I own I had once an extreme good opinion of ' him, but I changed it, and I acquainted you that I had

'But not,' cries he, with the reasons why you had changed it.'

'I was really afraid, my dear,' said she, 'of going too