floor of the warehouse. It was evident that here he had no chance. With a short involuntary cry of exultation, his loving papa sprang forward, and had almost grasped Freddy by the hair, when, as if by magic, the urchin suddenly disappeared, and Mr. Jackman shot some distance past the spot before he could check himself and return to examine it. He was hurrying to do this, when a huge black nose, reposing between two formidable paws, warned him to proceed no farther. Master Frederick had in fact for refuge entered the kennel, at the extremity of which he was discovered crouching behind the dog. "Lie down!" said Mr. Jackman, as, resolved on punishment, he slowly advanced, though with considerable doubt as to what part the new actor intended to take in the scene; "lie down, Lion!-fine fellow!-good old doggy!-poor old Lion!-lie down !" Notwithstanding this insinuating language, the dog remained, to all appearance, ignorant even of Mr. Jackman's vicinity. Once, indeed, the deep muzzle slightly quivered; but it was hardly perceptible, and did not interrupt the settled expression of grave medi. tation which characterized the countenance of the brute. Emboldened by this stillness, Jackman approached nearer and nearer still, and from the spot where he now stood might, if the animal should continue to act in the true spirit of neutrality, drag forth his rebellious offspring. However, previously to attempting this, he deemed it prudent to reconnoitre farther, and bent his body for the purpose. The dog instantaneously raised his small expressive eyes, looked Mr. Jackman steadfastly in the face, and then slowly closed the orbs in ap. parent slumber. "There's a good dog!" cried Jackman, recovering his self-posses sion. The sound of the voice now seemed to irritate the animal, and this alarming the child, Master Frederick patted the broad back of the brute with his little hand, which Mr. Jackman perceiving, misconstrued into an attempt to make the dog attack him. "You little blackguard !-set the dog at your own father!" cried Jackman, his rage aggravated beyond even its former excess. Thrusting forth one arm, he seized his son by the neck, but in an instant released him again; for he heard the Irishman shout, a chain rattle, and the deep grinding of a dog's growl. He felt that there was danger; yet, before he could avoid it, a sudden agonizing pain demanded his immediate attention. When the first flash of fear had passed away, Mr. Jackman perceived that the dog was in his rear, and what more nearly touched him, in possession of a considerable portion of his flesh. With consciousness returned his regard for the opinion of other people, and his sensitiveness to anything bordering upon the ridiculous; and apprehending that his present predicament was liable, if known, to become a jest among his friends, he struggled to restrain the cries that rose thickly in his throat. He remembered that the Irishman was present, and, notwithstanding the pain which it occasioned him, (as every movement on his part was now answered by fresh furor on that of the animal,) he managed to turn his body so as to face the porter, when, to add to his grief, he discovered the fellow, disabled through laughter, leaning for support against the wall. Resolved rather than to be eaten up alive than call on others for assistance, what could the unhappy Jackman do? Hope was not a feeling to be cherished by a man whose body was detained by a Newfoundland dog. It was too quiet a sensation for one who every moment felt the beast batting at him, as it were, with his nose, to renew his bite, or the shaking him in an endeavour either to tear off the flesh or prove firmness of his grip. No means of escape presented themselves to the hurried glance of the sufferer, whose only chance, indeed, was through the interference of the porter. Stifling the hatred that this man's conduct had created, Jackman at length called to him for help; but the fellow only lifted up his head, and seeing Jackman's face, fell into another such excessive peal of merriment as precluded all hope from that quarter. Pride, the proverb says, has no feeling; but those who indulge it have; and Mr. Jackman grew faint as a probability of the dog's ultimately throwing him down and mangling him occurred to his imagination. Every moment his fears increased; even his desire to avoid exposure passed away; and, after making one or two strange guttural sounds, the voice at length burst forth in a volume that defies description. The place was soon crowded. People passing in the street rushed to the entrance; the inmates of Mr. Alexander's house hurried to the spot; while a sudden energy of terror lent Jackman strength to free himself from the animal, though at the loss of a considerable portion of that garment peculiar to his sex. Any other man under such circumstances, would have hastily sought concealment, availing himself of Mr. Alexander's pressing invitation to "step in doors;" but Mr. Jackman's character was not of the ordinary stamp. When the immediate danger had passed, his conceit returned; and catching a glance of two servants who were tittering and whispering at the extreme end of the place, he resolved not to quit that spot before he had lent a dignity to misfortune. "Alexander!" cried he, endeavouring to look firm, though his was in motion, and the tears standing in his eyes, every nerve "Alexander!-d-n the dog!-The good-for-nothing!-Alexander, you see what a state I'm in; and I request you will pull that boy out-Oh!" "I dare na do it," replied Mr. Alexander, with difficulty suppressing his laughter; "besides, any friend, even, o' yours is welcome to my house, and I canna, therefore, refuse your ain son the use o' my kennel." "Now, mark me-that boy will ruin me if he's not corrected ;-no friend of mine shall interfere. Now, Alexander, either drag him out, or, as I'm a mortal man, I'll leave your house this instant for ever!" "What! in those breeks?" dryly asked the Scot, pointing to the drapery that hung in picturesque tatters. "It is dacent he is for travelling, sure enough, masther!" bawled the Irishman, emboldened by observing his employer smile. This was no brilliant jest, but it came in just when one of some sort was wanted; and the bystanders now beginning to understand circumstances, the Hibernian's remark, was, to the confusion of Mr. Jackman, received with shouts. During their continuance, that gentleman thus addressed his son, who remained crouching, the picture of infant dread, in his humble asylum. floor of the warehouse. It was evident that here he had no chance. With a short involuntary cry of exultation, his loving papa sprang forward, and had almost grasped Freddy by the hair, when, as if by magic, the urchin suddenly disappeared, and Mr. Jackman shot some distance past the spot before he could check himself and return to examine it. He was hurrying to do this, when a huge black nose, reposing between two formidable paws, warned him to proceed no farther. Master Frederick had in fact for refuge entered the kennel, at the extremity of which he was discovered crouching behind the dog. "Lie down!" said Mr. Jackman, as, resolved on punishment, he slowly advanced, though with considerable doubt as to what part the new actor intended to take in the scene; "lie down, Lion!-fine fellow!-good old doggy!-poor old Lion!-lie down !" Notwithstanding this insinuating language, the dog remained, to all appearance, ignorant even of Mr. Jackman's vicinity. Once, indeed, the deep muzzle slightly quivered; but it was hardly perceptible, and did not interrupt the settled expression of grave medi. tation which characterized the countenance of the brute. Emboldened by this stillness, Jackman approached nearer and nearer still, and from the spot where he now stood might, if the animal should continue to act in the true spirit of neutrality, drag forth his rebellious offspring. However, previously to attempting this, he deemed it prudent to reconnoitre farther, and bent his body for the purpose. The dog instantaneously raised his small expressive eyes, looked Mr. Jackman steadfastly in the face, and then slowly closed the orbs in apparent slumber. "There's a good dog!" cried Jackman, recovering his self-posses sion. The sound of the voice now seemed to irritate the animal, and this alarming the child, Master Frederick patted the broad back of the brute with his little hand, which Mr. Jackman perceiving, misconstrued into an attempt to make the dog attack him. "You little blackguard !-set the dog at your own father!" cried Jackman, his rage aggravated beyond even its former excess. Thrusting forth one arm, he seized his son by the neck, but in གླ instant released him again; for he heard the Irishman shout, a ch rattle, and the deep grinding of a dog's growl. He felt that was danger; yet, before he could avoid it, a sudden agonizing pr manded his immediate attention. When the first flash of fear had passed away, Mr. Jack ceived that the dog was in his rear, and what more nea him, in possession of a considerable porti sciousness returned his regard for the his sensitiveness to anything borderi apprehending that his present predica become a jest among his friends, he s that rose thickly in his throat. He was present, and, notwithstanding t (as every movement on his part wa that of the animal,) he managed porter, when, to add to his grie through laughter, leaning for s rather than to be eaten up alive ΕΞ རྟ hrust his lue bottle pathetic: time and nterrupted →r knees. rning his are at her ⚫ into com very seri houted the smacks of ent. and stand kingdom,―I politest way gue. Now, I at the gentleA voice. "I'm coming here to ht to want to get 'll tell you ma'am, effect to this deternich Mrs. Dobson no powers, actually bawl ne indulged in a sound, a nature, that the delivShame on 'e! You must when you knows my lady Hoh! now mind my words; come what may of it. If the ackman, but it's no laughing hank heaven, my character's esaid, only this very morning, quiet Gus now-when you might have had ever was interfered with by no gench and poor-ah! though I say it, the mithson will speak to my character any e: we had nothing of this sort there; like ace here interrupted this discursive harpowered by the noise and confusion, had ; and her husband, who was rea ice to which he had been a pa "You see what you're doing, young rascal! Will nothing but my positive degradation satisfy your blackguard propensities? To expose me first to that ruffian's laughter-then set the dog at your father and now cause the mob to hoot him! Come out, sir, or I'll be the death of you!" and, in proof of sincerity, he shook the whip wrathfully at the child. The heedless populace having chosen to side against "the old 'un," yelled when they observed his threatening action, and their remarks (such as could be heard) being forcibly expressive of indignation, Mr. Jackman was soon glad to avail himself of the Scot's repeated invitation. Weeks, months, passed on, and the outraged dignity of the father would not listen to a thought of reconciliation. "That boy had proved himself a blackguard! He would renounce him for ever." Mr. Alexander was becoming loud in his remarks on the evils of bearing malice, when Mrs. Jackman presented her husband with another hope. Masculine dignity is incompatible with these occasions; the father struggled hard to maintain it; till, one day, dining off an ugly bone of mutton and clammy potatoes, in the back drawing-room, he felt suddenly overwhelmed by a rush of softness, and, hastening to the second floor, communicated his intention of having Frederick home and sending him to school. At the appointed time his uncle took the boy home, and both were shown up stairs into the mother's bedroom, who was beginning to "sit up a little every day." There things had evidently been prepared for a scene. Mr. Jackman, effectively serene, was attitudinizing in an arm-chair. The occasion, indeed, called for his grandest powers of speech. After having been caressed by mamma, and remarked on by Mrs. Dobson, the monthly nurse, Frederick was placed upon a high stool which had been put purposely for him, directly fronting his papa. It was time to begin. Mrs. Jackman, who had experience in her husband's humours, looked the picture of patience, trying to go to sleep; while Mrs. Dobson, feeling that something was going to take place in which her importance was no consideration, became obstreperously attentive to the wants and wishes of the little stranger. Just as Mr. Jackman had wiped his face and blown his nose, and was sighing deeply while pocketing his handkerchief with an exuberance of action, the footman brought the hackney-coach to the door which was to take his young master to school. The man had been told a coach would be wanted, and had mistaken the intimation for an immediate order. The blunder lost him his situation. He left the family that day month. Thus Mr. Jackman's ideas were likely to be nipt in the bud, unless he could muster sufficient magnanimity to pay the coachman for resting the miserable horses at his door. This, however, he could not easily bring himself to do; if he had an aversion, it was to part with money, the full value for which he had not received :-but, on the other hand, was the wisdom he had concocted to be stifled at the very moment of its birth? was the pathos he himself almost wept to think of, not, after all, to astonish the monthly nurse? Mr. Jackman pulled out his watch, and placed it in such a position that the index exactly fronted him. He would sacrifice one half hour; and with desperate generosity, the fervour of which made |