in his power to make Morleena an heiress, and the very baby a legatee--was offended. Gracious Powers, where was this to end!

`I am very sorry, sir,' said Mr Kenwigs, humbly.

`Don't tell me you're sorry,' retorted Mr Lillyvick, with much sharpness. `You should have prevented it, then.'

The company were quite paralysed by this domestic crash. The back-parlour sat with her mouth wide open, staring vacantly at the collector, in a stupor of dismay; the other guests were scarcely less overpowered by the great man's irritation. Mr Kenwigs, not being skilful in such matters, only fanned the flame in attempting to extinguish it.

`I didn't think of it, I am sure, sir,' said that gentleman. `I didn't suppose that such a little thing as a glass of punch would have put you out of temper.'

`Out of temper! What the devil do you mean by that piece of impertinence, Mr Kenwigs?' said the collector. `Morleena, child--give me my hat.'

`Oh, you're not going, Mr Lillyvick, sir,' interposed Miss Petowker, with her most bewitching smile.

But still Mr Lillyvick, regardless of the siren, cried obdurately, `Morleena, my hat!' upon the fourth repetition of which demand, Mrs Kenwigs sunk back in her chair, with a cry that might have softened a water- butt, not to say a water-collector; while the four little girls (privately instructed to that effect) clasped their uncle's drab shorts in their arms, and prayed him, in imperfect English, to remain.

`Why should I stop here, my dears?' said Mr Lillyvick; `I'm not wanted here.'

`Oh, do not speak so cruelly, uncle,' sobbed Mrs Kenwigs, `unless you wish to kill me.'

`I shouldn't wonder if some people were to say I did,' replied Mr Lillyvick, glancing angrily at Kenwigs. `Out of temper!'

`Oh! I cannot bear to see him look so, at my husband,' cried Mrs Kenwigs. `It's so dreadful in families. Oh!'

`Mr Lillyvick,' said Kenwigs, `I hope, for the sake of your niece, that you won't object to be reconciled.'

The collector's features relaxed, as the company added their entreaties to those of his nephew-in-law. He gave up his hat, and held out his hand.

`There, Kenwigs,' said Mr Lillyvick; `and let me tell you, at the same time, to show you how much out of temper I was, that if I had gone away without another word, it would have made no difference respecting that pound or two which I shall leave among your children when I die.'

`Morleena Kenwigs,' cried her mother, in a torrent of affection. `Go down upon your knees to your dear uncle, and beg him to love you all his life through, for he's more a angel than a man, and I've always said so.'

Miss Morleena approaching to do homage, in compliance with this injunction, was summarily caught up and kissed by Mr Lillyvick; and thereupon Mrs Kenwigs darted forward and kissed the collector, and an irrepressible murmur of applause broke from the company who had witnessed his magnanimity.

The worthy gentleman then became once more the life and soul of the society; being again reinstated in his old post of lion, from which high station the temporary distraction of their thoughts had for a moment dispossessed him. Quadruped lions are said to be savage, only when they are hungry; biped lions are