pay the full amount of his Policy to the lady whom he had always
introduced as his wife, and still retain enough to declare a handsome
Dividend for itself. Such was the sound business-principle upon which
the Boreal was conducted; and the merest child must perceive, that only
the extremely unlikely coincidence of at least four insurers all dying
before Eighty-five could endanger the solvency of the beneficent
institution.--Having mastered this convincing argument, and become
greatly confused by its plausibility, Mr. SIMPSON next gave some
attention to what was going on around him in the Office, and allowed his
overwrought mind to relax cheerfully in contemplation thereof. One of
human nature's peculiarities was quite amusingly exemplified in the
different treatment accorded to callers who were "safe risks," and to
those who were not. Thus, the whisper of "Here comes old Tubercles,
again!" was prevalent amongst the clerks upon the entrance of a very
thin, narrow-chested old gentleman, whom they informed, with
considerable humor, that he was only wasting hours which should be spent
with a spiritual adviser, in his useless attempts to take out a Policy
in _that_ office. The Boreal couldn't insure men who ought to be upon
their dying beds instead of coughing around Insurance offices. Ha, ha,
ha! Another gentleman, florid of countenance and absolutely without
neck, was quickly checked in the act of giving his name at one of the
desks; one clerk desiring another clerk to look, under the head of "A.,"
in his book, for "_Apoplexy_," and let this man see that we can't take
such a risk as he is on any terms. A third caller, who really looked
quite healthy except around the eyes, was also assured that he need not
call again--"Because, you see," explained the clerkly wag, "it's no go
for you to try to play your BRIGHT'S Disease on _us!_" When, however,
the applicant was a robustious, long-necked, fresh individual, he was
almost lifted from his feet in the rush of obliging young Boreals to
show him into the room of the Medical Examiner; and when, now and then,