complied with, but that she must be left till her turn came, he
retired to a corner of the room, and waited a full hour and more,
until her business was settled, when he bowed ceremoniously, till his
pigtail pointed to the zenith, and tendering his arm, escorted her
home with all the vivacity and politeness of the days of hoops and
high-heeled shoes. I have scarcely yet found out the reason why it was
that the spectacle of this happy, kind old soul, made me feel a
little, only a little, ashamed of myself.

This cosy old couple had hardly tripped out of sight, when our prosy
synod was honoured by the advent of a real and extraordinary
phenomenon. This was nothing less than a half-crazy poetess, who
prided herself on speaking in rhyme--and such rhyme, amusing from its
very badness. On she was going at a great rate, when she was called to
order in a manner which admitted of no demur.

'Mrs Margaret Maggs!' roared the beadle; and the tenth Muse, brought
to a sudden stand-still, ceased her oracular utterances, and, grasping
her modicum of shining silver, vanished from the presence.

The distribution lasted the whole of the day; and it was a weary day
for some of the poor applicants, whose turn came last, and who almost
fainted for want of refreshment. But all who deserved it, went home
effectually relieved and gladdened; and many who did not, got a lesson
upon the occasion, and learned that Charity is not always as blind as
she is supposed to be. The whole of the money collected is not
distributed at once. About a third part of the amount is reserved
until the approach of the next ensuing winter, when a second
distribution takes place, generally to the same applicants.