bucks and a turtle, which come herewith. My worthy colleague, who
was so liberal last year of his soup to the poor, will not, I trust,
refuse to taste a little of Alderman Birch's--'tis offered on my
part with hearty goodwill. Hey for the 6th, and vive la joie!

"Ever, my dear Heeltap, your faithful

"W. PITT SCULLY.

"P.S.--Of course this letter is STRICTLY PRIVATE. Say that the
venison, etc. came from a WELL-WISHER TO OLDBOROUGH."

This amazing letter was published, in defiance of Mr. Scully's
injunctions, by the enthusiastic Heeltap, who said, bluntly, in a
preface, "that he saw no reason why Mr. Scully should be ashamed of
his action, and he, for his part, was glad to let all friends at
Oldborough know of it."

The allusion about the Gorgon soup was killing: thirteen paupers in
Oldborough had, it was confidently asserted, died of it. Lady
Gorgon, on the reading of this letter, was struck completely dumb;
Sir George Gorgon was wild. Ten dozen of champagne was he obliged
to send down to the "Gorgon Arms," to be added to the festival. He
would have stayed away if he could, but he dared not.

At nine o'clock, he in general's uniform; his wife in blue satin and
diamonds; his daughters in blue crape and white roses; his niece,
Lucy Gorgon, in white muslin; his son, George Augustus Frederick
Grimsby Gorgon, in a blue velvet jacket, sugar-loaf buttons, and
nankeens, entered the north door of the ballroom, to much cheering,