convulsive laugh, after which he hummed a song; and when the
hurricane was over, exclaimed 'Blessed be God for all things!'
This, however, was but the beginning of his troubles. Mrs
Tabitha's favourite dog Chowder, having paid his compliments to a
female turnspit of his own species, in the kitchen, involved
himself in a quarrel with no fewer than five rivals, who set upon
him at once, and drove him up stairs to the dining room door,
with hideous noise: there our aunt and her woman, taking arms in
his defence, joined the concert; which became truly diabolical.
This fray being with difficulty suppressed, by the intervention
of our own footman and the cook-maid of the house, the squire had
just opened his mouth, to expostulate with Tabby, when the town-waits,
in the passage below, struck up their music (if music it
may be called) with such a sudden burst of sound, as made him
start and stare, with marks of indignation and disquiet. He had
recollection enough to send his servant with some money to
silence those noisy intruders; and they were immediately
dismissed, though not without some opposition on the part of
Tabitha, who thought it but reasonable that he should have more
music for his money. Scarce had he settled this knotty point,
when a strange kind of thumping and bouncing was heard right
over-head, in the second story, so loud and violent, as to shake
the whole building. I own I was exceedingly provoked at this new
alarm; and before my uncle had time to express himself on the
subject, I ran up stairs, to see what was the matter. Finding the
room-door open, I entered without ceremony, and perceived an
object, which I can not now recollect without laughing to excess
-- It was a dancing master, with his scholar, in the act of
teaching. The master was blind of one eye, and lame of one foot,
and led about the room his pupil; who seemed to be about the age