gentlemen will come here tonight. Mr. Merle said they would, at ten
o'clock. It is near ten now, and your tea cold as a stone."

She hung on his neck caressingly, kissing his furrowed brow, and leaving
a tear there, and thus coaxed him till he set-to quietly at his meal; and
Sophy shared it--though she had no appetite in sorrowing for him--but to
keep him company; that done, she lighted his pipe with the best canaster,
--his sole luxury and expense; but she always contrived that he should
afford it.

Mr. Waife drew a long whiff, and took a more serene view of affairs. He
who doth not smoke hath either known no great griefs, or refuseth himself
the softest consolation, next to that which comes from Heaven. "What,
softer than woman?" whispers the young reader. Young reader, woman
teases as well as consoles. Woman makes half the sorrows which she
boasts the privilege to soothe. Woman consoles us, it is true, while we
are young and handsome! when we are old and ugly, woman snubs and scolds
us. On the whole, then, woman in this scale, the weed in that, Jupiter,
hang out thy balance, and weigh them both; and if thou give the
preference to woman, all I can say is, the next time Juno ruffles thee,
--O Jupiter, try the weed.




CHAPTER VII.

The historian, in pursuance of his stern duties, reveals to the
scorn of future ages some of the occult practices which discredit
the march of light in the nineteenth century.