miserable aspect. Some surprise was expressed at the presence of a
bluff, red-faced gentleman, a certain Mr. Smith, who had evidently
the fat of many a rich feast within him, and the habitual twinkle of
whose eye betrayed a disposition to break forth into uproarious
laughter for little cause or none. It turned out, however, that,
with the best possible flow of spirits, our poor friend was
afflicted with a physical disease of the heart, which threatened
instant death on the slightest cachinnatory indulgence, or even that
titillation of the bodily frame produced by merry thoughts. In this
dilemma he had sought admittance to the banquet, on the ostensible
plea of his irksome and miserable state, but, in reality, with the
hope of imbibing a life-preserving melancholy.

A married couple had been invited from a motive of bitter humor, it
being well understood that they rendered each other unutterably
miserable whenever they chanced to meet, and therefore must
necessarily be fit associates at the festival. In contrast with
these was another couple still unmarried, who had interchanged their
hearts in early life, but had been divided by circumstances as
impalpable as morning mist, and kept apart so long that their
spirits now found it impossible to meet, Therefore, yearning for
communion, yet shrinking from one another and choosing none beside,
they felt themselves companionless in life, and looked upon eternity
as a boundless desert. Next to the skeleton sat a mere son of
earth,--a hunter of the Exchange,--a gatherer of shining dust,--a
man whose life's record was in his ledger, and whose soul's prison-
house the vaults of the bank where he kept his deposits. This
person had been greatly perplexed at his invitation, deeming himself
one of the most fortunate men in the city; but the stewards
persisted in demanding his presence, assuring him that he had no