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A REGULAR NORTH-WESTER.

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"Infatuation, Frederic," said his father, "beyond all prudence or common sense; and for which I consider something like thirty thousand pounds, foolishly given or paid for you, has been a tolerably heavy penalty, independent of a thousand a year as an allowance, when your own income ought to have been quite sufficient for you."

"Now really, my dear Sir," cried Fred., "I am thankful for all your kindness; but as to the thousand a year, you must know that to a man moving in the circle I do, a thousand a year would little more than pay for cigars, Pate de Guimauve, and bonbons; will you try a few, father," said Fred., pushing towards him a splendid enamelled Bonbonnière.

"If any thing was wanting, Sir," said his father, "to complete my disgust, this one last act has been quite sufficient to effect that purpose. I came prepared to tell you that, finding a thousand a year in addition to your income fell short of meeting your expenditure, I felt that my duty to the rest of my family would compel me to diminish it one half; your conduct to-day has fixed a farther determination: from this hour your allowance wholly ceases, and we are strangers; if a total alteration of your conduct shows me I have a son, I shall be but too happy to acknowledge myself a father."

The quivering lip of the parent as he spoke, and the hurried step as he left the room, would have told the most casual observer what was passing in his bosom. Fred. knew his father too well to attempt to delay his departure; he silently followed him, till, fearing the observation of the servants in the hall, he stopped, merely saying, in a softened tone, "God bless you, Sir." The heart of the father was too full to allow him to utter the reciprocal wish; and, with a

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EFFECTS OF THE STORM.

simple indication of the head to the respectful bow of the servant, he hurried past him.

Fred. slowly ascended the stairs, and when again seated and alone, an oppression weighed on his heart, that he felt it impossible to shake off. He looked round the luxuriously-furnished apartment: all was the same. Still a fancied air of desolation reigned there. A glance convinced him of the truth, that came upon him with stunning effect. The desolation was that of the heart. A foreboding of coming evil oppressed him that all the usual buoyancy of his spirits and recklessness of thought was unequal to dispel.

"What!” cried Fred., starting from his reverie, "is it possible it has come already; are the prophetic warnings of Hartland so soon to end in their realisation. Impossible, it cannot, by heavens! it shall not be. A large draught of his favourite brandy roused his flagging spirits, and reassured his desponding thoughts. As ringing for his valet, he exclaimed, "all will still be right, old Leviticus will come down again with a thousand or two, and a turn of luck in some way will set all square."

"I shall dress," said Fred., on his man making his appearance, "and order the cab in an hour."

Fred. stepped into the critically well-appointed carriage, and his magnificently high stepper soon took him to the door of a large and handsome house, near square. The well-disciplined minute representative of humanity descended from behind, and the rain coming down at the moment, he called in the aid of a passer-by, to apply the knocker, that no stretch of his person could enable the former to reach. The equipage was too well known for the master of this temple of Mammon to be denied to its welcome.

A JEW'S SANCTUM.

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visitor. Fred. got out, and giving the reins to the tiger, the latter climbed into the vehicle. He was too well instructed in his business not to immediately drive from such a door, and at a proper distance await the reappearance of his master.

At a library table, in a room at the very back of the house, sat a man, whose peculiar and sinister cast of countenance evidently bespoke the race of his ancestors. The walls of the apartment exhibiting some pictures of the ancient masters, which were mostly of the highest class, told a tale that, to the initiated, required little explanation as to how they had come into the Jew's possession. He rose on Fred.'s entrance, and energetically, but with well-feigned humility, shook him by the hand.

"Welcome, my dear sir!" cried Levi; "I am happy to congratulate you on your success at Ascot : I am sure I need not tell you how truly delighted I was to hear it."

"Why, you old sinner," cried Fred., who was too quick not to lay hold of any circumstance he saw he could turn to his advantage, "you learn every thing: but who told you of this ?"

"Lord H was here this morning and got some money of me, saying that he among others had lost considerably to you."

Bravo H, thought Fred. to himself, you have unwittingly given me a lift, serving your own turn at the same time. Capital.

"You shall be immortalised, Levi," said Fred. "and if you go first I'll have you embalmed at my own particular expense. Why, thou Prince of Egypt, I'll have you made into a mummy, and then daily worship you as my deity of liberality. So you have

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BLARNEY (NOT IRISH).

been advancing his lordship money to put in my pocket, throwing 'manna in the way of starved people,' eh, Levi ?"

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Why, you know, my dear sir, I have always been happy to see my money take the same direction," replied Levi, with one of his blandest smiles.

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"You are a capital fellow, Levi, and always was. Now I tell you what it is, you have been stumping up for H because he has lost money; you must now come down for me because I have won money." Why, my dear sir, you know I always advise you as a friend: do not raise more money if you can do without it you can't want it just now-my money is really all vested at this moment, and I do not like taking up money for you at

"Come, come!" said Fred. interrupting him, "I know what you are going to say about additional interest, and so forth. I want the money: I know you will get it as reasonably as you can, and I must have it: I want to make a purchase: I am really going to live in the country: the Ascot money and what you must get me will just do it. You smile," said Fred., seeing an incredulous expression on the wily Israelite's countenance. "I am positively in earnest. I am, upon my honour.”

"Well," said Levi, "if you will have the money, I suppose you must: will the end of the month do? I can then get it on far better terms for you," cried Levi, well knowing, as well as hoping, Fred. would not wait.

"No," cried Fred. "nor the end of the week either. I must have it in three days, or, by George! I'll go some where else."

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Well, then, on one condition, my dear Sir, you

shall," cried Levi.

TWO INVITATIONS.

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"Lords Hand B- dine with me to-day, by their own invitation; you must do me the honour of meeting them."

"Agreed!" cried Fred., "seven's the main, I suppose. Adieu." I wonder, said Fred. to himself, as he descended the stairs, whether the old rascal believes any thing of the Ascot business.

On Fred's. return, passing through the hall, he took up several cards, and among them a small elegant perfumed note to this effect:

"CHER AMIE,

"Two days' absence has appeared an age to your

affectionate

"KATE."

A few minutes found Fred. in a small but elegantly furnished house in Mayfair. Here every article of furniture and ornament evinced the refined and expensive taste of him who had fitted up this fairy temple of love and beauty, for one who, in point of loveliness of person, showed in true keeping with the elegance that surrounded her. The eye of Fred. Manderville had been as correct and classic on the beauty of his mistress, as in every thing of which he chose to possess himself. The chosen few who had the entrée to this abode of beauty, were witness to the correctness of Fred.'s appellation of his fair mistress, when he described her as his "splendid Kate." His devoted, affectionate, and faithful Kate, were terms of more doubtful reality. Springing from a couch, and throwing on the ground a splendidly bound annual she had been reading, Kate fondly reproached Manderville for his truantship, and with

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