Always testy, Frampton's habitual peevishness was increased by his malady, although he did his best to conceal his ebullitions of temper from his visitant. To facilitate this object, Lady Susan suffered Pompey the black to be as much as possible in attendance upon him; not only because his master found a pleasure in chatting with him about the West Indies, but because he wrapped up the gouty leg, or altered its position, with more patience and tenderness than any other, always excepting Fanny. Pompey, who from his utter ignorance of the profound homage expected from servants in England, was no great respecter of persons, was thus occupied one day, singing at the same time his favourite song about the overseer thrust into the copper of boiling sugar, when Lord Mossdale exclaimed as soon as he left the room"Positively, Mr. Frampton, you have a most extraordinary Esculapian to take charge of your gouty foot. The first fellow I ever heard of, since the days of Apollo, who sang songs and practised medicine at the same time. I like the creature's radiant smile and his white teeth,

but I can neither admire his shrill voice, nor enter into the joke, which he himself seems to enjoy with so much glee, of murdering an innocent overseer.”

"That is so like you, my dear Lord!" exclaimed Lady Susan; “Wit and shrewdness, combined with humanity. Ay, the good heads and the good hearts always go together, I see. But what can you expect from such savages? This Pompey is a perfect nuisance in the house, quite useless too; does little or nothing but sing songs, and make pop-guns and playthings for the village children. I tolerate him on Mr. Frampton's account, for he really has a knack at managing a gouty foot, but I should be heartily glad if he were sent back again to the West Indies."

"The creature is not only insufferable from his disrespectful manner,” said Miss Frampton, "but his being an odious black serves to remind people that my father is a West India Proprietor, a circumstance which might as well be kept in the back-ground. Then the fellow wants height, and does not match any of the

other footmen, and has no style in his appearance, so that our expensive liveries are quite thrown away upon him."

"'Pon my honour, that's uncawmonly true!" drawled the Captain, gently passing his fingers through his scented hair,-" the wretch doesn't look as if he belonged to a family of distinction. More like a great baboon dressed up, isn't he, Mossdale? Quite rideeculous, 'pon my honour!"

"You know I always defend those whom every body else attacks," cried Fanny; "and in behalf of my friend Pompey, I must observe, that you have overlooked two of his merits; which, in my opinion at least, would outweigh a thousand greater faults than you have enumerated. First, he once saved my father's life, and now waits upon him in his illness with the most assiduous attention; secondly, Pompey is a philosopher, for though he is banished, probably for ever, from his native country, though he is despised as a black among a nation of whites, and only fills a menial station, he is happier than any of those who look down upon him with pity or contempt."

"The moment she opened her mouth I was quite sure Fanny was going to talk nonsense," cried Lady Susan. "That black fellow a philosopher! What folly !"

"As to such a penniless chap being a philosopher," said Mr. Frampton, "that may be all stuff and rubbish; but there's a great deal of good sense in what the girl said about his saving my life, and managing my gouty foot. And I promise you one thing, Lady Susan, that neither your abuse of him, nor Augusta's, nor any body else's, shall prevail upon me to turn him out of the house, so you may as well all of you hold your tongues."

"Does Miss Fanny venture to talk upon such an unfashionable subject as philosophy?" inquired Lord Mossdale, who saw that Frampton was out of humour, and good-naturedly sought to change the conversation.

"I am so far a philosopher, my Lord, that without understanding one syllable of the matter, I have endeavoured to jump to the great consummation at which all philosophy aims, since I am most stoically resolved to be as good a girl, and as happy a girl, as I can."

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Singularly modest, upon my word!" cried Augusta : "and we are to have your own unimpeachable authority, I suppose, for your having succeeded in your aims."

"For the first, of my two objects, I must appeal to the superior powers. Please, Lady Susan!" exclaimed Fanny, going up to her mother and curtsying with a mock solemnity;

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please give me a character, and certify that I am a good girl."

"Begone, you silly madcap! I cannot afford you any such voucher, for you are constantly refusing to take the advice which I and Augusta give you.".

"Are you quite, quite sure," said Fanny with an arch smile, " that this may not proceed. from my firm resolution to be always good and happy ?"

"Lady Susan refuses her testimonials," said the Captain; "so you can't prove your case; you can't now pawsitively, 'pon my honour !"

"But Fanny will not acknowledge herself to be in the wrong, she never does," said Miss Frampton.

"Not now, Augusta, at all events; for as my