door long enough, before that sleepyeaded man, Mr. Place, would open

it."

"What, was Place asleep?"

"Indeed he were; and the

and the poor old

hairdresser rung and rung fifty times, I dare say, and all the time Mr. Place was snoring like the watch dog." "That there, sir, is the downrightestest lie, hever my heyes beheld."

"Come, come, Place, no bad words; you were asleep," (winking to Place,) "were you not?"

"Maybe I were in smallish dose, sir.”

Well, well, go to your work, all of you; come, Caroline, let's to breakfast." Breakfast table chit-chat.

Why did not ye open the door, my dear child, when I came to it?"

"Dear me, sir, I never recollected your coming to my study in the morning, before."-Long pause.

Did ye want any book out of it, sir?"-Longer pause.

"I never before had any occasion, Miss Caroline, and I must have some light thrown on this affair; thank God, the flames of my house,-I mean the alarm of its blaze,-will bring this mysterious hairdresser out of darkness."

Endeavouring to preserve herself from a blush, and her cheeks from vying with a moss-rose, the poor girl, tremblingly, but hastily,-her impa tience might have betrayed her to any one but a parent,-asked, "Bless me, sir, who? what hairdresser?"

"I don't ask, Miss Caroline Springfield, if it was Bobbin John; of that old good man I could have no suspicion; but who else was he whom Harriet let in? for Place was not asleep, he was on the watch like a faithful marine by my orders; yes, by my orders! Curl showed me your note, Miss! I

won't be shuffled with; no, I won't, Miss Springfield. Harriet Foote! she shall leave my house this very day, Miss; I'll have no spies, no! no accomplices to your follies in this house."

This was too much for Miss Caroline; she screamed and fell back into her chair in a swoon, before the poor old gentleman could fly to her assistance.

"Help! help! who's there? call Harriet Foote; O God! my sweet child is gone! gone!-run! run! run, Hobbs, to my apothecary's; call the physician. O! Harriet, what shall I do! Caroline's gone,-dead-O God!”

"Do, sir, send this pack of fools hout of the room, and leave Miss to my care; I'll soon revive her."

"Can ye, Harriet? can ye?"

Harriet (the room was cleared of the servants) applied a smelling-bottle to Miss Caroline's sensitive organ, and soon brought her to herself again.

The admiral, who had never before seen his daughter faint, (indeed it was the first time she had been seized with a fainting fit,) called aloud, "Heaven bless my child! and many, many blessings on you, Harriet Foote; you have brought my only comfort from the grave."

By this time both the apothecary and physician were arrived. A prescription was hardly necessary: the apothecary was barely told what to give Miss Springfield; the physician. adding, "Mr. Rhubarb knows, as well as I do, what is necessary in such cases."

When the physician enquired into the cause of her fainting

Papa, what was't you were saying to me? My papa can tell you, sir, for I cannot."

Harriet, who was all in all to Miss

Caroline, could not contain her rage any longer.

Dirty, mean, prying fellows!" exclaimed Foote; "they have been putting master in a fluster and suspicion case. Hang the lazy rascals! there's that fellow Place, and the sneaking monkey Master Hobbs-I'll hobb him before a month's over. And if master did right, he would place Place in a place where he'd have something to do-yes, in Bridewell; that's the best place for that nasty dog."

The impetuosity with which Harriet delivered this harangue so completely prevented the admiral, the physician, and the apothecary from speaking, that it was not till she had exhausted her spleen, the admiral could get in his word and command silence.

"Silence! she would be silent hon Miss's account; and if master did as