"You must take care, my dear sir," said a gentleman, before I had half finished my story, (he might be called the leader of the opposition from the precedence which he took in the company in opposing all existing institutions,)--"You must, indeed; you are a stranger here. You must not believe all you hear. These fellows will trump up any tale. I know them of old. Don't you be taken in. Take my word--it's a man's own fault if he comes to want. Depend upon it." "So it is--so it is; that's very true," responded half-a-dozen gentlemen with large bellies, sipping claret as they spoke. "I do not think, gentlemen," I answered, "that I am imposed upon in this case." "Ah, ah!" said many Liberals at once, shaking their heads in pity at my simplicity. "At all events," I added, "you'll not refuse a little aid." "Certainly, I shall," replied the leader; "it's a rule, sir. I wouldn't break through it. I act entirely upon principle! I can't encourage robbery and vagrancy. It's Quixotic." "Quite so--quite so!" murmured the bellies. "Besides, there's the Union; we are paying for that. Why don't these people go in? Why, they tell me they may live in luxury there!" "He has a wife and three children--it's hard to separate, perhaps--" "Pooh, pooh, sir!" "Pooh, pooh!" echoed the bellies. "And, I'll tell you what, sir," said the gentleman emphatically in conclusion, "if you want to do good to society, you mustn't begin at the fag end of it; leave the thieves to the jailers, and the poor to the guardians. Repeal the corn-laws--give us free trade--universal suffrage--and religious liberty; that's what we want. I don't ask you to put a tax upon tallow--why do you want to put a tax upon corn? I don't ask you to pay my minister--why do you want me to pay your parson? I don't ask you--" "Oh! don't let us hear all that over again, there's a good fellow," said Treherne, imploringly. "Curse politics. Who is for whist? The tables are ready." The company rose to a man at the mention of whist, and took their places at the tables. I did not plead again for poor Warton; but his wretched apartment came often before my eyes in the glitter of the wax-lit room in which I stood, surrounded by profusion. His unhappy but faithful wife--his sleeping children--his own affecting expression of gratitude, occupied my mind, and soothed it. What a blessed thing it is to minister to the necessities of others! How happy I felt in the knowledge that they would sleep peacefully and well that night! I had been for some time musing in a corner of the room, when I was roused by the loud voice of the Liberal. "Well, I tell you what, Treherne, I'll bet you five to one on the game." "Done!" said Treherne. "Crowns?" added the Liberal. "Just as you like--go on--your play."