one of the best men in the world, on his discharging me he made me a donation of twenty pounds. "And it was well that he made me this present, for without it I should have been penniless, having contracted rather expensive habits during the time that I lived with the young baronet. I now determined to visit my parents, whom I had not seen for years. I found them in good health, and, after staying with them for two months, I returned again in the direction of town, walking, in order to see the country. On the second day of my journey, not being used to such fatigue, I fell ill at an inn on the Great North Road, and there I continued for some weeks till I recovered, but by that time my money was entirely spent. By living at the inn I had contracted an acquaintance with the master and the people, and become accustomed to inn life. As I thought that I might find some difficulty in procuring any desirable situation in London, owing to my late connection with literature, I determined to remain where I was, provided my services would be accepted. I offered them to the master, who, finding I knew something of horses, engaged me as a postillion. I have remained there since. You have now heard my story. "Stay, you shan't say that I told my tale without a per--peroration. What shall it be? Oh, I remember something which will serve for one! As I was driving my chaise some weeks ago; I saw standing at the gate of an avenue, which led up to an old mansion, a figure which I thought I recognised. I looked at it attentively, and the figure, as I passed, looked at me; whether it remembered me I do not know, but I recognised the face it showed me full well. "If it was not the identical face of the red-haired priest whom I had seen at Rome, may I catch cold! "Young gentleman, I will now take a spell on your blanket--young lady, good night." THE END. {437} Footnotes: {22} Greenwich. {27a} Cf. French _chaperon_. {27b} The Gentile's coming. {27c} Gypsy fellows. {33} Hearken, thimbla, Comes a Gentile. {35a} A meaningless verse. {35b} Rather, _Okki tiro piomus_. {36} Books. {37} _Tatchi romadi_. {38} Great City. {39a} Meant for "ghost," but not real Anglo-Romany. {39b} _Jerry_ Abershaw (_c._ 1773-95), a highwayman who haunted Wimbledon Common, and was hanged on Kennington Common for shooting a constable. {43a} Thomas Blood (_c._ 1618-80). See T. Seccombe's _Lives of Twelve Bad Men_ (1894). {43b} In December 1670. {63} ?Amesbury. {65} The Avon. {72a} The so-called (by Stukeley) "Vespasian's Ramparts." {72b} Salisbury.