much consideration, that he thought it the duty of a gentleman to be polite to ladies: that was a maxim that, he said, had been very early impressed upon him by his worthy grand-mother, to whom, he observed, he was chiefly indebted for his education; having, while his brother went to school, been brought up under the old lady’s own eye. Mrs. Sourkrout proposed, as they appeared heated with dancing, to take to a rubber, saying, “she doubted not that a gentleman of his appearance could play at whist.” “O yes,” replied he, “that was one of my grand-mama’s chief lessons; from the time I was twelve year old, till I was past twenty, we spent almost every evening in that pastime, and while my mother lived, and my sisters were at home, we long after kept in the same course: but since I am an orphan and lonesome, I send for my foreman, and take a hit at backgammon. But I should like a rubber very much.” A party was accordingly formed. Mr. Hamilton and the fair nymph were partners. Their opponents had won a double, were nine to four of the second, and had turned up the king; three tricks were gained before the laird and his partner had got one. Miss Sourkrout, the dealer, with the king guarded, had two aces, from which she reasonably entertained sanguine hopes of a bumper. Miss having the queen, knave of trumps, and a long suit; after taking a trick, shewed a suit; with profound skill discontinued it, to play through the honour; at the second round drove the king prisoner into the hands of her partner’s victorious ace. Her right-hand adversary’s ten fell by the same fatal blow, the laird’s nine and eight exhausted all the enemy’s trumps, and left his three lord of the board. Now did the comprehensive wisdom of the laird, having before its view every trick, return his partner’s suit; the lady made two more, one only remained the destined victim of the corps de reserve, and thus secured the victory. A single hand determined the next game in favour of the laird and miss. Mr. Hamilton considered the rubber as won by miss’s dexterity, which raised her very high in his estimation. He with much gravity remarked, “that it was a very providential circumstance, that she thought of playing through the honour.” The major and his lady observed their brother’s attention to Miss Sourkrout, but thinking it accidental, regarded it with unconcern. The next morning the laird went to pay the lady a visit, and was very graciously received. A few days after, taking an opportunity of being alone with the major, he turned the discourse upon Miss Sourkrout, with a very particular detail of her cash and moveables, according to the information which he had received from his acquaintance the attorney. The major strongly dissuaded his brother from attempting any such connection; but as in his dissuasives he said nothing to the disparagement of her fortune, he made little impression.