this!" "Bless _me_!" replied Molly Lowe--suffused with deep mahogany blushes, and bristling about like an angry turkey-cock--"Bless _me_! what a fuss there is about a bit of a boy!--He's my sister in law's own cousin, and I sent him up stairs because there were some ladies coming to look at the first floor; and where was the mighty harm of that?--And I'd have you to know, Sir, that you use me very ill, Sir!--and I won't bear it any longer, Sir! and"----And here she took out her handkerchief, held it to her eyes, and rushed out of the room in hysterics. The enamoured drummer seemed quite dumbfounded by the catastrophe; he attempted no defence; and, as Molly's master was by no means satisfied with her matronly account of the matter, the poor youth--all reeking from his hot bed, was handed over to a constable who shut him up for the night in the cold and comfortless watch-house. Oh! what a miserable Molly must Molly Lowe have been that night! In the morning the drummer was brought before the magistrate, to whom all these matters were related; and the constable added, that the drummer had confessed to him that he had often been to drink tea and sup with Molly Lowe; that she was over head-and-ears in love with him; that she had bought him a watch, with gold chain and seals, and had given him more than three pounds in money; and that she had assured him she was indeed his own cousin, by her sister-in-law's side, only seven times removed; but of that he knew nothing, having never heard of her till she met him one Sunday evening and asked him to come to tea. His worship observed, that this was a very _ungallant_ confession--to say the least of it; and he then asked if Molly was in attendance. Her master replied that she was not--as he meant to content himself with discharging her from his service. He was not aware that he had been actually robbed, either by her or her young admirer; but he had brought the youth before his worship, because he thought he deserved some punishment for his impudent intrusion. The magistrate said, he thought Molly was the most deserving of punishment; but he asked the poor lad what he had to say to it. He replied, that Mrs. Lowe asked him to come to see her, and he went; that she was very kind to him, and gave him tea and things up stairs; and that he was very glad when they came and pulled him out of the dirty clothes, for he had been under them more than two hours. His worship ordered that notice of his situation should be sent to his regiment; and in the evening he was delivered into the custody of the _drum-corporal_, who attended to receive him. And thus ended the amour of Molly Lowe. [Illustration] A WEARY BENEDICT.