AFTER. ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY A. COOPER, R.A. Our companion sketch might be a portrait-of "the old horse" of course, who was well in front until within a distance or so of home, where the weight told on him. But he may win a few Royal Plates yet, or even challenge for the Whip. The scene here is clearly on an off day, say in the First October Meeting, with not even a commissioner to tell out the story of his defeat. But Abraham Cooper's reminiscences are still clearly of a by-gone age, although as Sam Slick has it, always in season :-"You seed the crowd a follerin of the winnin horse when we come there, didn't you ? Yes, sir, said I, I did. Well, when colt beat him, no one follered him at all, but come a crowdin about him. That's popularity, said he, soon won, soon lost cried up sky-high one minute, and desarted the next, or run down; colt will share the same fate. He'll get beat afore long, and then he's done for. The multitude are always fickle-minded. Our great Washington found that out, and the British Officer that beat Buonaparte; the bread they gave him turned sour afore he got half through the loaf. His soap had hardly stiffened afore it ran right back to lye and grease again." There is a wholesome but bitter moral in the quaint philosophy of the Clockmaker, of which we have yet some every-day illustration. THE BARON DE BONCHOSE. BY A. H. B. CAPTAIN SMYTHE'S STORY, AND THE DEAD DOG'S TALE. "Now, Baron, as the harmony is over and the room thinned of its members, I will tell you the adventure that has induced me to advise all people never to buy a dog in the streets.' Personal experience, you know, is the most convincing, if it may not always be the most agreeable of lessons." "I shall be vare much oblige to you, Capitaine, I assure you; for, to tell you ze truth, I am a leetle uneasy upon my own purchase, vich I am told is too sheap to be honest dog.' "Honest dogs, or honest men either, Baron, are not often picked up on the London pavé. However, we must all live and learn: there is scarcely an adventure in life that does not teach us something we should otherwise never have known. Sometimes it may turn out to our advantage, sometimes the contrary; but when a man makes an ass of himself,' as the saying is, through inexperience, and gets laughed at into the bargain, he is apt to eat his humble pie' with 'revenge sauce,' longing to see his smiling acquaintances partake of the same dish, or something like it. It is a spice of human nature, but I doubt if it helps the digestion. The best remedy is to unburden the mind: relate the affair with all its weaknesses, and join heartily in the laugh against yourself. It is astonishing the effect; the irritation ceases instanter, and you blunt the point of the scalpel; besides which, you obtain a position in the blunder worthy a philosopher. Mine is exactly a case of this description; and I only hope it will cause you as much amusement to listen to it as it does me to repeat it. "I must first inform you, Baron, that my wife-heaven rest her fidgety soul!--was then alive, and, as she was of an extremely delicate constitution, a most sensitive and nervous temperament, and had immense expectations, it was always my chief study to gratify her tastes and whims in all things, regardless of expense. She was the daughter of the enlightened and wealthy John Glasscock, chandelier manufacturer to the Queen, the rest of the Royal Family, the nobility, and all other National Institutions, besides the chief clubs and the trade in general. It was looked upon by the Smiths in the light of a Belle Alliance, and worthy our great name-which, by-the-bye, Glasscock stipulated should henceforth be written and pronounced Smythe.' She was an only child, and set down by the world as the rich heiress of Cut-Glass Vale.' I certainly viewed her as such myself, and went in for her with that idea. How miserably disappointed I have been in my golden dreams I scarcely dare trust myself to mention; for, after some years of doubtful bliss and hope deferred, I found myself the insignificant father of an only child-a daughter. This sort of failure is evidently a hereditary peculiarity under which certain aspiring families are doomed to suffer. It had the effect in my case of totally demolishing all my castles in the air, and putting to flight a host of delicious visions of future indulgencies and extravagance. Glasscock's disappointment and bitterness turned to boiling rage. To be revenged on our weakness, and male-heir bankruptcies in general, he converted his intentions of liberality to his daughter into the resolution to build and endow an hospital for the blind, on principles entirely his own, absolutely settling his plans for its site, and talking loudly of a first instalment of £100,000 immediately after the christening of our luckless babe. Still, as I was under the obligation to him of a very handsome annual allowance, I managed to smother my gall the best way I could; which operation I could almost have performed on the blessed infant also. Nevertheless, in time we doted on our little Tryphenia, although I sometimes fancied to myself -mind that, Baron, to myself that the rich auburn hair, so much admired and so variously tortured and tonged, approached too near to the vulgarly-named carroty;' and that her eyes, so inquisitive and piercing, the fastidious, from certain reddish tinges round the lids, might have stamped as 'ferrety.' Her temper likewise, as she increased in years, turned strangely after her amiable mother's. Such was the every-day state of my domestic circle, uninterrupted in its cheerfulness and discipline; when one morning Mrs. S. (who, to my discriminating observation, was looking rather more peevish-I was going to have said snappish-than ordinary) requested me, without delay, to procure for our beloved Tryphenia a pet spaniel; small-very small; with long-very long ears; and in all respects suited in beauty and behaviour as a companion and playmate for our dear angel. Sweet soul!' she continued; she has seen Lady Millicent with such a duck of a dog, that she has not slept a wink for thinking of it; so pray, Smythe, see about it immediately. Only think! if she was to make herself ill, what should we do? Indeed I shall be quite uneasy and nervous until you have succeeded.' Of course the Times was sacrificed and the toast bolted at the risk of choking; and, as I got into my brougham, I assure you I thought more about the prospects of a 'wild-goose chase than I did of a pet spaniel. I literally knew no more where to look for the desired object than if I had been the recently-arrived New Zealand Chief. Ideas of Tattersall's, the Borough, Leadenhall, and Covent Garden Markets came confusedly into my head; also the Royal Exchange presented itself as a fit and proper locality. In this state of indecision I suddenly remembered that my friend Seemore, of the 7th, then in town, was up to everything canine. To him I flew in my dilemma. My dear fellow,' said he, after listening to and laughing at my exaggerated troubles, if you will only go into Regent-street between the hours of two and six o'clock, you will be sure to see some dingy, dirty, unshaved, half-bred-looking Jewish scamps, whose delight it is to deal entirely in that sort of ladies' toy; and I have very little doubt you will get suited to a T. Only mind you don't buy a painted one or a crooked one.' Resolved not to return without one, I whiled away the morning in a succession of sight-seeings-picture-galleries, coach-makers, and the Zoological Gardens-and, close upon the time for my adventure, I found myself vacantly gazing into Madame Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors,' vis-à-vis to the counterfeit presentment of that wonderful she-male Mrs. Manning. How I came to go there I cannot imagine; but the pleasure and satisfaction I derived on discovering that the truly ancient and highly-esteemed family of Smiths have as yet escaped a niche in her choice and thrilling collection of celebrated cutthroats and criminals was most gratifying, and I drove to the grand rendezvous of country cousins and distinguished refugee conspirators, better disposed for bargaining than I had imagined I should be. Leaving the carriage at the corner of Conduit-street, I strolled leisurely to the rencontre, firm of purpose and determined not to be done. I quickly observed a middle-aged, tallow-faced, hang-gallows-looking individual, with greasy corduroys and thick, nailed boots, dawdling about with an unconcerned air, and holding up on a level with his chest in each hand a milk-white puppy, the hair around whose feet was closely cut and trimmed à la Landseer's Poodle; a piece of blue riband was tied coquettishly round their throats, and they looked remarkably pretty. He led a low-legged, long-backed, shaggy Skye, whilst a half-grown black-and-tan terrier peeped knowingly out of each side-pocket of a fusty fustian shooting-jacket; but where, alas! was my envied King Charles? I looked in vain; he was not in the collection. This ordinary sample of a very peculiar class, evidently suspicious of my wants, whispered to me en passant, in a well-acquired mumble, Buy a nansome Sky? or a nice young terrier as kills? or a Maltese poop? yer honour? I made him no answer, but walked on, looking anxiously for my particular man and dog. Indeed I was beginning to despair, and had thoughts of giving up the search for that day, when I suddenly observed on the other side of the street a stout, pleasant-looking specimen of the itinerant dealer, lolling carelessly against the iron curb-post. He had a white bull-terrier at his feet, the very perfection of neatness, and a black-and-tan spaniel under his arm. I made direct towards him, and, as I stopped to look at it, he said, Will yer buy her, sir? she's a wery good un.' Not good enough, I am afraid,' I observed in reply. The effect of this was instantaneous. Throwing a scrutinizing glance over me, which fairly took my measure from head to foot, he confidentially informed me in a half-whisper, at the same time holding open the skirts of his capacious coat, I've got one as is, though. Hif yer'll just step round the corner, I'll give yer a show,' and, suiting the action to the word, he turned a few yards down to where an archway formed the entrance to some stables. I followed like a lamb. Tying the terrier to the railings, and placing the disapproved of spaniel on the ground, he drew from his gaping, widemouthed, waddling pocket the very identical little King Charles's destined to soothe the sufferings of our Tryphenia. What do I want for him?' he repeated, as I put that leading and deciding question. What do I want for him? Vy he's dirt cheap at £20. He's quite a young 'un.' To prove to him that I meant business, but at the same time was no novice, 'I'll give you,' said I, '£15 for him, and not a shilling more,' making a movement as of a determination to walk off. After half-a-dozen steps, I heard him exclaim, Hi! 'ere, sir!' and I returned. Come,' he said, coaxingly, let us split the difference-never fall out about a fiver.' I assured him that such a thing as 'split the difference' was contrary to all Smithean principles of business, and utterly unknown, and that I would not spring' a farthing beyond the offer. "Well lookee yere, sir,' he grumbled out, 'hif it worn't for my missus, as is down bad and wants the stuff,' I'de see you furder fust; owsomever, hif you'll stand half-a-gallon, yer shall have im. So come on,' he continued, and us over the flimsies,' and let us ave a friendly drain together.' "I gave him the notes for the dog and the half-crown for the beer, and was in the act of marching off proud of my bargain, when he gently whispered: Vun vord at parting, sir; hif hi vas u hi vudn't let the little bloke run about much in the streets, it vudn't be good for his health perhaps, on more accounts nor vun. I vish yer luck vith im,' then touching his hat he hurried away. "On my road home I amused myself with wetting the corner of my handkerchief, and trying the waterproof qualities of the brilliant colours of my new purchase; as they showed no signs of coming off on to the cambric, I set down Seemore of the 7th as a wag. "At home I was received with exclamations of real delight: he was a divine little fellow! Far handsomer thau Lady Millicent's horrid thing! They would not have him hurt, or lose him for all the world. He was at once christened Cherie,' and carried off in triumph to his bed of roses. Withal, he certainly turned out a source of pleasure and relief in many ways to all of us, and greatly diminished those worryings, and never-ending interruptions which poor paterfamilias is doubly liable to from a single child; but besides these advantages, he added greatly to our 'get up,' in our promenades in the parks. "Nearly a year-and-a-half had passed over, and Cherie' had become endeared to us all, when, alas! the fatal day!-it was, I remember, on a Sunday, and we were accompanied by my old friend Col. Parker. The carriage turned into the park at Victoria-gate, and |