"Here-Pops!" Yes, mum."

"The easy-chair, directly!"

"Yes, mum."

"And a footstool!"

66 Yes, mum."

"I don't deserve all this kindness, my Bopsy." 'Humph!" growled the prompter,

Mrs. Murden?"

"In a few moments," replied the lady.

66

are we to go on,

“Here, mum,” said Pops, arranging the easy-chair and stool by the manager's table in the middle of the stage by the footlights, where, I must inform the reader, all managers' tables are placed during the time of rehearsal.

"Where's the piece of carpet, Pops?" inquired Mrs. Murden.

"I dunno," replied the call-boy timorously; "I looked for that there piece of carpet a whole blessed hour."

"When?" demanded Mrs. Murden, sharply.

"This very mornin'," rejoined the victim; "I know'd it would be wanted."

"Go and search, for another hour!" said the lady. "Is it to be supposed that Mr. Murden can sit with his feet on the bare cold stage?"

"Lor, lor!" grumbled the prompter; "she never thinks of my frozen limbs !

Bah! she makes me sick with her Edwin, and her fussy ways; and all the while grudging me my snuff as if she paid for it."

"Now, how do you feel, Edwin?" inquired Mrs. Murden, as she folded her velvet cloak around his legs. "Better?" 'Nothing can make me feel better!" wailed he.

66

66

Oh,

this shocking, shocking health of mine! I suppose you have not been able to get on-you found the piece intricate, eh? I ought to have been here two hours ago; but really I had not the strength to raise my head from the pillow. Dearest, my toes are like ice!"

Pops!"

Yes, mum."

"The carpet!

""Taint nowheres to be found, mum." "Then fetch the stage baize!"

"It's in the property-room, mum, and——”

"Were it in Rome, I'd have it'—so, vanish!

Don't, Bopsy! don't speak so loud! I'm terribly nervous this morning," said the invalid.

"Poor sufferer!"

"Poor ninny!" muttered Grumby, violently stamping his feet, in order to warm them.

"Who's making that horrible noise, Bopsy?"

"I, sir!" replied the prompter abruptly: "I have been sitting in this chair, sir, for three hours, and I am nigh frozen !"

"Confound it, then, get on with business! I'm not interrupting it, am I, Bopsy?"

"No, Edwin, darling!" rejoined the lady; then, turning to Grumby, she said, "You snuffy, spiteful old thing! if you weren't a sort of connection of mine, I should send you packing, in no time! There, now, what's the use of looking at me in that reproachful manner-you know I don't mean half the things I say, old curmudgeon!"

The prompter shook his head.

"Oh, Sally!—age will come to you some day!"

"Well, I know it will! and I hope I shall take to it gracefully."

At this moment Pops and the stage-carpenter appeared, bearing the baize, which they arranged under and around Mr. Murden's chair.

"Now go on with the scene!" said the lady.

"Yes, by all means; get on, Grumby!" said Mr. Murden; "that is, if you intend to go through the farce to-day!" "We shall not have time for the farce to-day, sir," returned the prompter.

"Then you must make time," said Mrs. Murden, aside to Grumby; "if he is in the mood to rehearse, let him do so."

Humph! how she humours him in all his whims and fancies!" mused the old man. "Ah, Sally, Sally! I much fear he'll be a sharp thorn in thy side some day. I think I know the smooth gentleman better than thou dost thou hadst better have remained a widow, and hoarded thy few hundred sovereigns for the winter of thy life, than to have wasted them on this hypocritical rascal, who, when he has fleeced thee,

will break thy heart and forsake thee. Ha! all may go well for a time-but, wait, wait!"

"'Gad! who's she?" exclaimed Mr. Murden, suddenly starting up in his chair.

At this time Mrs. Murden was busy giving instructions to the property-man.

"Did you speak, sir?" asked Pops. "Who's she?"

"What she did you illood to, sir?"

"Confound your stupidity!" exclaimed Mr. Murden, in a low voice; "don't bawl so! come nearer to me. Is my wife looking-I mean-is-is Mrs. Murden within hearing?" "No, sir," rejoined Pops; "she's gone off with the property-man."

"I wish to Heaven she had!" muttered the loving husband. "Now, tell me who she is-she in the dark woollen shawl?"

She, sir?" said Pops; "she's the Maiden of the Cottage, Madame Carbonextra."

'Oh, ah! to be sure. I forgot all about those people, said Mr. Murden; "go and

"Mum, sir," said Pops, putting his finger to his nose; "here's the governess.

Pops!" said Mrs. Murden.

"Yes, mum."

"There's a vile cat in the theatre."

"Yes, mum."

"I saw her just now at the wings; the wretched little monster."

"See that the creature's drowned."

"Yes, mum," returned Pops; then drawing close to the lady, he said, in a deep husky voice, "Must I perform the deed extanter?''

"I don't care when its done so long as it is done,” replied she; "bring me some proof of her death, Pops, or“Certainly, mum, I'll bring you her tail.”

"Is my Bopsy so cruel as to kill poor pussy?" said Mr. Murden.

My dearest Edwin! poor pussy, as you call her, nearly killed your wife."

"My angel, you alarm me! When did this terrible business occur?

"When I died the other night in Belvidera."

"Yes, go on; what happened then?"

"Well, the whole audience was in tears ; for you know how effective my death-scenes are.

Charming!" sighed the husband; "you won my poor heart when you died in Juliet-but, go on with your story." 'My body," proceeded the lady-" my body was lying on the stage in the midst of solemn silence, only broken at intervals by the sobs of the audience, when, by some unfortunate chance, the curtain stuck fast and would not come down."

"Confound the stupid drop-men!-to ruin my darling's death-scene."

"Of course I couldn't tell what was the matter, as I lay with my eyes shut. In a moment, I felt something warm touching my face: it was the tail of an animal. Knowing how the place was infested by rats, I started up in affright, screamed, and rushed off the stage, amid the convulsed laughter of a crowded audience."

"My poor Bopsy!"

That, my dearest Edwin, was not the worst of the affair. I ran against a scene, and fell headlong into the arms of one of the scene-shifters. On recovering myself, I glanced at the stage, when, horrible to relate, on the spot where I had lain a moment before a large white cat was stretched at full length."

66

Why was I not earlier informed of this?" asked Mr. Murden, "I'll exterminate the whole race of cats rather than have my dear child again so terrified !"

K

CHAPTER XIII.

MONTHS passed on; the theatre was prosperous (for Mrs. Murden was an excellent woman of business), and Emma had been so fortunate as to please both the Murdens and the audience. There was much in the Murdens that Emma disliked the lady was proud, hasty in temper, overbearing, and tyrannical; while her husband (a man devoid of principle or feeling), under the mask of delicate health and devoted affection, daily made sport of her love and weakness,

Mr. Murden possessed a tolerably handsome person and gentleman-like appearance: he cherished a pair of whiskers and a moustache, which hirsute adornments he would not sacrifice for any character in the drama. He was always feigning illness; and as he hated occupation, he only acted when any certain part pleased his whimsical fancy.

It so happened that the prompter had a daughter in the theatre. Caroline Grumby was a pretty, intelligent girl, very romantic, and very susceptible. She had left her engagement in Manchester, and then joined her father in Newcastle, for the sake of rendering her only parent happy by her companionship. Now, Caroline had a suitor, who followed her from Manchester. The girl gave her wooer every encouragement, and as he was a man of good family and well to do in the world, her father urged the match. For a while Caroline coquetted with her lover: he must wait a little longer, she said-she was not to be won in a month or two. He would wait till doomsday, he replied,so long as he was near her, he was content.

Mrs. Murden secretly hated Caroline, and seized every opportunity of annoying the young girl. Caroline's hair, which was very beautiful, must be braided, not worn in long curls. Mrs. Murden insisted, and the girl submitted; -bad parts, rude remarks-she bore all without complaint. People wondered at all this, and old Grumby remonstrated with his daughter, while her lover urged her at once to quit the theatre, and become his wife. Caroline was obstinate,