"I!!!" exclaimed the wronged Russell; "Oh, No! Pardon me, Dowton, pardon me, it's a matter not worth our quarrelling about, but it was you, you know, who refused to get out to look at it-I told you I had seen it often, in company with the builder, and knew exactly how it was constructed."

Here Dowton's exasperation was at its height, and he vehemently denied what Russell patiently persisted was the fact; again he denied, and again Russell asserted that his was the true version, and drawing forth the everlasting bank-note, ending his reiterated asseverations with the usual flimsy argument of" I'll bet you five pounds!"

Here Dowton declared he would travel no longer with such an exasperating companion, exclaiming "Let me out, let me out, Mathews, or-or-or I shall commit murder upon the fellow; let me out, I say; I'll walk to town ;"-and then he struggled to open the chaise door, but my Husband, who was inwardly convulsed with amusement, restrained his justlyirritated friend, reminding him that he could not reach London in time for his appearance at Drury Lane that evening, if he walked; and, at length, this argument allayed the fervour of Dowton's determination, and the three friends performed the remainder of the journey in silence; but it was

"Silence that speaks-and eloquence of eyes."

In short there was no assertion, however preposterous, that the specious Russell could urge, that

D

his unsuspecting friend would not eventually yield

to.

One morning at rehearsal, "His Innocence" (casually, of course) remarked, as Mr. Mathews left the room (who was, at this period of his life, the thinnest of human beings, and far from possessing even tolerable health), that "it was hardly to be credited, while looking at his slight form, what extraordinary muscular strength he possessed."

"What-what-what, Mathews!" cried Dowton(for whom the snare was laid) startled by so transparent a fallacy, "why-why, he's a poor weak creature!-what can you mean by strength ?-why, I'd undertake to knock him down with my little finger." (Mr. Dowton piqued himself upon his really muscular frame.)

"Don't you be too sure of that,” said Russell, coldly; "have you ever tried ?"

"No," said Dowton; "but I can venture to say that he has not the least muscular power-a poor, consumptive young man; poor fellow, without an atom of sinew or muscle in his whole composition."

"Well!" mildly, yet reprovingly, drawled Russell, "but you shouldn't speak, Dowton, without proof-now I have seen Mathews perform the most marvellous feats of strength, and therefore I know what he can do. Why, D'Egville (of course, D'Egville was promptly confederate in this trick), muscular and Herculean as is his frame, he would find Mathews more than his match, if they came to the test."

Oh, nonsense and stuff!" said Dowton, impatient at the manifest folly of Russell's assertion; “don't make a fool of yourself;" and D'Egville, affecting also to laugh at the idea of his being overcome by Mathews in a trial of strength, Russell coolly expressed his convictions that "Mathews, in wrestling, would conquer D'Egville," and declared he would back his opinion with a five pound note; and just as he took it from his pocket, Mr. Mathews, (quite unconscious, of course, of what had been going on), returned. The sight of his spare figure seemed to stimulate Dowton's courage and opposition, and he hastily dived into his pocket, saying "Well, for once, I-I-I-I will lay a wager, and get that-that-that eternal five pound note from you, for you deserve to be punished for your obstinacy; so, here, Barrymore, do you, do you hold the stakes." Hereupon, Russell calmly and confidently placed his note in Mr. Barrymore's hand, and Dowton began to count from his purse a similar sum; but as he was about to place the coin with the umpire, his metal was shaken at the tranquil and assured air of Russell, and he drew back his cash, declaring that he would not indulge Russell in the love of betting on every occasion-and recanted; at the same time repeating his conviction that "he should be robbing the foolish fellow of his money if he betted upon such an absurdity."

Mr. Mathews having however cheerfully consented to this proof of his superior strength, wrestled with

D'Egville, who acted his part so well, that he frequently fell under his antagonist's extraordinary bodily power, and in fact, was so worsted in the struggle that he admitted with much apparent mortification, that he had no chance with him. At the same time, Dowton, pale with amazement, declared he would not have credited the fact had he not witnessed it, and ever after, while he could not withhold his wonder that a man of such apparently weak frame, could be capable of such vigorous energy, Mathews was ranked amongst the Athlete by his brother comedian.

FAWCETT.

In the foregoing account of the friendly Trio, it has been mentioned, that Messrs. Dowton, Mathews, and Russell performed at Rochester for Mrs. Dowton's benefit, who was the favourite daughter of the then well-known Mrs. Baker, of eccentric notoriety in her theatrical circuit. Mrs. Baker was a potentate of great authority, and at one time supposed to be extremely wealthy. She had very respectable dwelling houses attached to several of her theatres, and lived in good repute at Rochester, Maidstone, Canterbury, &c.

This lady-manager never allowed but one payplace for box, pit and gallery-and but one cashtaker, namely, herself; and at the receipt of customs

she was to be found, trusting no hand but her own to touch a shilling-(not a bad hint to greater lessees, and more losing speculators).-This manageress, albeit she never acted, was always active, and to be seen in propria persona, from the opening to the closing of the doors at her station, where no money was returned, even when below the stated price of general admission; and often at the lag-end of an evening's performance, the little vagabonds who hovered about the entrance-children of tender age would sometimes tender threepence, sometimes fourpence, to be admitted to the closingscenes of the entertainments, which small remuneration, the lady, provided she was in good humour, would graciously accept. Nay, not infrequently would she deign to smile upon other proffers than the current coin, from these little stage-bitten vagrants—such as a pen-knife, a pair of scissors, a nut-cracker, or any such tangible and useful article. By this system she became a sort of unlicensed pawn-broker; for such valuables were generally deposited for seats in the gallery, redeemable-however sans intérêt-at their earliest convenience. A pet dove was once seen offered by a little girl anxious for admission to the gallery on any usurious terms and was accepted, on the understanding that the bird was to be redeemed the next morning before its breakfast-time at pit-price.

Mrs. Baker had the reputation of being ex