He talked fluently as to his former condition, and imaginary woes. He showed us his matches, which he declared were the best in the trade, and accounted for this by the fact that he purchased the best wood, and the best sulphur, forgetting that he always begs his wood at carpenters' shops, and often, too, asks for sulphur instead of halfpence from charitable shopkeepers. This fashionable match-maker seemed ashamed of his company, and said he was not in the habit of sleeping in barns, and that he meant to get on to Hythe that night. This was not true, since The Boot' had been chosen as the place of rendezvous for himself and some of his fraternity prior to the breaking up of the sea-bathing season on the southern coast. Bob is the most successful of the match-making trade, but he does not live wholly on his profession.

He leaves his bundle of matches at some central spot: then places a shilling's worth in his hat; visits gentlemen's houses for victuals and pence, only shows the matches when his other importunities fail; and returns to his bundle when his shilling's worth of slips of wood, dipped in sulphur, are exhausted. Thus he cadges' and matches' together, and makes sometimes seven, eight, and even nine shillings per diem.

We observed at the entrance of a sort of inner-farm-yard, where the sleeping-barn is situated, a young woman of great personal beauty. She appeared to be thoughtful and dejected. She could not be more than twenty; yet sorrow had shaded her youth, and had stamped its seal on her visage. She saw us noticing her, and her first movement was that of one desirous of retreating. She seemed to think we knew her, as she explained afterwards, and a sense of shame was the first feeling which our observation of her excited; as we advanced towards her, talking all the while to Bob Johnstone, her cheeks became mantled with no affected blushes. She was right: we had known her in childhood; but some years had passed away, and her face and figure were so altered, that we had not the slightest recollection of her.

'I see you know me,' said Maria.

I know you too. It is all my father's fault. He refused to forgive me.'

Ha! ha ha!' shouted the idiot-looking woman, who followed close on our heels, here's Miss Molly fretting again about her old father. What a fool!'

We turned round to reprove her for her heartlessness; but she abused Maria the more, and it was not till we turned into the inneryard, and leaned against the posts of the sleeping-barn that she desisted from her interference. A few pence had operated quite magically on the troublesome creature, and Maria told us the tale of her sorrow and suffering.

'You knew me when a little girl at Ramsgate. In an evil hour I was betrayed, deceived. He to whom I looked for protection forsook me as soon as my condition would not allow of concealment, and my father turned me out of doors. In my helpless condition, I then went to my aunt's. She shut the door in my face. I had no other relations. My whole stock of money was five shillings, and I had only one change of clothing. I was confined of my child in a barn. No bed, no linen, no doctor, no nurse. The child died, thank God! and the world was before me. The beggars had com

passion on me. I was also helped by the parish; and during a part of last winter I was taken into the union at I wrote to my father, and made him acquainted with all my misery and woe; and prayed for forgiveness. He did not answer me. I wrote again. The master of the union wrote too; but no reply arrived; and when the spring weather opened, I was sent from the union to seek my fortune and a pretty fortune it is! As I have no one to protect me, I am often insulted, and sometimes ill-used, I travel about with others for the sake of company, and carry other women's children, and beg my daily bread.'

Whom are you travelling with, now?' we inquired.

With that Merry-Andrew kind of man you spoke to just now, whose wife laughed at me for telling you about my father. He knows something of fortune-telling, of juggling, and sleight of hand; and in villages and places where there are no policemen, he will get sometimes three or four shillings a day. He employs me a little in carrying the smallest child, or else the little table on which he places his conjuring-cups, and for this I have a right to a part of the broken victuals. When any one gives me some half-pence, he makes me

divide them with him.'

And, where do you all sleep?'

'Oh! sometimes in barns, and, sometimes, in warm weather, under the hedges, when the barns are full; and, sometimes, when they have made a good day of it, in lodging-houses.'

What do you pay them for your lodging?"

Three-pence per night for each grown person, and less for the children.'

'And, do you all dress and undress in the same room.'

Oh! yes. Sometimes I do not undress at all.'

'And, are you not often exposed to robbery, rudeness, and bad conduct on the part of your fellow-travellers ?'

'Very often indeed. When I have a sixpence or shilling of my own over and above my lodging, I leave it with the landlord before I go to bed, for fear it should otherwise be stolen from me in the night.'

But why do you not try to quit this mode of life, and become a servant, or work at washing, ironing, or needlework, or even labour in the fields.'

'I have tried often, but always failed. People will not believe my history. They asked that some one should be answerable for my character. I cannot blame them. They are afraid of taking a thief into their house, I suppose. But I am no thief. I was unfortunate enough to believe the man who seduced me, and now I am a beggar and a vagabond, but not a thief.'

We asked her if she would go to service, provided we could find her a place.

To be sure I would,' she replied; but, how am I to know whether you find me one? To-morrow I shall not be here. Which road the conjuror is going he never tells even his own wife, and indeed, I think he often does not know himself. Much depends on the weather, and on the news he picks up as to where there is the best chance of success. 'But, let me see,' placing her beautifullyformed hand on her sorrow lined forehead, let me see. I know

we are going to Hastings. If you write to me in the course of a week to the post-office there by my real name, I could get the letter. If there be no letter for me at Hastings,' she said, 'I will write to you, and tell you which is the next great place we shall stop at. Perhaps it may be Brighton. I will save up all my half-pence till I hear from you, that when you say Come," I will come at

once.'

In the whole of this scene there was no affectation, no display, no other tears than those which the heart shed, and to which our hearts responded.

There is hope for you,' we said, as we placed half a crown in her hands.

Our exertions were successful. We wrote to the master of the union at We inquired at Ramsgate all the particulars of her sad history. We corresponded with her at Brighton, and she is now comfortably settled in the family of a country clergyman, who, with a perfect knowledge of all her sorrows and sins, has received her into his happy and innocent circle, where she is the best servant he ever had in his life.'

The

But, to return to 'The Boot.' As we turned out of the inner yard, and gained the lane which we have styled The Gipsy Lane,” and which leads into Cheriton road, the inhabitants of the red and green cart met us, and eyed us attentively 'from top to toe.' man had the appearance of a runaway soldier, who had changed not only his dress, but his hair, whiskers, and general tournure, to escape detection. He was many years younger than his female companion, who was at once commanding, arch, and playful. We remarked on the disparity of ages between herself and her husband. She smiled most waggishly.

This is my fifth husband, and I never had an old one.'

'Your fifth husband!' we exclaimed; why you cannot be above thirty.'

Thirty this very day,' replied the higgler; and so you've made a good guess of it.'

We asked them what they did in that part of the country.

'Sell brushes and brooms, mend chairs and stools, deal in old clothes, and hats, and anything else to get an honest penny,' replied the female merchant, laying a strong accent on the word honest. 'Or tell fortunes?' we inquired.

'No-no, not much of that; but if you walk round the corner there, you may see the oldest fortune-teller in all England. Never was the like of her. She'd puzzle old Scratch, that she would.'

The young merchant looked up at his wife, who was at least a foot taller than himself, with evident satisfaction. She was his goddess. The children who surrounded them, five in number, were the offspring, not of her present, but her past husbands; yet the fifth husband seemed to take a deep interest in them all. None of them begged of us; but all smiled as we put our hands to our pockets; and these itinerant kiddies were instructed to be most apt in genuflexions on the receipt of our coin. Some knelt, others bowed, and the rest curtseyed, but all were profoundly grateful. The green and red cart was guarded by right-trusty dogs. The woman returned with us to her four-wheeled messuage, and showed us the interior.

At

the front was a half-door, which opened or shut at pleasure. The under part was closed during both day and night; but the upper half was only closed at night. At the back part of the cart was a bed, or, rather, a soft mattress, on a bedstead, on which slept herself, her young husband and two of the youngest of the children. This bedstead, and its fittings-up, took up at least one-third of the cart. Halfway between the bedstead and the door, on one side of the cart, was the little iron stove, small, but serviceable, and over which hung a small cauldron. It contained pork and greens, and was simmering away in a manner most satisfactory to our guide. on the same side in the corner of the cart, was a cupboard nailed against the wooden boards, on which were hung the small kitchengear-for we cannot call them ware. On the opposite side was a sort of one-sided cot, into which three children were stowed at night, two with their heads towards the bedstead, and one with the head towards the door. There were no chairs, but stools; no plates, but small earthenware dishes; no mirror, but a fourpenny hand-looking-glass; no silver, but three or four iron, spoons; no carpet but a piece of stout matting; and when all the five children, and the young husband, with his thirty-years-old wife, were shut up for the night, we suspect the heat must have very much resembled, in character, that of the black-hole at Calcutta.

The red-and-green cart stood with its back to the gipsy tent, which was planted at the corner of Gipsy Lane, on the road towards Newington. The tent was ugly, dirty, and uninviting; and we were really hesitating as to whether we should visit it, when a tall, Meg Merrilies sort of a woman started on her legs, more than half naked; and two other beings of the gentler sex, but scarcely more gentle, followed her example.

Come here, my pretty gentlemen,-come here, and listen to what the poor old gipsy woman has to tell ye. Don't be afraid; there's no harm in a gipsy tent; but I've much to tell ye, so come this waycome this way.'

And there stood before us, leaning over a bar of wood, fixed at one end in the hedge, and at the other to a pole made fast in the ground, three of the most awful-looking women we have ever yet met with in this world of beauty. Their hair was neither curled, bound up, nor even brushed; in fact, they heard our voices as they were engaged in their evening toilette. From the bar of wood on which they reposed their six brawny, uncovered arms, hung a piece of sacking. This was one of the sides of the tent. Without stockings, and with only a petticoat on each of them, and some sort of excuse for a shawl on each of their shoulders, they received us at the entrance of their uncovered tent. The fire burnt deadly. Their faithful, growling, clever, almost speaking dog, regarded us with fixed eyes, and resolute air. Whilst his patronesses were all civility, he looked all suspicion. He was the only male of the party, and seemed to object to interlopers of his own sex.

Let me tell you your fortune, my pretty gentleman,' cried the old granny, at the top of her broken, but yet piercing voice; 'I sce by your noble forehead that you are born of high family, well and honourably known to all the great folk in this land. I see by your eyes, and the planet that governs your fate, that you also will live

to see great events, and wonderful advancement. You have had much trouble-very much; but the light in your eye shall become a strong blaze, and joy shall come after sorrow, as morning comes after night. Give me your hand, and I will tell you something more; but first cross the poor old gipsy-woman's hand with a piece of silver.'

One of us took out a sixpence. It was too little. We exchanged it for a shilling. She received it without apparent satisfaction; but when we added to it the original sixpence, a smile was to be seen on her aged lips, and she continued as follows:

I see by your hand, pretty gentleman, that you have loved a fair lady, but she has been faithless. Never mind, pretty gentleman, she will love you yet. She already mourns for you, and you will receive a letter from her. But what have you done with the brown lady? Did you not desert her for the fair one? Fie on you! fie on you! But all shall be right in the end. Much happiness is in store for you, my pretty gentleman, but not yet. Wait a little while with patience, and all will be explained. Then you shall hear of the happiness of the brown lady, and she shall give you a pledge of her love, and you shall be happy, most happy, to the close of your days.'

And then, approaching her mouth to the ears of the 'pretty gentleman,' she whispered as well as she could,

You are fond of the ladies. You love good company. You have a right merry heart. But, take care. The wine-bowl has poison in

it. Flattery is destructive. Beware of a false friend.'

Then, releasing my hand, she asked, 'What have you to say to the old gipsy-woman now, my pretty gentleman, have I not told you your true fortune?'

Not as I understand my own fortune,' I replied; on which she turned from me, with evident disgust, to the other member of our party.

'Come now, my pretty gentleman,' continued the old hag, 'let me tell you your fortune. I can see by your planet that there is something remarkable in your destiny.'

I would rather it should remain in the planet,' he replied; ““a fool and his money are soon parted;" I do not mean to waste good silver for bad fortunes.'

Then keep your money to yourself,' growled Meg Merrilies; but it shall melt, it shall waste, it shall fly. Your purse shall have no bottom. Your gold shall turn out counterfeit. Your bankers shall fail. Your houses shall be destroyed by fire. If you will not remember the old gipsy in your alms, she will not forget you in her

curses.'

Then, turning from us both, she screamed at one of her granddaughters, who was evidently deaf, 'to put some sticks on the fire,' and we got from her clutches and her curses with all convenient rapidity. The dog followed us, barking; the twilight had come rather suddenly upon us; the old fortune-teller's ravings were to be heard in the distance: and we left the environs of 'The Boot' with mingled feelings of pity and interest. Oh! how little do the various classes and grades of human society know of the other grades and classes to which they do not individually belong!