variety, a railway terminus with the morning
mails coming in, was remunerative company.
But like most of the company to be had in this
world, it lasted only a very short time. The
station lamps would burst out ablaze, the
porters would emerge from places of concealment,
the cabs and trucks would rattle to their
places (the post-office carts were already in
theirs), and, finally, the bell would strike up, and
the train would come banging in. But there
were few passengers and little luggage, and
everything scuttled away with the greatest expedition.
The locomotive post-offices, with their great
nets—as if they had been dragging the country
for bodies—would fly open as to their doors, and
would disgorge a smell of lamp, an exhausted
clerk, a guard in a red coat, and their bags of
letters; the engine would blow and heave and
perspire, like an engine wiping its forehead and
saying what a run it had had; and within ten
minutes the lamps were out, and I was houseless
and alone again.

But now, there were driven cattle on the high
road near, wanting (as cattle always do) to turn
into the midst of stone walls, and squeeze
themselves through six inches' width of iron railing,
and getting their heads down (also as cattle always
do) for tossing-purchase at quite imaginary dogs,
and giving themselves and every devoted creature
associated with them a most extraordinary amount
of unnecessary trouble. Now, too, the conscious
gas began to grow pale with the knowledge that
daylight was coming, and straggling work-
people were already in the streets, and, as
waking life had become extinguished with the
last pieman's sparks, so it began to be rekindled
with the fires of the first street corner breakfast-
sellers. And so by faster and faster degrees, until
the last degrees were very fast, the day came, and
I was tired and could sleep. And it is not, as I
used to think, going home at such times, the
least wonderful thing in London, that in the real
desert region of the night the houseless wanderer
is alone there. I knew well enough where to find
Vice and Misfortune of all kinds, if I had chosen;
but they were put out of sight, and my houselessness
had many miles upon miles of streets in which
it could, and did, have its own solitary way.

OUR EYE-WITNESS "SITTING AT A
PLAY."

THE Eye-witness has had the good fortune to
discover, blushing, unseen, in a country town, a
drama of surpassing interest, abounding in
situations, in tableaux, and (as will be seen by the bill)
in thrilling combats, and withal new and fresh in
plot and construction. He was first struck of a
heap, and then drawn into the Thamesend
Theatre by a playbill in the pork-butcher's
window. It was pinned on a very fat leg of pork
and ran thus:

THEATRE, THAMESEND.
For the
BENEFIT OF
MR . RUPERT RAVENSWOOD,
On Friday, September 30.

The performances will commence with a Drama of
intense interest, abounding with thrilling Combats,
entitled the

BRIDGE  OF DESPAIR.

Mons. Dumague..............MR. SIMS.
Capt. Lafont.....................MR. HICKSON.
Mons. Girad.................... MR. PERRY.
Pierre Bertrand ...............MR. SCROPE.
Phillipe Pipon ..................MR. T. SIMS.
Paul Gerrole.................... MR. G. SIMS.
MICHEL (the Dumb Guide). ..MR. R. RAVENSWOOD.
Jacques Labomme............. MR. F. SIMS.
Marcel........................... MR. Q. SIMS.
Madame Minot ..........MRS. SIMS.
Jeannette.......... .......Miss SIMS.
Adelle ............Miss SABINA SIMS.

Pierre Bertrand's Inn.

The lilly (!) of France—the happy vintage and
abode of love—Adelle's goodness the theme of her
moral neighbours—she welcomes them to the village
festival—this day must be devoted to feasting and
merriment! but one is wanting to complete the
joyous assembly, and that one is MICHEL, THE DUMB
GUIDE—the consent given to Adelle's marriage with
Michel is overheard by Paul Gerrole—he vows his
love and is rejected—his vow of revenge—arrival of
Michel and Captain Lafont—the letters entrusted to
Adelle—Gerrole changes the pistols—the lover's
farewell and departure.

Gerrole and Marcel in ambush—the road intercepted
—the attack the pistols false, and

DEATH OF CAPTAIN LAFONT.

The dumb guide's despair—Michel beats down
Marcel who is wounded—Gerrole returns to the
conflict—

TERRIFIC COMBAT OF 3

Michel is overpowered and beaten to the earth—
escape of Marcel and Gerrole—entrance of the
military—

MICHEL ACCUSED OF MURDER!.

Grand and Impressive Tableau!

THE TRIAL!!

Evidence strong against Michel—the discharged
pistol—sudden appearance of Gerrole who swears
that the knife and pistol now produced, stained with
blood, were the property of Michel—affecting meeting
of the Lovers

Wretched Michel

THY DOOM IS A GIBBET.

THE BRIDGE OF DESPAIR

Over the Victim's Grave—Tableau.

CROSS OF DEATH!

The once merry Pierre, the father of
ADELLE A MANIAC!

He sinks in prayer at the foot of the cross—Marcel
and Gerrole in search for the
MISSING PISTOL!!

That pistol which if found by another would expose
them to the world as the monsters (!) nature had
created them—Gerrole sees Pierre, his horror and
remorse

THE BLOOD OF HIS VICTIM IS FRESH UPON THE
STONE CROSS

Pierre and the pistol—yield it old man! never! a
light breaks in upon me

YOU ARE THE MURDERER.

And poor dumb Michel may yet be saved! Help!!
Help!!! DEADLY STRUGGLE—arrival of the
military—the discovery and
Death of Paul Gerrole
TABLEAU.