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saying anything more … partickler as I perceive a worthier visitor
nor myself is just entered。 I am not in the habit of paying
compliments； gentlemen； when I do； therefore； I hope I strikes with
double force。'
'Ah； Mr。 Murgatroyd！ what's all this about striking with double
force？' said the object of the above remark； as he entered。 'I
never excuse a man's getting into a rage during winter； even when
he's seated so close to the fire as you are。 It is very
injudicious to put yourself into such a perspiration。 What is the
cause of this extreme physical and mental excitement； sir？'
Such was the very philosophical address of Mr。 Robert Bolton； a
shorthand…writer； as he termed himself … a bit of equivoque passing
current among his fraternity； which must give the uninitiated a
vast idea of the establishment of the ministerial organ； while to
the initiated it signifies that no one paper can lay claim to the
enjoyment of their services。 Mr。 Bolton was a young man； with a
somewhat sickly and very dissipated expression of countenance。 His
habiliments were composed of an exquisite union of gentility；
slovenliness； assumption； simplicity； NEWNESS； and old age。 Half
of him was dressed for the winter； the other half for the summer。
His hat was of the newest cut； the D'Orsay； his trousers had been
white； but the inroads of mud and ink； etc。； had given them a pie…
bald appearance； round his throat he wore a very high black cravat；
of the most tyrannical stiffness； while his TOUT ENSEMBLE was
hidden beneath the enormous folds of an old brown poodle…collared
great…coat； which was closely buttoned up to the aforesaid cravat。
His fingers peeped through the ends of his black kid gloves； and
two of the toes of each foot took a similar view of society through
the extremities of his high…lows。 Sacred to the bare walls of his
garret be the mysteries of his interior dress！ He was a short；
spare man； of a somewhat inferior deportment。 Everybody seemed
influenced by his entry into the room； and his salutation of each
member partook of the patronizing。 The hairdresser made way for
him between himself and the stomach。 A minute afterwards he had
taken possession of his pint and pipe。 A pause in the conversation
took place。 Everybody was waiting； anxious for his first
observation。
'Horrid murder in Westminster this morning；' observed Mr。 Bolton。
Everybody changed their positions。 All eyes were fixed upon the
man of paragraphs。
'A baker murdered his son by boiling him in a copper；' said Mr。
Bolton。
'Good heavens！' exclaimed everybody； in simultaneous horror。
'Boiled him； gentlemen！' added Mr。 Bolton； with the most effective
emphasis； 'BOILED him！'
'And the particulars； Mr。 B。；' inquired the hairdresser； 'the
particulars？'
Mr。 Bolton took a very long draught of porter； and some two or
three dozen whiffs of tobacco； doubtless to instil into the
commercial capacities of the company the superiority of a gentlemen
connected with the press； and then said …
'The man was a baker； gentlemen。' （Every one looked at the baker
present； who stared at Bolton。） 'His victim； being his son； also
was necessarily the son of a baker。 The wretched murderer had a
wife； whom he was frequently in the habit； while in an intoxicated
state； of kicking； pummelling； flinging mugs at； knocking down； and
half…killing while in bed； by inserting in her mouth a considerable
portion of a sheet or blanket。'
The speaker took another draught； everybody looked at everybody
else； and exclaimed； 'Horrid！'
'It appears in evidence； gentlemen；' continued Mr。 Bolton； 'that；
on the evening of yesterday； Sawyer the baker came home in a
reprehensible state of beer。 Mrs。 S。； connubially considerate；
carried him in that condition up…stairs into his chamber； and
consigned him to their mutual couch。 In a minute or two she lay
sleeping beside the man whom the morrow's dawn beheld a murderer！'
（Entire silence informed the reporter that his picture had attained
the awful effect he desired。） 'The son came home about an hour
afterwards； opened the door； and went up to bed。 Scarcely
（gentlemen； conceive his feelings of alarm）； scarcely had he taken
off his indescribables； when shrieks （to his experienced ear
MATERNAL shrieks） scared the silence of surrounding night。 He put
his indescribables on again； and ran down…stairs。 He opened the
door of the parental bed…chamber。 His father was dancing upon his
mother。 What must have been his feelings！ In the agony of the
minute he rushed at his male parent as he was about to plunge a
knife into the side of his female。 The mother shrieked。 The
father caught the son （who had wrested the knife from the paternal
grasp） up in his arms； carried him down…stairs； shoved him into a
copper of boiling water among some linen； closed the lid； and
jumped upon the top of it； in which position he was found with a
ferocious countenance by the mother； who arrived in the melancholy
wash…house just as he had so settled himself。
'〃Where's my boy？〃 shrieked the mother。
'〃In that copper； boiling；〃 coolly replied the benign father。
'Struck by the awful intelligence； the mother rushed from the
house； and alarmed the neighbourhood。 The police entered a minute
afterwards。 The father； having bolted the wash…house door； had
bolted himself。 They dragged the lifeless body of the boiled baker
from the cauldron； and； with a promptitude commendable in men of
their station； they immediately carried it to the station…house。
Subsequently； the baker was apprehended while seated on the top of
a lamp…post in Parliament Street； lighting his pipe。'
The whole horrible ideality of the Mysteries of Udolpho； condensed
into the pithy effect of a ten…line paragraph； could not possibly
have so affected the narrator's auditory。 Silence； the purest and
most noble of all kinds of applause； bore ample testimony to the
barbarity of the baker； as well as to Bolton's knack of narration；
and it was only broken after some minutes had elapsed by
interjectional expressions of the intense indignation of every man
present。 The baker wondered how a British baker could so disgrace
himself and the highly honourable calling to which he belonged； and
the others indulged in a variety of wonderments connected with the
subject； among which not the least wonderment was that which was
awakened by the genius and information of Mr。 Robert Bolton； who；
after a glowing eulogium on himself； and his unspeakable influence
with the daily press； was proceeding； with a most solemn
countenance； to hear the pros and cons of the Pope autograph
question； when I took up my hat； and left。
FAMILIAR EPISTLE FROM A PARENT TO A CHILD
AGED TWO YEARS AND TWO MONTHS
MY CHILD；
To recount with what trouble I have brought you up … with what an
anxious eye I have regarded your progress； … how late and how often
I have