"Oh! but you have means at present. Your mother has a handsome annuity, and your grandfather the full pay of a major. I have heard all about you."

"Yes," said Bob; "they are independent, and I would wish to be so too."

"But do you not live with them ?" inquired Decimus.

"Yes," said Bob; "that is the only consolation I have at present."

"Then a very small salary-if, indeed, the state of my journal will permit me to give any at any time-is all you would require; just something to keep you in pocket money."

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Anything to begin with," said Bob; "I wish to be connected with the press."

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"Then," said Decimus, "on account of the high character given of you by my friend Clements, consider yourself from henceforth engaged at least till we ascertain your capabilities." "At what salary ?" inquired Bob. "Salary!" said Decimus, in amazement. Salary! Why, no such thing is ever thought of here for the first six months at least. I can tell you, that it is a great condescension and stretch of generosity on my part to permit you to go on upon trial for that length of time."

"Well, if I be approved of," said Bob, "what shall I have at the expiration of that period ?"

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Why, I should say a pound a week, or rather four pounds a-month," replied Decimus; "and the pay will increase after the first year."

"I don't care about the remuneration," said Bob; "perhaps I shall not end the noviciate with you; but I will try it."

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Very well," said Decimus. "You have now shown symproms of good sense in not expecting remuneration! and you had better attend this evening to report the proceedings at a public dinner to be given to Messrs. Grapple and Scrubb, for their exertions to lower the grand jury tax in the south side of the city. It will be a grand affair. The speech of the night will be that of Mr. Grapple; he is a particular friend of mine, and he has already supplied it. You must, however, keep taking notes while he is speaking, and then when you come to the office after all is over, read the printed slips, and make the necessary corrections. Take care, however, that there be not too many interlineations, as that would swell the printers' bill. As to the other speeches, you may dispose of them by saying that the parties spoke in eloquent and appropriate language; but take care of Grapple; he is a most influential man, and a worthy citizen.Mind these directions, and let me see that you make a good beginning. Here is a card that will admit you to the dinner gratis. Remember, I tell you again, to take care of Grapple's

speech. Be sure to take notes whilst he is speaking; but you will not have to write them out. Mind Mr. Grapple; he is a man of great wealth and influence; don't tell any one that we have his speech. Take care now; do your business properly. I think you will be a good reporter. Go on now. Mind Grapple. Some of the leading men at the bar have been reporters in this establishment, and one of them now fills a high judicial situation. Take care of yourself, and you will yet acquire what is superior to all fortune-professional fame."

CHAPTER XX.

BOB MAKES HIS "DEBUT" AS A REPORTER, AND CAUSES A GREAT SENSATION AMONGST THE " QUIDNUNCS" OF DUBLIN.

IF a man be oppressed with trouble, and that disappointments and blighted hopes turn the current of his mind from its proper channel, he is always greatly relieved by entering upon some new occupation or pursuit, in which the exercise of his mental faculties is called into operation, and where new scenes present themselves before him calculated to attract his attention; but, after all, they only can bear up successfully against afflictions, who make religion the basis upon which they rest their ultimate hope of surmounting the perils which encompass their way.

It is but just to state, that Bob, with all his faults, had strong religious feelings, for although he was occasionally wayward, obstinate, and inclined to indulge in fits of abstraction, there was a strong fresh current of hope ever springing up within him, when he reflected, as he said, upon the beneficence of that omnipotent power which called him into existence.

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*"I feel," said he to himself, as he walked away from the office of Mr. Decimus, "that I am greatly relieved from the weight of anxiety and care that pressed upon me. I have now got a new occupation. I am launched into a profession, if I can call it such, where I will have an opportunity of seeing and knowing what is going on in the political world. I shall see and know the men who affect to instruct and direct the rest of mankind; in a word, I think it is a school where I can learn much, and, no matter where my ultimate destination may be, I can here make preparations for the journey."

Bob thus consoled himself for adopting his new avocation, but

when he thought of Lady Mary, the strange vicissitudes through which he had passed, and the prospects that were before him, he fell into one of those moody fits of abstraction in which he occasionally indulged. Having arrived at home, he related the nature of his interview with Mr. Decimus, and made preparations for attending the banquet to Messrs. Grapple and Scrubb. He arrived at the place of entertainment long before the business of the evening commenced; and when nearly an hour beyond that appointed for dinner passed over, he began to regret that he had not dined before he left home.

The company at length began to wax impatient, and he heard loud cries of" dinner, dinner," issuing from an apartment adjoining the banqueting-room, to which latter place he had been admitted for the purpose of writing down the mottoes which were posted up in various parts of it, and picking up other materials for description. At length he heard a great bustle, and several persons exclaim at the same time, "Here they are; here are the guests; here are the members of the Committee. Make way, make way; here are the stewards. Make way! Call to the waiters to serve up dinner." Immediately afterwards, about two dozen of gentlemen entered, some of them bearing white wands, with bits of tape tied to the ends, and all assuming an air of great importance. Amongst the number was a puffed-up, self-conceited looking fellow, to whom the appellation of elderly dandy might be fairly applied, and to whom the rest seemed to pay the most profound respect.

This," said Bob to himself, "I would venture to say, is Mr. Grapple, about whom I have received so much instruction from Mr Decimus. He seems to be an important personage; he is one of the great public men of the day, and I will have an opportunity of becoming acquainted with him and many others of his class. I see that the profession of a reporter will bring me in contact with men of all parties."

"Open the doors at the end of the room," said one of the stewards, "and allow the company to enter.'

A door was opened, and some hundred and fifty or sixty persons, whom Bob had not previously seen, but whom he had heard very distinctly, rushed in, and in their hurry to obtain seats near the chair, and at the head-table, they pushed and jostled each other so furiously that two or three of the weakest amongst them were trodden down by the rest, and some dishes, containing excellent viands, were upset, which latter accident seemed to cause much more concern to the majority of the company than the contusions received by some of their companions. "Order! order! gentlemen," shouted the stewards from all sides of the house.

"This is disgraceful. If there be any gentlemen of the hos

tile press here who will give a description of this scene, we will be all scandalised."

"Are there any gentlemen of the press here?" said Mr. Grapple. "We were to have had a corps of reporters. Where are they ?"

"Where are the reporters ?" shouted a stentorian voice; "there is a seat reserved for them near the chair; let them come up."

"Here I am," said Bob.

"Make way for the press! make way for the press re! sounded from all sides, as Bob advanced to the post of honour intended for him; and when he arrived at his destination, Mr. Grapple took him most condescendingly by the hand, and asked to what paper he belonged.

"The Twilight," said Bob.

"The Twilight!" repeated Grapple, with apparent delight."Are there reporters from any other of the papers here? "I believe not,” replied Bob. "I presume if there were they would have come to the place allotted to them."

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Gentlemen," said Grapple, with increased satisfaction, “I have to announce to you, that a gentleman connected with that admirable paper, the Twilight, is here; and we may be certain of seeing in its columns a detailed and accurate report of this evening's entertainment.”

Whilst this interlude was being acted, the gentlemen who were fortunate enough to gain seats near the upper table, seemed to be making amends for the delay that had taken place in serving the dinner, and were exercising their gastronomic powers like a party of Russians after a black Lent.

“Hallo! hallo! gentlemen, what are you at?" shouted the stewards."

"At our dinner," said a fellow, who was pulling a turkey asunder, "if it be time."

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Gentlemen, the chair has not yet been taken,” continued the stewards. "This is shameful."

"Well, let it be taken," said another fellow, who was cutting a large ham into substantial pieces. "I'm sure we are not caus

ing any delay."

A Mr. Nibblesquash took the chair. Mr. Grapple was seated on his right, and Mr. Scrubb, the other guest of the evening, on his left.

The usual toasts were given, and the usual patriotic airs played. Then the chairman proceeded to give the health of the gentlemen whom they had that evening met to honour, and who, he said, had rendered such signal service to their fellow-citizens, by causing a reduction in the taxes by which they had been so grievously burthened, particularly the grand jury tax. Dublin, aye

Ireland, owed them a debt of gratitude, which he hoped their country would, one day or other, repay them.

The toast was received with the most rapturous applause, and both gentlemen stood up at the same time to return thanks.

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One party called loudly on Mr Scrubb to speak first, and although they formed but a small minority, they made up for want of numbers by zeal for their friend. They shouted with stentorian voices, Scrubb, Scrubb, Scrnbb first; there is no humbug about him-no pretensions to greatness; he is a plain, honest man-no humbug. Scrubb! Scrubb! Scrubb!" The Grapple party shouted, "Grapple! Grapple! a man of property, a good citizen, a bank director. Hear Mr. Grapple; hear, hear, hear."

The storm having continued for some time, the Scrubb party, whose copious libations of punch made them almost forget what they were shouting for, at length gave way, and Mr Grapple proceeded to address the meeting amidst cheers from his own party, and groans and opprobrious epithets from the Scrubbites. Bob took notes of his speech, as directed, although he knew that it was already in type.

Mr. Scrubb next addressed the meeting, and did so in a style infinitely superior to that of Grapple, and, on the whole, was heard with more attention.

"The Independent Press," coupled with the name of the editor and proprietor of the Twilight, was next given, and drank with great applause.

He

Bob being the only representative there, not only of the Twilight, but of the press generally, was called upon, and returned thanks in a speech of great eloquence, in which he alluded in the most happy terms to the jealousy which he saw existed between two gentlemen who were apparently well disposed, and who had rendered some service to their fellow-citizens. denounced such jealousy and divisions as the primary cause of all the evils which their common country endured; and such was the impression he had made on both parties, that all who were sober amongst them rose simultaneously and cheered him loudly. Those who could not stand up, held by their chairs, and shouted gloriously.

Shortly before the company broke up, Mr Grapple whispered to Bob: "You were speaking to Mr. Decimus about this affair before you came here?"

"Yes."

"Well, you know what to do?"

"I hope I shall do everything right."

"Then you will dine with me to-morrow, and we will read over my speech together, and make any alterations we may think necessary for the evening papers."