Mrs.Simcoe sat near Hope Wayne.

There was a table in the middle of the room, from which every thing had been removed.

The Honorable Budlong Dinks was walking slowly up and down the room; and several legal-looking gentlemen, friends of his, were conversing and smiling among themselves.
Mr.Dinks stopped in his walk, and, leaning upon the table with the tips of two fingers and the thumb of his left hand, he thrust the right hand into his waistcoat, by the side of the ruffle of his shirt, as if he were about to address the house upon a very weighty question.
"In accordance," said he, with an air of respect and resignation, "with the wishes of the late Christopher Burt, as expressed in a paper found in his secretary drawer after his decease, I am about to open his will." The Honorable Mr.Dinks cleared his throat.

Mrs.Fanny Newt Dinks turned back from the window, and conversation ceased.

All eyes were fixed upon the speaker, who became more pigeon-breasted every moment.