It was a fatal week for the office, too.

On Monday, when I arrived and took my seat at the head desk, and my first read of the newspaper, as was my right, the first thing I read was, "Frightful fire in Houndsditch! Total destruction of Mr.Meshach's sealing-wax manufactory and of Mr.Shadrach's clothing depot, adjoining.
In the former was 20,000_l_.

worth of the finest Dutch wax, which the voracious element attacked and devoured in a twinkling.

The latter estimable gentleman had just completed forty thousand suits of clothes for the cavalry of H.H.the Cacique of Poyais." Both of these Jewish gents, who were connections of Mr.Abednego, were insured in our office to the full amount of their loss.

The calamity was attributed to the drunkenness of a scoundrelly Irish watchman, who was employed on the premises, and who upset a bottle of whisky in the warehouse of Messrs.