69
	Old Powell�s Tricks.
The old beggar retains his proclivity for loans,
lying libelling in grand perfection.           He came
to Wood with a dolorous story how �little Dick,�
one of his children, had broken his ancle and how
Mrs. Micawber must have a particular orthop�dic
physician.      Wood made the required advance and
next day saw �little Dick� running about the streets
of Hoboken.       It was old Powell�s practice to
invite Wood to visit him, sending one of the family
next day, at early morning with a petition for
a loan, perhaps of only a dollar, perhaps the ri-
diculously small sum of fifty cents.    He told
somebody a tremendous flam about J. A. Wood�s
having offended a respectable family by escorting
some young ladies to a house and then deserting
them.    There was not a grain of foundation
for it.          Wood says that Sol Eytinge �sprees� a
good deal; that he looks �soggy� drunk.        To
Haney�s; found him in the upper shop among
the printing machines.    Up-town together.   Talk-
ing of Nast and Sally Edwards, Haney confirms
my impression that they are �engaged.�  It is cu-
rious to find that both he and I have inclined 
to backing Nicholas, wishing that the gentlemanly
widower had given us an opportunity to volunteer
a few words of advice in re Sally.           If he had