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98 BLACK SHEEP.technical sense that, as regarded the little worldof Poynings, these hacl been considered sublunary.Its population concerned themselves infinitely lesswith the " pricipalities ancl poyvers" than yvith theaccuracy of the temperature of Mr. Carruthers'sshaving-yvater, and the punctuality yvith yvhichMr.Carruthers's breakfast, lunch,and dinner yvereserved. It hacl never occurred to his loving anddutiful wife that any alteration in 'this principleof life at Poynings could possibly- be effected, andthus the more superficial faults of the characterof a genuinely worthy man had been strengthenedby the irresponsibility of his position untilthey bade fair to overpoyver its genuine worth.But all this has changed noyv, changed in afashion against yvhich there yvas no appeal. Mr.Carruthers yvas no longer the first. His hours,his habits,his occupations, had to give yvay to theexigencies of a misfortune which struck him onthe most sensitive point, and yvhich invested himyvith a responsibility not to be trifled with orshared. It was characteristic of him that he becameexcessively proud of his care of his wife.The pomposity and inrportance yvith yvhich he