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The guests seated on either side of these two presiding goddesses； Oliver was convinced； as he studied the double row of faces； would have stretched the wondering eyelids of Kennedy Square to their utmost limits。
Old Mr。 Lang； who with his invalid wife occupied the room immediately below Fred's； and who had been so nearly drowned out the night before because of McFudd's acrobatic tendencies； sat on Fred's left。 Properly clothed and in his right mind； he proved to be a most delightful old gentleman； with gold spectacles and snow…white side…whiskers； and a welcoming smile for everyone who entered。 Fred said that the smile never wavered even when the old gentleman had been up all night with his wife。
Across the table； with her eye…glasses trained on Oliver； half concealed by a huge china 〃compoteer〃 （to quote the waitress）； and at present filled with last week's fruit； caulked with almonds； sat Mrs。 Southwark Boggssole surviving relic of S。 B。； Esq。 This misfortune she celebrated by wearing his daguerreotype； set in plain gold； as a brooch with which she fastened her crocheted collar。 She was a thin； faded； funereal…looking person； her body encased in a black silk dress； which looked as if it had been pressed and ironed over night； and her hands in black silk mitts which reached to her knuckles。
On Mrs。 Boggs's right sat Batesa rising young lawyer with political tendenciesone of the first men to cut his hair so 〃Zou…Zou〃 that it stood straight up from his forehead； and next to him Morgan； the editor； who pored over manuscript while his coffee got cold； and then Nelson； and Webster； and Cummings all graded in Miss Ann's mind as being eight； or ten； or twelve…dollar…a…week men； depending on the rooms that they occupied； and farther along； toward Miss Sarah； Cranch and Cockburnfive…dollar boys these （Fred was another）； with the privilege of lighting their own coke fires； and of trimming the wicks and filling the bulbs of their own burning…fluid lamps。 And away down in the far corner； crumpled up in his chair； crouched the cheery little hunchback； Mr。 Crumbs； who kept a book…stall on Astor Place； where Bayard Taylor； Irving； Halleck； Bryant； and many another member of the Century Club used to spend their late afternoons delving among the old volumes on his shelves。
All these regular boarders； including Fog…horn Cranch and Fred； breakfasted at eight o'clock。 Waller； the painter； and Tomlins； the swell； breakfasted at nine。 As to that descendant of the Irish kings； Mr。 Cornelius McFudd； he rose at ten； or twelve； or two； just as the spirit （and its dilutions of the night before） moved or retarded him； and breakfasted whenever Miss Ann or Miss Sarah； who had presided continuously at the coffee…urn from eight to ten； could spare one of her two servants to carry a tray to his room。
Last and by no means least； with her eyes devouring every expression that flitted across the new arrival's face； there beamed out beside Miss Ann； a tail； willowy young person； whom Fred； in answer to an inquiring lifting of Oliver's eyebrows； designated as the belle of the house。 This engaging young woman really lived with her mother； in the next street； but flitted in and out； dining； or breakfasting； or spending a week at a time with her aunts； the Misses Teetum； whenever an opportunity offeredthe opportunity being a vacant and non… paying room； one of which she was at the time enjoying。
This fair damsel； who was known to the boarders on the top floor as 〃our Phemy；〃 and to the world at large as Miss Euphemia Teetumthe real jewel in her name was Phoebe； but she had reset ithad been especially beloved； so Fred informed Oliver； by every member of the club except Waller； who； having lived in boarding…houses all his life； understood her thoroughly。 Her last flamethe fire was still smouldering had been the immaculate Tomlins； who had won her heart by going into raptures； in one of his stage whispers； over the classic outlines of her face。 This outburst resulted in Miss Euphemia appearing the following week in a silk gown； a Greek fillet and no hoopsa costume which Waller faithfully portrayed on the side…wall of the attic the night of her appearancethe fillet being reproduced by a strip of brass which the artist had torn from his easel and nailed to the plaster； and the classic curves of her hair by a ripple of brown paint。
This caricature nearly provoked a riot before the night was over； the whole club； including even the fun…loving McFudd； denouncing。 Waller's act as an outrage。 In fact； the Hibernian himself had once been so completely taken off his feetit was the first week of his stayby the winning ways of the young lady； that Miss Ann had begun to have high hopes of Euphemia's being finally installed mistress in one of those shadowy estates which the distinguished Hibernian described with such eloquence。 That these hopes did not materialize was entirely due to Cockburn； who took pains to enlighten the good woman upon the intangible character of the Hibernian's possessions； thus saving the innocent maiden from the clutches of the bold； bad adventurer。 At least； that had been Cockburn's account of it when he came upstairs。
But it was at dinner that same nightfor Oliver at Fred's pressing invitation had come back to dinner that the full galaxy of guests and regulars burst upon our hero。 Then came not only Miss Euphemia Teetum in a costume especially selected for Oliver's capture； but a person still more startling and imposing so imposing； in fact； that when she entered the room one…half of the gentlemen present made little backward movements with the legs of their chairs； as if intending to rise to their feet in honor of her presence。
This prominent figure in fashionable life； who had now settled herself on the right of Miss Annthe post of honor at the tableand who was smiling in so gracious and condescending a manner as her eye lighted on the several recipients of her favor； was none other than the distinguished Mrs。 Schuyler Van Tassell； of Tarrytown； another bird of passage； who had left her country…seat on the Hudson to spend the winter months in what she called the delights of 〃upper…tandem。〃 She belonged to an ancient familyor； at least； her husband didhe was under the sod； poor soul； and therefore at peaceand； having inherited his estatea considerable onewas to be treated with every distinction。
These several personages of low and high degree interested our young gentleman quite as much as our young gentleman interested them。 He made friends with them allespecially with the ladies； who all agreed that he was a most charming and accomplished youth。 This good opinion became permanent when Oliver had paid each in turn the compliment of rising from his seat when any one of them entered the room； as much a habit with the young fellow as the taking off of his hat when he came into a house； but which was so rare a courtesy at Miss Teetum's that each recipient appropriated the compliment as personal to herself。
These sentiments of admiration were shared； and to an alarming degree； by Miss Euphemia herself； who； on learning later that Oliver had decided to occupy half of Fred's room through the winter； had at once