THE BELLMANSHIP A TRUE STORY.
(FROM BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.)
Chapter 1 • • • ''». ' • •
The labours of the Statistical Society, I suppose, have left very few people in ignorance that ours is a borough town, though the inhabitants have not the inestimable privilege of hating each other on principles of the purest piatriotism once every three or lour years, When some soaring
squire or plethoric. manufacturer is ambitious of a seat in Parliament ; by which periphrasis 1 would have it understood, that we return no member, albeit we have a mayor and corporation, a town-hall and lock-up house, and other visible eigns of corporate dignity. Cast your eye, oh reader! "throughthedim vista of departed years," and it is highly probable, if- you look sharp, you will see a youthful couple seated under the elm trees at the west end of the flourishing town of Buzzleton, on the fourth day of June, eighteen hundred and thirty-seven. 1 cannot take it upon me positively to affirm that the lady was " beautiful exceedingly," or that she had the slightest appearance of being a native of a "far countrie"; for it was impossible to suppose for a moment that those bright, cherry-looking lips, rosy coloured cheeks, and mild, happy, blue eyes, belonged, by possibility, to any one but a nice, modest, English girl of eighteen or nineteen. Ncr would it be safe to delude the reader info an improper sympathy with- the hero, by hinting tharhe had the slightest resemblance to those " whiskered pandours and those fierce hussars," who make such aitremendous sensation in novels of fashionable life. No one could ever have fancied him a Hungarian magnate, or Polish prince, or even a German baron; for the fat county of Suffolk was visible in every featuie of the object of my description. A brown suiftout,. with black buttons, thrown loosely kpek, showed a considerable extent' of a fancy-coloured waistcoat, for.the interesting individual—(but why keep up a vain mystery, which the accomplished reader has penetrated long ago ; it was Simpkinson, junior, himself—in short, John Plantagenet Simpkinson, sitting tete-d-t&e with Mary Padden) —for the interesting individual—as I was going to say when tins parenthesis interrupted ine—^ rejoiced in a vast expanse of chest, of -which he was a little conceited; though candour at the same time compels me to admit that the " ample breadth and verge enough," which was so becoming, and indeed heroic, as revealed by the aforesaid fancy-coloured waistcoat, extended itself considerably below the point at which it ought to have grown " fine by degrees and beautifully less," and constituted altogether a square-built young man, with every appearance of health and strength, but none of that stiff-necked hoodleism which the
French people and English milliners call an air distingue. You will perhaps ask why this jolly,' good humoured looking young gentleman had such a magnificent name as Plantagenet; but 1 submit that this is a question more properly directed to his godfathers and godmothers, than to me; but at the same time, if you merely ask for information, and with no sinister intention, 1 .will only mention that his father was the most Eloquent man in our parish, and rejoiced in long words. 1 Now, as. Plantagenet is a name; you will observe, of four syllables, whereas Stubbs is only', of one, you will at once see a primS fade reason why the royal "denomination was preferred, and die name of^the maternal uncle—Mr Stubbs, the opulent brewer' in Chadfield—for this occasion rejected. This is my own opinion; but of course you are at liberty to devise any other reason for lt that may bemore agreeable to yourself. We are not to suppose that the couple I have how introduced to you sat silent all this time, merely bec&tne I have not yet* given you .any account of their conversation ; for it is a circum-' stance well known to our whole townthat Miss Padden had a total aversion to the absurd trises of the Pythagoreans, so lar as titEdflnlence' was concerned, andm fiict, lost no opportunity of practicing r the divine faculty of speech. ' She: spoke very well and prettily, and there scan be no siiieh Ijeantifal lips andinter^tihg til' eyes would have made very 'inferior language p! offfor elo^irace, at all events in the mind of : Simpkinson, junior. " So yonare gping off to morrow. Tadgy ?" (and ljier£, -oh reader, in another parenthebis^ let me call your attention to : the endearing : diminutive T«dgy"--ihort for Plantagenet f « To Whiit ^rile U&es may we cOnie, Horatio : '^ Yet;- said Tidgy, vnth i mournful -shake of « it must be such a pretty place that Lon- Sony with; HSfde Park, taid. Mmadtf mi-W^ minster- Abbey^ and - Madame Tassattd, -; Ho.W ; I envyyouaUliiesights!-Ain^you:happyTad^ ; " Noi" replied the " liwouid taaierstay ; at ; Bu«leton, and'beBejir TOu, Pblly." . HSSdur; ^ervaht, Mr nantigeAet^ said She claspofmesentimental'sw^i^W^ coquetsy.'or pr«priety,.«iS) preservbanew white will^uo&ertiS&tp 'm&i&ai^tl wfts^ft fiflbohg for a compliment* l aseure yoiu."
" But it is no compliment, Polly—it is only the truth; and why shouldn't-f-be.sorry to leave Buzzleton? Here will be no nice walks like this, nor listening to your songs, nor talking of whatV to happen." " When ?T interrupted Miss Padden. " Why, when ycur father and mine think we are sensible. "Now don't pretend, Polly—for this is our last day together, and 1 want to hear you tell me again seriously and solemnly tfaat.you will keep constant for the two years, and marry me at the end." " - Shall wc be sensible then, Tadgy?" enquired' the lady, looking archly at the earnest face of her ^mirer. ; Father says so," was the reply, and in a tone that showed that that awful authority would have secured Mr Plantagenefs credence to a still more wonderful event. " We-ought to be much obliged to our father," said the young lady. * 1 for guaranteeing such a reformation; t»ut, -indeed, Tadgy, the. chance of changing your mind is all on your side. You will see such designing people at Almack's and Vauxhalland? "Never trouble yourself about designing people,: dear Polly; write to me eveiy week, and as lam to cdine down every half year for three weeks, we shall do almost as'well as if ive met" •" And you will write faithfully, and think of me always ?" mid Mary, in a voice from which all liveliness had disappeared. Mr Plantagenet Simpkinson again laid his hand upon the pretty little white kid glove, which this time wns not withdrawn, and looking in the sweet blue eyes which J have already mentioned, said— " Won'i I?—that's alL" Miss Padden seemed quite as satisfied with this declaration'as if it had been made in wordsof fire upon the bended knee; and I do not feel myself at, liberty to.give any account of what was said on either side, for at least ten minutes. At the end of that time an individual was seen walking towards them at tbe other extremity of the alley. " Here's that horrid boy, Bob," said Mary, looking jsomewhat displeased. . *'Infernal troublesome fooll" muttered Mr Plantagenet, " I should.like to kick him into die liver." Chapter II. The enquiring reader is anxious to be informed who and what was Bob. ^ Bob was Mary's younger brother, and the most disagreeable detestable boy that was' ever known in Buzzleton. Those who had studied GtH&oer's Travels called him the Yahoo; those who trusted only to their own sense of fitness m, the art of .nomenclature, called 1
bim the Beast. But tliis, being a generic name, was varied by the more acute disciples of Buffon,' byieferring him to any particular species which appeared appropriate to his peculiar qualities— the ass, the owl, the ostrich, the baboon, end a variety of other respectable citizens of the animal kingdom, were called upon to furnish a designation for Mr Robert Padden ; and it was this amalgam of Mr Polito's menagerie that caused auch a disagreeable sensation by his appearance in the, elm walk, and excited a strong inclination in the usually pacific bosom of Plantagenet to drown him in the deep waters of the Buzzle. Bob, however, as if unconscious of any feelings of the kind, lounged iip to where the youthfnl pair were seated, and,.with a sulky look towards the young gentleman, enquired of his sister what she was always walking about with Tadgy Simpk's'n for? Now, this is a very embarrassing sort of ques-' tion; and accordingly Miss Mary, whether from not having studied the motives of her 80 doing, or not wishing to reveal them, remained silent; whereupon Mr Simpkinson addressed tbe Yalioo in a tone of voice by uo means common with that good-natured individual, and said— | " Your sister has a right to please herself, I suppose." j : "Vs'po&e she has—and she does it too,"replied the agreeable youth; " I only want to know j who she*Il walk with next when you're gone up to the grocer's shop in London." I " Grocer's shop 1 "—exclaimed Plantagenet: " It is the greatest West India House in the City." . " Well, they sell sugar don't they?—and that's a grocer, is'nt it ? There's no use trying to gammon us here. You're going to be a grocer: now, the last man Mary was spooney with was something better .than that, at any rate." *' What do you mean, Robert?" enquired the sister. * " Why, Boh Darrell, the Chadfield doctor; you know very well; but he's married now, and so you're doing the civil to Tadgy." " Never mind him, Mary, my dear," said Tadgy ; " I don't believe a word he says. .At the same time, I never knew that you were acquainted with Dr Darrell." " I. had a fever three years ago, when I was
staying at your uncle Stubbs's, and be was called in.*' " Yes, and nearly called out too; for young Stubbs, that's gone into the army, wanted to 6hoot him' for being too attentive. Those doctor fellows are always squeezing hands and clutching hold of arms,, and pretend its only feeling the pulse. 1 think Stubbs should have shot him." " What for ?" asked Plantagenet. " Why, for marrying that other woman. He ought to have married Mary." "How can you listen to such nonsense, Tadgy?" stiiA ilikhr-i * you know 'Agreeable way of saying pleasant things. I ai^sure you Dr Dari ell was only a yety good and.. kind doctor ; and, if you like to believe me rather than Bob, you will not mind anjtlungimore he says." • Hantagenet looked : jtt the honest open countenance cf his iuture bridf^ and saw that no deceit c6uldpo6siblylie in thbse deaf innocent eye? ; so he gave her hand aftfetatle squeeze, and looked with ine^ble disdain oti the misdie^bus countenance of ..Mister •0Sh. £ • . . • • i ." Well f said that; gentle squire, " you need"nt sit bill&g and cooing here all day. I'm alraid iBomeliody may go and teil ftther ; and I know he" would^be very imgry if h^' knew you had been canying; On your rigs hefore the .whole' Town. You had better come home, Mary; for if anybody, does tell father, and l'm called in as a witness, 1 am afn^d I niuBt tell ^l i've seen." ; " What have you seen, jpu insolent blodchead?* eaid Plantagenet, springing up. " Oh. never mindi If you're really going to many bur Mar y, it 'doesn't much matter. I only hope Bhe won't be disappointed again—that's alL" • • " 1. never u>as disappointed, you idle, falsejtongued, intolerable wretch I" exclaimed IHaty, t^e tears of anger and vexation springing into her : eyes. " ~ --- * Were nt you?** replied the benevolent; brother ; " then tbat% a pleasure to come; for' ; ypu may depend upon it, when Tadgy rises to; bev a grbcer on his own account, hell forget you as easily as Boctor Parte®;" ^ The speaker came moreabruptly to aclbsethan wu^s^custom^^or he^w&omethingso'peculiar^in the flashing eyes and swelling chest of Plantagenet, that he thought it better to decamp at once. He in which he had made Ms approach • and tie
lovers felt as if relieved from some horrible oppression, when they saw the long figure of the overgrown Yahoo, with his coat a jbile too large for his thin body, and his trowsers senile too short for his long l ^ ^Sri^ the ^oleext^t of his WeUingtons, slo^y disappeztar at the turning-of the elm walk. " Thank faeaVen I tiave jiot ihdved him ^ tlie waterl'*^ genet,^ivtieu•'&" found that, for this occasion, he was free from guilt of murder. ; I can't underetand "wbat pleasure the boy can have in saying disagreeable things, and inventingsuch abominable stories," was the' contemporaneous observationofhisaster. 1 And hereupon followed'a full explanation of all the incidents that the YahOo, either then or at any former time, had alluded to : and, as usually happens in affiaire of that kind, both paitieB felt that the attempt of Mr Bob to sow dissension, had had the very opposite effect, by giving an opening to a more full and free communication than could have been fouiid under any other circumstances. / • - .. On getting up to go home, it might have been remarked by those who are superstitiously inclined that the first object that presented itself to the eyes of the lovers, was an enormous placard on a man's back, containing in letters at least three inches long, the words " Tapps for Bellman;" and in snail letters, " come to the poll on Tuesday the eleventh.;' I do notkifow whether any thrill of sympathetic horror rushed through the hearts of Mary and her admirer on seeing those appalling woids; but it is .highly probable, if they had: forseen all the misfortunes that ,those large red letters gave rise to, they would have wished that the father of Mr Tapps the candidate had died in his infancy, or that Tapps himself had been hin over by the Manchester and Liverpool tnun. I have no reason to suppose, however, that any of those aspirations with regar£ to Mr Tapps or bis father were uttered by eithW of our friends ; so I will not detain the reader any longer, but inform him that, with a heavy heart, a large trunk, and two carpet bags, Plantagenet Simpkinson took'his departure, from Buzzleton dn the following day,' and in due course of time-arrived at his destination m the city.^ And there, for a short space; I leave him to his invoices and bills of lading ^hu threelegged stool, and his letter once a-week to the true-hearted Mary Padden. I dont believe that there eyier was a man who wis a great orator. or a great poet, or a great anytljing (except perhaps a great ass), without knowing it- There never was such a thing as a mute inglorious Milton, a dumb Demosthenes, or a
blind Thomson or Daddingstone. It is therefore not to be supposed that Mr Simpkinson, senior, was ignorant of his own powers; so far £rom. it, indeed, that I have even heard it hinted, that, if it were possible, he overrated them ; but this, even if it were true, is a very venial fault, for it is surely much belter to be a little anxious to discover and dwell upon modest merits, wherever they aire found, whether in one's self or in others, than todeny or undervalue them. There were few things in which Mr Simpkinson found-himself deficient ^ history, theology, architecture; spoiling, jpolhics; business, or accomplishment;were equally at hjs finger-ends; but his forte, as .1 have already l&ifed in my attempt to explain the reason of his calling his son Plantagenet instead of Stubbs, was decidedly oratory. He was oratorical at breakfast, at dinner, in the news-room, iu buying a pound- of snuff, in ordering a pair of trowsers. In fact, he was altogether an orator; and you could no more have stood five minutes under an archway with 1 him than with Edmund Burke, without : discover-' ing that he wits an extraOrdmaty ; maii. Mr Simp^ kimioa »at iio -f^maMn - ii- nwo Hirfpjl ^ ' was sleeping partner in the Chadfield elothmiUsi and also that he had a share in Stubb's brew'ery; but whether he had entered into , any d.f those speculations or not, does not materially concerii any body but himself. Mr Padden also lived, as the phrase has it, cn his means—a plain man, without much affectation, except an affectation of knowing whether anything' was " gMtlemanly ,, qr ! not,—a sort of provincial Chestetfield, *wli6 ;fojrj: gave any thing, however •(^ng--^urder itself, 1 verily believe—provided it were done ui a gentle.' manly manner. family, was unknowiu He maintameil a' sfinctsileiic^ as indeed yoU;^nd is d
any deficiency in exactness or resemblance will be supplied in the next edition ot Lord Brougham's sketches of distinguished charactcxa in tbe reiginV of the two last Georges. Therein also, let be permitted me to: hope, that TRsBpS wiH not fce forgottem . .. .. _ . ••.•'.'•";• • Oh the eventful fui^y the whede town rushed distractedly to the town-lu4i :* Tapps on the one side of the diair, Hicks rivid candidate - on the other - the mayor ibetween the two, lookingas _likeas hecould to;Herculesbetween vice and virtue; the. e^iecta^ofaces of thea?-: semblage—for it was ruhaoured that Mr Simpkinson would speak—these, widi the : inferior access sOTies of clerks at the table, and the widow of &e deceased bellman in the for^round, bearing the s badge of her late husband's during this momentous interregnum, formed a subject which 1 feel «urprised has not taeiijBeized upon' by Hayter or WiBde. A bustle is heard in the middle of the hall—an arm bearing aloft a best whitei beaver, waves impatiently forward to the chair— a way is made, and Mr. Padden mounts die steps, and turns towards the audience as if in a£t to speak. . He speaks—he awells—he waves his he fljuinpjj tte.SiBSae; V Ob feeavensd- ioFJ earth 1 oh seal he concludes a powerful harangue by proposing Iplkst ; Wliatl j^me; Hicb when he knew—~when all Buzzletbi^when all England Imew that' St^^^n cupipc^ed 1 Tapps j Astonishment kept toe whole assembly' silent for a space, which was orfy interrupted l^ the short proud cough with which' tiu^ orator, cleared his throat. he stood forward^iittle, and -beginning in a low tone of voice, he worked himaelf iBto ja paroxysm of eloquence ; then sinking hifUtone, again* went through the whole compass of h^ wonderful., voice, fleeching;prBying,- rot^gi bifflitogi ' s^ ing, stamping, and thumping, sometime* the little table, sometunes ;one lund agMnst;the.'Other;>4ill |t was impoissible „not, to l>eUeye:ithatr;he ;was ; fac^is good ^^bitastl^illUstri^ ,tft/,yie : grater ^M^^^^^toiy!. 1 v^'Wheii 5:1' Reflect," he sai^,'Iqn the mwutMe^ Whatl^we
"W to cringe to a divaricated hallucination ?' Are we to bend ourselves at the shrine of adepHogisticated parabola, and yield intense submission to the dictates ot sin xtaathematised lyperbole? Perish the tbe othCT, U1^e ftder^aje^of I breathing forth tbe condensed maligiutyDf atrocious : bellman t>f this town {"—(great cheers).' But it is impossible to report tbe epee^i as it deserves, and, therefore, as I r^llert-ipdi^ia elevating one's hero, consists not' ic vere description, but ib rejpresenting the efie^ prodoced by him upon of here, I shall proceed to tbe next morning, nanncly Wednesday, the !^h, when\the followwg sorrespond^^tookplace* ^
THE BELLMANSHIR—A. TRUE STORY.
(FEOM BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.)
[Concluded from our las!.] CHAPTEUllf.
But here, before entering on this very Disagreeable portion pf my task, I cannot forbear venting a few sighs over the uncertainty of friendship. A chain that it has taken years to rivet, may be puffed iiitoa thoiisatid pieces by a feiy..syllables; in..that respect resembling the knot which jugglers tie uppn a handkerchief, apparently strong enough to hsuig the most determined and/attest .of suicides; but which, by being simply blpwn upon, untwines itself in an instant, arid leaves not a vestage of its ever having Tieen tied. Oh jugglei's knot ! oh friendship 1 (riot to continue the interjection6, andsay) oh love! you ought, all three to be ashamed of yourselves, and not to be blo\vn aside by a few puffs of wind, whether those puffs are mere inarticulate blowings, such'as those with Which, in my impatient youth, 1 used to cool niyi pudding, Qr' forin themselves, into, wprds and Eyllatte men's names.;Who.could liave/thpught that arfii^ndEhip of twenty years could have been disBolved'-by such a very inconsiderable event as the elefction of John Tapps to the bellmauship of • Buzileton 7 ; Yet, so'it was; aiid the'TOloino that 'smotaid'ered in the bosom ofMr'Padden was blown up'tb^explosive hea^^^ ahd Astounded bur peaceable' tpwn with a prodigious jeniption, in the manner 1 now proceed to-relate. - - = 7 On the evening pf Tuesday, pur amiable friend Bob waited impatiently for the return pf his father, .'when 1 that gentlemen at last made his appearance, lppking somewhat discomfittedliy.the def(^t Pf his candidate. • ' ' ' ' , - ' •Ha t*'said the tender^heMted Rpbert,' I knew how ifwoiiid be J I see by your face Hicks has : "won.' ' '* ' 4 fiy no means, Robert, he has been defeated ; but rememter, Robert, the Word,, ha, is a very ungentlemanly 'word—very ungentdemanly indeed. I neversay ha!* "' - S-j- - 'What! Tapps jnade:3jellmtut?c:; Never'heard' of sach a things . but no wonder,, old , Simpk's'n has it all "his Pwii * way. "We must all yield, 1 sbose, and be calied'whatever : names he, likes tio telrus. 1 ; '"""' " • -^Calling names^is very ungentlemnnly; 1 never ddljaam^s. Who calls any bbdy aames ?' r -¥ _' Why-old Simpkyn to be-snriBj, He- laid 'em; on pretty thick. 1 -ve heard all about it, though -I wast*there.'*' ' - • ° /•• * Do you allude to anything he said to-day?'' : To be 8ure I do; and ; every „day,' | s'pose. -When one has such a tidyfittle etockp'nicknames Is'pose he don't grudge 'em tp his friends' • :%yqu*mean to say ifr.ig^np^on-iim ungentloQanly, so ;yery, nngifaitlemanly, as jto sinuj^e any personal allusion • ; * Dpu't II Who do you think-he' meant by all ;thatngmarole about parabolas, ^uid hallucination^, and tiger's eyes ? Your eyes, ypu bnow,.fe.ther, are nothing to boast of; but;, if 1 were in your : shoes, I would let nobody talk of tiger's- eyes be hanged if 1 would !' And; .with thi6 ma^iani-' mous declaration, Mr Robert jswung out of the; room. And now, oh reader l begins the . correspondence. : ' - . ' " No. 1. : . . • : * MrPadden seids cpmpiiments to Mr. Simp-' feinson—would feel obliged by :explanation -of following^passage in Mr S.'s speech ofyeisterday^
to pxe,v#nc ted; ^Jiici^atio^t, and bendst sjintierof de<if |ogi«ticated ^parabola, aiid ^ieljd sutH«]ssion 4;o an aiuto unitized, hypeibolp. AlsvO, f^rthei what^dfe Mr S.S fntenlrion aj dlluMonto unci'sejes? An early Mill; be an otjjj^atioii s ' • Htfjk street, Wednesday \2ih. . Jfo. 2 : '.Sia—|n allu§ipn {n tbe^dociitnent • forwarded to me by the hand of Bob,, your *>on, touching; certain impressions detained m my speech of yesterday,' oi^tbe su^yect,oi t.T»apps:elevation to the bellmanship of of: this highly civilized and -iiidigunops community, I beg to demand on what grounds you implicate the sensibility qf; my remarks, and repudiate, with disgust and obduracy, the langEBge-and-eontorted^ -epitaphs which you charge me with .having employ £ ed. Sir. in the sacred discharge of a duty, 1 scorn the most venerable-asseverations, and-cast to -the idolatrous j winds e\ery considcriticn but the high ardi paramount "necessity <ai holding equal the balance j ^ between |uptiee atidiniquity 1 Yes, this througb 4(fe-hes lusen »ny maximum; and this Course I] mean to : pursue, -undetenorated from the right J path -by- ail the «cce»%rid , ties^of decorum; and -all' the sinXiositiies of acumen With this ex^l^iation, which 1 hope wnl be deemed satisfactory, 1 j remain, fiir^yotir humble servant, - > f
• - • , . 'v - 1 . *J. SIMPKINSON.'
No. 3. i •Mr Padden again sends,-compliments to Mr Simpkioson. amntrinLiiif^aTi/l^n^chDc. and- wishes a- br.liil'M^' direct 'urt^or answer. Did Hi^ j you, sir,'mean- • * ta jpall»ine • a parabola, - - &c. ?- sol 2 nomore^DpresefitjbutTemains'-—— * [ ' SiSprl $l«ild on itiy--rlg^t r a!s a public man; I j throw- "myself before the tribunal of my country, j and assert the privilege of a speaker, on a • great public " occasipn, " • tp • Pay - what ' - - *he- chosfes, • ^ without withotit beingMled upon for his cleaning. Sir, ' . oratory l would be at an eiid, if its best pbrogative -were i trampled under foot. To tio oiie - will 'I be answerable but -'to' my _ own coiiseikiice; conscience; that j minotaur, whose %»ice I everobeyand therefore sir, in this concatenation of affairs, and refusing thisall^gbrical mode of questioning, I decline telling whether 1 meant to designate you as' a parabola-Pr not. With these sentifSients,- i itiscribe myself your humble servant, '"-- ' 1
"J.-SlMKlKSo^i* "
... - -'-...-•:... " -J^O^S-' V fii'. ••>'•-••-" . • Prn—I must say yoiinconduct is very ^ingentletEany—very uugeii tie many indeed:' and Inaust decline the honor of your society at dinner^tin Friday. Also, your son Pkntagenent' nifed not' renew ,his correspondence with : my daughttfr, especially as he has frequently neglected to pay the post. So no more, but remains your humble servant,- -
• '* ' * J. PADDENi*
Friday came—no dinne-party; Saturday came— no ietiet from young Plantagenet* Bob looking pleased as >Punch, Mary drooping and distressed; the two old men fidgety, and ionddn in the bleared eyes of the young lover, a desolate 1 wildeinesS and all owing to Tapp's election to the b&lomn ship.' i'What great events from' tirivlial' causes : spring! - ' - ' - • ' -'•. ^ ! - ^ It was two months after these melancholy events —that-is tP sayj wh^ii August 'had-first furtively ;begun to dip. his bnieh into'thfev pallet of Kovfember, and already ring^d the leaves of the elm Ik •pf Buzzl^ton fwith' '^he' faintest'' possible- tinge 'Pf yelloW^on the^SOthjday of "iugiist, 1837,ayoung lady was'tkking^-discbnsolate walk by the side ^ our beautiful rivei^pretty foot pllim^'S^rVji gentle eyes,—by George! ft could be no body else but Mary' Padden ! And M^ry Paddenitwas. Not far. from her, but sulkily stalking along on the outer row of Boh. It is no wonder, therefore, that Mary looked .disconsolate. The Yahoo, as'if for theeonVeniefttifif any of the passers by,wbp ; werenotentiri^ydeaf,took care, by^^retaininjghis distontposition, J» foVce the conviersatioh into a very, and^ble pitth-^a cdnrer-! sation, l»y-the-by, in which he bore the principal liartj 'Maiy's portion of if' being ' extremely inPnosyllabic. --•'•• • ." ; - 3 • Why,' Mary ypu are certainly the. unluckiest gal T ever saw. Tadgyis a deuce sight worse than Dr DarrelL He's to be fna'rried, they say next : week.'' • a"- - - • ''. '. • ' A start; arid, if the brute had seen it, a flush pf crimson, succeeded by a deadly paleness, showed thut the/arrow had stmck ; but she said nothing. .' You4on't;Seeiii to hear what I said, Mary.: I. was telling you that Tadgy ——' - • 1 heard you Robert; don't talk so loud; . every ; body-will hear your- " 1 i .. . ~, * ' ! ^ • Well, every body has heatd it already, I s'posk Sukej has ordered such lots of dresses^-five-andtwenty bandboxes; with^ abeniiet, they c^jfrfeaift of tbemi from' Madaln Ea Hume, the Freiich liner at Ghadfield. Fiveiaua-twenty : ,%i5finets|—' think of that, Mary.' ' ; . Mary did not think at aU-on the subject, but, summoning lip"!! litHecourage, enquired who Sukey was. TilQ _ * vSuk£yjSfcubbs, to be surej his own cousin.^v^You' knoiir very well.. It" is father ..has: forced . .thei match, they say, hut F Sarepj .Tadgy ^"was glad enoogh.' leaye'jM giibteiyljusiridss*iji X,on-' don, and settle down in Chadfield; Isay, rarefun, won't.it be, fpr hini and Dr. parrell to live. perhaps next door to eaclj other ? The two deceivers.'; Mary dei^iied n6 rei3ly,"an3 ourfriendibe Yahoo; seemed meditating some other-iigrefeable ; 'isfit>ject£ of converstion. Suddenly be burst' W perceivedcertain. figures advancing . down the walk. .-, ..... .. .-• : . ' • Crickey 1' here's a ijark! Bibwed if TpSi- SimpkVn himself and Sikeyain't coming dowW the iong walk^—and, by ^ngo 1* he added in a ietiU louder voice, .'.there coajes TadgyMroself; creeping after 'em as ithu nwe were bl/sifpw. .; " P Before the elej^t yofei^'had. ioun^ t^nbe fpr more'lekdffiations, a h^'wis'liid on'his'laid oir his shoulder— -' : . ; * Goj home, Robej$,' 8aid his JatheriL fiarrit wis t^e oliigentiei^an'Who^ so loud' on' tile-public w^-rTjfiwyp.ur cburSge wHl l&t ^if .to W «din ; ethirig ongintte^ many, if i ana insillted'4>y those purple;® 1 i&kf ifay iwni, WWawayivaud; ^^IfinMdf.iy<fu s In the mean time a conyersatiop. of xauch .gie giiage,toPk ; plMebCtWi^njthe'Oratdt'andli^ son, "nevi you^ people^'KSO: and their ey^ for ajnoin^jJ^Pnly for a mo> ment, met. A moment is a century on soma occasions. - ^Tlmt sibgle glsfice showed that, hot^S ever Capulet and Montague .might storm, Romeo; was $till fUuneo, M3 Juliet. iSSBgj^' bMe! coat lookedrather lMge for him, whether it ; had been originally manufactured with ^ieye^tp thei possibility of his getdng more "expanded,' or that grief and tbrrow -had worn him away. his finpjplly cbuht^aance seemed in the:eye6ofMiLry to wear a far tnereilinhi^thy h^ thari forinCTly. Iriiattetfi; " ^satisfied; ihad^ place"in 5 -Tadj^-: ^oughts, and wws tewen rejoiced at: the lops^Mees ,Hf fi&icmi, ^-i-'-'i??"
ers tire-ways, i^te^i^Jiia^^kfA'-p: «ath pi»g^uf>r Sat uglkliy|«}aHed()tliat ggpJiliitd {^fc^atae&l! hi? •»» » flesg -an<l ^tpod, mtl^uj^ong thiHnselr^s 9 moment's time to ft . fled thai iliip younjg f^ebpt^ were, pfer&nps,' s.\crj' ficwig tbetapjiiHttfes &i tlMriiletitr»e,4)eeaTi "fe f«o old t»locldie»Jb»i thk fov.L ^ £, As the dtstatipp lhe les, IWr Simpkinson relaxed bisbold of Taney's slunk cautiously Iwhthd.'' -Wef ^ttdd^y Jbolt^d over the Jit#e walk tp theater ?ide wherejhehad seen the Yahpo^wbo Jiad these operations fromone jflf flielienches.^ •Ro^tt^ife'W ^byall'thWs^oo^ and Mftd^ do me just a little favor. Ttell M«ary, I sbali^be here to night at nine o^clpck.. She can easily come this way home frotn her aanr M^aret's where she can go tojtea.-, JJOj i»e ra^good>ht^rted* /ellow, j and tell her. 1 have, much to say,* and ilaren't stop a moment.* * Wont I ?' said the good-natured Rojbert;- but on looking roun^, his suppliifient had-buiried' wff and rejoined the paVty. * Wontt?Jajtti^^neTadgy ? Th<it 1 will— why, Tadgyii^s it «H-^opat,not£ng can be.-so corjKement. - Wont l-Jiave sopie/un out oi all this? Let tne see. liqw l can maiiage ^ And leading the Yahoo iff "the Iniiftt of hi*?, no <loubt, benerolentmeditatrote*I l cl<£Sfe this-chapter.' . .- I- UHAFTERIV. ( 'uaiypdd -. . . -....i. . : Aunt; Aij^gsre^'s^teartablehadneverappcared »,;r , - . . , - so t j ^ ' ^ m l e ^ j n ^ f pa^A'a&ftilfj l ^ ^ S ^ ^ i M ^ l i i r i t e the cups more pirlbng^tv&id; the idiM hand of • the : chimneyrpiece Jclock absolutely.; paralysed. ;|5fpi that J!toy-WM ;^yin^ innet my , gottd f r. i e t i^ d ; 'I iviil Vent^fi tP'say^^ fehe ment il the meeting had:been put off tilLthat-diiy month j but she, felt: in ,the uncomfortabletate we may suppose some ^crimin'al to be in, WhieU he is arixious ' tor the tifiue -di^W^ce^fo^t^jbe.' cveriv Buti iri additioh to fliis^he^Mdliot telp havingoa: v^ie -suspicion t^at hll ?wii Sot light th" Y^op; ffp{|^ii| individu'4 hee^jqiiite^ 'jeicistenc^^^ ot'spinetbiiif 6r,bjher more tKau'he'had to •' '. her. ' and conduct her throiigh die elm w^k j land ami Slary's - wpjuderiags; an^ sj^cuiutions, angrfo her present, state of wicejrjtamjty. it ^ Wt veiy gjir^ pricing .that" Aunt Margaret -thpugbt her;^^a:very disagi-eeablte of altering ^her; idea
dilica^Pn" o^Ajin^ iswr-to 'the Wutii^al^felief of^he^uh^iand^iecl. * Wrap; yoarefelf ni^ht ts very Here; auntie's bonpet and ppUs^e j -what a fool you.are tb come out.with a nm^ciit^viw^ibiShjafe-' •You astonished fib jless thaki 4fTe«tidnate so^i^bujIeiiif-^Mi^i^ good ypq haye.been.-' •.',' ''J^ r,- ; v ' ^1,'d'ara isay-you Vohlf-^^tiCTedthe youfik-i^ " NSr^Taagy either, -if ! iilistakie notVbuttWe alo%, stiiff ypur- little feet into Aunt M^g^et's pattens,;. &r:-it> ha.3 rained very, latelyv : :.tak«>in.yi ^arm; forward,;nj^rctT , •',. • . \ ..; '>• In the mean time a sdlitary figure wis" pacing^ im^wfiuidjr'iqr. the hour of nine appro^hiea, fife^i^^^^we^and^ more i mpatient i tie walk.fpa^lyj^in therfoudiness of the evening, and dusness of the foliage, was nearly dsjrk,'juiaih Mart- he strained his eyes in'^^i^libi^bt^^lk'j Margaret's, to^ cateh' a^glimpse^.of^al^so^iipi proaching. He stpp^^gtiH, ^dilMt^gd j^t^tl he thought he h^rd ^distant sound of foobteps,: and hastily retreated Wthe little beach, surrounded' \vith =bushes, aiid facing the-tiverr - ^ Wfeat-iiJ^bod; fellow,* he mattered half aloud, ?that-ht»r?idiYafaop' has turaed;^tiWjj^>so>^pod^n'him to recbmmehd-: me dressing in iny fmiier's dothes^aiter^i^sb^s,} and all, besides 'his -broad Even if Mary is feeen with^ a;inan^ pebple iem?tstfyf any thing when they tbSiik it is my father ; a&d, besides, it is impo6sibi& for tbiin to ^ea^df having met With> to my indentity in these clothes.^-f-i-^feJ I . ^t fieri we are,* sud ^b;atthi6 tto • the j bonnet,^ ^ ' i l ^ ^ a s i ^ l i ^ ^ ^ k ^ keepguard.butdon'tUelong.*; b^w^^aiaif : Mr :; Bob i- then v walked biggeest - tree'in r Pilgrim's:, Elm,, andisnot aboverfif^^^slteKith* of the resting^place Df tb'e lprats. i Midd& .fr<3taii ohlervationi-evaii its gigantie trunk ou< see if^all; Ifiay aint iarate,&dber/«aid4he. •son; *jpou -go atnd M^chlhemil-6uchl4lHngarid; cooing;never ii^-^dis^iaceful!jphaugh.^ > | The vold ? Sgentfeman. siaid^iipth quietly ^ husbesi-from'iwl^fahe-eeuia^c^ of human figunes, and 'heardndistinct?murmu»:-ofi human . voices, i Was v«^ye^adbn l^tw^iti tfie apireis, 1 as indeedil helievie is' ^fitting' oril surfi'pc T casibhs >«waS cairiMioni'sn a tiHie whit^i would scarely hare reached on eanplaced ^ aeai' tp •jthanf hatof -lit; ;;Paddm.-:iif'r •watyiw^njttv time sufficed.to iexjjd8in to.each.:bdiw their the disageeement^i&fifr^^^jirjuiid, aS^f'do dnot preteiM.tOipaint j^ar^^ altbg^eV^ i will 'hot ilebynfj&ili *he iSm'iiaef eo«MrA tabom Suk^StulfliF^^ ' -- •-••--- ^lan tagamet's ground -forJ i liei.iUiu. sucii Bob's mdfee, Mary <^uld nbt reftain3fi lieistnaMadi^ , Myiirotheiife,iertainlyVthe most spiteful and; ^aiioous '.wxei^^ ----'^-.^----rf ? ^ ^ ', -X*: At' was jthe' to ifhev&uttB 1 :tone. j - > r You told abominable flirt3* thought<Mr "PAdden 1 fan, ypa'old jdeh^^e/^^gtinuy.'l^i^tes, ook«ntfe-^atuliar «nd antagonist; ^ ampkin«»JUftl4ilwofk^ ^Ahl this.; ^ I'll?^ehcpD»£ Jtterabwth if fMw^Tetfcwj ten times five thousands '-'Mid'saous! wretchfCl^asiLing .iaaeedl most *i»^ent5emEnly| ,-iaqgm^l^nb^' <r J ' " * K ^"^^i^s^^^aleaaiB} however,^sbinaged to re-j< 3 fifi^iMw^'ri&fa .fmoedfl^ltoadbi Sandj ^ v g s ^ j ^ c to* h t t M k aotoi ^ ^ Com&iipw, I mwstgPi' said Mary, 'ftis getting; 1 iM^a.-enSvt'? - * » \ '«» ; areawy aot meetegaW |oralpng^me,;' Mdwhen Ubi^ ui^ed togo,and
spmethiJig^Sror^ if i ie rushed to •May-haa^aisapjfear^d 1 JUr ^inplrfniWiiiia jiik blg ^wd^ that mother in theic tffprt to escape. "" is the^rand climacteric and apex. JHeiftifmne % bef?n ^tenine to jtbe jilans pf your ^daogbter, who : is deluding my son/ ^ - " My daughter l'» broke In "''Mr son, siri My sister you nteartj ^nd^ovrs^-iSDiost BngePUemijiily behaviour 1 f Javen?t i ^eeO ypu trjith my x»w» reyes,«8lute that foolisb-oldiWoman, ; for the sakejof her five thousand. pounds jo the i fpiir per centb—havMl 1 he^rd you" kay (hat a thrpsh&ig, would do me -good ; your cofidtotis ungentleinanly, sir,—very utigentl e - manly,indeed F ,, , " • What^To"j ou mean, sir, you hypercritical paraai^ma? haSu't youf etTu, R6bfeii. tiQld alfe thewhbld plot; that you told" youf daughter to disguise herself r Jike her .aunt, to have the opportumiy of 7 meeting John Plantagenet -Simpldnson, ^uy Hfiten't f seen their meeting? 1 pause for a iepiyV ' '; ^-"i with wy-gentlem an; - Themis ^pmiiiddxig 'ypti r aj^jhon^^ s^ffiat^he.p^jottra isi' prepoi^^nc^^d^iu^ ^nd yoH now cast tlie inrqu • A low Swbist ?e _ ' f®l0(My1hPse|;fbr 110 soon le.jpns pt ongo y -v • ter M m m ? ion me. You the-^wo listle • forwardon • • their inten#onitp;figfct a SiieU.- ' , ' Herew^-cpnlusioM^TSe^n^ - tWP^dipit,«n£S the aiithbritieis to" ifiiSepce,
danger ?®Ofbl0ied t&e syr^y a • nates • vthey seed friendghipi^ .TSi^ «lpquence bf 'Mr Simpkinson .had iSeWpmshpttb «b mpch^as^ in jiis^xjplanation £9 but that officiid being perhaps not sp.deeply read jonefiyiliablexifdiV formal the ntrties in^Slicatcd, and a. r. ^ f b a d c^e^tTiM into executfon bis long cberist Jiablehe could ubt hhve had aThetteripp . or ; feayolf des^rtefd.- '** '"•"'-----^'•ilgthe. Walk illuBtratidn 4f<4he T s r went - evefr^s^'far as to observe, where the jokes' that took -plaise about, the mist^es ^aused b^hat ^loqueut individual '£ cpat and appareL Mr piaddenHboked a little alarme/ but>th^ fit M ' witiiv twp.otJ ; r interest can: resist^hem^ ^o