vels stoneys and a slice of bread and drippin but i told him that my tooition vas on the nash andall school principle and woluntary


accord inly he bagged the marvels and dewoured the other vith a surprisin vonderful appetite


it is astonishin vot starved small boys can eat ven they gets half a chance


and i suppose your tuition inculcated the best moral advice continued harry with a laugh


in coorse mr mording


i put him up to the shoulder of mutton caper and set him a catchin grasshoppers for the tender cabbages and green peas


he entered fully into my wiews on them pertickler pints conseqvently the kitching will be as vell supplied with wedgeta bels as in the time of your humble servant to command who is in good health and wishing you the same with many on em


i also explained to the orphian the latest and most approved method of boot peggin as practised by her blessed ma jestys royal vellington bootmaker he took to that branch of allvurk surprisin qvick and the big chap from the turon might as vell try to valk on a harrow turned upside down as in that pair of boots i left my pupil at vurk on


a few more lessons and i would have made him a nipper


hes a werry promisin orphian but he vants cul tiwation


i shant be able to see him again


howwhy enquired mordaunt


have done with this folly richard said jonas graham


he then addressed mordaunt


we are on the eve of quitting this land for ever the duty which called us hither is performed there is another to be done in our own country


surely there are means of advancement and comfort in this colony superior to those of the old land crowded and overburdened as it is with population


you are i believe without ties make new south wales your resting place my purse shall be open to you and every nerve strained to ensure you success in whatever path you may think fit to select said miss scrym geor with deep earnestness


the old man brushed away a tear and his voice faltered when he answered the kind lady


i thank you sincerely fervently madam but it cannot be


i have yet a mournful duty to perform to fulfil a vow registered in my own heart


it might have sprung from a strange fan tasy but it was recorded solemnly and must be done


a portion of the cold earth which covers the mothers form now rests on marys grave and this dust from the daughters tomb shall be sprinkled over the mothers lowly resting place


as he spoke jonas produced a small packet from his bosom which he pressed to his lips


there was a dead silence throughout the room each one feeling the futility of attempting to alter such a resolution


after a short time jonas re sumed


the passages of richard and myself are taken our boxes are on board the vessel which will sail tomorrow


we came to bid you farewell and thank you for your sympathy and loving kindness to us strangers


few alas would have acted similarly


and as a recom pence for this very goodness providence selected us as humble instruments to save the innocent from a fate which cannot be contemplatcd with out a shudder


farewell one and all may happiness attend upon you


richard i wait


the boy bounded to his father the tears streaming in torrents down his cheek


the door opened and closed and jonas graham and richard passed from the sight but not from the memory of those whom they were destined never to meet again on earth


a knock was heard and the ancient butler brought in the letters


ha cried mordaunt an english ship in


a communication from my venerable much loved dreadfully offended uncle


what can this portend


say my friendsis it death and destruction or is it hope and happiness


im in such a flutter i can hardly read straight bath


you graceless scamp thats an indifferent opening but he always had a queer way of expressing his affection said harry


perhaps remarked fanny you had better peruse your letter before you read it aloud and place us in possession of its contents


not at all rejoiced harry i have no secrets from you


the young lady blushed and said no more


harry proceeded


i am now laid up with the gout at this infernal gathering place of liver less jaundiced curry and mulligatawney eating nabobs and spiteful wrinkled scandalmonger ing sixpennypointwhist playing old tabbies and cant obtain the slightest ease except in being wheeled about in a chair and raising the anger of one set and exposing the meanness of the other


the superannuated class of cats call me old ten thousand a year they dont think i know it though and pour in their presents upon me by waggon loads


i could set up a fancy bazaar with my stock of net purses cuffs toilet covers watchpockets crochet work and knickknacks and open a market with hampers of game and venison fish baskets and barrelled oysters


you are laughing you graceless scamp you dont suppose i eat em do you


damme what a twinge


not i old john moodie pigtail john you know him you rascal many a time youve pulled his tail old john moodie i say takes them regularly round distributes them amongst the poor and teaches them the best way to cook em


egad


how the tabbies would stare to see their dainties smoking on the board of a respectable cobbler in a room eight feet square whilst the proprietor of the mansion his better half and six of the infant fry were dis posing of them most unceremoniously


i get john to wheel me round sometimes to have a look at them it is capital fun to see the rogues eat


and to hear the enquiries of the fortune hunting old ladies


was the salmon good did the venison eat tender


those ducks were fattened on purpose for you


and all this stuff wound up with take care of your precious health


faugh


all the time harry you graceless scamp they are wishing me in the grave or far worse to catch me in the matri monial nooze


too old for that i think


ah


dn the goutthat brings me to the subject of your letter


so you want to marry do you


ah mr mordaunt said miss scrymgour interrupting him in the perusal of the letter you have been secret with us upon that point


you did not mention such inclination to me


nor to me said frank earle


eh ah indeed


well i mentioned it to some one my uncle you hear let me go on


replied harry hurriedly and he resumed readingjohn moodie said it was quite natural and right and moreover told me that i had be haved scandalously to you and driven away the prop of my declining years for nothing at all


so you see john forgives you for pulling his pigtail and he recommended me to forward my consent per post with an order for two thousand pounds on one of your sydney houses sheep and parbelly cursed outlandish names in that quarter


i did as john ordered no thanks to me you graceless vagabond i shall never forget the trick you played upon old squaretoes


you mentioned the young ladys name miss earle i knew her parents intimately poor frank was my schoolfellow and his wife my first love i believe you call boyish attachments by that name


i was in india when the world looked harshly upon them and did not hear of their undeserved misfortunes till too late


but grievings a folly curse the gout


marry the young lady instanter and you graceless vaga bond transport your wife her brother and your self to the arms of your infernal crusty old uncle where you will always find a home


and now fanny dearest ejaculated harry in all the exhilarating whirl of unexpected hap piness what answer am i to receive to my suit


the young lady had left the apartment unper ceived


what was her response


guess


we now drop the curtain on this series of the mysteries of sydney


marie antoinette on the chevalier of the red house


continued from our last j cuapter vi


when maurice entered the supperroom ac companied by dixmer and genev eve the sup per was all ready but the chamber was still empty


hfe saw all the guests six in number enter successively


they were all men of an agreea ble appearance and mostly oung dressed in the fashion of the daytwo or three even wearing the cap of liberty


dixmer presented maurice announcing his name and quality then turning towards maurice he said citizen lindey you see all the men who assist nie in my business


thanks to the times we live inthanks to these revolutionary prin ciples which have effaced distinctions we all live on a footing of perfect equality


every day we assemble around the some table and i feel proud you have honoured our family re past


come citizens be seated


andand monsieur morand said gene vive timidly shall we not wait for him ah that is true replied dixmer the citizen morand of whom i have already spoken is my partner


he ischarged with the books correspondence oashc it therefore happens that he is sometimes late


i will cause him to be called


at that moment the door opened and citizen morand entered


j


he was a little man darkcomplexioned having large eypbrows green spectacles sut h os persons wear whose sight is weakened b close application concealed ins dark eyes but did nbt overcome the sparkling look


the moment hespoke mauricerecognised the soft imperious voice which nad in the terrible dib cussion been favourable fot lenienoy


he was i dressed in a brown coat with large buttons a white silk vest and frilled shirt which during supper was often adjusted by a hand which be longing to a tanner maurice admired for its whiteness and delicacy


they all took their places


tlie citizen morandsat on the right and maurice on the left of genevive


dixmei faced his wife


the other guests indifferently seated themselves around an oblong table


the supper was elegant


dixmer possessed an excellent appetite and admirably did the honours of the table


the workmen or those who passed as such made free and excellent company


the citizen morand spoke little ate less drank still less again and rarely laughed


maurice perhaps on accont of those recollections which recalled his voice soon en tertained for him a strong sympathy


ho was only in doubt as to his age and that doubt caused him to feel uneasy


at one time he considered bim forty or fortyfive years of age at another quite a young man


dixmer made a blundering awkward address on the subject of the introduction of maurice to their com pany but the guests did not seem difficult to please and all were satisfied on the head


maurice looked at him with astonishment


upon my honour said he within himself i could not have believed it


is it indeed the mun who with burning eye and threatening voice pursued me musket in hand and who three quarters of an hour ano would have killed me


i should have considered him then to be either a hero or an assassin


mon dieu


i how a love of skins alters a mans character


whilst maurice made these observations he felt in his heart a combined joy and grief so profound that he could scarcely tell in what condition were his feelings he at length found himself beside the unknown for whom he had so long searched


as he anticipated she had a sweet name


he was intoxicated with the happiness of being seated beside her


he drank in every word and accent and every word she spoke to the sound of her voice vibrated to the innermost cords of his heart


but that heart was crushed by what he saw


getievive was in deed that which he had seen


the dream of an exciting night was not destroyed by the reality she was still the elegant woman with a languishing eye and enlightened mind


she i was evidently a young woman of distinction compelled by the ruin of nobility to ally her self with the commercial classes


dixmer seemed a good man incontestihly rich and his manners towards genevive seemed lo be those of amun who made it his business to render a wife happy


but this goodnature these riches the excellent intentions could they fill up the space which existed between the wife and husbandbetween the charming poetic young woman and the man of vulgar occupation


i


with what sentiments did genevive con template this abyss


maurice returned to his first opinion of the young woman viz that on the evening he encountered her she was return ing from a love assignation


the idea that genevive loved a man tortured maurices heart


then he sighed then he regretted that he had come to receive another dose of that poison which is termed love


again when he heard thai voice so sweet pure and harmonious when be contemplated her clear open looks which seemed not to fear that by them one might penetrate to the bottom of the soul i maurice was compelled to believe that with such a creature it was impossible there could he any deception


then he experienced a i feeling of joy and bitterness combined on thinking that such a lovely being belonged i soul and body to this easyminded citizen with j his pleasant smile and vulgar pleasantries and i never could be his


they conversed on politics


it could not be otherwise


what could one i talk about in an era when politics were mingled with everythingpainted on the table service spread over the walls and proclaimed every i hour in the streets


all at once one of the guests who had till then remained silent asked what news there were concerning the prisoners in the temple


maurice in spite of himself started at the tone of this voice


he recog


i nised through it the man of extreme measures who had at first struck him with his dagger and then voted for his death


however this man an honest tanner and as dixmer said foreman of the tannery boon restored maurices good humour by expressing the most patriotic views and ultrarevolutionary principles the young man in certain cir cumstances was not opposed to vigorous mea sures so much in fashion then and of which danton was the hero and apostle


maurice instead of assassinating a spy as this roan proposed to do would have let him loose in the garden and with equal arms sabre in hand would have fought him without pity or mercy


that is what maurice would have done but he instantly remembered that it was instantly remembered that it was too much to expect from a journeyman tanner


this man of extreme measures publicly and privately spoke of the temple and was astonished that the s ifeguard of the prisoners was confided to a permanent council capable of being cor rupted anti to municipals whose fidelity had been more than once attempted


yes said citizen morand but it must be granted that uu to the present moment the conduct of these guards has justified the con fidence of the nation and history will ncord that no other citizen save robespierre has merited the title of the incorruptible


doubtless doubtless continued the other but because a thing has not happened it would be absurd to suppose that it never could occur


j he companies of the national uuard for in stance are in turn on duty in the temple


is it not possible that twenty or twentyfive deter mined men might not be found amongst them dio some fine night would cut the throats of the sentinels and carty off the prisoners bah i citizen said maurice it is a bad method since they have failed when similar means were attempted about a month ago


yes observed morand that was because one of the aristocrats who composed the patrol had the imprudence to allow the word bir ti escape him him when speaking to i dont know who i besides said maurice who supported the republican police they were conscious of the entrance of the chevalier of the red house into paris bah cried dixmer


they knew that the chevalier was in paris coldly asked morand


did they know by what means he had entered perfectly well


the duce i exclaimed morand leaning forward to regard maurice i should be curious to know that


up to the present time nothing positive has been stated on that subject


hut you citizen the secretary of one of the principal sections of paris you ought to be better informed


witbout doubt and that which tam abouti totell you is the exaot truths n all the guests including genevive seemed to pay the most marked attention to what the youn man was about to say


well the chnvalier of the red house as it seems traversed all france with his usual ifood fortune


he reached during the day the barnen du roule where he waited until nine oclock af night


at that hour a woman dis guised as one of the lower orders passed the barrier carrying to the chevalier the costume of a chasseur oft the nacional guard


fn a few minutes she returned with hitm


the seit tinel who saw her go through alone suspected something when she returned acoompanied


he gave the alarm the guard turned out and the two criminals knpwing that they were the objects of pursuit entered an hotel which had a second entrance from the champs lyses


it seems that a patrol entirely devoted to the tyrants awaited the chevalier at the corner of the rue burredubeo


you know the rest


ah ah said morand


what you relate is very strange


but true


yes it has the appearance j but the womando they know what became of her


no she disappeared and all are com pletely ignorent as to who or what she is


the associate of dixmer and dixnier him self seemed to respire more fi eely


genevive heard all pale silent and motionless


but said cittizen morand with his usual coolness who can say that the chevalier of the red mouse was in this patrol which gavo the alarm at the temple


a municipal one of my friends who was that day on duty recognised him he was acquainted then with his appear ance


he had formerly seen him and what kind of a man is this chevalier asked morand


a man about twentyfive or twentysix years of age little far of an agreeable coun tenance having magnificent eyes and superb teeth


there reigned a profound silence


well said morand


if your friend the municipal did recognise ihispretendfcdchevalier why did he not an est him


in the first place being unaware of his presence in paris he was afi aid he was duped by a resemblance and like most wise but slow natures when in doubt he abstained


you would not have acted so citizen said dixmer quickly laughing at the tame time


no t admit it


i would rather have made a mistake than have allouedsuch anlan gt rous man as the chevalier to escape


and what would you have done sir asked genevive


i should have ordered all the gates of the temple to be closed


i should have gone straight to the patrol and put my hand on the chevaliers collar saying chevalier of the red house i arrest you as a traitor


if i had once seized him i would have answered for his safe custody


what then would have occurred rk asked genevive


he would have been tried along with his accomplices and before this have been guil lotinedthat is all


genevive shuddered and threw upon her neighbour a look of terror


the citizen morand did not seem to remark it


he coolly empties his glass


the citizen linde is right said he that was what ought to have been done


unfortu nately it was not done


do they know asked genevive what has become of the chevalier


bah cried dixmer seeing his attempt abortive he must have quitted paris imme diately afterwurds


and france too most likely added morand not at allnot all said maurice


what i has he been so very imprudent as to remain in france exclaimed genevive


he has not stirred a step


a general movement of astonishment re ceived this decided opinion of maurice


i


i you presume so citizen saul morand that is all


no no i affirm the fact


oh i said genevive as for me can scarcely helieve it


it would be a most un pardonable imprudence


you are a woman and you can compre hend one thin which ought to characterise man like the chevalier of the lied house and weigh over every other consideration


and what can surpass the fear of death in such a frightful guise


good gracious ilove


love repeated genevive


doubtless


do you not know that the chevalier is in love with marie antoinette


two or three timid incredulous but forced laughs were heard


dixnier looked at maurice a if to search his soul


genevive felt the tears run down her cheeks and a shudder passed over her frame which did not escape maurice


the citizen morand poured out some wine and car rind to his lips


his paleness would tiave alarmed maurice had not the whole of the young man s attention been concentrated upon genevive


you are moved citizen murmured mauricel have you not said that i should under stand because iwas a woman


well our sex although it may be opposed to our principles are always touched by such devotion that of the chevalier of the of thered house is proportionally greater since we are assured he has never spoken with the queen


ah i citizen linday said the man of ex


treme measures it seems to me that you are very indulgent towards the chevalier


sir said maurice using perhaps pur posely a word that had beerr discarded i love all proud aud courageous natures


but that would not prevent men from fighting with them if i encountered them in the ranks of my ene mies


i do not despair being able one day to meet the chevalier of the bed house


and said genevive


if i encounter him shall engage him


the supper was finished ami genevive herself set the example of retiring


at this moment the clock struck


twelve said morand coldly i twelve i exclaimed maurice midnight so soon


rx


that is an exclamation aid dixmer which affords me pleasure


it shows that you not tired of us and aflwds us hope that we shall see you again


it is the house of a good patriot that is open to you and i trut you will soon discover it to be that of a friend


maurice bowed and trningi towards ge nevive asked willyoucitizenalso permit rae toretum i do more i beg of you to te turn quickly answered genevive


adieu citizen


she rtjtired to her chamber


maurice took leave of all the guests parti crlarly saluted morand who had pleased him much shook dixmers hand ami departed more joyous than sadat the varied events which had ween agitated that evening


annoying most annoying recognition said the young woman after matrice retreat bursting into tears ti the presence of her mjabanm j bmj mmatltit iifisdeyy v wvwfouw


i patriot the secretary of a section adored by j the populace is on the other hand a precious acquisition for a poor tanner who has smuggled goods in his house


dixmer smiled


t


i mi


you believed so my dear friend timidly asked genevive i believe that it is a patriotio seal of abso lution which he places on our house and i believe hat from this vary evening the ghevalw of the red house himself wouldbe safe in raitt dwelling


dixmer kissed his wifes forehead with ft affection more paternal than conjugal left kef in the little pavilion which was entirely conse crated to her and retired to another part of i the building with the guests who had surrounded i his table


i to be continued


mr


caudles breakfast talk


from punch january


chapter iiishowing


how mr


caudle could


out and enjot himelf


by the bye sarah just put half adozon shirts and all that sort of thing in my portman teau


im goingthere you aro with your black looks again


i can never go anywhero just a little to enjoy myself but you look uko thunder


what i might sometimes take you out t non sense womenthat is women when theyre mar riottare besl at homo


what can thny want to go out for


its quite enough for them to go out to hunt for husbands when theyve caught em m em sit at home nnd sing with the kettle and the cat their bst place is their fireside


halfadozen shirts i say and my rhaving tackle


do you hear mc


mrs cnudle


perhaps when youve done counting the legs of that fly on tho ceiling youll attend to me


eh


i think you never want to go ou f quito the contrary its my belief youd always be out if you wanted to go about like a junefly why did you marry


i should have told you where i was going but as youve shown jour temper i wont toll you a syllable


no nor i shan t tell you who im going with or when i shall bo back


when you see me then you may expect me and not before


and mind all the buttons aro on my shirtsthats all


its miserable always bring left by yourself f yourself indeed i am t there hooks in the house


theres capital company on the shelves if youd only get acquainted with them


im sure youd bo none the worse for em besides theres the cookery book read that


a wife eant study anything botter


tho fact is mrs caudle ive indulged you too much


ive made a fool of you


ao i havnt f


well then who has


if i havnt somebody has its plain


going out indeed ive no opinion of any woman who wants to go out at all


women were never intended to go out only tho fact is wnva let you have your own way


ha i they manage these matters much better in the east


im eonerally a pretty quiet man mrs caudle and you know it


nevertheless i have a little of tho lion in me just a little


dont rouso it thats all


thcro you aro with the pockethandkerchief again


always hoisting that signal of distress


no no im not made of sugar


uko a twelfth cake image im not to bo melted with tears let thora bo as many and as hot as they will


besides as i say you can all do it when you likeevery mothers soul of you


but im not to be washed off my logs by any river of the sort


au i say to you isstay at homo


youve a needle and thread havent you


and ill bo sworn for it plenty of things to make or to mend


and if you havent cut holes and sow em up again


now seo when i como homo that ray port manteaus ready


whats oclock


you want five minutes to


no doubt the old story youro always wanting something


chapter ivshowing how caudle having lost money at cards determines to abridge the house expenses


i dont know how it is my dear but when i remember that theres only j ou and mysolfjust two of us and i eat and drink next to nothing and when i see what other people do with half our money i do think you might be a little innre careful


im sure i spend no money on myself none


nobody can be more watchful of overy sixpence but of course a man can save but little when he knowsor that is when ho fears ho knows that everythings going to waste at home


besidess its a womans placeparticularly a womans placeto save


women were designed for it


economy is one of the noblest virtues bound up with matrimony


there can bo cry little real love mrs caudle where economys neglected


a woman cant truly care for a mans heart unless she has an equal regard for his pocket the things go together and always did from the first


no mrs caudle i did not lose at my whist club last nightthat is only next to nothing in other words nothing to speak of


now


thats like your sex


you always set about hunting for some foolish shabby motive for whatover your husbands complain about


because i lose at cards i dont want to get the money back out of your cupboard


no i want to save money that should i bo taken from youand lifb at all times is uncertain mrs caudleyou might be left snug and comfortablethnts my object


but i never knew any w oman yetexcept one rest her sainted soul iwho had tho mind or the generosity to allow a truly noble motivo to what her husband should do that is if it went against herself you cant help itpoor things


inevertheless when a man is depriving himnelf of every little enjoyment that ho may lay by something for a rainy day it is harda little hard i thinkto have a woman spend what you do in housekeeping


now mrs caudle be rational dnd for the thousandth time let mo beg of you not to cry


you only wasto your trouble and your tears


both are thrown away upon me im not one of the people i tell you again to bo melted with a little soft water


my expenses that is yaw ex


penses are dreadful


your grocers billand when i never tasto sugar in my teais preposte rous enough to ruin a man of ten thousand a j ear what


take sugar in my grog and so do my friends


scarcely anynothing to speak of not worth naming


and then look at your butcher for tho last fortnight


well


i know i wont oat cold joints


i had enough of them with my firstthat is i cant bear em


besides with half the money you have a cold joints an insult to any man


and finally


mrs


caudlefor you know i hato this talk at breakfast its a meal of all others i like to enjoy when i canfinally i have mado a calculation and in the next month como what will your cupboard must do with ten pounds less


its for jour good i tell you when im gono and ten pounds i must havo of you


charles dickens


charles dickens was born about the year and in when he was twentyfour years of age


he filled an obscure situation in connection with the daily newspaper press of london


the name of the newspaper to which he contri buted the sketches of boz which first attracted the attention of the literary public was the evening chronicle


the extaordi nary success of these sketches caused them to be collected in two volumes in and their circulation was unparalleled


his se cond book was published in and en titled the pickwick papers


they had a circulation of upwards of


this is one of mr dickens happiest efforts and has afforded us many a merry hour


nicholas nickleby was his next work


in this we have many melancholy and more mirthful pictures


the illused smikethe starved scholars at dotheboys halland nicholass adventures with the strolling players companyareu described in his best manner


after the publication of this work a new magazine made its appearance entitled bentleys miscellany of which he became editor and in it gave to the public his next novel oliver twist


there are many scenes of low vice in this work which in our opinion might have been omitted with benefit to the story


master hum phreys clock was commenced in and is a series of tales by our author barnaby rudge being the principal one


in mr dickens on returning from america to which he made a shorrtrip published his american notes for general circulationa work which however was not so successful as any of his previous ones


no doubt its nonsuccess served to irritate him against our american friends for in he began martin chuzzlewit in which they do not figure very favourably


mr dickens has also published a christ mas carrol in prose the chimes and has just issued a pleasing new work for christmas called the cricket on the hearth


the very name of boz recalls to our minds the very happiest of recollections


mr pickwick with his merry face a per fect man of smilessam weller with all his irresistible drolleiy and his merry im pudencelittle nelloliver twisttoby vecktiny timand hundreds ol other individual portraitshave all left an impres sion which we hope will never be effaced


english paper


chapter x i have written toyou not to keep comppany if any madliat is called a brother be a drunkard with such a one not so much as to eat


j corin


v


s well father having learned so much respecting the evils of intemperance will otinow favour meby


showing me the good effects of temperance in all respects


f most cheerifully my son


i have already


mentioned to you that aslongas a serson practices the virtue of temperance there is no great danger of hisoffending e beeaaise of the subjection thus imposed uppntlie passions of tebody


will no


speak more at length onthis great virtue


temperance my son is one of the cardinal virtues and is so called because upon it depends the superstructure of other virtues


as humility is called the foundation of theisavidues i mhicnimediately bloevate ithe soul to god and to a contemplation of his divine perfections sod in like manner may we justly calltoniperance the foundation oi those moral virtues by the practice of which the conduct of mans life may be in accrordtince wvith the dictates of wisdom


s


are there any scriptural coinmenda tions of temperance


f yes many andwith them shall siow furnish you


in the book of proverbs give notwine tokings because thete is no secret where drulkcenness reigneth


ind lestiht y drink and forget judgments and pervertthe cause of the children of the poor


in thii condemnation of intempe rance we behold the strongest commenda tidor of temperance


now if wine bbe a sourced of evil to kings what must itnot be to subjects and what amplo proofs have wo ndt daily before or eyes of the deriora liting effects of drunkenness with regard to the niasssof thepeople


who are bad and unfaithful subjects to their sovereign


drunkards


who


are bad and wicked parentsdrunkards


who fll the public prisons by their crimes


drunkaids


who briak the hearts of parents ruinithe for hinesi ofbrothers and sisters bring misery and disgrace to their homes


drunken sons and daughters


who in fine are the pests ifisociety


drunkanrds


s futlier what you say is alas tob true but


ct me hoar more from the


bible rc garding temperance


f ecclesiasticus says watching and choliir and aripes are with an intemperate man sound and holesome sleep with a temperate man he


shall sleep till morning and his soul shall be delighted with him


this father oughtto be a great and a powerful inducement to all to becoimb tdeiperate


i wish that johlm ould reflect upon those sacred concinmitlations of tein pcncrc for i l vco


often heard him in the morning


complain of what a bad nights rest hq


had and when i inquired of himp the cause he said oh indeed i took a dwoptoo ntulch last night


f yes uy son suchis the morning inn dago


fi the drunkard


alas lihow blind thnnis to hi own iiappmiess


i ttpcpev ing he scruplcs ast toainduige himself vith an intoxicating drinkwhich renders him unfit to present himselfbefore god to thank him for his divine protecctionduring the past day and to pray for a continuance of that mercy during the hours of sleep he fears not to lie down upon his bed with out any consideration upon the hour that is approaching to him with the rapidity of iglitning in which he itust bid adieb to


this world and oh


god ipw omaiy spch


persons hastthou called out of this life to thy judgment in a drunken fit


it is no wonder my son that john would complain of a bad nights rest when he wasso wicked as to drive away from himself by his drun ken excess the protecting angel whom god has given to hiip and laid himself down to sleep in the arms of sin


s father i will advise john against ever doing so anymore and i will tell him what the scriptures say about drunkards


chapter xi asn


advnturui as thue we lightened the road with chlitiig the inereasing concourse of people


and the greauer throng


ofvai rinef that filled the road announced that we badnearly reached our destination considine said mnyuncle riding up to where


we were i havetajt got afew lines from davern


it seems bodbjins people are afraid to


come in


tley know what theyripiist expect and if so morethais half of that borny is lost o


our oppqnct t


then he has no chance


whatever


he never hadin any opinioi said sir urairy


he remainder of the way was occur hied in dis ssiing the vtrious posfibtlities of the election iato which iwas rejoiced to find that defeat never entered


in the goodly days i speak of a county contest ws


so very different thing indeed rom the tamne and insipid farce that now passes underthat name where a brietiess barrister buhlled by both sides sits as assessora few drunken votersa radi caloconnelgite grocer


a demagogue priest t deputy grand purple something from the trinity college


lodge with some half dozen followers shouting to the devil with peel or down with dens form the whole corps de ballet


no no in the timnes i refer to the voters were some thousands in number and the ad verse parties took the field far less dependent for success upon previous pledge or promise made them than upon the actual stratagem of the day


each went forth like a general to battle sur


roundedby a numerous andwellchosen staff


one party of friends acting ascom missrriat attended to the victualling of the voters to see that they obtaineda due or rather undue allowance of liquor and came properly drunk to the poll others again broke into skirmishing parties and scattered over the country cut off the enemies supplies breaking down their postchaises


upsetting


their jaunting cars


stealing their pollbooks andkid napping their agents


then there were secret service people bribing the enemy and enticing


thesnto desert and


lastly there awas


species


of sapperandminer force who invented falsedocuments denied the identity of the opposite partys people and when hard pushed


provided persons iho took bribes fromaihe enemy and gave evidence afterwards on a peti tion


amid all these encounters of wit and ingenuity the personal friends of the candidate formed a species of rifle brig ade picking out the enemys officers and doing sore damage


to their tactics by


shooting a proposer or wounding a secondera considerable portionof every leading agents fe being


intended as


compensation for the duels he might could would should or ought to fight during the election


such in brief was a contest in the ohlen time and when it


iistaleii nti consideraiion that it usuially lasted a fortnight orthree weeks that a considerable military force was always


engagedfor our irish law permits this and which when nothingpressing wa


doing was regularly assailed by


both partiestlhat far rore de rendence was placed in a a bludgeon thian id aipistol and that the man who registered a vote without a cracked pate u zs regarded as a kind of natural phenomenon some taint idea may be formed how much sucba scene must have contributed to the peace of the county and theb happinessand wel fare ofallconcerned in it


as we rode along a loudcheerfro a road that ran parrallel toth one we were


surpuing attracted our attentiori and we perceivedthat the cortege of the opposite party was hastenin onto the hustings


i could distinguish the blakes girls on horseback among a crowd of nicers in undress


aand saw something like a bonnet in the carriage and four which hetded the procession and which i judged to be that of sir george dash wood my heart tbeat sttonggly as i strained my eyes to see if miss dashwood were there but i could not discern her and it was with a sense of relief that i reflectedon the possibility of our inot meeting under circumstances wherein our feelings and interests were o corn pletely opposed


while


i was engaged in making this survey i hat accidenthlly dropt behind my companions


but my eyes were firmly fiaed upon that carriage and in the faint hope that it contained the object of all my wishes i forgot every thing else


at length the cortrge entered the town and passing beneath a heavy stone gateway was lost to my view


i was still lost in reverie when anunder agent ofmy uncles rode up


oh


master charles said he whats to be donei theyve forgotten mr holmes at woodford and we havent a carriage chaise or even sacar left to send for him


have you told mr considinea


diaqui red i


and sure youknow yonrself how little mr considine thinks of a lawyer


its ssmall comfort hed give rne if went to tell him


if it was a case of pistols or a bullet mould hed ride back the whole way himselffor them


try sirharry boyle then


hes making a speech this minute be fore the courthouse


ihis had sufficed to show me thowfar behind my companions i had been hit eringi when a cheer from the distant road again turned myeyes in thfiattdirec tion


it was the dashwootd carriage re turning after leaving sir george at the hustings


the head of the brrtska be tore thrown open was now closed and i could not makeout if any toe were in side


devil a doubt of it said tlie agent in


answer


to some questiodn t a farfner who rode beside hm will you stanil to me


trothtobe sure i will


here goes then said he gatbering up hii reins aid turning his horse towards the fence at the road side tollow me now boys


the order was well obeyed for when be had cleared the ditch a dozen stout country fellows well mqunted were be sidehim


away they went at a hunting puae taking every leap before them and heading towards the roed beforeus


without thinking further of the tmat ter i was laughing at the draol effect the line of frine coas pretieuted as ihqyroude side by side over the stone walls when an observation near me aroused say attention


sah then av they know anything ot jim finucane theyll give itup peaca


lyr its little hed think of takingthe cpachfrom under the judge himself


what are they about boys said i goin to take the chailei and four fot nidstye yer honor


saidthe nsa t i waited not to hear more but darting spurs into my horses sides cleaied the fence in one bound


lmv borse a strong knit halfbred was as fast as a racer fir a short distance so that when the agent and his party had come up with the car riage i was only a few hundred yards behind


i shouted out with all my might


but they either heard not or heeded not for scarcely was the first man over the


fence into the road when the


postilion on the leader was felled to theground and hisplace supplied


by his slayer


the boy on the wheeler shared the same fate andin an instant so well managed wais the attack the carriage was in pos yession of the assailants


four stout fellows had climbed intot the bdhy and the rumble and six others were chir


ing to the interior regardless of the aid of steps


by this time theidashwoodlpart had


got


the alarm and returned in full forcenot


however


before the other hlad laid whip to the horses aid set out in full


gallop and now iomnmericed the most terrific race i ever witnessed


i he four carriage horses which were the property of sirgeorge


were engliah chdarrghbreds of great


value and to tally unaccustomed to the treatrret they experienced and dashed forwardnt a pace that threatened anpihilation tothe carriage at every bound


tihe iursuerr though wellmounted were secedily dis tanced but followed t apuce tllhtin the end was ceitain to


ovealtklei car ringe as for myself i rqte anbeside the rord at


thet ull speed


of


my horses shouting cursing imploring eecrating and beseechingin turnoes but all in vain the yells and


eliouts of the pursuerse ais pursued drowned all other bsounde except when the thundering cranof thehorses feet rose above all


the rqadhlike mopt western


irish


roada uitil the present centprv yl


straigit psa an arrow


for miles regardless of every olpposing bar rier and in the instance in question cros ed a mountain it itsvery lhighest point


towardsthis pipprnletlh pace liad been tremendous but owingo lv higher breeditng of the cattle thb ear riage psrty had still the


ndiancg and wleii theyreached tie torp teyppteaim ed


the victary ly a cheaerof triumptiand derision


the carriage disapptearedbeh neath the crest of the mountain adr the pursueirs hnlteds


iq t m j quish the chase


conme on boys


nevergive uprem s i


springing over into theroeadandhead ing the party towhich by everyright was


opposed


it as fnotigic fordeliheratio they followedme witrh ahearty


that convincedmei asunknown


bth nexp t instantwewere


n the no


th top and bbeld the ctarriage half


y dawnbeeath u


s aill galitpiogti


i stretch


we have them now said voicelb


bind me


theyll never turilarra bri rif weonlypreas on


the speaker was rgbt ther


i the imountain


foot turnediatat perkf s right antgle and then crosseda


lofod arched bridge over a moiuntair ire rr sthat ran deep and boiterousty vbenc


onwewent gainingaatve r


trirfd the fellows who rode postillionri ll knewewhat wasbefore thernmaudesliak t ened their pace to seenre a safe turning


a yell of victoryrose from thepuriueri butwas nnswered by the others


i a i ebeer of defiance


the apace wasnow scarcely two hundred yards betweents when the head of the britskaw down nda figure that


atonce rwtug


i nised as the redoubled


tim finueanc oneof the boldest and moat reckles fellows in the countrywasseen staetling on theseatholding acious heavens fitwa trueholding inhis rmasthe ap


parenaiy lifeless figure of milt l da wood


fiold in shouted the ruffin


witha voice that rose high above all the other sounds


hold in i or by the eternal ill trow fher


hoty and baonesinto the lurra gash for suehb was the torrent called that boiled and foamed a few yards before us


he had by this time got firmltplante on tbe lbintl seat and hld the drooping form on one aris with dl


the ease ofa giants grasp


for thelove of god said i pull up


i know him wellhell do it to aceu tainty if you press on


and


we know yonutoo saiduireffialy fellow with a dark


whisker


meeting beneath his chin and haveisome scores to settle ere we part


but i heard no more


wih oiin trq


mnendus effort i dashed mybarse for ward


the carriage turned ann angle of the roadfor an intannt was out ofsighit another moment i was behipd it


stop


i shouted with a list effort but in vain


thehorses nmddeiedaitil infuriated sprang forward and eedleas of all efforts to turn themthe leadem sprang over the low parapetof tl e bridge and hanging for a becond by the traces fell with a crasb into the swollei torrent beneathby thin time


i was beside the carriagefinuane had norw clambered to the box and regardleas of the death and ruin around bentiupon bia muderous object he


lifted thie light and girlish form above his head


bent back


wards as


if to give greater impulse to his effort when tainiria my lash arbund my wrist i levelled niybeavy indloin d hunting whip at iheadthe weiglited ball of lend struck him lexatly benea


b bis hat he staggered his hands relaned and he fell lifeless to the ground the same instant i was eiiea to rte earti n a blow froui behind ad sawno air


chapter ii


dr livingstons third journey in his companions and design deviates from previous routenatural features and productions of the country north of the zenga swamps and rivers reaches the chose arrived at linyantlreception by scbltoandrccoht history of that chief first religious ser vice among the akololodeath of sobitoanefeature of the country first sight of the za basotho travellers joyride purpose and return


in the spring of our persevering friend now rejoined by mr oswell once more left kolobeng for the north


but hoping and believing that he would be able permanently to remain and labour in the remote yet populous region he had discovered he took with him mrs livingston and their little ones prepared as some might have regarded it to bury himself and his family in the very depths of african solitudes and savage is it was a noble venture christian heroism in one of its sublimest forms


proceeding by their old route so far as a place called nehokotsa near the zouga they crossed that river at the point indicated in the map and proceeding in the same direction they passed several hollows called by the natives salt pans one of them probably miles long by broad covered with a saline incrustation and containing a spring of brackish water


pursuing the same northerly course for a time then bending to the northwest they traversed first a limestone region covered with mosaic and bomber trees abounding with springs and inhabited by bushmen


early in june they entered a tract of country excessively dry and difficult for travellers until they reached a small stream called mambare which empties itself into a dismal swamp ten miles broad through which they had to work their weary way


having emerged from this they crossed the south and reached the banks of the choose a large and deep river falling into the zambesi upon which linyanti the residence of sebastian the chief of the makolold was situated


this place is in a deg


min slat and deg


min e long


it will be seen upon the map


leaving their cattle on an island on the river dr livingston and mr oswell entered a canoe which propelled by five expert rowers rushed down the current at a rapid rate for a distance of thirty miles to linyanti


here sebitoaq received them with the greatest kindness assured them that their cattle would certainly die from the bite of the tsetse but that he would replace them and proposed to bring their wagons across the globe in his canoes that they might be placed beyond the reach of the marauding matabele


it was impossible not to see the unbounded delight which the chief felt in the presence of his visitors or to question the intensity of his desire for the resi dence of a missionary amongst his people


long before daylight he was by dr living stons fire relating the adventures and disasters of his eventful history


for nearly thirty years he had been engaged in warfare principally with the matabele the people of the renowned moselekatse


several times had he lost his all and now he owed his security to the noble rivers chobe and leeambye whose broad deep streams prevented the incursions of his powerful enemies


malarious and fatal at this region of swamp and river proved he found himself at this period richer in cattle and with a larger number of subjects composed of basuto bak warns bamangwato and the black races than any other chief in south africa known to dr livingston


for many years he had been anxious for intercourse with europeans


with this view he had sent large presents to chiefs residing at a distance to induce them to promote this object


on the day after dr livingstons arrival he conducted two religious services amongst the people


these proved the last as well as the first at which sebastian was present and upon this account the missionary looked back upon them with mingled feelings of sorrow and satisfaction for just as the chief began to see the accomplishment of his longcherished desire he was seized with pneumonia and in a fortnight expired


this loss was severely felt by dr livingston but the people gathered round him and said do not leave us though sebastiani is dead his children remain and you must treat them as you would have treated him


but kind as their conduct was they are writes dr livingston the most savage race of people we have ever seen


the country at which we had now arrived presented for hundreds of miles a dead level interlaced by a perfect labyrinth of rivers with their countless tributaries and numerous enter ing and reentering branches


on this account it is called linotkanoka rivers upon rivers and constitutes a region marvellously different from that which the blank spaces on our african maps were supposed to indicate


but after a y residence of two months dr


livingston was convinced that though rich and fertile in an end brjary degree the periodical rise of its numerous streams and the prevalence of the destructive tsetse


formed fatal objections to s ii missionary centre and that his benevolent design or removing his own people thither


that their social and spiritual improvement might be carried forward if without molestation from their savage neighbours the dutch boers would be fflrwcbl


tpjbcessary to the clear understanding of drs laifagitonafourth and final journey and consequently to the mostimportantohisex plorations that the position of linyanti should be kept in mind for to this point we shall ant he once and again returned while performing the great achievements of the last four years and ahalf


it was during his stay here also that he first visited that magnificent stream whose course to the mozambique channel he subsequently traced and whose ample bosom in all probability is destined at no distant period to become the noble pathway of the traveller the trader and the missionary into the hitherto untraversed centre of the great african continent


in different parts of its course it bears the names of secheke leeambye and zambesi


at the point first reached by dr livingston it is called the secheke


but these various designations simply mean the river a distinction to which it is well entitled


our travellers visit to its banks will best be described in his own words we proceeded on horseback about miles farther than the place where the wagons stood to see the secheke or river of the barptze it is from to yards broad and at the end of a remarkably dry season had a very large volume of water in it


the waves lifted the knees and made them roll beautifully and brought back old scenes to my remembrance


and though the banks are from sixteen to twenty feet in height we saw evidence of its annual overflow fifteen miles beyond


when the wind blows waves of considerable size rise on its surface and accidents frequently occur in crossing


it was quite calm when i went over in the morning to hold a service in the town but as the time for taking an altitude of the sun approached the waves were running so high that it was only by great persuasion i could induce the people to paddle me back again


who can describe the travellers joy in thus finding what he then believed and has since proved to be the key of southern and central africa


for the stream he now surveyed was not a mere wide waste of waters but a mighty artery supplying life to the teeming population of central south africa


but deep as was the interest which dr livingston felt in the scenery now spread out before him that interest was chiefly concentrated upon the inhabitants of this fine region


having obtained so auspicious an introduction to these he resolved to cultivate their acquaintance in the belief that the gospel with its accompany ing power and results would make them a great and prosperous people


filled with these purposes his heart swelling with large anticipations and generous designs our traveller once more bends his steps back again partly over the weary way he had previously traced and partly upon the tamunacle and the zouga rejoicing as one that findeth great spoil


on reaching the latter river under date october st he thus refers to the future a you will see by the accompanying sketch what an immense region god has in his providence opened up


i think it will be impossible to make a fair commencement unless i can secure two years devoid of family cares


i shall be obliged to go


southward perhaps to the cape in order to have my uvula excised and my arm mended


it has occurred to me that as we must send our children to england soon it will be no great additional expense to send them now along with their mother


this arrangement would enable me to proceed alone and devote about two or perhaps three years to this new region but i must beg your sanction and if you please let it be given or withheld as soon as you can conveniently so that it might meet me at the cape


to emphasise my children will be like tearing out my bowels but when i can find time to write fully you will perceive it is the only way except giving up the region altogether


when we consider the multitudes which in the providence of god have been brought to light in the country of sebitoanthe probability that in our efforts to evangelize we shall put a stop to the slave trade in a large region and by means of the highway into the north which we have discovered bring unknown nations within the sympathies of the christian world if i were to choose my lot it would be to reduce this new language translate the bible into it and be the means of forming a church


let this be accomplished i think i could then lie down and die contented


deeply sympathising with the spirit of this appeal and entering heartily into the object of their admirable missionary the directors of the london missionary society gave at once their cordial sanction to his design and placed at his disposal the means for meeting the expenses he had incurred


master humphreys clock


ko vir


w second chapter of mr pickwicks tale


weleft will marks leaning mider the gibbet with his face towards the to wu scanning ibe distance withakeen eye whteh sought to pierce the darkness and catch the earliest glimpse of any person or persons that might approach towards him


but all was quiet and save the howling of die wind asit swept across the heath in gusts and tne creaking of the chains that dangled above his head there was no sound to break the sullen stillness of the night


after half an hour or so this monotony became more disconcerting to will than the most furious uproar would have been and he heartily wished for some one antagonist with whom he might have a fair standup fight if it were only to warm himself


truth to teil it was a bitter wind and seemed to blrw to the very heart of


a man whose blood heated hut now withrapidriding was


the more sensitive to t he chilling blast


will was a daring fellow and cared not a jot for hard kroeks or sharp blades but he could not pfersuade himself to move or walk about having ju st that vague expectation of a sudden assault vrinch made it a comfortable thing to have so mething at his back even though that something were a gallows tree


he had no great faith in the superstitions of the age still o such of them as occurred to him did not serve to lighten the time or to render his situation thf more endurable lie remembered how witches were said to repair at that ghostly hour to churchyards aud gibbets and such like dismal spots to pluck the bleeding mandrake or scrape the flesh from dead mens bones as choice ingredients for their shells how stealing by night to lonely places they dug graves with their finger nails or anointed themselves before riding in the air with a delicate pomatum made of the fat of infants newly boiled


these and many other fabled practices of a no less agreeable nature and all having some reference to the circumstances in which he was placed assed and repassed in quick succession through the mind of will maiks and adding a shadowy dread to that distrust and watchfulness which his situation inspired rendered it upon the whole sufficiently uncomfortable


as he had foreseen too the rain began to descend heavily and driving before the wind m a thick mist obscured even those few objects which the darkness of the night had before imperfectly revealed


look shrieked a voice geat heaven it has fallen down aud stands erect as if it lived


the speaker was close behind himthe voice was almost at his ear


will threw off his cloak drew his sword and darting swiftly round seized a woman by the wrist who recoiling from him with a dreadful shriek fell struggling upon her kuees


another woman clad like her whom he had grasped iu mourning garments stood rooted to the spot on whioh they were gazing upon his face with wild and glaring eyes that quite appalled him


say cried will when they had confronted each other thus for some time what are ye


say what are you returned the woman who trouble even this obscene restingplace of


the dead and strip the gibbet of its honored burden


where is the body t


he looked in wonder and affright from the woman who questioned him to the other whose arm he clutched


where is the body repeated his questioner more firmly than before you wear no livery which marks you for the hireling of the government


you are no friend to us or i should recognise you for the friends of such as we are few in number


what are you then and wherefore are you here


i am no foe to the distressed and helpless said will are ye airong that number


ye should be by your looks


we are was the answer


it is ye who have been waiiing and weeping here under cover of the night said will


it is replied the woman sternly and pointing as she spoke towards her companion she mourns a husband and i a brother


even the bloody law that wreaks its vengeance on the dead does not make that a crime and if it did twould be alike to us who are past its fear or favour


will glanced at the two females and could barely discern that the one whom he addressed was much the elder and that the other was young and of a slight figure


both were deadly pale their garmentswet and worn their hair dishevelled and streaming in the wind themselves bowed down with grief and miserytheir whole appearance most defected wretched and forlorn


a sight so different from anyhehad expected to encounter touched him to the quick and all idea of anything but their pitiable condition vanished before it


i am a rough blunt yeoman said will why i came here is told in a wordyou have been overheard at a distance in the silence of the night and i have undertaken a watch for hags or spirits


i came here expecting an adventure and prepared to go


through with any


if there be aught that i can do to help or aid you name it and on the faith of a man who can be secret and trubty i will stand by you to the death how comes the gibbet to be empty asked the elder female


i cwfer to you replied will that i know ais little iu yourself


but this i know that when i came here an hour ago or so it wasasit is nowr and if as i gather from your question it ires not so last night sure am that it has been secretly disturbed without the knowledge of the folks in yonder tpwn


be think you therefore whether you have no friends in league with you or with him on whom the law has done its worst by whom these sad remains have been removed for hurkl


v


the women spoke tokether and will retired a pace or two while they conversed apart


lie could hear them soli and moan and easr ihat they wrung theirhaus in fruitlessagony


he jeould make


out little that they said but between whiles he gathered enough to assure hum that fcis suggestion was not very wide jof the mark and that they not only suspected whom tlie body had been removed but also hither it had been conveyed


when they bpd been ior conversation a long time


they turned towards him once more


this time the younger female poke


you have offered us your help


i have and given a pledge that you are still willing to redeem


ys


so far as i may keeping au plots and coasptricies at arms length


follow us friend


v wifl whose selfpossession was now quite restored needed no second biddings but with his drawnsword in bis hand and his cloak so muffled over his left arm as to serve for a kind of shield without offering any impediment to its free action suffered them to lead the way


through mud and mire and wind and tain they walked insilenee a fiill mile


at length they turned into a dark lane where suddenly starting outfrom beneath onie trees where he had taken shelter a man appeared having in his charge three saddled horses


one of these his own apparently inobedience to a whisper from the women he consigned to will who seeing tha they mounted mounted also


then without a wiefdspoken they rode on together leaving the attendant behind


they made no halt nor slackened their pace until they arrived near putney


at a large wooden house which stood apart from any other they alighted and giving their horses to who was already waiting passed in by a side door and so up some narrow creaking stairs into a small panelled chamber where will was left alone he had not been here very long when the door was softly opened and ihere entered to him a cavalier whose face was concealed beneath a black mask


will stood upon his guard and scrutinised this figure from head to foot


the form was that of a man pretty far advanced in life but of a firm and stately carriage


his dress was of a rich and costly kind but so soiled and disordered that it ws scarcely to be recognised for one of those gorgeous suits which the expensive taste and fashion of the time prescribed for men of aty rank or station


he was booted and spurred and bore about him even as many tokens of the state of the roads as will himself


all this he noted while the eyes behind the mask regarded him with equal attention


this survey over the cavalier broke silence


thourt young and bold and wouldst be richer than thou art


the two first i am returned will


the last i have scarcely thought of


but be it so


say that i would be richer than i am what then the way lies before thee now replied the mask


show it me


first let me inform thee that thou wert brought here tonight lest thou shouldst too soon have told thy tale to those who placed thee on the watch


i thought


as much when i followed said will


buti am no blab not i j good returned the mask


now listen


he wbo was to have executed the enterprise j of burying that body which thou hast sus


j pected was taken down tonight has left us j in our need


j will nodded and thought within himself j that if the mask were to attempt to play any tricks the first eyelethole on the leftrliand side of his doublet counting from the buttons up the front would be a very good place in j which to pink him neatly


v


i thou art here and the emergency is j desperate


i propose his task to thee


convey the body now coffined in this house by means j that i shall show to the church of saint j dunstan in london tomorrow night and thy service shall be richly paid


thourt about to ask whose corpse it is


seek not to know


i warn thee seek not to know


felons hng in chains on every moor and heath


believe as others do that this was one and ask no further


the murders of state policy its victims or avengers had best remain unknown to such as thee


the mystery of this service said will bespeaks its danger


what is the reward


one hundred golden unities replied the cavalier


the danger to one who cannot be recognised as the friend of a fallen cause is not great but there is some hazard to be run


decide between that and the reward


what if i refuse said will


depart in peace in gods name returned themaskin a melancholy tone and keep our secret remembering that those who brought thee here were crushed and stricken women and that thoewho bade thee go free could have had thy life with one word and no man the wiser


men were readier to undertake desperate adventures in those times than they are now


in this ase tbe temptationwas great anrf the punishment even in case of detection was not likely to be very severe as will came of a loyal stock and his uncle was in good repute and a passable tale to account for his possession of the body and his ignorance of the identity might be easily devised


the cavalier explained that a covered cart had been prepared for the purpose that the time of departure could be arranged so that he shoulg reach london bridge at dusk and proceed thritmgh the city after the day had closen v ffiit people would be ready at his journeys end to place tho coffin in a vault without a minutes delays that officious enquirers in the streets would be easily repelled by the tale that he was carrying for interment the corpse of one


who bad died of the plagne and inshort showed himfvery reason why he should succeed aud nonewhy he should fail


after a time they were joined by another gentleman masked liked the first who added new ar s guments to tbpse which had been already urged the wretched wife too added ther


tears and prayers to their tcalmer representations and in the end will moyed by compassion find good nature by a loveof the marvellous y a mischievous anticipation of the kingston people when he should be missing next day tod finally by the prospect of gwn


took upon himself the task and devoted all his energies toits jjccessful execration


the following the hohow chbfes ofd eonftbri bridge responded to the juroblingf the art wch


contained ithe gbfestlyioad thfebject of wily marksjcarg


sufficiently disguised to attracfr no attention by his gad will walked at the horses had as unconcerned as a man cpuld be who was sensible that bejbad now arrived at the most dangerous part of bis undertaking but ml of boldness and confidence


it was now eight oclock


after nine none could walk the streets without danger of fhsir lives and even at this hour robberies and murder were of no pnconjwpn occurrence the shops upon the bridgefwere all closed the low wooden arches thropq across the way were like so many black every one ot which illfavored fallowssoricsd knots of three or foilr some standi itagainst the wall lying in wait othew ingin gateicombed heads waysand


thrusting ioutxl ana scowling eyes others nd recrossing and constantly jostling hctse and man to provoke a qtyiifrel others stealing away and summoning their companions


in a low whistle


once even in that short passage there was a noie f scuffing and the dash of swords behind hfa but will who knew the city and its ways kejrt straight on and scarcely turned his head


the streets being unpavd the rainof


the preceding night had


converted them iuto e perfect quagmire which the splashing water spouts from the gables and the filth andoffim cast from the different houses swelled id no small degree


thesesodious matters being left to putrify in the close and heavy air emitted au insupportable stench to which every court and passage poured forth a contribution of its own


many parts even of the main streets with their projecting storiestottering overhead and nearly shuttingout the sky were mote like huge chimneys than open ways


at the corners of some of these great bonfires were burhing to prevent infection from the plague of which it was rumoured that some citizens had lately died and few who availing themselves of the light thns afforded paused a moment to look around them would have been disposed to doubt the existence of the disease or wonder at its dreadful visitations but it war sot in snch scenes as these or even in the deep and miry road that will marks found the chief obstacles to his progress


there were kites and ravens feeding in the streets the only scavengers the city kept who scenting what he carried followed the cart or flutteied on its top and croaked their knowledge of its burden and their ravenous appetite for prey


there were distant fires where the poor wood and plaster tenements wasted fiercely and whither crowds made their way clamouring eagerly for plunder beating down all who came within their reach and yelling like devils let loose


there were singlehanded men flying from bands of ruffians who pursued then with naked weapons and hunted them savagely there were drunken desperate robbers issuiitg fitm eir dns and staggering through the open streets where no man dared molest them there were vagabond servitors returning from the bear garden where had baen good sport that day dragging after them their torn and bleeding dogs or leaving them to die and rot upon the road


nothing was abroad but cruelty violence anddisorder


many were the interruptions which will marks encountered from these stragglers and many the narrow escapes he made


now some stout bully would take his seat upon the cart insisting to be driven to his ownhome and now two or three men would come down upon him together and demand that on peril of his life he showed them what he had inside


then a party of the city watch upon their rounds would draw across the road and not satisfied with his tale question him closely and revenge themselves with a little cuffing and hustling for maltreatment sustained at other hands that night


all these assailante had to be rebutted some by fair words some by foul and some by blows


but will marks was not the man to be stopped or turned back now he had penetrated so far andthough he got on slowly still he made insway down fleetrstreet and reached the church at last


as he had been forewarned all was in readiness


directly he stopped the coffin was removed by four men who appeared so suddenly that they seemed to have started from the earth


a fifth mounted


the cart and scarcely allowing will time to snatch from it a little bundle containing such of his own clothes as be had thrown off on assuming his disguise drove briskly away


will never saw cart or man again


he followed the body into the church and it was well he lost no time in doing so for the door was immediately closed


there was no light in the building save that which came from a couple of torches bbrne by two men in cloaks who nstqod ttpon the brink of ai vault


each supported feipale figure and all observed a profound silence


by this dim and solemn glre which made will feel as thpb light ittelf wre dead and its tomb the dreary arches that frowned above they plaeed th iooffih in the vault with uncovered heads and closed it up


one of the torchbearers ed to will and stretched forth bis h ch was a purse of gold sometlung irectiy that those were the same eyesmask


had seep beneath the take it cavalier in a low


voice and he happy


rr


though these have been hasty obsfequies and nopriest has blessed ihe work there willnot be the less peace vnih thee hereafterfor having laid his bones beside those of his little cliildren


keep thy own counsel for thy sake no less than oun and god be with theel the blessing of widowed mother on thy head good friend


cried the younger lady through her tearstheblessing of one who


has now no hope or rest but in ws grave


will stood withthe purse ia his hand and involuntarily made a gesture as though he would return it for though a thoughtless fellow he was of a frank and generous nature but the two gentlemen extinguishing their torches cautioned him to be gone aa their common safety would be adajngered by a longer delay and the une time their ptiwateh and ward allflbejfprejiotis night fancying every sow and then jthat ibraal shriekswere borne towalradnhe wind and frequently winking toeh btfeer


clerical gentleman present i eecially severe by reason of his levity and youthful folly


two or three of th avest tn ctmi f pany who were of a thepoical turnlpro poinded tohim the questioq whvejsbfh si character wnot hut posriy armedforitougl combat with the devil and whethfthe hinisfelf would not have been


a wronger opponent but the clerical gentleman sharply reproving them fortheir presumption indiscossini


such quiions c crly showedrihat a itler clampion ihsm will ouldcaijpely jhave beeitelected not only r that being a chili of satan hewas the less likely to be j ajiftned hy theappearance of his own father hut becaflbe satan himself swould he at his ease in jsueh company and would not scrupjevto kickuphis heels to an extent which it was uuite certain lie would never venture before clerical eyes under whose influence aswasnotorions he became quite a tame and milkandwater character


but when next morning arrived and with it no will marks and w hen a strong party repairing to ahe spot as a hmngpmy ten tnfed to do in bliad jfbil the gibbet empty mafteris girew serious indeed


the day pmingiwrayandnonewsiairtaring and the night going ion also without sny intelligencej the thing still in shtirtthe peighbourhpdd v itself up to sucha comfortable piteh


of my tery and horror that it is a great question whether the general feeling was not one of excessive disappointmentwhenontheetid


however this may be back willcame in a very cool and collected state and appearing not to trouble himself much about anybody except old john podgers who having been sent for was sitting in the town hall crying slowly and dozing between whues having embrad his unde and assuredhim fitis safety wlp mounted on a table and itdldhis story to tte crowid


and surely they would have beenthe most unreasonable crowd that ever asseuihled tetber if they had been in the least respectdis


appointed with the tale be told them or besides describing the witches dance to the minutest motion of jtheir legs and performing it incharacter on the table with theasshtanee of a brormstick he related hw


they hadck ried off the body in a ieopper caiudrori f aud so bewitched him


that he stjisa iintil jto lying under a hedgtjastcti miles off whence jic had straightaiaf returned as they then beheld


tbuifigsiuj jitidi universal applause that it soon affcenrrds brought down express from the great witchfinder of the age


the heavenbora hopkins who having examined will closely on several points pronounced it the most extraordinary and the best accredited witch story ever known under which title it waspublished at the threebibles on lpindon briaevin small quarto vrith a view of the culdfi


from an original drawing and a portrait of the clericai gentleman as he sat by tbe fire


on one point will was partieulariy careftd aud that was to describe for the witches he had sera three impossible old females whose likenesses neverwereor will he


thus sib saved the lives of the supected partiendpf all other oldwpmen who were dragged beforo him to be identified


this circumstance occasioned holm ppdgprs much grief and sorrow until oney hjjppeuing to cast his eyes upon his hnsdeeep and observing her to be puiply afferteiwiairiieumsrtisni he procured her to be bunt as an undoubted witch


for this servioe to state he was immediately fyighited and btsame from that time sh john podger


will marks never gained any idae tovthpi mystejy in which he had been an ator nor did any inscription in


flie often visits afterwards norahypfilierjimitw inquires that he dared to make yield him


the least assistance


as he kept b owh etsret he was compelled to spefad the jpld isciy and sfngly ih cbtdrse bfbme mlpea youj whose maideh name is not recocdedvwith whom he led a prosperous and happy life yearsind yearaaftepthfe adventure itwas bis wont to tell her upon a tmny rt


was a great comfort tohim tbink


oiatthosa


boies to whomsoever they might have onfia bemged werenot heacm ajr but were mouldering away with tbe uust of their own kith and kindred in a quiejtra


chapter iii


the widow mouser with strange perversity or stranger ignorance would or could not perceive tbe possibility of any connexion between her fended cnineas and the ruddy drops that vitltw tho heart of von boots


in her homespun opinion gold could not bo ennobled a guinoa carried with it innate nobility with her flutus was beyond the gifts of heralds college


honco when the baron valhallah von boots descendant of the sea kingi spoke of his blood ho conveyed to the sense ofir mouser nothing more than a barren truism he might as well have proclaimed himself the posesor of two armfl and tho same jiumbor of legs in the oxpoctation of boitig oinbrncod as a prodigy all men inthe belief of mrs mouser had blood and if sho had any ohoico in tho quality of the wine of life it was certainly in favour of a more recontvvintage than that flowing in tho veins of von boots


she therefore received tho declaration of tho baron with the most placid insonaibility happily lost upon von boots too much rapt by


a sense of his own importance to porceive tho defeots of others


ho had received from fate an unpurchasablo glorvno carried in his pulses a treasure not to be equalled by


the wealth of mines or by tho riches of tho deep ofgreator wealth thangold


costlier far than oriental pomis and yet for tho simple consideration of bed board and lodging on a handsome scale the said small advantages solemnly nssurod to him by a priest ho had persuaded himself to offer a partiojpa tion of iiis greatness to yes tho duughtor ot a trunkmaker and widow of a dusty moneydhangor i was it possible then that tho baron von bootb could dream of a rofusal oven in tho vagaries that enter tho brains of sloeping men could he imngino n repulse


wton he fell at the feet of mrs mousor be knelt only toris a conqueror


mrs agatha


mousec tha first ilijjht tremor past withstood the passionate fervor of von boots with all tlio coolness


thricewooed widow


tho baron gazed with a keen admiring yet languishing ex


pression casting a look upon the lady like that thrown by a schoolboy through the window of a cakeshop a look of love and yet a look devouring


the widow was about to speak when catching the eye of von boots she burst into a vehement laugh


the baron felt the blood tingle in his cheek as he gazed upon the open mouth with all its pearu


complete of the merry


agatha


she is evidently a mirthful volatile creature thought von boots and with the thought he called up a look of deeper moaning of such earnost significance that the widow became upon the instant serious and with porn at her lip and anger in hor eyes she tore her hand from the melting grasp of her lovor putting it to the unbiased opinion of the baron valhallah von boots to answer this searching query


is tho man mad or is ho but a fool


a mine sprung from beneath the knees of von boots could not have made him jump from the carpet so quickly as tho question of the widow


what ho thought to speak what he thought to do or whether indeed in the uproar of his feelings in the astonishment that paralysed him he was capable of any thought whatever we feel it to be a most difficult and delicate matter to deoide


how ever from the known character of the baron wo may venture to assert that he would have said or done something very terrible had not his bosom friend and most intimate creditor philip neatskin at that moment entered the room


that the spartan boy should have cracked hazel nuts whilst the fox was dining off his viscera wo hold to be a very poor instance of the triumph of more will over physical agony compared to the awful compoburo acted by the baron von boots on the appearance of his friend the demon rago begotten by despised love was tearing into little pieces tho rejected heart of von bootb gupid more cruel as more cunning than ten foxeb struck at


his liver and yet crown him ye stoics tho baron smiled and waved his hand most courteously towards tho newcomer


eh whats tho matter


cried neatskin passing the baron and full of tho tenderest concern making up to tho widow who no sooner saw a third party enter


tho room than she lot fall at least two tears


agatha whats tho matter inquired noatskin and tho words like rodhod needles entered the heart of boots nentikin his friond and creditor was his rival


the monster jealousy mayhavo green eyes but sure we aro it has u black


face


von boots with tho sudden pabsion was blaokasnoxj


these impertinences must he ended said mrs mousor can i have no rest until i tuko shelter in a church boots said neatskin shortly and tho


baron firing


at thoignominous abbreviation and marching up to the clipper of his name bis bosom dilating like the crop of a pouter pigeon the descendant of tho sea icings thundered barqtr valhallah von boots at ypur service


what is all this asked nentskin in a tono that forcibly brought to tho recollection of the baronl his late loan of a hundred pounds


neatskin spoifo not so much like a rival as a creditor


what is


all this


he repeated


i tink


mr neatskin answered the baron with grim politeness i have already told you


why you never mean that this was the lady who who


and noatakin stammered


r ihavode blood said von boots blood


a fiddlestick for your blood


tpbu must please to remomber mr baron that i have pretensions hero and moroovor romomber that pardon me said the


baron with real politonosu his heart thumping at his waistcoat and his eyes burning like glowworms i tink


i know what you would say i do remomber


i shall not forget and with theso words significantly spoken the


baron looked at his now beaver and rufflos purr chased by the monoy borrowed of his rival


j bhall not forgot mr noatskin repoated the baron with all


tho dignity of a true gentleman and you will


please to romombor that whatever iyou have to bay


to dat lady i shall bo found to have do blood


with the vory best bow of which the baron was capablo he thon turned from the room and sought his lowly lodging


the baron sank in his ono rushbottomed chair and


though at the ripe age of fiftyeight felt that he could weep liko a child


ho dashed down his now beaver and springing up jumped upon it his righthand nails wore fixod in his left ruftlo and threatened instant dilacoration when a lato


prudence for it might have


interfered to snvo tho damaged hat


withheld the barons arm


to crush a beaver that should bo worn in its nowest gloss to rend brussels lace was not tho readiest way to pay for either article


noutskin was his rival his insulting rival as such must answer him


neutbkin was his creditorhis


con temptuous creditor as such the baron must answer him


it


was easy for von boots to send a challengo


not so easy to send an hundred pounds


and with this thought a sense of humiliating obligation steeped the baron in a cold sweat


again with


malignant oyo ho glanced at the unoffending hat again with uncertain fingers played among the threads of liis loft ruffle


what was to bo done tho lawb of honour tho custom of society would not pormit him to challenge his creditor


whoro was ho to obtain sovonandthirty pounds for bo much had he already expended


out of the fatal hundred


misorablo wretch


was thoreno rich holploss man that ho could rob


no shopkeeper


that he could cheat of goods to the amount nobody upon whom


ho could oven


commit a forgery for


the sum that ho might triumphnntly return tho monoy to hia loathsome rival and so roceivo thosatisfaotlon of a gontleman


such in tho hurricano of his feelings woro tho wild fitful thoughts of tho duron von boots


how ho writhed in his new cambric shirt bought with tho damning gold pf neatskin


the shirt of nossus tlio truth of theallogoiy for the first time flashed noross tho baron binind wasobliirt not paidfor


ho stampodi


hib footjuponi the floor mad with his wounded honour again ho stamped and tosh third time about to


smite the unourpotod deal boards whon ho was surprisedbytlie thin sharp voice of his


land


jafly outside tlio door brought thoro by tho summons inquiring if ho wanted anything


nothing nothing at nil answered tho baron with vivacity and jumping up ho ran down stairs and standing in tho btroot looked above bolow about him for sovtmahdthirty pounds


wretched baron vulhallah von boots


vain jwero thy looks rain thy speculations as faces ad vanced upon and passed thou


no thoro was no onoset of benevolent features in which thou couldst espy a chivalrous sympathy for u man blooding at a thousand pores for only sovonandthirty pounds not a siuglo passenger couldst thou detect with yisago promising oil to thy wounds evory faoo lookud hard and stony tho good men of tho earth were it was plain all within doors and none savo vulgar morconary calculators walked the streets


this disappointment was felt tho more acutoly by tho unfortunute baron from his firm conviction unit there were thousands ay it might bo tens of thousands of sons of honour who would rush to aid him in his little diloinma could thoy bo mado to know it could he only know their names and dwellingplaces


as it was he boomed doomed like a restless ghost to walk the earth with the insult to noatskin blooming on him it not boing permitted by tho code of honour to borrow money of a man and tho money yet unpaid to cut his throat as a receipt in full


tho baron groaned in bittor noss of spirit and was about to return to fais un ostentatious cabin when a thought direct from morcury or somo such invontivogod flashed through the barons brain and irradiated the barons coun tenance


there was away with tnoderato luck a glorious way to snatch revenge


ho would stako oil apon tho one golden chance fortune though blind would tako pity on tho feelings of a gentleman and at least givo him the opportunity of living or being buried like a man of honour


erect was tho lioad elastic tho step of the baron valhnllah von boots as ennobled sublimated by this thought be took his way to a gaining houso


now granting that the baron won the balance that luck attended him making up tho hundred pounds ho might only win to loao the greatest stako that poor humanity play for


to lose with von boots was to bo as sured of a gain to win was to risk the loss of all


if fortune smiled a cypress wreath might be


her gift


was it rcully a wuiter or was it death him self that smilingly bowed to the baron as he entered tlio hall of chance and took from him his hat and walkingcano


r


winding sheets grow about the candles as tho baron on


boots hovored round tho table


he saw thorn not olso ho had recoivod them as gladdening omens of his destiny


the baron seized tho dice box


honour


thou bloodstained god at whoso rcialtar


slt war and homlcido r


didst thou not smile grimly on thy boots seeing him cast sixes


again tho buron threw but this time lost again and again ho staked and won not


honour and fortune played tho game and honour still throw deuce ace


the baron reduced to his last five guineas bocamo almost desperate


jf ho lost them he had nought to do but to slink homo goto bod and sloop distracting thought until any


hour tomorrow rif he won if he recovered himself if he pocketed the full ono hundred pounds delightful glorious prospect an hour after duy light rapier in hand ha might be tilting at his bosom friend


honour cogged the dice


the baron be the story brief taking his bat and cane from the servant dosconded the steps of the temple the winner of full fifty guineas enough to pay back tho hundred to his rival and more than enough to fee a surgeon lire baron von boots slid between the sheets he poiinod and sent a challenge and with it the hundred pounds to phillip noatskin


chaster iv they entered and rover profiting by the darkness slipped in and sped across the silent yard in search of those lie knew were as prisoners there


sitdown said the mari as they entered his room


mary shrank into a chair


t


you


see said he seating himself also


there was no one much to look arter theold folksthey lived quite alone


the dame was a hardworking soul enough when she could git ought to do but young eyes see better than old and young fingers work better too and folks likes to have the worth of their pennyso th old woman didnt gain a fortin


whatshedid earn lie got oiuxof her for the drink


poor mary clasped her hands in suffering


some onemay be twas jousent the dame some money to buy warm things for th winter


old dalton found it but some


australian sceneryview of bridge at windsor over the river hawksbury


how and quarrelled with her till she gave it to him


they do say he struck her well thats nigh all as one now


oh do ee go on sir


she exclaimed the tears standing in


her eyes


he nodded


the end on it was daltou got drunk and the money for the warm clothin went in liquor


well your mother got un to bed and thought all right


shed been runnin arter him all the day and was tiredsleep falls heavy on us when weve done a hard days work she woke up in a blaze


hed brought more o the spirit home wi un and getting up to drink it set the place afire


he escaped as shouldnt but the poor old dame had one ann ter ribly burnt and that shell never use ageniso were forced to have em here


j mothermy poor dear mother i sobbed mary convulsively pressing her hands over her eyes


i i


v


ay its a bad job i but come dontntake onso may hap you can do summut for them


the native cat


ii


i she sobbed what can i do


work


yes but that wont keep them


where be they


she wildly asked rising where be they


i must see them


and hodge


she cried stopping in her hurried walk towards the door where was he all that time to have them brought here


hodge answered her companion hodge stone th keep ers son


oh


hes been here to see em


here


she indignantly exclaimed


he should never have let them come


d ha worked day and night for his parents in such trouble


well he dont seem over able to work poor lad


the last time he came he looked more like a ghost nor a man


mary stood a moment


cant i see them


she asked


just a minuteone minute


and she looked imploringly in his fac


not tonight answered that rough man softened by her real sorrow


its past hours


but tomorrow early


tomorrow


she replied impatiently


thats too long to wait


to be under the same roof and have come so far not to see them


motherspecially poor mother


ill


tell you all i can do her companion said after a moments thought


ill get ee a bed here with the matron and you can see your mother earlier than if you had to wait outside


oh thank ee sirthank ee kindly


she exclaimed


i can sleep anywhere for the matter of sleep


she continued sad ly


there wont be much o that


the overseer left her and returned with a homely elderly woman who remembering mary from a child about the neigh bourhood took a great interest in her sad story when she related how she had come in her ignorance of all hoping to surpiise them


when she told about rover ay hes in my room now


ejaculated the matron


when ever he can slip in he comes to me and waits almost with the sense of a christian as she expressed it as if they alone were humantill


i let him go along with me to the wards but he dont seem as if he could restfor as soon as ever hes seen your mother he gets out and maybe we dont see him for days


it was a sad night for poor mary


she spoke of all to that kind woman


but who could comfort affliction like hers


her meeting with her mother was most painful


long and bit terly she wept on her neck


when she beheld the withered arm sad


evidence of that night of terrorand learned that she had but quitted the infirmary to become a pauperand saddest most unaccountable of allthat no onenot even hodgeshould have written to inform her of it


her father was almost unconscious of his position drink had so besotted his intellect


he began complaining of all and every thingaccusing every one but himselfthe cause


something must be done


mary felt that


but what


and how


leave them there


she cou d not


keep them


she could not


oh the misery of poverty in such a case


she must see hodge and know why he had been silent


t with him alone too could she consult


the matron kindly offered her half her room and bed while she remained and bidding her poor mother cheer she with a heavy and bursting heart set off or


the squires whejfjshe knew hodge was at the lodge


as she turned up the lane leading to the gate where it stood a man was slowly walking before her


was it hodge


yes it j must be


but how feebly he was moving forward


she advanced quickly j hodge


she cried


he started at that voice and turned


she looked hut could not utter a word


he was so changed in a few short monthsthe figure more bowed than everthe eye bright but sunken


her trials like a heavy snowstorm had but commenced with imper ceptible signs to end in a blinding flaky sheet


sad was that meeting


she had not the heart to scold much when he said he


had not found courage to tell her about her parents and cast such misery on her that now he could work but little


he hoped soo to be better and get employment airain


he but waited for that to ask herbeg of herto marry him and make a home however poor for her parents


and as he spoke thus the low cough broke through every word


they sat down on a allen tree and talked long and sadly


then youth is o buoyant and those two who had loved so long forgot nearly all


afterawhile in the joy of a reunion his face grew less sickly and mary looking at him wondered how she had thought him so ill when they met


the eye becomes quickly ac


customed to a change whick shocked at first


isaac stonehodges fatherthe aunt too rejoiced at sight of mary


she was indeed a welcome guest and talking all over it was decided that nothing could be done yet for her parents


you see lass said isaac id right gladly ha given a whoam to th onld woman but thee feyther there warnt ruine here for he


his eyes dropped at this innocent falsehood he would not hurt marys feelings by speaking the truth


and thee mother he continued wude not leave un to be better off than he thof she sees little on him where they be


the matrons kindness reconciled mary to leave her mother in lier care and it was finally settled that she should place some


money with isaac for any little comfort they might require and hoard up every farthing for a few months to do something better her purse was not very flourishing she having sent nearly all her earnings to her mother to clothe them warmly for the winter


that had been the unfortunate cause of all


in a fortnight her quarters wages would be due and she would save all to promote her object


and the doctor said though hodge was not over strong or well he would soon be right againhe was so young and they talked and arranged so smoothly all to their ideas and hopes that when mary and hodge started off towards the gloomy home of her parents it was surprising how different everything ap peared


they laughed even whenforming their future projects and as they approached that large red building on the gloomy barren moor mary wondered how she could have thought itso wretched llover too skipped beforeher escortbarking and joyous and when hodge pressed her hand at the gate and said


ill come and fetch thee early tomorrow mary


she laughed happily in his face and answered ay hodge and do ee look as ee look now


i do loike to hear thee speak in th ould way mary


it sounds like tother days when we went amilkin together and ye hadnt learnt lunnun speech


and so they parted


to le continued


a tale of two cities


in three books


by charles dickens book the second


the golden thread


chapter i five years later


tellsons bank by temple bar was an old fashioned place even in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty


it was very small very dark very ugly very incommodious


it waa an old fashioned place moreover in the moral attribute that the partners in the house were proud of its smallness proud of its darkness proud of its ugliness proud of its incommodiousness


they were even boastful of ita eminence in those particulars and vere fired bv an express conviction that if it wero less objeoliouablo it would bo less respectable


this was no passive belief but an active weapon which they flahed at more con venient places of business


tullsons they faid wanted no elbowroom tclleons wanted no light tellsons wanted no embellishment


noakes and jos might or sncoks brothers might but tellfians thank heaven


any one of these partners would have disinhe rited hia son ou the question ot rebuilding tell soufl


in this respeot the house was much on a par with the country which did very often disin herit its eons for suggesting improvements in laws and cuitom that had loog been highly objection able but were only the more respectable


tnus it had come to pifs that tellsons was the triumphant perfection of inconvenience


afur bursting open a door of idiotic obstinacy with a weak rattle iu its throat you fell into tellsons down two step and came to your senses in a miserable little shop with two little coun terb where tho oldest of men mado your chequo shake as if thowind rustled it whilo hey examined the signature by the dingiebt of windows which were always under a showerbath of mud from fleet street and which were made the dingier by their own iron bars proper and the heavy shadow of temple bar


if your business necessitated your seeing the house you were put into a species of condemned hold at the back where you medi tated on a misspent life until the house came with its hands in its pockets and you could hardly blink at it in the dismal twilight


your money caes out of or went into wormy old wooden drawers particles of which flew up your nose and down your throat when they were opened and shut


your banknotes had a musty odour as if they were fast decomposing into rags again


your plate was stowed away among the neighboring cesspools and evil communi cations corrupted its good polish in a day or two


your deeds get into extemporised strongrooms made of kitchens and sculleries and fretted all the fat out of their parchments into the bankinghouse air