Slike strani
PDF
ePub

place behind the counter. Having come into a settled income, I thought it time to provide myself with a wife to sit at the top of the presidential mahogany. So I commenced courting a young lady named Rosalie, and at last proposed marriage. Fetched by my prospects, she closed with the offer.

“Will you
"Within reason," she replied.

'Well, all this time I went on working away in that general store, and the master of the place took a great likin' to me. He was an old man with curious fancies, and one curious thing about him was that he could not stand cats. There was only one thing he couldn't stand more, and that was kittens. Well, he was took very sick, and at the end of a week he sends for me up to his bedside. There was his lawyer sitting there, and the old man's will lying before him. I thought may be he'd sent for me to pay me my wages, which were long overdue. The old man was sittin' propped up with pillows, and a bit of parchment before him, and his lawyer was sittin' at his bedside.

wait for me, Rosalie ?" I said.

"Richard," says my boss, "where's your dam' cat?"

'Now, I hadn't seen my cat for a week, and was grieving because she'd been lost. So I says, quite peart-like—

"I been and drowned her, boss."

"Why's that?" says he.

"Because I know you can't stand cats," says I.

"Richard," says he, "you're a good lad, and that decides me! Fill in the will with his name, lawyer," says he. "See here," he says to me," this is my last will and testament, Amen. I'm going to leave you my store and all my money."

'The lawyer filled in "Richard K. Whittington." The boss spread out the will before him, dipped the pen in the ink preparing to sign, lifted it up in the air, and gave it a little shake so as not to blot-and he was just lowering it to the parchment, when he opened his mouth and fixed his eyes on a far corner of the floor. I followed the direction of his eyes, and what do you think I saw? The cupboard door slowly opened, and out walked my cat, followed by ten kittens in Indian file, which she'd been busy litterin' in there while the old man was sick. The boss threw the ink-pot at my cat, and tore that will into sixteen pieces. Then he lay back and died: the shock had finished him. So I missed getting the store; but it was a lucky thing my cat having those kittens just then, for, as I say, I hadn't been paid my wages, and

if I hadn't been able to sell those kittens one by one, I should have been purty nigh starvation. Not that I minded: for you can go through a'most anything when you've got the White House, as it were, almost within arm's length.

'There's only one thing vexed me. Going round one evening soon after to see Rosalie, I found her in company of a pleasantlooking young feller who seemed shy.

"Let me introduce my husband," says Rosalie, presenting the young man. He shook hands in an apologetic manner. "What? Rosalie! Rosalie!" says I, " couldn't you wait for

me?"

"Wait for wait," says she. "If I'm to wait till you're President, I guess you can wait till I'm a widow." And there's that gal still waitin' for me patiently over therė. . . . .

At this moment a man appeared on the stern of the Ionè and shouted, 'Come 'ere, Dick; you're wanted.'

'Well, I must be off,' said the American, rising from his corn-bags. By the bye, if any of you gen'l'men can lend me a ten cent piece, I tell you I won't forget him when I'm Pres'dent of the United States of Amurrka. . . . No? Nobody?'

'Come 'ere, Dick,' repeated the man on the Ionè. That dam' cat of yours has got loose, and is raising Hell and Tommy in the store-room, and the skipper's flyin' round with a hand-spike swearin' he'll knock the fiddle-strings out of her.'

'Well, so long, gen'l'men,' said Richard Whittington. 'I wouldn't have any harm come to that cat of mine.'

The company was silent for a little while when he had left us. 'A stoopid lot, them Yankees,' murmured the old docklabourer; they never knows when they're ill off.'

6

GEORGE L. CALDERON.

1

[blocks in formation]

Ir Julia's return in the middle of the night balked the curiosity of some who would fain have had her set down at the door that they might enjoy her confusion as she passed through the portico, it had the advantage, appreciated by others, of leaving room for conjecture. Before breakfast her return was known from one end of the Castle Inn to the other; within half an hour a score had private information. Sir George had brought her back, after marrying her at Salisbury. The attorney had brought her back, and both were in custody, charged with stealing Sir George's title-deeds. Mr. Thomasson had brought her back; he had wedded her at Calne, the reverend gentleman himself performing the ceremony with a curtain-ring at a quarter before midnight, in the presence of two chambermaids, in a room hung with drab moreen. Sir George's servant had brought her back; he was the rogue in the play; it was Lady Harriet Wentworth and footman Sturgeon over again. She had come back in a Flemish hat and a white cloth Joseph with black facings; she had come back in her night-rail; she had come back in a tabby gauze, with a lace head and lappets. Nor were there wanting other rumours, of an afterdinner Wilkes-and-Lord-Sandwich flavour, which we refrain from detailing; but which the Castle Inn, after the mode of the eighteenth century, discussed with freedom in a mixed company.

Of all these reports and the excitement which they created in an assemblage weary of waiting on the great man's recovery and in straits for entertainment, the attorney knew nothing until he set forth to keep the appointment in Lord Chatham's apartments, which, long the object of desire, now set his teeth on edge. Nor need he have learned much of them then; for he had only to cross the lobby of the east wing, and was in view of the

а

Copyright, 1898, by Stanley J. Weyman, in the United States of America. VOL, V.--NO. 28, N.S.

24

hall barely three seconds. But, unluckily, Lady Dunborough, cackling shrewishly with a kindred dowager, caught sight of him as he passed; and in a trice her old limbs bore her in pursuit. Mr. Fishwick heard his name called, had the weakness to turn, and too late found that he had fallen into the clutches of his ancient enemy.

The absence of her son's name from the current rumours had relieved the Viscountess of her worst fears, and left her free to enjoy herself. Seeing his dismay, La, man! I am not going to eat you!' she cried; for the lawyer, nervous and profoundly dispirited, really shrank before her. 'So you have brought back your fine madam, I hear? And made an honest woman of her!'

Mr. Fishwick glared at her, but did not answer.

'I knew what would come of pushing out of your place, my lad!' she continued, nodding complacently. It wasn't likely she'd behave herself. When the master is away the man will play, and the maid too. I mind me perfectly of the groom. A saucy fellow and a match for her; 'tis to be hoped he'll beat some sense into her. Was she tied up at Calne?'

'No!' Mr. Fishwick blurted, wincing under her words; which hurt him a hundred times more sharply than if the girl had been what he had thought her. Then he might have laughed at the sneer and the spite that dictated it. Now-something like this all the world would say.

The Viscountess eyed him cunningly, her head on one side. 'Was it at Salisbury, then?' she cried. Wherever 'twas, I hear she had need of haste. Or was it at Bristol? speak to you, man?' she continued impatiently. 'At neither,' he cried.

D'you hear me
Out with it.'

Hoity-toity!' she

My lady's eyes sparkled with rage. answered. 'D'you say No to me in that fashion? I'll thank you to mend your manners, Fishwick, and remember to whom you are speaking. Hark ye, sirrah, is she Sir George's cousin or is she not ?'

'She is not, my lady,' the attorney muttered miserably. 'But she is married?'

'No,' he said; and with that, unable to bear more, he turned to fly.

She caught him by the sleeve. 'Not married?' she cried, grinning with ill-natured glee. Not married? And been off three days with a man! Lord, 'tis a story as bald as Granby!

"

She ought to be whipped, the hussy! Do you hear? She ought to the Roundhouse, and you with her, sirrah, for passing her off on us!'

6

But that was more than the attorney, his awe of the peerage notwithstanding, could put up with. God forgive you!' he cried. 'God forgive you, ma'am, your hard heart!'

She was astonished. You impudent fellow!' she exclaimed. 'What do you know of God? And how dare you name Him in the same breath with me? D'you think He'd have people of quality be Methodists and live as the like of you? God, indeed! Hang your impudence! I say, she should to the Roundhouseand you, too, for a vagabond! And so you shall!'

"

The lawyer shook with rage. The less your ladyship talks of the Roundhouse,' he answered, his voice trembling, 'the better! There's one is in it now who may go farther and fare worse-to your sorrow, my lady!'.

threaten me?'

'You rogue!' she cried. 'Do you 'I threaten no one,' he answered. 'But your son, Mr. Dunborough, killed a man last night, and lies in custody at Chippenham at this very time! I say no more, my lady!'

He had said enough. My lady glared; then began to shake in her turn. Yet her spirit was not easily quelled; and 'You lie!' she cried shrilly, the stick, with which she vainly strove to steady herself, rattling on the floor. Who dares to say that my son has killed a man?'

[ocr errors]

'It is known,' the attorney answered. 'Who-who is it?'

Mr. Pomeroy of Bastwick, a gentleman living near Calne.'

In a duel! 'Twas in a duel, you lying fool!' she retorted hoarsely. You are trying to scare me! Say 'twas in a duel and I-I'll forgive you.'

They shut themselves up in a room, and there were no seconds,' the lawyer answered, beginning to pity her. I believe that Mr. Pomeroy gave the provocation, and that may bring your ladyship's son off. But, on the other hand'

On the other hand, what? What?' she muttered.

Mr. Dunborough had horsewhipped a man that was in the other's company.'

'A man?'

It was Mr. Thomasson,'

Her ladyship's hands went up. Perhaps she remembered that

« PrejšnjaNaprej »