The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 96: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

90 THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. truestate of things by Dame Worthington, he sought an opportunity of speaking to Clara alone. The girl’s manner was s0 modest and genuine, and she confessed her attachment for the young man with so much artlessness that old Sir Richard Warbeck was strongly prepossessed in her favour, and determined to do all in his power to reconcile Mistress Haylark to the match. What with presents, great gallantry of manner, and marked deference to all her opinions on ordinary topics, he so far won upon the proud Jady that her resolution to maintain the honour of “the Hay- larks’’ melted away like ice before his eloquence and earnestness, And after holding out fer some time, “for the sake of form,’ and in maintenance of her much self-styled “ firmness,’’ she consentei to the match, and began to bustle about in making suitable pre- parations for it. The intended marriage was kept as secret ag fos- sible, yet many female acquaintances soon became aware of the fact by some unknown means. And rumour had it that when Miss Josephine Smith, next door, heard of the approaching event, through the tattling of servants over the backyard wall, she was seized with a sudden fit of hysterics, and gave vent to her disappointment and chagrin, in all manner of double-meaning phrases, and called Miss Clara everything that was unkind. Dame Worthisgton was literally beside herself, She knew not what to do from day to day. The nearer the important event approached, the more affectionately she behaved both to Clara and Charley. She laughed and cried by turns, and said, “She always knew it,” Clara would kiss her, and Charley would joke her, But, despite all her apparent perturbation and anxiety, she found time to have frequent aad long interviews withold Sir Richard, until the young couple, seated lovingly side by side on the parlour sofa, could not understand the nature of them. Dame Worthington deeply regretted that she could not possibly find accommodation for them in her house, but Sir Richard only smiled benignly and said, “Leave that matter to me, Harriet, my dear.” The old dame, full of confidence i in his wisdom, did leave that matter in his hands, fully assured that he “would manage it far better than any one else. When the day approached, the hurry and bustle in the house increased tenfold, and to such a degree, that the servant confessed to Smith’ s girl, across the back-yard wall, that ‘she was a’most worried to death,” and wished the marriage was over. On the eve of the wedding, when everything had been prepared, two legal gentlemen unexpectedly ar- rived and after candles were lit in Dame Worthing- ton’s back parlour, they arranged their papers with much apparent satisfaction. Dame Worthington, the august Mistress Haylark, and the modest old Sir Richard, took their seats. Charley was summoned into their awful presence, Miss Clara following, feeling as she oefterwards confessed it, “all of a tremble. se Old Sir Richard acted as chairman of the im- posing committee, and informed the young people that, as they were about to be united in the holy bands of wedlock on the morrow, he wished to say a few words to both. Mistress Haylark had informed him that Clara was entitled to the sum of five thousand pounds as her marriage portion, and, although this was unknown to Charley, he begged to inform him that twenty thousand pounds had been assigned to him as his portion, left by some person whom he should know at some future time. In addition to this, kind Dame Worthington, in good-will and love to both, and in consideration of her lasting admiration of their mutual and disin- terested attachment, presented them jointly with two thousand pounds—which she had been hoard- ing up for many years with this express intention— making a very handsome total, with which modest sum they might commence life very comfortably. In conclusion, old Sir Richard said, “As he himself had not contributed anything as yet to them, he would give them one of his houses in town, which was already furnished, and awaiting their marriage.” The lawyers were there, he said, to legaliy ratify all these things, and, as general speaker for those then present, he wished them joy through many, many happy years. At the conclusion of his remarks, which, it must be confessed, greatly surprised and pleased the young people, Dame Worthington, Mistress Hay- lark, and Clara were in tears, and seemed deeply affected. Wine was produced, which tended to revive the two former Jadies considerably. Mistress Haylark recommended Charley to use smelling salts to her daughter. But that young gentleman had his own specific for reviving her. He conducted Clara from the back to the front parlour, where soon the sounds of merry laughter’ and lively music told plainly that she was fully re- covered, and in the best of spirits. —_—-—— CHAPTER XXIX, SIR ANDREW AND PHILLIP HIS SON-IN-LAW MAKE FRIENDS AND ENEMIES, T'sz marriage of Charley and Miss Clara was duly announced in the newspapers, and the style in which it was said to have been conductel so astonished the clerks and employés of the India House and other circles in which he was formerly known, that every ose unanimously considered that Charles. must have had “a windfall,” cr “a very sudden rise’ in the world. Sir Andrew, in the retirement of his little country house heard of it, Mr, Phillip Redgill in the smoky, dinzy, card and gambling rooms, also heard of it, and both were very much surprised, The latter thought he would lose no time in con- gratulating young Warbeck. “For he’s well up now,’’ said Phillip, “and will be a sure card for a hundred or two, if I ask him.” Other persons besides these twa notable indi- viduals had heard of the marriage, Miss Josephiae Smith was present during the ceremony, and, in giving an account of the affair, said that the bridegroom looked happy and hand- sone, But “as to the bride—ugh ! good gracious! she was a perfect fright! All curls, as usual, my dear, and looking like a frost-bitten turnip ! 1” Augusius Fumbleton, Esq., was also aware of the awful event, and confessed that he had now lost every earthly hope, and was fast falling away in flesh and figure. But as he seemed to be enjoying himself as usual with an evening drive in the occasional company of a fast-dressing woman, who was said to be already © married, his most intimate friends could see but CRETE nm cS (E(0)