The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 379: what you’re looking at

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a a man with a countenance unnaturally elongated by continuous studied attempts to assume a sanctimo- nious aspect; and thus the corners of his mouth were 60 drawn down that he always seemed as if he were inwardly whimpering. In fact he appeared to have clothed himself in moral sackcloth and ashes, if we may be allowed the expression; and whenever he spoke, it wasin such a whining, drawling, canting tone that a stranger would have fancied he was ready to burst ont crying. Between this meek and lowly vessel and the plu- ralist Mr. Tumopkins, sate the Rev. Unthank Snag, Mr. Sneaksby's pious assistant in the performance of the duties at Salem Chapel; and when we assure our readers that in looks, voice, dress, manuer, and character, he was fully worthy to form an itetn in the influential Society of New Lights, we shall be par- doned if we enter into no detailed description of his many qualifications | “Brother Paxwax,” said the Bee Mr. Nathaniel Sneaksby, “open tite door gently—peep forth—and let us know whether the godly areassembling im their tens, their twenties, and their huodreds.” “Verily will the meeting be crowded,” answeted the gentienem thus appealed to, after he had satie- fied himeelf, by peeping forth in the way suggested, that the chapel was fillitxg rapidly. “I hope, Brother Sneaksby, that your discourse will be as strong, as powerful, and as potent as—as——” “ As this rum-and-water,” meekly obssrved Mer. Crick, perceiving that Brother Paxwax was at a lots for a proper simile “Thank you for the hint, my dearly-beleved brother in the gved cause,” said Ichabod. “ Yea, verily—thy discourse must resemble this compound which men call punch,” he continued, addressing himself te Mn Sneakaby: “ strength must prepon- derate even as the rum in our giaeses, where the sugar likewise typiffeth the sweetness of expression which will pervade tisige exhortation; and the dash of the lemon will have ite parallel in the slight sar casm which thou wile deal against all other sects eave our own.” “ Brother Paxwax,” said the Rev. Mr. Sneakeby, in a tone of awful solemnity; “ in Iening the features of my intended discourse unto the ingre- dients of thy punch, thou hast omitted all mention of the hot water.” ‘Tam justly rebuked,” returned Ichabod, with an air of contrite humility. “ But even as the boiling eleunent maketh bubbles rise to the surface, eo will thy discourse cause the shillings to aseand from the pockets of the godly.” | At this moment there was a low, respectful, and ‘timid knock at the vestry-door; and Mr. Paswax hastened to respond to the summons, Qpeniog the | door a few inches, he beheld Mrs. Piggieberry im company with a pretty young woman of modest ap- pearance and whose age might be about twenty. “This dear creetur, good air,” said the widow, in a subdued and lachry mose tone, as she glanced towasds the girl, “is my niece—my own brother's darter; and she’s got no care or thought for her futur’ state: eo it struck me that I’d bring her with me this blessed Saturday afternoon to see if there waen’t no means of convertin’ her into a state of grease.” “ Yes, my good woman,” answared Paxwax, peer- ing through the narrow space to which he had opened the door; “we'll assuredly fiad means to bring your niece to a state of grace. But vou must THUS MISTER. wait one minute—for my brethren here are at this moment under the inspiration of the spirit and can- not be disturbed.” Having thus spoken, Mr. Ichabod Paxwax closed the door: whereupon he himeelf and his sanctimo- nious companions hastened to gulp down the re- mainder of their rum-punch—having dispored of which, they hastily concealed the glasses in a cup- board. Mr. Paxwax then retamed to the door, and gave admittance to Mrs. Piggléberry and her niece— the former of whom was struck with awe and the latter with confusion on thus entering into the pre- sence of this solemn conclave. The five saints fixed their eyes upon the counte- nance of the blushing girl; and Mr. Unthank Snag’s mouth watered as he observed her cherry lips—while Mr. Jonatim Crick looked as suddenly pleased as an antiquated goat. Mra. Piggleberry repeated her desire that her young relative should be brought “to a state of grease,” at elke-denominated the procedure whatever it might be: antl Mr. Nathaniel Sneaksby, after con- sulting his wetel, observed, “ There is verily time to commenve the good work, Mrs. Piggleberry: re- tire thou back again into the chapel—and leave thy niece far a ehort Ume in the holy atmosphere of this council-togm of the elect.” The worthy widow curtseyed and withitew ac- cordingly : and if every one of her seneud tad mnt been abeurted in the religious awe which swayed tie ignorent, confiding old creature, she conid not poe- sibly temve failed to sniff an egregious odvur of ram in that “ oly atmosphere.” The nteve was so surprised at being thus suddenly left by heratnt that she was for wortre moments rooted to the spot: then, suddenly recovering herself, she would have hurried after Mrs. Piggleberry, had net the Rev. Nathaniel Sneahsty interposed his gaunt form between herself and the door, exclaiming, “Fear not, young woman : thou art with the godly f° The girl’s confusion now changed into a sense of the ludicrous and an inclination to burst out laugh- ing in the face of the demure spiritual leader of the New Lights: but he, taltitng her hand, said, “ Come with me, O waywatd lamb whom the good sheep bath entrusted to my eare; and I will become thy shepherd !” Thus speaking, be Jed her into a small inner room where the surplices and black gowns were hanging, and where ail the crockery was kept for the “ tea- mectings “ and “ love-feasts” of the New Lights ; and closing the door behind him, the reverend gentleman bade the young woman be seated. This invitmion she accepted—entertaining no alarm at being in the company of so pious an individual, but being rather emrious te hear what he could have to say to her “Fearing that thou would’st be coufused, poor lamb, in the presence of my brethren,” he com- menced, once more taking her hand and keeping it in his own as he pieced himself in a chaie cloee by her side,—* I did bring thee into thia privacy that we might converse ia a blessed security and a holy peaca, Teil me, young maiden, what is thy name?" “Ann Jones, please aif,” was the prompt reply: and as she epoke, her cherry lipe revealed: two rows of large but white and even testh. “ And hast thou ever felt the spirit stirring within thee, Ann ¢t” inquired Mr. Sneakeby, approaehing his countenance towards her own. “I don’t know what you mean, sir,” uhu sat COMIC OOO (Cc SS co