The Soldier's Wife — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

168 THE not of his property that she thought at the fime: she knew not indeed what his pecuniary position might be: it was only to be enabled to press his hand in kindness once more, and to be acknowledged as his child—it was only this that she had sought—and it was denied her! Poor Lucy, the cup of her bitterness ap- peared to be filled unto the brim; and no won- der was it that some moments elapsed ere she ecou'd subdue her feelings—no wonder was it that she remained unconscious of the tribulation into which the scene had plunged her little son. But at length she did calm her emotions: she was aroused to a sense of her position in that street—exposed to the gaze of whomsoever might be passing; and hi istily breathing a few eonsolatory and alfectionate syllables to the boy, she hastened onward with him to the tav- ern where they had first put up. There she paid the bill, and despatched a porter with her Loxes to the lodging she had taken. On re- turning thither, she busied herself in unpack- ing her trunks, ‘letting little Frederick help her, go that the time should not hang heavy on his hands. She herself bustled about in order, if possible, to escape from the disagreeable ref tlee- tions which kept crowding in upon her mind; but this was no easy task. When the arrange- ments were all completed and the little cham- ber was made to look as neat as possible, Lucy left Freddy in charge of the people of the house, while she went forth to make some re- quisite purchases, and also to seek for needle- work at once, as she was-resolved not to suffer any dclay to elapse ere she began earning money. While she was in a grocer’s shop buy- ing some articles which she required, she be- came a listener to the following conversation that took place between the tradesman himself and an old female who was lkewise making some purchases. ‘Well, and so the case will really be tried at these Spring Assizes—eh, Mr. Mowbray ?” said the old gossip: for such she evideutly Was. “Yes, ma’am; and they will soon be on Low,” responded the grocer. ‘The damages, they say, are laid at two thousand pounds. Alki it’s a fine business for Fleecewell; and I am told he has got evidence that the Captain ein't possibly rebut.” “Tt’s a shocking thing,” observed the gossip, ebaking her head very seriously, ‘“‘ when a young married woman forgets herself in that way. Do you xuow, Mr. Mowbray, what has become of her ?” “T understand she is at home with her fami- ly—the Colyeinths at Oakleigh; and they all vehemently protest her innocence—that it was a little silly flirtation—nothing more.” “Oh! people always say that,” observed the gossip. ‘Of course it’s natural; one’s father, mother, and sisters would not be pleading guilty on behalf of their accused relative. | am told that Mr. Davis himself has been stop- ping at Middleton ever since.” “ Yes—and he's took to drinking quite hor- rid,” responded the grocer. “Some say it’s eare and worry that drove him to it; but Ill be bound his lawyer will make the best of it. SOLDIER’S WIFE, Ah! Fleecewell is a sharp fellow; and if any practitioner can prove black’s white, or white a black, to the satisfaction of a jury, he’s the man.” By this time Lucy was served with what she wanted ; aud she made haste to get out of the shop. Indeed, she would not have remained there to hear as much as she did—-especially when the discourse turned upon the drinking habits of her father—were it not that she had given her orders to the grocer before the collo- quy commenced, and she did not choose to in- vite special notice to herself by hurrying abrupt. ly away. But as she proceeded through the street, she felt bitterly afflicted that her fath- er’s intemper: unce should have become a sub- ject of gossip and scandal; and she wished— oh! how devoutly she wished, that her sire would but be reconciled to her, that she might endeavour to wean him from the courses of de grading and debasing dissipation. Father and hush: 2 ! Alaa, it was a shocking reflection for this pure-mind- ed and virtuous woman ! Being well acquainted with Middleton, sho knew in what quarters to apply for work; and she had little difficulty in obtaining it. This was at least a source of comfort and consolation, as she was now ensured the means of living for her dear child and herself. On the follow- ing morning she left a note at the barracks that Frederick might receive it the moment he arrived at Middleton; and a few days after- wards the regiment marched into the town. I was late in the afternoon when Lonsdale made his appearance at his wife’s lodging; and she flew into his arms with joy and delight. Little Freddy was also rejoiced to see his father; and his pleasure continued unabated—whereas that, of poor Lucy speedily received a shock, wheu after the first effusion of feeling was over, she had leisure to observe her husband’s appear ance and saw that he was much under the in- fluence of liquor. The tears came into her eyes: but quickly averting her countenance, she wiped them away, and began to tell him of her interview with her father. She did not however mention the brutal message which Davis had desired her to deliver to her huss band; and she softened down as much as poss sible the cold-hearted asperity of his conduct towards herself. Passing rapidly on to a more agreeable. subject, she told Frederick how she had promptly obtained work at a very fair rate of remuneratica, and for a deposit of only a couple of pounds. She did not immediately inform him that she and little Freddy had trae veled by the wagon; she was bashful in mak- ing known her self-sacrifice of comfort to the exigencies of their position: but the boy let it out—and Lonsdale was neither so tipsy nor 89 ‘callous as to be altogether unmoved by this fresh proof of his wife’s goodness. ’ Indeed, he was stricken with a transient pang of remorse at his own past evtravagances, and at the re collection that every farthing ¢f the last sover- eign he had taken from her had been expended in liquor. But the feeling soon passed away; and ere he quitted her that evening, he devised am excuse to extract a few shillings from tas amall reserve that new revained in hand — Gomicbooks.co