The Soldier's Wife — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

saying what ne Davis an agreeme where Widow Grant’s cottage was burnt down, you know,” “Yes, yes—I know, Goon, Sir Archibald,” interjected Mr. Arden, “ Pray proceed.” “Well, as soon as the fellow had got my bailiffs agreement, and thought he had managed the business all very clever indeed, he threw off the mask-and boldly said he meant to build a new public-house on the spot, as he had been told there was a good opening for such a eoneern, as Bushell kept up high prices, Well, Davis carae up ina fright and told me of it. I bade him not be alarmed, but to send up the fellow to me at the Manor. This was done— and the man made his appearance, quite with an independent air—‘ Now,’ said -I, ‘my good THE SOLDIER'S WIFE, ; wanted to build, he got from |laborer ;’ and after some more conversation u ment for that piece of ground |the subject, it was unanimously agreed (Aunt Jane excepted) that the best thing that Fred- erick Lonsdale could Jo was to take advantage of the presence of the recruiting-sergeant in the village, accept the King’s “ bounty-money,” and go for a soldier, CHAPTER VI THE RECRUITS, | Ar an early hour on the following morning, Mr. Bates the barber was summoned to the voyal Oak to operate apon the beard of Sergeans Langley. The tonsorial achievement being performed, Mr, Langley threw down a shilling : fellow, vou are going to build a public house, | are you ?—‘ Yes, sir,’ said he. ‘I bave got a/and when the barber fumbled about in his pocket few hundred pounds, and a wife and large for the change but turned over nothing except a family to support, and [ have been in the public | bad penny, a bunch of keys, and a clasp-kuife, ine all my life; so as I think there’s a fair;the sergeant munificently bade him keep the chance of doing at Oakleigh, I don’t see that I money, as he could not possibly think of paying can do better with my money than lay it out injJess to so skilful a professional as Mr. Bates. this specuiation.— Well, said I, ‘you had better The barber bowed as low to the sergeant as if think twice of it; for remember, the ltoyal Oak he were the commander-in-chief, and took his is my property, and Mr. Bushell is my tenant ; departure, vowing that Mr. Langley was an and if you come into the village, Bushell’s|excellent fellow as well as a perfect gentleman, business will fall off, and perhaps be won’t be and that he would do all he could to forward his able to pay me the rent. Now L[ must protect Bushell, and [ must protect myself. So I tell you what it Is; you may build your public- house if you like; but as long as I have the: honor to be Chairman at Quarter Sessions, I can tell you that you won't get a license.—So the fellow went away, mutitering something: but | didu’t care about that—and there was an end to the business” “Did he go and commit suicide ? Aunt Jane. “ Don't you think I acted quite right, Arden ?” said the Baronet. “(Quite right,” was che clergyman’s response, © You could not well have done otherwise. But my dear Sir Archibald, it is your way to manage things thus cleverly and judiciously. By the bye, just as I was leaving home, | met that young mau Fred Lonsaale; avd stopping him [| said that | hoped he had renounce: those sinful opimions which he had been known to entertain. He answered me with some degree of bitterness that he cherished them more firmly than ever : and he had the impertinence to say that he bad this very day received more than one proof how the rich oppress the poor. [rebuked him for his wicked remark—when he broke away from me i the rudest manner possible, and actually did not take off his hat.” * What will the world come to next ?” exclaim- ed Lady Redburn, holding up her bands in disinay “They will all persist in keeping their hats on,” interjected Aunt Jane. Gerald hastened to explain to Mr. Arden what had taken place between himself and Lonsdale mu the earher part of the day: or rather, he gave his own version of the transaction, The clergyman was of course highly indignant at such eutrageous conduct on the part of “a riserable %” inquired views ‘The reader has not faitea to comprehend ser geant Langley’s policy in respect to Mr, Bates. He knew full well that the barber's shop was the place where all local matters were duly talked ‘over, and that the opinions of the rustics received their tone and coloring from the impress given to them in that establishment. He was likewise laware that the barber himself was an oracle ‘amongst his customers, and that he had the means of influencing the discourse which passed around him. 1twas therefore highly important to make a friend of Mr. Bates: and this Sergeant Langley succeeded in doing to the fullest extent. The splendid treat of ale on the previous night, ‘together with the hint thrown out relative to the bhalf-crown a-head for all recruits taken to be shaved and clipped at Mr. Buates’s shop,— aud now the liberal fee of a shilling being a sort of intimation that this would continue to be the payment for each morning’s shave,—com- pletely won the barber’s heart ; and he rushed back to his shop prepared to chaunt the praises of Sergeant Langley, the Army, the beauties of a soldier’s life, the exciting pleasure of enlistment, and all matters having the slightest reference to the military service, We need hardly add that a recruiting sergeaut is well supplied with money to flash about and make a display with, and that it is invariably an astute, clever, and unserupulous man who is selected for the duty, When Bates got back to his shop, he found Frederick Lonsdale seated in a corner reading a book and waiting to be shaved. Bates accord- ingly began to operate upon him, In a few minutes (he rusties and villagers whose morning it was to treat themselves to a shave, Came one by one into the little shop; and now the parber began to touch upon the topic that was upper inost in his mind, de approached it gently ad Gomilcboo <) (eo) & coh