The things we do!

When we heard the melancholy news first announced, of course the
intelligence damped the gaiety of Clive and his companion; and F. B.,
conducted all the affairs of life with great gravity, telling Tom Sarjent
that he had news of importance for our private ear, Tom with still more
gravity than F. B.'s, said, "Go, my children, you had best discuss this
topic in a separate room, apart from the din and fun of a convivial
assembly;" and ringing the bell he bade Betsy bring him another glass of
rum-and-water, and one for Mr. Desborough, to be charged to him.
We adjourned to another parlour then, where gas was lighted up: and F. B.
over a pint of beer narrated poor Honeyman's mishap. "Saving your
presence, Clive," said Bayham, "and with every regard for the youthful
bloom of your young heart's affections, your uncle Charles Honeyman, sir,
is a bad lot. I have known him these twenty years, when I was at his
father's as a private tutor. Old Miss Honeyman is one of those cards
which we call trumps--so was old Honeyman a trump; but Charles and his
sister----"
I stamped on F.


Pages:
578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602