Live hard and temperately, be respectful, exercise your self-denial, bring up your family on next to nothing, pay your rent as regularly as the clock strikes, be punctual in your dealings (I set you a good example; you will find Mr. Fish, my confidential secretary, with a cash-box before him at all times); and you may trust to me to be your Friend and Father.′
′Nice children, indeed, Sir Joseph!′ said the lady, with a shudder. ′Rheumatisms, and fevers, and crooked legs, and asthmas, and all kinds of horrors!′
′My lady,′ returned Sir Joseph, with solemnity, ′not the less am I the Poor Man′s Friend and Father. Not the less shall he receive encouragement at my hands. Every quarter-day he will be put in communication with Mr. Fish. Every New Year′s Day, myself and friends will drink his health. Once every year, myself and friends will address him with the deepest feeling. Once in his life, he may even perhaps receive; in public, in the presence of the gentry; a Trifle from a Friend. And when, upheld no more by these stimulants, and the Dignity of Labour, he sinks into his comfortable grave, then, my lady′—here Sir Joseph blew his nose— ′I will be a Friend and a Father—on the same terms—to his children.′
Toby was greatly moved.
′O! You have a thankful family, Sir Joseph!′ cried his wife.
′My lady,′ said Sir Joseph, quite majestically, ′Ingratitude is known to be the sin of that class. I expect no other return.′
′Ah! Born bad!′ thought Toby. ′Nothing melts us.′
′What man can do, _I_ do,′ pursued Sir Joseph. ′I do my duty as the Poor Man′s Friend and Father; and I endeavour to educate his mind, by inculcating on all occasions the one great moral lesson which that class requires. That is, entire Dependence on myself. They have no business whatever with—with themselves. If wicked and designing persons tell them otherwise, and they become impatient and discontented, and are guilty of insubordinate conduct and black-hearted ingratitude; which is undoubtedly the case; I am their Friend and Father still. It is so Ordained. It is in the nature of things.′
With that great sentiment, he opened the Alderman′s letter; and read it.
′Very polite and attentive, I am sure!′ exclaimed Sir Joseph. ′My lady, the Alderman is so obliging as to remind me that he has had "the distinguished honour"—he is very good—of meeting me at the house of our mutual friend Deedles, the banker; and he does me the favour to inquire whether it will be agreeable to me to have Will Fern put down.′
′MOST agreeable!′ replied my Lady Bowley. ′The worst man among them! He has been committing a robbery, I hope?′
′Why no,′ said Sir Joseph′, referring to the letter. ′Not quite. Very near. Not quite. He came up to London, it seems, to look for employment (trying to better himself—that′s his story), and being found at night asleep in a shed, was taken into custody, and carried next morning before the Alderman. The Alderman observes (very properly) that he is determined to put this sort of thing down; and that if it will be agreeable to me to have Will Fern put down, he will be happy to begin with him.′
′Let him be made an example of, by all means,′ returned the lady.
© e-libr.com
feedback