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A SHABBY GENTEEL STORY 51
What happened at this tea-party it is needless here to say;
but Swigby came away from it quite as much enchanted as
before, and declared that the duets sung by the ladies in hideous
discord, were the sweetest music he had ever heard. He sent
the gin and the turkey the next day; and, of course, was invited
to dine.
The dinner was followed up on his part by an offer to drive all
the young ladies and their mamma into the country; and he hired
a very smart barouche to conduct them. The invitation was not
declined ; and Fitch, too, was asked by Mr. Swigby, in the height
of his good-humour, and accepted with the utmost delight. " Me
and Joe will go on the box," said Gann. "You four ladies and
Mr. Fitch shall go inside. Carry must go bodkin ; but she ain't
very big."
" Carry, indeed, will stop at home," said her mamma ; " she's
not fit to go out."
At which poor Fitch's jaw fell ; it was in order to ride with her
that he had agreed to accompany the party ; nor could he escape
now, having just promised so eagerly.
"Oh, don't let's have that proud Brandon," said the young
ladies, when the good-natured Mr. Swigby proposed to ask that
gentleman ; and therefore he was not invited to join them in their
excursion : but he stayed at home very unconcernedly, and saw the
barouche and its load drive off. Somebody else looked at it from
the parlour window, with rather a heavy heart, and that some one
was poor Caroline. The day was bright and sunshiny ; the spring
was beginning early ; it would have been pleasant to have been a
lady for once, and to have driven along in a carriage with prancing
horses. Mr. Fitch looked after her in a very sheepish melancholy
way ; and was so dismal and silly during the first part of the
journey, that Miss Linda, who was next to him, said to her papa
that she would change places with him ; and actually mounted the
box by the Bide of the happy trembling Mr. Swigby. How proud
he was, to be sure ! How knowingly did he spank the horses along,
and fling out the shillings at the turnpikes !
" Bless you, he don't care for change !" said Gann, as one of
the toll-takers offered to render some coppers ; and Joe felt infinitely
obliged to his friend for setting off his amiable qualities in such a
way.
0 mighty Fate, that over us miserable mortals rulest supreme,
with what small means are thy ends effected !—with what scornful
ease and mean instruments does it please thee to govern mankind !
Let each man think of the circumstances of his life, and how its
lot has been determined. The getting up a little earlier or later,