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490 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
life's pleasures had been but small. Charlotte's modest little trunks
were again packed, then, and the poor child was sent off, I won't
say with how small a provision of pocket-money, by her mother.
But the thrifty woman had but little, and of it was determined to
give as little as she could. " Heaven will provide for my child,"
she would piously say ; and hence interfered very little with those
agents whom Heaven sent to befriend her children, " Her mother
told Charlotte that she would send her some money next Tuesday,"
the Major told us ; " but, between ourselves, I doubt whether she
will. Between ourselves, my sister-in-law is always going to give
money next Tuesday: but somehow Wednesday comes, and the
money has not arrived. I could not let the little maid be without
a few guineas, and have provided her out of a half-pay purse ; but
mark me, that pay-day Tuesday will never come." Shall I deny or
confirm the worthy Major's statement ? Thus far I will say, that
Tuesday most certainly came; and a letter from her mamma to
Charlotte, which said that one of her brothers and a younger sister
were going to stay with Aunt Mac ; and that as Char was so happy
with her most hospitable and kind friends, a fond widowed mother,
who had given up all pleasures for herself, would not interfere to
prevent a darling child's happiness.
It has been said that three women, whose names have been
given up, were conspiring in the behalf of this young person and
the young man her sweetheart. Three days after Charlotte's
arrival at our house, my wife persists in thinking that a drive
into the country would do the child good, orders a brougham,
dresses Charlotte in her best, and trots away to see Mrs. Mugford
at Hampstead. Mrs. Brandon is at Mrs. Mugford's, of course quite
by chance : and I feel sure that Charlotte's friend compliments
Mrs. Mugford upon her garden, upon her nursery, upon her
luncheon, upon everything that is hers. "Why, dear me," says
Mrs. Mugford (as the ladies discourse upon a certain subject),
" what does it matter ? Me and Mugford married on two pound
a week ; and on two pound a week my dear eldest children were
born. It was a hard struggle sometimes, but we were all the
happier for it ; and I'm sure if a man won't risk a little he don't
deserve much. I know I would risk, if I were a man, to marry
such a pretty young dear. And I should take a young man to
be but a mean-spirited fellow who waited and went shilly-shallying
when he had but to say the word and be happy. I thought Mr. F.
was a brave courageous gentleman, I did, Mrs. Brandon. Do you
want me for to have a bad opinion of him ? My dear, a little of
that cream. It's very good. We 'ad a dinner yesterday, and a
cook down from town, on purpose." This speech, with appropriate