love and freindship-第23章

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　years；　and　I　have　forged　my　own　Will。　　In　short　there　is　scarcely　a　crime　that　I　have　not　committedBut　I　am　now　going　to　reform。　　Colonel　Martin　of　the　Horse　guards　has　paid　his　Addresses　to　me；　and　we　are　to　be　married　in　a　few　days。　As　there　is　something　singular　in　our　Courtship；　I　will　give　you　an　account　of　it。　　Colonel　Martin　is　the　second　son　of　the　late　Sir　John　Martin　who　died　immensely　rich；　but　bequeathing　only　one　hundred　thousand　pound　apeice　to　his　three　younger　Children；　left　the　bulk　of　his　fortune；　about　eight　Million　to　the　present　Sir　Thomas。　　Upon　his　small　pittance　the　Colonel　lived　tolerably　contented　for　nearly　four　months　when　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　determine　on　getting　the　whole　of　his　eldest　Brother's　Estate。　　A　new　will　was　forged　and　the　Colonel　produced　it　in　Courtbut　nobody　would　swear　to　it's　being　the　right　will　except　himself；　and　he　had　sworn　so　much　that　Nobody　beleived　him。　At　that　moment　I　happened　to　be　passing　by　the　door　of　the　Court；　and　was　beckoned　in　by　the　Judge　who　told　the　Colonel　that　I　was　a　Lady　ready　to　witness　anything　for　the　cause　of　Justice；　and　advised　him　to　apply　to　me。　　In　short　the　Affair　was　soon　adjusted。　　The　Colonel　and　I　swore　to　its'　being　the　right　will；　and　Sir　Thomas　has　been　obliged　to　resign　all　his　illgotten　wealth。　　The　Colonel　in　gratitude　waited　on　me　the　next　day　with　an　offer　of　his　hand　。　　I　am　now　going　to　murder　my　Sister。　Yours　Ever；　Anna　Parker。



A　TOUR　THROUGH　WALES　in　a　LETTER　from　a　YOUNG　LADY

My　Dear　Clara　I　have　been　so　long　on　the　ramble　that　I　have　not　till　now　had　it　in　my　power　to　thank　you　for　your　Letter。　We　left　our　dear　home　on　last　Monday　month；　and　proceeded　on　our　tour　through　Wales；　which　is　a　principality　contiguous　to　England　and　gives　the　title　to　the　Prince　of　Wales。　　We　travelled　on　horseback　by　preference。　My　Mother　rode　upon　our　little　poney　and　Fanny　and　I　walked　by　her　side　or　rather　ran；　for　my　Mother　is　so　fond　of　riding　fast　that　she　galloped　all　the　way。　　You　may　be　sure　that　we　were　in　a　fine　perspiration　when　we　came　to　our　place　of　resting。　Fanny　has　taken　a　great　many　Drawings　of　the　Country；　which　are　very　beautiful；　tho'　perhaps　not　such　exact　resemblances　as　might　be　wished；　from　their　being　taken　as　she　ran　along。　　It　would　astonish　you　to　see　all　the　Shoes　we　wore　out　in　our　Tour。　　We　determined　to　take　a　good　Stock　with　us　and　therefore　each　took　a　pair　of　our　own　besides　those　we　set　off　in。　　However　we　were　obliged　to　have　them　both　capped　and　heelpeiced　at　Carmarthen；　and　at　last　when　they　were　quite　gone；　Mama　was　so　kind　as　to　lend　us　a　pair　of　blue　Sattin　Slippers；　of　which　we　each　took　one　and　hopped　home　from　Hereford　delightfully…　I　am　your　ever　affectionate　Elizabeth　Johnson。




A　TALE。

A　Gentleman　whose　family　name　I　shall　conceal；　bought　a　small　Cottage　in　Pembrokeshire　about　two　years　ago。　　This　daring　Action　was　suggested　to　him　by　his　elder　Brother　who　promised　to　furnish　two　rooms　and　a　Closet　for　him；　provided　he　would　take　a　small　house　near　the　borders　of　an　extensive　Forest；　and　about　three　Miles　from　the　Sea。　　Wilhelminus　gladly　accepted　the　offer　and　continued　for　some　time　searching　after　such　a　retreat　when　he　was　one　morning　agreably　releived　from　his　suspence　by　reading　this　advertisement　in　a　Newspaper。

TO　BE　LETT　A　Neat　Cottage　on　the　borders　of　an　extensive　forest　and　about　three　Miles　from　the　Sea。　　It　is　ready　furnished　except　two　rooms　and　a　Closet。

The　delighted　Wilhelminus　posted　away　immediately　to　his　brother；　and　shewed　him　the　advertisement。　　Robertus　congratulated　him　and　sent　him　in　his　Carriage　to　take　possession　of　the　Cottage。　After　travelling　for　three　days　and　six　nights　without　stopping；　they　arrived　at　the　Forest　and　following　a　track　which　led　by　it's　side　down　a　steep　Hill　over　which　ten　Rivulets　meandered；　they　reached　the　Cottage　in　half　an　hour。　　Wilhelminus　alighted；　and　after　knocking　for　some　time　without　receiving　any　answer　or　hearing　any　one　stir　within；　he　opened　the　door　which　was　fastened　only　by　a　wooden　latch　and　entered　a　small　room；　which　he　immediately　perceived　to　be　one　of　the　two　that　were　unfurnishedFrom　thence　he　proceeded　into　a　Closet　equally　bare。　　A　pair　of　stairs　that　went　out　of　it　led　him　into　a　room　above；　no　less　destitute；　and　these　apartments　he　found　composed　the　whole　of　the　House。　　He　was　by　no　means　displeased　with　this　discovery；　as　he　had　the　comfort　of　reflecting　that　he　should　not　be　obliged　to　lay　out　anything　on　furniture　himself。　　He　returned　immediately　to　his　Brother；　who　took　him　the　next　day　to　every　Shop　in　Town；　and　bought　what　ever　was　requisite　to　furnish　the　two　rooms　and　the　Closet；　In　a　few　days　everything　was　completed；　and　Wilhelminus　returned　to　take　possession　of　his　Cottage。　　Robertus　accompanied　him；　with　his　Lady　the　amiable　Cecilia　and　her　two　lovely　Sisters　Arabella　and　Marina　to　whom　Wilhelminus　was　tenderly　attached；　and　a　large　number　of　Attendants。An　ordinary　Genius　might　probably　have　been　embarrassed；　in　endeavouring　to　accomodate　so　large　a　party；　but　Wilhelminus　with　admirable　presence　of　mind　gave　orders　for　the　immediate　erection　of　two　noble　Tents　in　an　open　spot　in　the　Forest　adjoining　to　the　house。　　Their　Construction　was　both　simple　and　elegantA　couple　of　old　blankets；　each　supported　by　four　sticks；　gave　a　striking　proof　of　that　taste　for　architecture　and　that　happy　ease　in　overcoming　difficulties　which　were　some　of　Wilhelminus's　most　striking　Virtues。




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