And so it had. Emma murmured "Good morning!" and crept slowly home again. She communicated to her husband the result of her visit to Mrs. Gyngell's. Julius swore vehemently, and in his rage he accused Emma of being the cause of all his misfortunes. She glanced at her helpless little ones. Did Julius regard those dear children as misfortunes? They were her treasures. "It would be all very well if we had but one child; and that one child were Zarina," said Julius. "He does not love Clotilda as dearly as he loves my 'Rina -my beautiful 'Rina!" thought Emma, as she stole a look at the bright face of her firstborn. The dreaded day-the day on which they were to quit the booth, at length arrived; and Julius received in silence his last week's salary. He had not been able to put by a shilling out of their poor earnings. He had striven to save, 'tis true, and striven very hard, too; but Emma's confinements always swallowed up the first silver pieces which he had, with such miserly care, scraped together. He And now, with a wife and three children, Julius stood in the world almost penniless-without engagement or friends. He did not know one being to whom, in this strait of circumstances, he could apply for temporary assistance. was sitting at home in moody wretchedness, after his last visit to the booth; Emma was hushing her infant to sleep, and Zarina was dressing up her father's stick for Clotilda to play with, when some one without rapped sharply at the door of their apartment. "Come in!" said Julius, in a sulky tone. The door opened a little, and a man's head introduced itself into the room. "Hope I don't interrupt-intrude, I mean," said a voice proceeding from the mouth of the before-mentioned man's head. "Come in!" repeated Julius. "That's ex-actly what I wish to do," said the owner of the head, as he flung the door wide open and rolled his large body into the apartment-"ex-actly what I wish to do; that is, with your good lady's permission," added he, bowing to Emma. "She is your good lady, I pre-sume? Bea-utiful children!" he continued, "I am a con-noisseur in beauty, maʼam-I think I may venture so far as to say that I am a great con-noisseur in beauty; and I pronounce this lighthaired damsel," laying his hand on Zarina's head, "es-pecially lovely!" "May I ask-" said Julius, rising. "My name?" interrupted the stranger, "De-cidedly you may. I am Joseph Jessamy, at your service-or, as my familiar friends facetiously nickname me, Joyful Jessy." "And your "You desire to know my business?" again interrupted the stranger, in a lively tone, "Pre-cisely! quite natural you should do so. May I take a chair? (Emma handed one). Thank you, ma'am ! bea-utiful children! pre-cious darlings!" Before I proceed further, it is necessary that I should give a short description of Joyful Jessy's somewhat remarkable appearance. He was a broad man-an exceedingly broad man; his shoulders and chest were broad, and his face seemed broader than all. His dress was a marvel: he shone resplendent in so many bright colours; his waistcoat was of orange plush with fancy buttons; his neckerchief was cerulean blue, dotted all over with pink spots; drab unmentionables, very tight and short, graced his nether limbs; while a blue coat (with a velvet collar) very threadbare, queerly cut and queerly fitted, completed the comical costume of Joyful Jessy's broad figure. "Now for my business!" said he. Dear reader, as I have a peculiar penchant for pet-names or nicknames, or whatever you choose to call them, I shall continue to write Joyful Jessy instead of Joseph Jessamy. There's a familiar cordiality in the nickname which much suits my fancy it (the sobriquet, be it observed, not my fancy) is suggestive of good humour, fun, and last, though not least, a kind heart. : "My business is," continued Joyful Jessy, smoothing his hat with his handkerchief, and carefully adjusting the crape band (I forgot to state that he wore a white beaver hat with a broad band of crape around it), "my business is-bea-utiful children, upon my word!" "Well, sir?" said Julius impatiently. "Re-markably bea-utiful," he ejaculated, emphasizing, as was his wont, the first syllable of all those words which were made up of more than two. "Bless me!" he resumed, "I beg pardon! I suppose I must come to the point at last!" "If you please," said Julius. "Pre-cisely," rejoined Joyful Jessy; "I hear that you are out of an engagement? (Julius nodded assent) left Gyngell's company this very morning?" "Yes," answered Julius. Ex-actly!" resumed the broad man.-"I was staying last night at the Bull Tavern-you know the Bull Tavern? it stands just opposite to the monument." 66 Yes, yes I know!" returned Julius, losing temper. "Pre-cisely! the landlady squints most con-foundedly. Well, whom should I meet in the parlour of the afore-mentioned Bull, but Gyngell's Walking Gentleman, who once strolled with me "Mr. Croft, you mean?" "Ex-actly! Jack Croft, as I call him. He told me all about your affairs; and, as I want a couple to join me, I thought I'd just step here, and feel your pulse, as the saying is." "Have you a booth ?" asked Julius. "I do not recollect your name. "A booth!" repeated Joyful Jessy, rubbing his chin. Why, no-not pre-cisely that sort of thing. I've a caravan for the 'props'* and wardrobe." "I don't clearly comprehend you." 'Well, thus it is: we visit towns where there are no theatres, and we engage a large room, or a public building." "Or a barn?" suggested Julius. "Pre-cisely when no other building can be procured, we take the barn." "Does the affair pay?" asked Julius. "We e share, after deducting the expenses of the caravan, 'props,' and wardrobe." "I inquired whether the concern paid?" "Hum! yeas," slowly responded the man, "tol-lolishly." "Such an uncertainty would not suit us, who are so encumbered," said Julius, pointing to his children. * Stage properties. Ex-actly," returned the other. "I should be afraid to risk joining you." "Take this situation till something more suitable presents itself. Better a crust of bread than no bread at all !" Emma drew her husband aside; and, after a few minutes' conversation with her, he returned to his visitor, asked a variety of questions, and finally promised to join him in Preston on the following day. 66 "That's all right," said Joyful Jessy, in a cheerful tone. "I never saw such a sweet little creature," he added, as he beckoned Zarina towards him. "What's your name, eh, pet?" he asked, stroking her soft, silky hair admiringly. "'Rina, if you please," lisped she, touching, with the point of her finger, the gaudy seals which hung from his watch-ribbon. "And I do please," rejoined the man, lifting the child on his knee, “for 'Rina is a very pretty name, almost as pretty as the owner of it." "I like you!" whispered Zarina. "You do, you angel? By-and-by you shall like me better." There was a nervous twitching about the man's mouth as he spoke, and his voice fell pleasantly upon the ear. "Do you like Everton toffy?" he asked. "Oh, yes!" replied Zarina; "so does Clo." "And who's Clo?" "She's Clo," answered Zarina, pointing to her sister. Very well; then you must buy lots of Everton toffy with this," said he, producing a half-sovereign. "Oh, that's not a halfpenny !" said 'Rina, in a disappointed tone, as she pushed the coin away from her, and pouted her red lips. “Indeed, indeed, Mr. Jessamy," exclaimed Emma, “you must not give my little girl all that money!" "Don't trouble yourself, my dear lady," said he laughingly. "A man may surely do what he likes with his own money.' Julius now interfered, but the broad man refused to listen to him, and began to whistle a lively air. Emma would not have been surprised if he had stood up and danced round the room for the amusement of the children. It did her heart good to look at him. His presence seemed to brighten the dingy room, and his merry laughter made her, for a time, forget her cares. Even Julius's face wore a changed expression as he watched his visitor. 66 I say, good people," exclaimed Joyful Jessy, in a tone of assumed indifference, "I've had no dinner, and I'm confoundedly hungry." Emma and Julius exchanged looks. Joyful Jessy winked his eye. "I thought so," he mentally observed; "just as I expected! I'll warrant they've not had a good dinner since the first child was born. God bless them! they shall have one now. Mr. Cave," said he aloud, "will you permit me to dine here? There's a first-rate cookshop at the corner of the street. Go and order them to send us a jolly dinner-a dinner for us all, mind you. There's a pound to pay the piper, and tell the people to send lots of pudding for the little ones!" "But, Mr. Jessamy- began Julius. "Hold your tongue, and do as you are bid! I want to be jolly! Don't stare at the sovereign; it's a good one, and there are plenty more where that came from," he added, tapping his capacious pocket. "I have been invited to stay by your bea-utiful daughter; and as I shall do more good here than at the Bull, amongst a lot of lazy drinking fellows, I should like to take a snack in your room-that is, with your good lady's per-mission.” "But "No more buts, unless they're butts of wine," laughed Joyful Jessy. "Oh!" resumed he, "talking of wine; if you've half a crown out of the yellow-boy, after the dinner's paid for, order a half-pint of sherry for the good lady!" 66 Really, Mr. Jessamy, this generosity" faltered Emma. "Tum, tum, ti, tum, tiddle, tum, ti," sang he. "Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle.” "I can say all that," lisped Zarina. Julius left the room to order the dinner. "Yes; and Little Jacky Horner too!" |